ITPD20120138A1 - DISPENSE DEVICE FOR A FLUID SUBSTANCE - Google Patents

Description

DEVICE FOR DELIVERING A FLUID SUBSTANCE

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a device for dispensing a fluid substance, such as preferably liquid or thick soap for washing the hands of a person, cosmetic products for styling the hair of a person, tanning oils and cleansing creams to spread on the skin of a person for its cosmetic care.

In any case, the dispensing device (or dispenser or dispenser) of the current invention lends itself to being used to make other fluid substances such as beverages, perfumes, lubricating oils, liquid condiment products (vinegar, oil) for cooking or table and so on.

In the following, the description of the invention will be exclusively oriented, for display convenience, to the bathroom furniture sector; however, it is understood that what will be said and explained below is valid and applicable also in different application fields of the technique, which in any case provide for the use of dispensing devices for the partialized and controlled distribution of a fluid substance by a user , be it an operator in the course of his work activity or the end user.

As is known, dispensing devices (better known as dispensers) are items in the bathroom furniture sector widely used by end users for the distribution of soaps, creams, oils and similar for washing, care, toning or ™ skin beautification, depending on the product used.

These fluid substances, generally liquid and dense, are contained in special containers, variously sized and shaped and built with the most varied materials, to which the dispensing device in question here is properly coupled to act in practice also as a cap. More precisely, the dispensing device is coupled at the access mouth of the containers, often defined in an upper terminal neck with which many of them are made.

The traditional known dispensing devices that have always been applied, usually in a removable way, to containers for containing fluid substances for treating the hands, face or, more generally, the body of a person have, as is well known, a rather constructive concept articulated which inevitably makes them quite expensive in the reference market.

Moreover, the removability that distinguishes the most popular dispensing devices of the known art, while being fully detectable and effective in daily practice, is not so immediately and easily achievable by the user, since it is necessary provide for a separation phase by unscrewing the dispensing device from the container to which it is applied.

This operational aspect, on the one hand, negatively stresses the screw coupling means with which the stable connection between the dispensing device and the container takes place, causing the concrete possibility of compromising over time, with the continuous separation maneuvers, the predicted functionality of the aforesaid coupling means.

On the other hand, the removal phase of the dispensing device from the container takes place not without the frequent occurrence of uncontrolled leaks or drips of fluid substance outside the container, especially determined by the means of conveying the substance which, during the application phase , remain constantly immersed in the fluid substance contained in the container.

This obviously entails disadvantages and inconveniences that are easily understood by all, such as the soiling of furnishings, household linen, furniture supplies, functional equipment or neighboring articles for personal use.

These drawbacks are at least partially remedied by a particular dispensing device, particularly suitable for dispensing powder or fiber substances such as cosmetic or personal care products to be applied to the head or other parts of the body of a person, object of the publication patent US2008 / 0223879 A1.

Briefly and briefly, the dispensing device described in this prior art document includes a pumping cap (or bulb or cap), made of a deformable and elastically yielding plastic material that can be operated externally by the user, lends itself to being coupled at the access mouth of the container for containing the fluid substance to hermetically close it and identify an internal chamber communicating with the internal volume of the container.

In addition, the deformable pumping cap communicates with the outside by means of a through inlet hole obtained in the side wall of the pumping cap itself and designed to allow the entry of air and its accumulation in the internal chamber as defined above.

However, even considering its partial or incomplete efficacy in the distribution of fluid substances, the device for dispensing fluid substances of this prior art patent document has some recognized drawbacks.

More specifically, the main drawback of the known art in question consists in the constructive complexity of the group and of the delivery system, or conveyance, of the fluid substance to the user, which necessarily includes at least one air inlet pipe, obtained on one side of the cap, a valve cavity, which connects the inlet pipe with the internal chamber of the cap, an air passage channel, which communicates with the internal chamber and is contained in the container, and an opening outlet of the product to be dispensed, obtained on another side of the cap.

A second drawback of the known art closest to the invention derives from the fact that the thrust of the fluid substance contained in the container to be delivered outside it takes place by means of air which is forced into the passage channel.

This means that at the end of a given pumping phase for the delivery of the fluid substance, the quantity of this remaining inside the container is gradually farther and farther away from the outlet opening in the cap: in other words , with the progressive consumption of the fluid substance increases the prevalence that the pumping action must overcome in order to supply the fluid substance to the external user in the subsequent phases, with the evident disadvantages that follow for the intensity and the effectiveness of the pumping action by the user in these subsequent phases.

A not least disadvantage of the seals of the aforementioned prior art patent document in question is the fact that, precisely as a function of what has just been said, the dispensing device described therein appears unsuitable for dense liquid substances, such as detergent soap. for washing a person's hands and face.

Starting, therefore, from the knowledge of the aforementioned drawbacks of the current state of the art, the present invention proposes to remedy them completely.

In particular, the primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a dispensing device for a fluid substance which has a simpler construction concept than the equivalent dispensing devices (or dispensers) of the closest known art.

Within the scope of the aforementioned purpose, it is the task of the invention to realize a device for dispensing a fluid substance that can be produced at competitive costs, lower than those of the closest known art, at the same cost of labor and materials. .

It is a second object of the invention to provide a device for dispensing a fluid substance which has a better functional efficiency than that of similar dispensing devices of a known type.

It is not the least objective of the present invention to devise a device for dispensing a fluid substance, of the deformable pumping cap type, which is suitable for distributing any type of fluid substance to the user. , also liquid and / or thick.

The above purposes are achieved by means of a device for dispensing a fluid substance according to claim 1 attached hereto, to which reference is made for the sake of brevity.

Further detailed technical characteristics of the dispensing device of the invention are contained in the respective dependent claims.

The aforesaid claims, hereinafter specifically and concretely defined, are intended as an integral part of the present description.

Advantageously, the dispensing device (or dosing cap) of a fluid substance which is the object of the present invention has a simpler construction than equivalent dispensing devices of known type, one of which is described for example in the document published with US2008 / 0223879 A1.

This is due to the fact that, in the delivery device of the invention, both the air inlet tube and, above all, the valve cavity, which connects the inlet tube to the internal chamber of the deformable and elastically yielding cap, are missing. pumping, expressly provided, however, in the dosing device of US2008 / 0223879 A1. The absence of these components in the dispensing device of the invention, together with the fact that in the invention the conveying means (preferably the central and longitudinal passage channel or cannula) are crossed in an ascending way by the fluid substance being dispensed (and not descending from the pressurized air, as in US2008 / 0223879 A1), dictate for the delivery device exclusively claimed herein a completely different, simpler and more effective operating system than the delivery device of the pumping cap type (or cap or bulb), of the immediately closest and comparable known art.

Still advantageously, as a consequence of what has just been said, the device for dispensing a fluid substance of the invention has a lower production cost than that of similar dispensing devices of the prior art, the cost of labor and of the materials used being the same.

Equally advantageously, the device for dispensing a fluid substance of the present invention is, in the dosing phase, more efficient than equivalent dispensing devices of a known type: this is due to the fact that the air to be compressed to obtain the Fluid substance delivery initially accumulates in the internal chamber of the pumping cap, when the container is completely filled with fluid substance, and subsequently also in progressively increasing portions of the internal volume of the container, as the latter it empties of fluid substance as a result of its delivery to the user.

Advantageously, moreover, the dispensing device, of the deformable pumping cap type, of the invention is particularly suitable for distributing any type of fluid substance to the outside, even liquid and / or dense such as a detergent soap for hands or face.

The aforementioned purposes and advantages will appear to a greater extent from the following description, relating to a preferred embodiment of the device for dispensing a fluid substance of the invention, given by way of example and by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the attached tables drawing in which:

ï € figure 1 is an axonometric view of the dispensing device of the invention in application conditions;

ï € figure 2 is a front view of figure 1;

ï € figure 3 is a side view of figure 1;

- figure 4 is a separate axonometric view of a constructive detail of the dispensing device of the invention, already illustrated in figure 1;

ï € Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of Figure 4;

ï € figure 6 is a side view of figure 4;

ï € figure 7 is a view of figure 6 according to the section plane A-A.

The device of the present invention for dispensing a fluid substance, such as typically although not exclusively a liquid soap for washing a person's hands and / or face, is shown in application conditions in figure 1, where it is globally numbered with 1.

It is observed that the delivery device 1 comprises an elastically yielding pumping cap 2 which can be operated externally by the user, is coupled at the access mouth B of a container R for containing the fluid in question to close it hermetically and identify an internal chamber 3 communicating with the internal volume V of the vessel R.

Furthermore, the elastically yielding pumping cap 2 communicates with the outside by means of a through inlet hole 4 obtained in the side wall 2a of the pumping cap 2 and suitable for allowing the entry of air and its accumulation in the internal chamber 3 .

In accordance with the invention, the dispensing device 1 comprises conveying means, indicated as a whole with 5, coupled to the internal wall 2b of the pumping cap 2 in correspondence with an outlet through hole 6, obtained in the side wall 2a of the pumping cap 2, and communicating with the internal volume V of the container R in such a way as to be mainly contained in the container R and to be crossed by the fluid substance to make it available to the external user when the user, pressing externally on the cap pumping pump 2, compresses by means of the pressurized air, previously accumulated in the internal chamber 3, the fluid substance contained in the container R forcing it inside the conveying means 5 and from here to the outside.

In particular, the pumping cap 2 is removably coupled to the container R in correspondence with the access mouth B to facilitate the maintenance / cleaning of the pumping cap 2 itself and, consequently, also of the container R and possibly allow coupling of the same pumping cap 2 to another separate vessel.

Figure 2 shows that the inlet through hole 4 is preferably opposite and faces the outlet through hole 6; in this case, the inlet through hole 4 is substantially coaxial with the outlet through hole 6, these through holes 4, 6 identifying a common linear axis indicated by X.

Figures 1-4 also show that, in a preferred but not binding way, the inlet through hole 4 and the outlet through hole 6 are obtained in proximity to the perimeter edge 2c of the pumping cap 2, more precisely in the terminal portion 21 of this.

Conveniently and advantageously, the pumping cap 2 comprises valve means, generally indicated by 7 and visible both in figure 2 and in figure 5: these valve means 7 are arranged in correspondence with the through inlet hole 4 and, when the cap pumping valve 2 is in the release position, they identify an opening condition of the through inlet hole 4 to allow the air to enter the internal chamber 3, while, when the pumping cap 2 is placed by the in the compression position, identify a closing condition of the through inlet hole 4 to inhibit the entry of air into the aforementioned internal chamber 3.

Preferably but not necessarily, the valve means 7 comprise a membrane or laminar tab 8 protruding from the internal part 2b of the pumping cap 2 and provided with a flexible appendix 9 facing the through inlet hole 4 in any operating position of the pumping cap 2, especially the release position.

In this case, moreover, the laminar membrane 8 is conveniently made in a single body with the pumping cap 2.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention described here, the conveying means 5 comprise a shaped tubular element 10 formed by:

it is a flexible arched portion 11, essentially contained in the internal chamber 3 of the pumping cap 2, provided with an end 11a engaged in the through outlet hole 6 in correspondence with the internal wall 2b of the pumping cap 2 itself; ï € a longitudinal cannula 12, protruding from the pumping cap 2 to be mainly contained in the container R, associated with the flexible arched portion 11 and provided with a free end 12a in which the inlet 13 suitable for receiving the fluid substance (as mentioned, liquid and thick soap).

In the specific case, purely by way of example, the flexible arched portion 11 and the longitudinal cannula 11 are mutually monolithic, made in a single body equipped with free ends 11a and 12a; it is however understood that, in further embodiments of the dispensing device of the invention, not accompanied by reference drawings, the flexible arched portion and the longitudinal cannula, belonging to the conveying means, could be two distinct constructive elements, the one grafted into the other in correspondence with reciprocal ends located in the internal chamber of the pumping cap or in the internal volume of the container, according to the length with which they are designed and manufactured. Furthermore, the shaped tubular element 10, composed of the flexible arched portion 11 and the longitudinal cannula 12, is made of plastic material, such as for example a thermoplastic polymer used to produce light and rigid objects, commonly known as acrylonitrile-butadiene- styrene (acronym ABS).

As shown in figures 1-3, in application conditions the longitudinal cannula 12 substantially protrudes from the central zone 2d of the pumping cap 2 to be substantially contained in the axial zone Z of the container R, so that the fluid substance is distributed more or less evenly around the longitudinal cannula 12.

Advantageously, the longitudinal cannula 12 extends for a linear length L such that its inlet mouth 13 is arranged directly in proximity to the bottom F of the vessel R.

In a suitable but non-limiting combination with the preferred constructive characteristic just described, the longitudinal cannula 12 is cut (or flared) at the free end 12a in such a way that, as clearly shown in figures 2 and 3, its edge 12b identifies an inclined plane with respect to the bottom F of the container R, ensuring the entry of the fluid substance into the longitudinal cannula 12 even in the presence of a reduced quantity of the fluid itself in the container R, when the pumping cap 2 is arranged by the user in the previously introduced compression position.

Figures 2 and 3 also show that, preferably but not exclusively, the flexible arched portion 11 comprises a stop washer 14, arranged externally to the arched portion 11 near its free end 11a, and having the function of stopping the Possible but very probable sliding of the shaped tubular element 10 towards the outside, through the through outlet hole 6, under the thrust exerted by the pressurized air created by the user compressing, sometimes too strongly, the pump cap 2.

Like the laminar membrane 8, also the stop washer 14 is suitably made in a single body with the shaped tubular element 10 of the conveying means 5.

As regards the pumping cap 2, made of deformable plastic material, such as silicone, for example, Figures 1-5 cited up to now show how it is provided with an external spacer tube 15, protruding from the external wall 2 and of the pumping cap 2 in correspondence with the through outlet 6 with respect to which it is coaxial: the external spacer tube 15 makes the delivery of the fluid substance to the outside more effective and accurate.

In essence, therefore, the external spacer tube 15 allows the user to collect and almost totally exploit the fluid substance that is made available externally by means of the pressure of the pumping cap 2, preventing the fluid from escaping from the means conveyor 5 inside the pumping cap 2 adhering to the external surface S <e> of the container R.

By way of still purely preferred, the external spacer tube 15 is made in a single body with the pumping cap 2, so that it is evident that the dispensing device 1 is, advantageously but not limitedly, made of one piece, monolithic, in all its constructive components.

The following figures 6 and 7 show in greater detail that in a preferred although not binding way, the pumping cap 2 is provided at the perimeter edge 2c with coupling means, indicated as a whole with 16, which allow stable coupling ( but, as mentioned, removable in this case) of the pumping cap 2 to the container R in correspondence with the access mouth B of the latter.

In particular, the coupling means 16 comprise in the specific case a laminar ring 17, projecting axially from the perimeter edge 2c to be suitable for being inserted into the container R so that the external surface 17a of said laminar ring 17 cooperates with friction sliding or sliding with the internal surface S <i> of the container R. The coupling means 16 also include an annular abutment tooth 18, which is arranged against the annular edge A which delimits the access mouth B of the container R for determine the axial limit switch point of the insertion of the pumping cap 2 in the container R itself.

Advantageously, the laminar ring 17 is provided with reinforcement means, as a whole numbered 19, suitable for increasing the sealing or sealing conditions in the coupling between the pumping cap 2 and the vessel R.

More in detail, the reinforcing means 19 comprise an annular body 20, visible in the section of figure 7 and made of metallic material, composed of a continuous base plate and a plurality of side-by-side and consecutive indentations, projecting axially from the continuous base foil: the metal material and the plurality of indentations give elasticity and flexibility to the annular body 19.

It is also pointed out that the reinforcement means 19 are embedded in the laminar ring 17 of the pumping cap 2 so as to constitute a core suitably hidden from view.

In conditions of use, the user or operator couples the dispensing device 1 to the container R, filled with the fluid substance to be dispensed when necessary, for example liquid soap for washing hands and face of a person.

The coupling of the dispensing device 1 to the container R takes place by inserting the laminar ring 17 inside the container R itself up to the point where the annular abutment tooth 18 is positioned close to the annular edge A which delimits the access mouth B of the container R: in this condition, the external surface 17a of the laminar ring 17 is close to the internal surface S <i> of the container R, resulting in a completely sealed coupling. To obtain the delivery of the fluid substance, the user or the operator exerts a pressure on the upper part 2f of the pumping cap 2, compressing the air previously accumulated in the internal chamber 3 towards the fluid substance of the container R and into which it entered through the through-hole 4.

In doing so, the fluid substance first enters the longitudinal cannula 12, through its inlet 13, and subsequently into the flexible arched portion 11 of the shaped tubular element 10 of the conveying means 5 and, from here, emerges from the pumping 2 passing through the through outlet hole 6 and, therefore, the external anti-drip spacer tube 15, being available externally.

In the compression phase of the deformable pumping cap 2, the pressurized air compresses the laminar membrane 8 close to the internal wall 2b which delimits the through inlet hole 4, thus determining its complete closure and preventing any dispersion of the latter. ™ external.

Once the desired quantity of fluid substance has been dispensed, the user or operator releases the pumping cap 2 which thus returns to its normal rest condition: in this way, the laminar membrane 8 moves away slightly from the internal wall 2b of the pumping cap 2, allowing the entry of new air from the outside through the through inlet hole 4 and its accumulation in the internal chamber 3, where it will be useful and available for a subsequent and further phase dispensing of the fluid substance.

On the basis of the description just provided, it is therefore understood that the device for dispensing a fluid substance, object of the present invention, achieves the purposes and achieves the advantages mentioned above.

The simplicity of construction and the functional effectiveness of the dispensing device of the invention distinguish it in a significant and relevant way with respect to the closest known art, making it particularly suitable for the distribution of any type of fluid substance, be it liquid or gaseous.

Furthermore, in application conditions, the dispensing device of the present invention constitutes an extremely effective closure metering cap also from the aesthetic point of view for the container to which it is combined, with which it is fully integrated, giving linearity to the constructive assembly thus obtained.

During the execution phase, modifications may be made to the device for dispensing a fluid substance of the invention, consisting, for example, of conveyance (or distribution) means other than those previously described.

In addition, other and alternative applications of the delivery device claimed here, not shown, may provide that the air introduced and accumulated inside the device, under application conditions, also extends to a progressively incremental part of the internal volume of the container: this depends on the gradual delivery of the treatment fluid contained in the container.

It is also specified that the fluid substance that can be contained and contained in the container and suitable for being dispensed, distributed or made available to the user by the dispensing device (also known as dispenser) of the invention may not necessarily consist of a liquid detergent soap for a person's hands, but any other liquid or gas traditionally dispensable by means of such a type of device.

Finally, it is clear that numerous other variations can be made to the dispensing device in question, without departing from the novelty principles inherent in the inventive idea, just as it is clear that, in the practical implementation of the invention, the materials, shapes and dimensions of the illustrated details may be any according to requirements, and may be replaced with other technically equivalent ones.

Where the construction features and techniques mentioned in the subsequent claims are followed by reference marks or numbers, these reference marks have been introduced with the sole aim of increasing the intelligibility of the claims themselves and, consequently, they have no effect. limiting on the interpretation of each element identified, purely by way of example, by these reference signs.

Claims (16)

CLAIMS 1. Dispensing device (1) of a fluid substance comprising an elastically yielding pumping cap (2) which: ï € Can be operated externally by the user; ï € is adapted to be coupled in correspondence with the access mouth (B) of a container (R) containing said fluid substance to hermetically close it and identify an internal chamber (3) communicating with the internal volume (V) of said fluid vessel (R); ï € communicates with the outside through a through inlet hole (4) obtained in the side wall (2a) of said pumping cap (2) and able to allow the entry of air and its accumulation in at least said chamber internal (3), characterized in that it comprises conveying means (5), coupled to the inner wall (2b) of said pumping cap (2) in correspondence with a through outlet hole (6) obtained in said side wall (2a) of said pumping cap pumping (2) and communicating with said internal volume (V) of said container (R) in such a way as to be mainly contained in said container (R) and to be crossed by said fluid substance to make it available to external users when By pressing externally on said pumping cap (2), through said pressurized air, previously accumulated at least in said internal chamber (3), said fluid substance contained in said container (R) forcing it inside said conveying means (5). 2. Device (1) as in claim 1) characterized in that said pumping cap (2) is removably coupled to said container (R) in correspondence with said access mouth (B) to facilitate maintenance / cleaning of said pumping cap (2) and allow it to be coupled to another separate vessel. 3. Device (1) as claimed in claim 1) or 2) characterized in that said inlet through hole (4) is opposite and faces said outlet through hole (6). 4. Device (1) as any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said inlet through hole (4) and said outlet through hole (6) are formed in proximity to the perimeter edge (2c) of said pumping cap ( 2). 5. Device (1) as in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said pumping cap (2) comprises valve means (7) arranged in correspondence with said inlet through hole (4) and able to identify an opening condition of said inlet through hole (4) to allow the entry of said air into at least said internal chamber (3), when said pumping cap (2) is in the release position, and a condition of closure of said hole inlet loop (4) to inhibit the entry of said air into at least said internal chamber (3), when said pumping cap (2) is in the compression position. 6. Device (1) as in claim 5) characterized in that said valve means (7) comprise a laminar membrane (8) protruding from said internal part (2b) of said pumping cap (2) and provided with a flexible appendix (9) facing said inlet through hole (4) in any operative position of said pumping cap. 7. Device (1) as per claim 6) characterized in that said laminar membrane (8) is made in a single body with said pumping cap (2). 8. Device (1) as any of the preceding claims characterized in that said conveying means (5) comprise a shaped tubular element (10) composed of: ï € a flexible arched portion (11), essentially contained in said internal chamber (3) of said pumping cap (2), provided with a free end (11a) engaged in said outlet through hole (6) in correspondence of said inner wall (2b) of said pumping cap (2); ï € a longitudinal cannula (12), protruding from said pumping cap (2) to be mainly contained in said container (R), associated with said flexible arched portion (11) and provided with a free end (12a) in which is defined as the inlet (13), suitable for receiving said fluid substance. 9. Device (1) as in claim 8) characterized in that said longitudinal cannula (12) develops for a linear length such that said inlet (13) is arranged directly in proximity to the bottom (F) of said container ( R). 10. Device (1) as per claim 8) or 9) characterized in that said longitudinal cannula (12) is cut in correspondence with said free end (12a) so that its lateral edge (12b) identifies an inclined plane with respect to said bottom (F) of said container (R), ensuring the entry of said fluid substance into said longitudinal cannula (11) even in the presence of a reduced quantity of said fluid substance in said container (R), when said pumping cap (2) is placed by the user in said compression position. 11. Device (1) as any of claims 8) to 10) characterized in that said flexible arcuate portion (11) comprises an abutment washer (14), arranged externally to said arcuate portion (11) in proximity to said free end (11a), able to stop the possible sliding of said shaped tubular element (10) towards the outside under the thrust exerted by said pressurized air created by the user through the compression of said pumping cap ( 2). 12. Device (1) as in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said pumping cap (2) is provided at the perimeter edge (2c) with coupling means (16) suitable for allowing the stable coupling of said pumping cap (2) to said container (R) in correspondence with said access mouth (B). 13. Device (1) as in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said coupling means (16) comprise a laminar ring (17), projecting axially from said perimeter edge (2c) and able to be inserted in said container (R) in such a way that the external surface (17a) of said laminar ring (17) cooperates with sliding or sliding friction with the internal surface (S <i>) of said container (R), and an annular abutment tooth (18), adapted to be positioned close to the annular edge (A) that delimits said access mouth (B) of said container (R) to determine the axial end-of-stroke point of the insertion of said pumping cap (2) in said vessel (R). 14. Device (1) as per claim 13) characterized by the fact that said laminar ring (17) is provided with reinforcing means (19) able to increase the sealing conditions in the coupling between said pumping cap (2) and said vessel (R). 15. Device (1) as in claim 14) characterized in that said reinforcing means (19) comprise an annular body (20) made of metallic material, composed of a continuous base plate and a plurality of side-by-side indentations and consecutive, projecting axially from said continuous base sheet, said metal material and said plurality of indentations being made in such a way as to give elasticity and flexibility to said annular body (20). 16. Device (1) as claimed in claim 14) or 15) characterized in that said reinforcing means (19) are embedded in said laminar ring (17) to form a core hidden from view.