FLUID DISPENSER HAVING A DISCHARGE HEAD

• US 20190314832A1
• Filed: 07/10/2017
• Published: 10/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aptar Radolfzell GmbH (AptarGroup Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Aptar Radolfzell GmbH (AptarGroup Incorporated)
• Inventors: BAUMANN, Tobias
• Granted Patent: US 11,311,895 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/12 capable of producing different kinds of discharge, e.g. either jet or spray having selectively-effective outlets B05B1/16
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/304 the controlling element being a lift valve
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/3436 the interface being a plane perpendicular to the outlet axis
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/3452 the cooperating elements being movable, e.g. adjustable relative to one another
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/3468 with means for controlling the flow of liquid entering or leaving the swirl chamber B05B1/3452 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1001 Piston pumps B05B11/1087, B05B11/1088, B05B11/109 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/104 the outlet valve being opened by pressure after a defined accumulation stroke

Abstract

A fluid dispenser having an accumulator and a discharge head. The discharge head is secured to a base unit of the dispenser, which base unit includes a fluid accumulator. The discharge head has a housing displaceable relative to the base unit for actuating the dispenser. The discharge head has an inlet through which fluid travels from the fluid accumulator into the discharge head, and a discharge opening through which the fluid is delivered into the atmosphere. A swirling chamber having an inlet channel is provided between the fluid inlet and the discharge opening so that inflowing fluid is provided with a swirl which forms a spray stream when exiting the discharge opening. The swirling chamber is switched between a first and a second configuration by changing the geometry of its walls and/or the inlet channel.

Claims

1. A fluid dispenser, in particular for discharging pharmaceutical or cosmetic fluids, having the following features:

a. the fluid dispenser has a base unit having a fluid accumulator for receiving fluid before the discharge procedure, and

b. the fluid dispenser has a discharge head which is provided for securing to the base unit, and

c. the fluid dispenser possesses a pump device, which can be actuated by a relative translative movement of the discharge head with respect to the base unit and conveys fluid from the fluid accumulator into the discharge head, or the fluid accumulator is formed as a pressure accumulator and the fluid dispenser possesses a valve device, which can be actuated by a relative translative movement of the discharge head with respect to the base unit and conveys fluid from the fluid accumulator into the discharge head, and

d. the discharge head has a housing, which is preferably displaceable with respect to the base unit for the purpose of actuating the fluid dispenser, and

e. the discharge head has a fluid inlet, through which fluid to be discharged can make its way from the fluid accumulator into the discharge head, and

f. the discharge head has a discharge opening, through which the fluid can be delivered into a surrounding atmosphere, and

g. a swirling chamber having at least one eccentrically leading inlet channel is provided between the fluid inlet and the discharge opening so that inflowing fluid is provided with a swirl which brings about the formation of a spray stream as it exits the discharge opening,

h. the swirling chamber can be switched between at least a first and a second configuration by changing the geometry of walls of the swirling chamber and/or the at least one inlet channel, and

i. the discharge head has a handle for manually switching between the configurations.

2. The fluid dispenser as claimed in claim 1, having the following feature:

a. the swirling chamber and/or the inlet channel is delimited by two swirling chamber components which are movable relative to one another.

3. The fluid dispenser as claimed in claim 2, having the following feature:

a. the swirling chamber components are movable relative to one another in a translative manner, in particular preferably linearly movable.

4. The fluid dispenser as claimed in claim 2, having the following features:

a. a first swirling chamber component is provided, on an inner side, with a depression whereof the walls delimit the swirling chamber, and/or is provided with a groove whereof the walls delimit the inlet channel into the swirling chamber, and

b. the second swirling chamber component has a contact face which, in the first configuration, abuts against the first swirling chamber component so that the contact face, together with the depression, delimits the swirling chamber and/or the contact face, together with the walls of the groove, forms the inlet channel.

5. The fluid dispenser as claimed in claim 4, having the following feature:

a. the first swirling chamber component has the discharge opening.

6. The fluid dispenser as claimed in claim 4, having the following feature:

a. in the second configuration, the first swirling chamber component and the second swirling chamber component are spaced from one another by a circumferential annular gap through which fluid can flow in the direction of the discharge opening.

7. The fluid dispenser as claimed in claim 2, having the following features:

a. the first swirling chamber component is part of the housing and

b. the second swirling chamber component is formed as a component which is displaceable with respect to the housing.

8. The fluid dispenser as claimed in claim 2, having the following features:

a. a button is provided for manual actuation, by means of which the relative position of the two swirling chamber components can be altered, and

b. the button is provided directly on one of the swirling chamber components.

9. The fluid dispenser as claimed in claim 2, having the following features:

a. a button is provided for manual actuation, by means of which the relative position of the two swirling chamber components can be mutually altered, and

b. the button is coupled to one of the two swirling chamber components by means of a gear.

10. The fluid dispenser as claimed in claim 8, having the following feature:

a. a restoring spring is provided, which acts between the swirling chamber components so that the swirling chamber components constantly have a force applied to them in the direction of an end position and are displaced in opposition to the force of the restoring spring as a result of a force being applied to the button.

11. The fluid dispenser as claimed in claim 1, having the feature:

a. the button for the relative displacement of the swirling chamber components with respect to one another is provided on a side of the discharge head which is remote from the base unit.

12. The fluid dispenser as claimed in claim 11, having the following feature:

a. the button is movable with respect to the housing of the discharge head in a direction which corresponds to the relative translative movement direction of the discharge head with respect to the base unit.

13. The fluid dispenser as claimed in claim 1, having the additional features:

a. the discharge head is formed to be rotatable about an axis of rotation with respect to the base unit, and

b. a gear is provided, by means of which a rotational movement of the discharge head brings about a relative displacement of the swirling chamber components.

14. The fluid dispenser as claimed in claim 13, having the following features:

a. the gear comprises a guide element, which is at an angle-dependent spacing from the axis of rotation and is provided on a swirling chamber component of the discharge head or on the base unit, and

b. the gear comprises a guide slide, which is in engagement with the guide element and is provided on the base unit or on one of the swirling chamber components.