EP1651540A1

EP1651540A1 - Fluid product dispensing head

Info

Publication number: EP1651540A1
Application number: EP04767587A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Firmin Garcia; Gérard CORNET
Original assignee: Valois SAS
Current assignee: Aptar France SAS
Priority date: 2003-07-10
Filing date: 2004-07-06
Publication date: 2006-05-03
Anticipated expiration: 2024-07-06
Also published as: BRPI0412485A; FR2857342B1; JP2007516134A; EP1651540B1; JP4813354B2; WO2005007535A1; US6991139B2; ES2386547T3; BRPI0412485B1; US20050006416A1; FR2857342A1; CN1819956B; CN1819956A

Abstract

The invention concerns a fluid product dispensing head comprising a body (1) forming a dispensing conduit (14) having an outlet (143) defining an outlet axis X, and a closure element (2) mounted on the body (1) for selectively closing the dispensing conduit (14) at its outlet (143), the closure element forming a dispensing orifice (22) closed in the absence of fluid product under pressure in the dispensing conduit, said closure element including sealing means (24) and fixing means (25a) co-operating with sealed receiving means (15) and complementary retaining means formed by the body (1), the fixing means comprise at least one fixing profile (253) facing radially outwards relative to the outlet axis X and the retaining means comprise at least one retaining profile (193) facing radially inwards towards the outlet axis X.

Description

Fluid dispensing head

The present invention relates to a fluid dispenser head intended to be mounted on a fluid dispenser member such as a pump or a valve. The dispensing head can form a pusher on which the user can exert pressure to actuate the dispensing member. However, this pusher function can be separated from the dispensing head.

Such a dispensing head can in particular be used in association with a dispensing member to be mounted on a fluid reservoir in the fields of perfumery, cosmetics or even pharmacy. The type of fluid dispensing head of the present invention generally comprises a body forming a dispensing conduit having an inlet intended to be connected to the dispensing member and an outlet having an outlet axis X. The head comprises at in addition to a shutter mounted on the body for selectively closing the dispensing duct at its outlet, the shutter forming a dispensing orifice closed in the absence of pressurized fluid in the dispensing duct and open in the presence of fluid in the distribution conduit at a pressure greater than an opening threshold value, said shutter comprising sealing means and fixing means cooperating with sealing receiving means and respective complementary holding means formed by the body for fixing sealingly the shutter on the body. The dispensing orifice is often formed by a simple self-sealing slot which remains sealed in the closed state in the rest position, that is to say in the absence of fluid at a pressure above the threshold value opening. A dispensing head of this type is already known from document FR 2 654 078. The shutter of this document is snapped onto the body with a snap-in profile turned inwards. In addition, the ratcheting and sealing function is almost confused, or at least very closely associated. The object of the present invention is to define a dispensing head of this type having improved fixing and sealing functions. Moreover, the shutter and / or the body must be easily molded and demouldable. Another final goal is final fixation. To achieve these aims, the present invention proposes, according to one embodiment, that the fixing means comprise at least one fixing profile turned radially outwards relative to the outlet axis X and the holding means comprise at least one retaining profile turned radially inwards towards the exit axis X. This means that the shutter is fixed to the body on an external periphery of the shutter and on an internal periphery of the body, unlike the dispensing head of the aforementioned prior art. According to another advantageous characteristic which can be implemented additionally or alternatively, the sealed reception means are located radially closer to the outlet axis X than the holding means. Advantageously, the sealed receiving means and the holding means extend substantially concentrically. This implies that the fixing means are spatially separate from the sealing means. In other words, the fixing means do not normally participate in the sealing of the shutter on the body. Conversely, the sealing of the shutter on the body does not participate in the fixing of the shutter on the body. Thus, the sealing and fixing functions are separated. It is therefore possible to optimize each function (sealing and fixing) independently of one another. This is not the case in the dispensing head of the prior art where the fixing contributes to sealing. The configuration of the fixing profiles on the external periphery of the shutter and the separation of the sealing and fixing functions are two characteristics which can be implemented independently of one another. According to another characteristic of the invention, the sealed receiving means comprise a peripheral groove which extends around the outlet, and the sealing means comprise a sealing lip in sealed engagement in the groove. Advantageously, the groove forms two side walls connected by a bottom, the lip being in leaktight contact at least with the two side walls and advantageously also with the bottom. Preferably, the lip borders a outlet chamber situated in the extension of the outlet of the duct and comprising a convergence wall which extends towards the dispensing orifice to direct the pressurized fluid product coming from the outlet towards the dispensing orifice. The sealing lip makes it possible to achieve a particularly effective sealing quality, since the lip comes into sealed contact over three distinct zones, namely the two side walls and the bottom. The sealing contact on the side walls is particularly effective since these two side walls face each other and the lip is thus crushed or wedged between these two walls. We can thus get rid of the resistance of the lip to deformation. It is indeed possible to form a very thin lip which is inserted into a groove of very reduced width. According to another interesting aspect of the invention, the fixing means comprise at least one fixing lug forming an external fixing profile and the holding means comprise at least one holding housing forming a holding profile intended to come into fixing grip with the fixing profile. Advantageously, the holding means comprise blocking means intended to cooperate with the fixing means (lugs) to block the fixing profile engaged with the holding profile. Preferably, the retaining housing forms a blocking surface intended to urge the fixing tab so as to push the fixing profile against the retaining profile.

According to a practical embodiment, the locking surface is turned radially outward relative to the outlet axis X, the fixing lug forming a cam surface turned radially towards the outlet axis, said cam surface being in engagement with the blocking surface. Still for practical purposes, the dispensing head comprises three fixing lugs arranged on either side and below the outlet axis X, when the inlet is oriented downwards. Advantageously, said at least one retaining housing comprises an insertion window defining an internal edge and an external edge relative to the outlet axis, said external edge defining an internal latching edge forming said retaining profile, said profile of external fixing coming into engaged engagement with said internal ratcheting edge. The fixing lugs with their external fixing profiles thus extend around the sealing lip, the formation of the fixing profiles on the outside or on the external periphery of the tabs also allows natural release of the shutter by moving the mold parts away . This is not the case when the fixing profiles are formed on an internal wall or directed towards the outlet axis. In this case, the release takes place by force, which often has the effect of damaging the fixing profiles. This then results in a lower quality of fixing. As for the locking means, they ensure an irreversible or non-removable fixing of the locking profiles on the retaining profiles. According to another characteristic of the invention, the dispensing orifice is a self-sealing slot biased at rest in the sealed closed position. This slit can be made by a simple incision in the obturator using a sharp blade. The invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings which give an embodiment of the invention by way of non-limiting example. In the figures: FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-section view through a dispensing head according to the invention, FIG. 2 is a horizontal cross-section along the outlet axis X of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the body of the dispensing head, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the shutter of the dispensing head of the invention, FIG. 5 is another view of the shutter from another angle of view, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the body of the dispensing head of the invention. The dispensing head used to illustrate the present invention and shown in the figures is a push type dispensing head which can be pressed using one or more fingers to actuate a distribution, such as a pump or a valve, on which the head is mounted. However, a dispensing head according to the present invention can be dissociated from the pusher function and fulfill only a dispensing and fluid product outlet function. The pusher is in this case separated from the head. In the embodiment of the figures, the dispensing head comprises two constituent elements, namely a body 1 and a shutter 2. These two elements can be produced by injecting plastic material into a suitable mold. The body is preferably made of a harder or rigid plastic material than the shutter. The shutter can for example be made of elastomer. The body 1, which is preferably made in one piece, comprises an upper support wall 13 which serves as a pushing surface on which one or more fingers can be applied with one hand and exert a pressing force. This upper wall 13 here has a complex shape that is both rounded and sloping. It is an ergonomic shape for the position of a finger with the last phalanx of the finger end placed on the highest part of the upper wall 13. On the other hand, the body 1 forms a side skirt device 11 which extends from the top wall 13 downwards. The skirt 11 also has a complex configuration, but generally cylindrical. On the side where the upper wall 13 is the highest, the skirt 11 forms a junction plane 17, which is perfectly flat here. This junction plane 17 is pierced with several openings or recesses, as will be seen below. The shutter 2 which will be described below, is intended to be attached to the body 1 at the junction plane 17. The body 1 internally defines a connection sleeve 12 intended to receive the upper end of a rod d actuation of a dispensing member such as a pump or a valve. The housing formed by the connection sleeve 12 can be of the force-fitting or snap-on type. This receiving housing is extended by a distribution duct 14 which defines an axial inlet 141. This inlet is arranged on a longitudinal axis vertical Y which merges with the axis of the dispensing member and its actuating rod. The inlet 141 is of course open downward to communicate with the housing formed by the connection sleeve 12 in which the upper end of the actuating rod must be engaged. In many cases, the body 1, and more generally the dispensing head, is rotatably mounted around this vertical axis Y. The dispensing conduit 14 also forms a radial passage 142 which opens at the junction plane 17 at level of an outlet 143. The outlet 143, as well as the passage 142 which connects the inlet 141 to the outlet 143 extend along a distribution or outlet axis X. The outlet axis X extends substantially perpendicularly to the vertical longitudinal axis Y. However, the axis X can be oriented slightly or substantially up or down relative to the axis Y. The outlet 143 is thus bordered by a flat annular surface 16 which can be disposed in the junction plane 17, or advantageously slightly offset towards the inside with respect to this plane 17, as can be seen very clearly in FIG. 3.

This annular wall 16 is surrounded externally by a receiving groove 15 which extends from the junction plane 17 towards the inside of the body 1 substantially in the same direction as the outlet axis X. The groove 15 thus forms a a sort of annular trench whose depth extends horizontally. The groove comprises two concentric annular side walls 151 and 152 connected by a bottom 153. This groove 15 is surrounded by the junction plane 17. With reference to FIG. 6, it can be seen that the receiving groove 15 is surrounded on at least three of these sides, that is to say the two lateral sides and the bottom side, by three insertion windows, namely the window 19a at the bottom of the groove, and two lateral insertion windows 19b. In the sectional view of Figure 3, we see the insertion window 19a while Figure 2 reveals the side windows 19b. These insertion windows 19a and 19b pass through the wall thickness of the skirt 11 so as to access the interior of the body 1. These insertion windows constitute access openings for holding housings 18a and 18b. The window 19a allows access to the lower housing 18a while the windows 19b allow to access the lateral holding housings 18b. Each window defines an inner edge 191 and an outer edge 192. The inner edge 192 is closer to the X axis than the outer edge 192. In fact, the inner edges 191 are placed just behind the groove 15 while the edges 192 face the inner edges 192 with the access passage extending therebetween. According to the invention, the inner edge 193 formed by the outer edge 192 serves as a holding profile intended to cooperate with the shutter 2 as will be seen below. There are therefore three holding edges 193 which extend towards the X axis. These edges constitute holding means which are turned inwards towards the X axis. The inner edges 191 extend inside the respective holding housings by forming a blocking surface 181 which faces outwards with respect to the X axis and which makes an angle with respect to the horizontal. Thus by engaging a part horizontally through one of the windows, the part will quickly come into contact with this blocking surface 181. We will see below the real function of this blocking surface. It can thus be said that the outlet 143 is surrounded by a receiving groove 15 concentrically. We will see below that the function of this groove is to produce a seal with the shutter 2. It can also be noted that the retaining housings extend concentrically around the outlet 143 and the receiving groove 15. The groove 15 is in fact separated from the windows for inserting the housings by the junction plane 17. This visible in FIG. 6. This junction plane advantageously further extends around the insertion windows 19a and 19b. The shutter 2 forms a dispensing spout 21 internally forming an outlet or dispensing chamber 23 having a wide opening bordered by a sealing lip 24. The chamber 23 extends from this sealing lip 24 forming an upper surface 211 and a lower surface 212. The two walls 211 and 212 converge towards each other to meet at a self-sealing slot 22 which forms a dispensing orifice. This self-sealing slot has edges which are in sealed contiguous contact in the rest position, that is to say when the chamber 23 does not contains no fluid product subjected to a pressure higher than a threshold pressure making it possible to separate the edges of the slot and thus open the dispensing orifice 22. In the embodiment of the figures, the lower surface 212 is inclined upward and constitutes thus a convergence wall capable of directing the fluid product under pressure towards the dispensing orifice. The sealing lip

24 is surrounded by a contact plane 213. Fixing tabs 25a and 25b extend from this contact plane 213. In the nonlimiting embodiment, there is a lower tab 25a and two lateral tabs 25b. These three tabs extend from the contact plane 213 around the sealing lip 24. The tabs as well as the lip 24 protrude from the contact plane 213, so that the tabs can be said to be extend concentrically around the sealing lip 24. Each tab comprises an inner face facing the lip 24 and an outer face. According to the invention, the outer faces of the tabs form fixing means in the form of a fixing profile by labeling 253. More specifically, these fixing profiles 253 are formed by projecting edges which are turned towards the outside. On the other hand, the internal faces of the tabs form cam surfaces 251. The shutter 2 is mounted on the body 1 by causing the tabs 25a and 25b to penetrate into the respective holding housings 18a and 18b through the windows. insertion 19a and 19b. More specifically, the tab 25a enters the housing

18a through the window 19a while the two lateral tabs 25b respectively penetrate into the housings 18b through the windowsl9b. By thus continuing to insert the tabs in the respective housings, the cam surfaces 251 will come into sliding contact with the blocking surfaces 181 formed by the body. The assembly of the shutter 2 continues, and the sealing lip 24 will start to penetrate into the receiving groove 15. By continuing to attach the shutter 2 to the body 1, the sealing lip 24 will be pressed inside the groove 15 so as to come into sealing contact with these two side walls 151 and 152 and advantageously also with the bottom 153 of the groove. There is thus obtained a three-point sealing contact which has a very good sealing quality, since the lip is in tight engagement between the two side walls 151 and 152 which face each other. As long as the lip 24 comes into the final sealing position in the receiving groove 15, the fixing profiles 253 formed on the external faces of the tabs will engage behind the retaining edges 193 formed at the level of the windows. respective insertion. The cam surfaces 253 are then heavily stressed by the locking surfaces 181. The tabs are thus slightly deformed towards the outside, which increases the quality of the fixing between the fixing and retaining edges. On the other hand, the blocking surfaces 181 ensure a definitive, non-removable fixing of the shutter 2 on the body 1. It may also be noted that the apparent external surface of the shutter 2 extends the upper support wall 13 as well as the skirt 11 without forming a line offset, so that the shutter 2 is perfectly integrated smoothly to the body 1. The shutter 2 offers very little grip so that it is difficult to grip in order to extract. In any case, its extraction is impossible due to the snap-fastening of the fixing and holding edges blocked by the cam surfaces in engagement with the blocking surfaces. Thanks to the invention, the means making it possible to seal between the shutter and the body are separated or dissociated from the means allowing the shutter to be fixed to the body. On the other hand, the arrangement of the fixing profiles of the shutter facing outwards with respect to the sealing lip allows natural release of the part by simple removal of the constituent elements of the mold. This guarantees better quality of the fixing profiles. The duct, the outlet, the lip and the throat may be circular, oblong, elliptical ovoid or more generally any annular.

Claims

claims

1.- Fluid product distribution head intended to be mounted on a fluid product distribution member, said head comprising: - a body (1) forming a distribution conduit (14) having an inlet (141) intended to be connected to the dispensing member and an outlet (143) having an outlet axis X, and - a shutter (2) mounted on the body (1) for selectively closing the dispensing conduit (14) at its outlet (143 ), the shutter forming a dispensing orifice (22) closed in the absence of pressurized fluid in the dispensing duct and open in the presence of fluid in the dispensing duct at a pressure above a threshold value of opening, said shutter comprising sealing means (24) and fixing means (25a, 25b) cooperating with sealing receiving means (15) and respective complementary holding means (18a, 19a, 18b, 19b) formed by the body (1) for sealingly fixing the shutter (2) on the body (1), characterized in that the fixing means comprise at least one fixing profile (253) turned radially outwards relative to the outlet axis X and the holding means comprise at least one holding profile (193) turned radially inwards towards the outlet axis X.

2. A fluid dispenser head according to claim 1, in which the sealed receiving means (15) are located radially closer to the outlet axis X than the holding means (193).

3. A fluid dispenser head according to claim 2, wherein the sealed receiving means (15) and the holding means (193) extend substantially concentrically.

4. Fluid product dispensing head according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the sealed reception means comprise a peripheral groove (15) which extends around the outlet. (143), and the sealing means comprise a sealing lip (24) in sealed engagement in the groove (15).

5. A fluid dispenser head according to claim 4, in which the groove (15) forms two side walls (151, 152) connected by a bottom (153), the lip (24) being in leaktight contact at least with the two side walls and advantageously also with the bottom.

6. A fluid dispenser head according to claim 4 or 5, in which the lip (24) borders an outlet chamber (23) located in the extension of the outlet (143) of the conduit (14) and comprising a wall convergence (212) which extends towards the dispensing orifice (22) to direct the fluid under pressure from the outlet towards the dispensing orifice.

7. A fluid dispenser head according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the fixing means comprise at least one fixing tab (25a, 25b) forming an external fixing profile (253) and the holding means. comprise at least one holding housing (18a, 18b) forming a holding profile (193) intended to come into fixing engagement with the fixing profile.

8. A fluid dispenser head according to claim 7, in which the holding means comprise locking means (181) intended to cooperate with the tabs (25a, 25b) for locking the fixing profile (253) in engagement. with the holding profile (193).

9. A fluid dispenser head according to claim 8, in which the retaining housing forms a blocking surface (181) intended to urge the fixing lug (25a, 25b) so as to push the fixing profile (253 ) against the holding profile (193).

10. A fluid dispenser head according to claim 9, in which the blocking surface (181) is turned radially outward relative to the outlet axis X, the fixing lug forming a cam surface ( 251) turned radially towards the outlet axis, said cam surface being in engagement with the blocking surface. I - fluid dispenser head according to any one of claims 7 to 10, comprising three fixing lugs (25a, 25b) arranged on either side and below the outlet axis X, when the entrance is facing down. 12. A fluid dispensing head according to any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein said at least one holding housing comprises an insertion window (19a, 19b) defining an internal edge (191) and an edge external (192) relative to the outlet axis, said external edge defining an internal latching edge (193) forming said retaining profile, said external fixing profile (253) engaging in snap-fit with said internal edge latching (193). 13. A fluid dispensing head according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the dispensing orifice (22) is a self-sealing slot biased at rest in the sealed closed position. 14. A fluid dispenser head according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one fixing profile is a snap-on profile intended to snap onto the respective holding profile. 15. Fluid product dispensing head according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the dispensing conduit (14) is formed in one piece with the fixing means by the body.