EP4143101A1

EP4143101A1 - Fluid product dispensing device with safety cap

Info

Publication number: EP4143101A1
Application number: EP21732398.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Dominique Brunet
Original assignee: Aptar France SAS
Current assignee: Aptar France SAS
Priority date: 2020-04-30
Filing date: 2021-04-28
Publication date: 2023-03-08
Also published as: FR3109769A1; FR3109769B1; WO2021219958A1; US20230264868A1; CN115397739A

Abstract

Fluid product dispensing device (10) comprising a dispensing member (1) provided with a ring (10), and a safety cap (20) removably secured to said ring, said cap (20) comprising, on its lower edge (21), two diametrically opposite internal profiles (22) and two diametrically opposite external markings (23), said internal profiles (22) being offset by 90° with respect to said external markings (23), said ring (10) comprising two diametrically opposite external profiles (12) that match to said internal profiles (22), said internal and external profiles (22, 12) engaging with one another when said cap is in the secured position, said cap requiring, in order to be removed from said ring, first a radial pressure on said external markings (23) of said cap in order to thus disengage said internal profiles (22) from said external profiles (12), then rotation of said compressed cap with respect to said ring, in order to allow said cap to be removed, each external profile (12) of said ring (10) comprising a radially projecting projection in the shape of an inverted T, with an axially oriented central branch (121) connected at its lower end to two lateral branches (122, 123) extending laterally on either side of said central branch (121).

Description

Fluid dispenser device with safety cap

The present invention relates to a safety cap and a fluid dispenser device incorporating such a cap. More particularly, the present invention relates to a safety cap for a spray device of the buccal or nasal type.

In the field of dispensers of fluid products, in particular pharmaceuticals, it may be necessary to prevent unwanted actuation of the device by certain people, such as children. Indeed, the product contained in the dispensing device can present a significant danger to a child, if the latter accidentally activates the dispenser. The devices then include a safety cap the purpose of which is to prevent too easy access to the device. Caps of this type generally require exerting axial pressure on the cap, with simultaneous rotation of this axial pressure. This maneuver can be difficult even for weak adults or the elderly.

Documents DE102013220492, FR2911329, US7334694,

FR1571929 and WO2019200486 describe devices of the state of the art.

The object of the present invention is to provide a safety cap which does not have the aforementioned drawbacks.

In particular, the object of the present invention is to provide a safety cap which does not require the application of an axial pressure on the cap simultaneously with a rotation of the cap.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a safety cap which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and to assemble.

The present invention therefore relates to a fluid dispenser device comprising a dispensing member, such as a pump or a valve, provided with a ring, such as a fixing ring, and a safety cap fixed to removable manner on said ring said safety cap comprising on its lower edge two diametrically internal profiles opposites and two diametrically opposed external markings, said internal profiles being offset from said external markings by 90 °, said ring comprising two external profiles, diametrically opposed, and complementary to said internal profiles of said safety cap, said internal and external profiles being engaged one by one in the other in the fixing position of said safety cap to hold it fixedly on said ring, and said safety cap requiring, in order to be removed from said ring, first radial pressure on said outer markings of said safety cap to thereby disengage said internal profiles of said external profiles, then a rotation of said compressed safety cap relative to said ring, to allow removal of said safety cap by axial displacement, each outer profile of said ring comprising a radially protruding projection in the shape of an inverted T , with an axially oriented central branch connected at its lower end with two lateral branches extending laterally on either side of said central branch.

Advantageously, a second projecting profile is arranged above the upper end of said central branch, in the upright position of the device, said second projecting profile being defined in said ring between a lower shoulder and an upper shoulder.

Advantageously, each second projecting profile extends radially outwards beyond said respective central branch, which itself extends radially outwards beyond its side branches.

Advantageously, each internal profile of said safety cap comprises an inverted T-shaped recess, with a central recess oriented axially connected at its lower end to two lateral recesses extending laterally on either side of said central recess.

Advantageously, each central recess extends radially inwardly beyond its two lateral recesses.

Advantageously, in the fixing position, with said internal profiles of said safety cap engaged on said external profiles of said ring, a radial gap is provided between said safety cap and said ring at said outer markings, said radial gap allowing radial compression of said lower edge of said safety cap.

These characteristics and advantages and others of the present invention will emerge more clearly in the following detailed description given by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a cap safety device assembled on a dispensing member of a fluid dispenser device, according to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the safety cap of FIG. 1, before fixing on a ring of the distribution member, Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 2, with the safety cap placed on the ring but before rotation to achieve the fixing, Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figure 3, after fixing the safety cap on the ring, Figure 5 is a schematic side view illustrating the correct orientation of the safety cap relative to the ring for installation r the cap on the ring, FIG. 6 is a detailed schematic view, in cut-away perspective, showing the impossibility of placing the safety cap on the ring when the orientation is not correct, FIG. 7 is a view schematic in vertical section of the safety cap attached to the ring, Figure 8 is an enlarged detail view of Figure 7, Figure 9 is a horizontal sectional view of the safety cap attached to the ring, Figure 10 is a enlarged detail view, in perspective, of the fixing profile on the ring, Figures 11 to 13 illustrate horizontal sectional views of three positions during removal of the safety cap, respectively in the fixed position, in the radially compressed position but not rotated and in a radially compressed and rotated position, Figure 14 is an enlarged detail view of the fixed position of Figure

11, Fig. 15 is an enlarged detail view of the compressed and rotated position of Fig. 13, Fig. 16 is a schematic perspective view of the safety cap, showing the internal profile of the cap, and Fig. 17 is a view. enlarged detail of the cap profile.

In the following description, the terms "top", "bottom", "lower", "upper", "horizontal" and "vertical" refer to the upright position shown in FIG. 5, and the terms "axial" and "radial" refer to the longitudinal central axis Y of the device.

Referring to the figures, there is shown an embodiment of the invention. It is understood that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, but on the contrary applies to all types of fluid dispenser devices.

The fluid dispenser device comprises a safety cap 20 which is intended to be removably attached to the dispensing device.

In the example of FIG. 1, the cap 20 is fixed on a ring 10, in particular a fixing ring making it possible to fix a dispensing member 1, such as a pump or a valve, on a reservoir.

More particularly, FIG. 1 shows a pump 1 provided with a body 2 and a dip tube 3. This is only an exemplary embodiment.

Advantageously, the device comprises a dispensing head (not shown) provided with a dispensing orifice. The objective of the safety cap is in particular to prevent the dispensing of the fluid product contained in the device by a child, but also to protect the dispensing orifice between two actuations.

According to the invention, the safety cap 20 requires to be removed from the ring 10, first radial pressure on the lower edge 21 of the cap 20 along the X axis, then a rotation of said cap 20 compressed radially with respect to said ring 10 around the Y axis. This then allows a axial displacement of cap 20 to remove it from ring 10. This sequence of removing cap 20 is illustrated in Figures 11 through 13.

Conversely, to be fixed on the ring 10, the cap 20 is first moved axially to be placed on the ring 10, then it is subjected to a rotation relative to said ring 10 about the axis Y, of preferably with simultaneously a radial pressure exerted on the lower edge 21 of the cap 20. This sequence of fixing the cap 20 is illustrated in Figures 2 to 4.

As visible in particular in Figures 7 to 9 and 11 to 17, the cap

20 comprises on its lower edge 21 two diametrically opposed internal profiles 22 and two diametrically opposed external markings 23, said internal profiles 22 being offset from said external markings 23 by 90 °.

The external markings 23 can be of any shape, for example visual and / or tactile markings, to indicate to the user where to press in order to achieve the radial pressure necessary in particular to remove the cap.

The internal profiles 22 are complementary to the external profiles 12 produced on the ring 10 and which are also diametrically opposed.

In the fixing position, with the internal profiles 22 of the cap engaged on the external profiles 12 of the ring, the cap 20 is therefore in contact with the ring at the level of said profiles, while at the level of the external markings 23, which are offset. 90 °, there is a radial gap between the cap 20 and the ring 10. This radial gap allows radial compression of the lower edge

21 of the cap.

Each outer profile 12 of the ring has a radially projecting projection in the shape of an inverted T, with a central branch 121 oriented axially connected at its lower end to two lateral branches 122, 123 extending laterally on either side of said branch. central 121.

Similarly, each inner profile 22 of the cap has an inverted T-shaped recess, with a central recess 221 axially oriented connected at its lower end to two side recesses. 222, 223 extending laterally on either side of said central recess 221.

Above the upper end of the central branch 121, in the orientation of the upright position shown in particular in Figure 8, there is provided a second projecting profile 124, defined in the outer wall of the ring 10 between a shoulder lower 125 and an upper shoulder 126, as can be seen in particular in FIGS. 6, 8 and 10.

To remove the safety cap 20 from the ring 10, it is necessary according to the invention to first exert a radial pressure on the lower edge 21 of said cap 20 along the X axis as shown in Figure 12. This makes it possible to deform the lower edge 21 of the cap 20 to disengage the internal profiles 22 from the external profiles 12. With this radial compression along the X axis, the cap 20 can be rotated around the Y axis, to angularly move the internal profiles 22 by removal of the external profiles 12. The cap 20 can then be easily removed by a simple axial pull on it.

Each second projecting profile 124 extends radially outward beyond the respective central branch 121, which itself extends radially outwardly beyond its side branches 122, 123. Likewise, each central recess 221 extends radially inward beyond its two lateral recesses 222, 223. Thus, when the user compresses the lower edge 21 of the cap 20 at the level of the external markings 23, he will disengage the central recesses and lateral branches 221, 222, 223 of the lateral branches 122, 123 and of the central branches 121, but not of the second protruding profiles 124, so that without rotation of the cap 20, the latter cannot be removed, the internal profiles 22 remaining axially blocked by the lower shoulders 125 of each second projecting profile 124. It is only after a rotation that the cap can be easily removed from the ring, when the internal profiles 22 no longer cooperate with the second projecting profiles 124. This rotation is advantageously 90 °, but a smaller rotation may be sufficient. Thus, FIG. 13 illustrates such a disengaged position after a rotation of only about 30 °. Thus, the angle of rotation will be determined by the lateral extent of the second protruding profiles 124.

The second protruding profiles 124 also form an axial stop preventing the user from assembling the cap on the ring in any orientation. Thus, if the user tries to axially place the cap 20 on the ring 10 with the internal profiles 22 of the cap 20 located at the level of the external profiles 12 of the ring 10, then the upper shoulder 126 will block this axial displacement of the ring. ring, as shown in figure 6.

Thus, the ideal position to assemble the cap 20 on the ring is to align the external markings 23, which are offset by 90 ° from the internal profiles 22, with the external profiles 12 of the ring, as shown in the figures. 2 and 5. The cap can then be easily placed axially on the ring, then a rotation of 90 ° will engage the internal profiles 22 of the cap with the external profiles 12 of the ring to secure the cap.

Advantageously, the user compresses the lower edge 21 of the cap at the level of the external markings 23 to achieve this rotation. However, it is conceivable to be able to achieve this rotation without the radial compression of the lower edge, for example by providing internal and external profiles 22, 12 which have inclined slopes, so that during the rotation of the cap, its lower edge 21 will automatically deform radially to allow the internal profiles 22 to snap onto the external profiles 12.

The present invention therefore provides a system which is very simple to produce and to manufacture and therefore inexpensive, which makes it possible to ensure safety against accidental use by children, by involving the need for a double manipulation to remove the cap, namely radial pressure followed by rotation.

The present invention has been described with reference to a particular embodiment thereof, but it is clear that various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. Fluid dispensing device (10) comprising a dispensing member (1), such as a pump or a valve, provided with a ring (10), such as a fixing ring, and a cap. security (20) removably attached to said ring, said security cap (20) comprising on its lower edge (21) two diametrically opposed internal profiles (22) and two diametrically opposed external markings (23), said internal profiles (22) ) being offset from said external markings (23) by 90 °, in that said ring (10) comprises two external profiles (12), diametrically opposed, and complementary to said internal profiles (22) of said safety cap, said internal and external profiles (22, 12) being engaged one in the other in the fixing position of said safety cap (20) to hold it fixedly on said ring (10), and in that said safety cap (20) requires in order to be withdrawn from said ring (10), first radial pressure on the di ts external markings (23) of said safety cap (20) to thereby disengage said internal profiles (22) from said external profiles (12), then a rotation of said safety cap (20) compressed with respect to said ring (10), to allow removal of said safety cap by axial displacement, characterized in that each outer profile (12) of said ring (10) has a radially protruding projection in the shape of an inverted T, with a central branch (121) oriented axially connected to its lower end has two lateral branches (122, 123) extending laterally on either side of said central branch (121).

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein a second projecting profile (124) is disposed above the upper end of said central branch (121), in the upright position of the device, said second projecting profile (124) being defined. in said ring (10) between a lower shoulder (125) and an upper shoulder (126).

3. Device according to claim 2, wherein each second projecting profile (124) extends radially outwardly beyond said respective central branch (121), which itself extends radially outwardly. - beyond its side branches (122, 123).

Device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each internal profile (22) of said safety cap (20) has an inverted T-shaped recess, with an axially oriented central recess (221) connected at its lower end. with two lateral recesses (222, 223) extending laterally on either side of said central recess (221).

5. Device according to claim 4, wherein each central recess (221) extends radially inwardly beyond its two lateral recesses (222, 223).

6. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, in the fixing position, with said internal profiles (22) of said safety cap (20) engaged on said external profiles (12) of said ring (10), a radial gap is provided between said safety cap (20) and said ring (10) at said outer markings (23), said radial gap allowing radial compression of said lower edge (21) of said safety cap (20).