SPRAY HEAD INCLUDING A SONOTRODE WITH A COMPOSITION FEED CHANNEL PASSING THERETHROUGH

• US 20090200398A1
• Filed: 02/12/2009
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L'Oreal SA
• Original Assignee: L'Oreal SA
• Inventors: DURU, NICOLAS, TIERCE, PASCAL, PRUNIER, MARION
• Granted Patent: US 8,430,338 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 239/102.200
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 2200/057 Spray nozzles; Generating atomised liquid
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 17/0623 coupled with a vibrating horn
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 17/063 having an internal channel for supplying the liquid or other fluent material
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 17/0669 Excitation frequencies
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/066 with an inner liquid outlet surrounded by at least one annular gas outlet

Abstract

A spray head for spraying a cosmetic or dermatological composition, in particular for application to the human body, may include a sonotrode for transmitting ultrasound vibration from a transducer to an ejection surface for ejecting particles of composition, the sonotrode including a channel for feeding the composition to the ejection surface. The channel may present a narrow portion between a composition inlet into the sonotrode and the composition outlet to the ejection surface.

Claims

1. A spray head for spraying a cosmetic or dermatological composition, the spray head comprising:

a sonotrode for transmitting ultrasound vibration from a transducer to an ejection surface for ejecting particles of composition, the sonotrode comprising a channel for feeding the composition to the ejection surface;

the channel comprising a narrow portion between a composition inlet into the sonotrode and a composition outlet to the ejection surface.

2. A spray head according to claim 1, the channel being single and extending along an axis of the sonotrode.

3. A spray head according to claim 1, the narrow portion opening out to the ejection surface.

4. A spray head according to claim 1, the narrow portion presenting a constant cross-section over a distance of at least 1 mm.

5. A spray head according to claim 4, the narrow portion presenting a constant cross-section over a distance less than or equal to 5 mm.

6. A spray head according to claim 1, the narrow portion presenting a cross-section that is circular.

7. A spray head according to claim 6, the narrow portion presenting a diameter lying in the range 0.4 mm to 0.8 mm.

8. A spray head according to claim 1, the channel presenting a cross-section that is circular.

9. A spray head according to claim 1, the narrow portion presenting a smallest cross-sectional area that is less than or equal to 0.8 mm².

10. A spray head according to claim 1, the channel presenting a diameter away from the narrow portion that lies in the range between 1 mm to 2 mm.

11. A spray head according to claim 1, a ratio of the length of the narrow portion divided by a total length of the sonotrode lying in the range 0.04 to 0.4.

12. A spray head according to claim 1, a ratio of a largest cross-section of the channel divided by a narrowest section of the channel lying in the range 1 to 25.

13. A spray head according to claim 1, the channel feeding the ejection surface via a single outlet orifice.

14. A spray head according to claim 1, the sonotrode being made as a single piece and including an endpiece for connection to a tube for feeding the channel with composition.

15. A spray head according to claim 1, the ejection surface being defined by a front face of an end collar.

16. A spray head according to claim 1, the sonotrode presenting a portion of outside cross-section that decreases towards the ejection surface.

17. A spray head according to claim 16, the sonotrode comprising a frustoconical portion and an angle at an apex of the frustoconical portion lying in the range 15°

to 45°

.

18. A spray head according to claim 1, the sonotrode comprising a portion that is circularly cylindrical.

19. A spray head according to claim 16, the portion of decreasing outside section connecting with the circularly-cylindrical portion.

20. A spray head according to claim 18, an outside diameter of the circularly-cylindrical portion lying in the range 4 mm to 7 mm.

21. A spray head according to claim 20, the length of the circularly-cylindrical portion lying in the range 3 mm to 5 mm.

22. A spray head according to claim 17, a minimum thickness of the end collar in a region for ejecting particles of composition lying in the range 0.4 mm to 0.6 mm.

23. A spray head according to claim 15, the outside diameter of the end collar lying in the range 7 mm to 13 mm.

24. A spray head according to claim 1, the sonotrode being machined.

25. A spray head according to claim 1, the sonotrode comprising aluminum.

26. A spray head according to claim 14, the transducer having the endpiece passing therethrough.

27. A spray head according to claim 1, the excitation frequency of the transducer lying in the range 30 kHz to 200 kHz.

28. A device for packaging and spraying a cosmetic composition, the device including a spray head as defined in claim 1.

29. A device according to claim 28, including a container containing the composition for spraying.

30. A device according to claim 28, the composition being a makeup composition, a self-tanning agent, a sunscreen, or a composition including a hair agent.

31. A cosmetic treatment method comprising:

spraying a composition on human keratinous material using a spray head as defined in claim 1.