Drop dispenser

• US 4,579,153 A
• Filed: 07/06/1984
• Issued: 04/01/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: L'Oreal SA
• Original Assignee: L'Oreal SA
• Inventors: Goncalves, Antonin L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marcus, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/628,564
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 141/2, 141/23, 141/24
• US Class Current: 141/23
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0282 mounted within a receptacle wash bottles B01L3/10

Abstract

A drop dispenser for liquid or pasty substances such as beauty creams has a bottle and a stoppering device in which the stoppering device includes a piston spring biased to resist depression of the piston to dispense the contents of the bottle drop-by-drop.

Claims

1. In a drop dispenser comprising:

(a) a reservoir for a substance to be dispensed;

(b) a detachable stopper means adapted to be fitted on said reservoir;

(c) said detachable stopper means including means defining a chamber;

(d) a tube having a proximal end connected to the stopper means, said tube having its distal end entering the reservoir when the stopper means is fitted on said reservoir and having its proximal end opening into said chamber of the stopper means;

(e) manipulating means for creating a partial vacuum in the said chamber while the tube is immersed in the said substance and thus causing the substance to be drawn up into the tube and for creating a compression in said chamber and thus producing the drop-by-drop dispensing of the substance previously drawn up into the tube;

the improvement comprising;

(f) a fixed part integral with the stopper means and joined to the proximal portion of said tube;

(g) said stopper means having a movable piston sealingly slidable in relation to said fixed part under the action of said manipulating means, between a first position wherein the chamber has a maximum volume and a second position where the chamber has a minimum volume, said chamber being delimited by said fixed part and said piston of said stopper means; and

(h) elastic means for biasing said piston towards said first position;

said piston being slidable along a direction coaxial with said tube, said fixed part of said chamber comprising a cylindrical wall, said stopper means further including a stopper cap joined to said fixed part, wherein said stopper cap comprises a lateral skirt and fitting means to said skirt; and

wherein said reservoir includes further fitting means complementary to said fitting means of said stopper cap and engageable therewith to allow fitting of said stopper means on said reservoir, said stopper cap including a transverse panel joining said skirt of said stopper cap to said cylindrical wall of said fixed part of said chamber, said skirt being substantially coaxial in relation to said cylindrical wall and to said tube connected thereto, said elastic means for biasing said piston of said chamber being disposed outside said fixed part of said chamber, said elastic means being disposed between said transverse panel of said cap and said manipulating means.

2. The dispenser as claimed in claim 1 wherein said transverse panel of said stopper cap has said cylindrical wall extending therefrom towards said manipulating means, said elastic means comprising a helical spring surrounding said cylindrical fixed wall, said piston having a bearing surface formed integrally therewith with said spring having a first end bearing against said transverse panel and a second end butting against said bearing surface formed integrally with said movable piston.

3. A dispenser according to claim 2, wherein said stopper means includes a stop member for said piston in said first position of the piston and wherein the manipulating means comprises a push button fixed to said piston, the said push button comprising an annular flange having a first side which constitutes a bearing surface for said spring and having a second surface which bears against said stop member of the stopper means.

4. In a drop dispenser comprising:

(a) a reservoir for a substance to be dispensed;

(b) a detachable stopper means adapted to be fitted on the reservoir;

(c) said detachable stopper means including means defining a chamber;

(d) a tube having a proximal end connected to the stopper means, said tube having its distal end entering the reservoir when the stopper means is fitted on said reservoir and having its proximal end opening into said chamber of said stopper means;

(e) manipulating means for creating a partial vacuum in the said chamber while the tube is immersed in the said substance and thus causing the substance to be drawn up into the tube and for creating a compression in said chamber and thus producing the drop-by-drop dispensing of the substance previously drawn up into the tube;

the improvement comprising;

(f) a fixed part integral with said stopper means and joined to the proximal end of said tube;

(g) said stopper means having a movable piston sealingly slideable in relation to said fixed part under the action of said manipulating means, between a first position wherein the chamber has a maximum volume and a second position where the chamber has a minimum volume, said chamber being delimited by said fixed part and said piston of said stopper means; and

(h) elastic means for biasing said piston towards said first position;

said elastic means being disposed in a zone occupied by the junction between said movable piston and said manipulating means within said chamber, said dispenser including a stop integral with said fixed part of the chamber, said elastic means being integral with said movable piston and bearing on said stop, said dispenser including a stopper cap having a frustoconical bearing surface, said elastic means comprising a frustoconical element flaring in a direction away from said piston, and a stem joined to a lower edge of said element, wherein said element bears its free edge against said frustoconical bearing surface which is flared in the same direction as said element and is integral with said fixed part of said chamber.

5. A dispenser as claimed in claim 4 wherein said stopper cap includes a skirt, a transverse panel joining said skirt to said fixed part of said stopper means, said fixed part including a cylindrical wall defining, in part, said chamber, said skirt being substantially coaxial in relation to said cylindrical wall and to said tube connected to said stopper means, said frustoconical bearing surface being constituted by an internal wall joining said skirt to said cylindrical wall of said chamber.