Fluid product spraying device

• US 6,425,499 B1
• Filed: 06/29/2000
• Issued: 07/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aptar France S.A.S (AptarGroup Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Valois (Mestdagh Family)
• Inventors: Guiffray, Jean-Louis
• Primary Examiner(s): WAYNER, WILLIAM E
• Application Number:
  US09/582,620
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 604/82, 604/84, 604/89, 604/91, 222/137, 141/107
• US Class Current: 222/137
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/007 Syringe-type or piston-type sprayers or atomisers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/08 Inhaling devices inserted into the nose
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/0078 Arrangements for separately storing several components arrangements for pumping several liquids or other fluent materials from several containers B05B11/1081
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/02 Membranes or pistons acting on the contents inside the container, e.g. follower pistons

Abstract

A fluid spray device comprising an outlet channel (120) terminating in a spray orifice (125), a first tank (110) containing a first substance, a second tank (210) containing a second substance, said two tanks (110, 210) being interconnected by a passage (160, 260) and prior to actuation of the device, being separated from each other in leakproof manner by sealing means (115, 215) disposed in said passage (160, 260), mixer means (130, 135; 235) being provided to open said passage (160, 260) and to mix together the two substances before they are dispensed, and dispenser means (235, 135) being provided for dispensing said mixture, the device being characterized in that said sealing means comprise at least one ball (115, 215) adapted to be expelled from the passage (160, 260) by said mixer means (130, 135; 235), said mixer means comprising a first piston (135; 235) slidably received in one of the tanks (110; 210) to transfer one of the substances from its tank (110; 210) into the other tank (210; 110), said dispenser means including a second piston (235; 135) slidably received in the other tank (210; 110) for dispensing the mixture of the two substances via the outlet channel (120).

Claims

1. A fluid spray device comprising an outlet channel (120) terminating in a spray orifice (125), a first tank (110) containing a first substance, a second tank (210) containing a second substance, said two tanks (110, 210) being interconnected by a passage (160, 260) and, prior to actuation of the device, being separated from each other in leakproof manner by sealing means (115, 215) disposed in said passage (160, 260), mixer means (130, 135;

235) being provided to open said passage (160, 260) and to mix together the two substances before they are dispensed, and dispenser means (235, 135) being provided for dispensing said mixture, said mixer means comprising a first piston (135;

235) slidably received in one of the tanks (110;

210) to transfer one of the substances from its tank (110;

210) into the other tank (210;

110), said dispenser means including a second piston (235;

135) slidably received in the other tank (210;

110) for dispensing the mixture of the two substances via the outlet channel (120), the device being characterized in that said sealing means comprise at least one ball (115, 215) adapted to be expelled from the passage (160, 260) by the pressure created in one/of the tanks (110;

210) when said first piston (135;

235) is actuated.

2. A device according to claim 1, in which said mixer means comprise a hollow rod (130) secured to the first piston (135) and adapted to penetrate into said passage (160, 260) to expel the balls (115, 215) and, after the two substances have been mixed together, extending to the second tank (210) in such a manner that said hollow rod (130) forms the inlet end of the outlet channel (120).

3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, in which said mixer means (130, 135;

235) are actuated independently of said dispenser means (235;

135).

4. A device according to claim 1, in which said dispenser means (235;

135) are adapted to dispense the entire mixture of the two substances in a single actuation.

5. A device according to claim 1, in which said dispenser means (235;

135) include or co-operate with stop means for subdividing the mixture of the two substances into a plurality of doses, one dose being dispensed on each actuation.

6. A device according to claim 1, in which the device comprises two independent subassemblies (100, 200), the first subassembly (100) having the outlet channel (120), the first tank (110), and one of the pistons (135), and the second subassembly (200) having the second tank (210) and the other piston (235), connection means (180, 280) being provided for connecting the two subassemblies (100, 200) together.

7. A device according to claim 6, in which each of the first and second tanks (110, 210) has a respective ball (115, 215) expelled during actuation of the mixer means.

8. A device according to claim 1, in which the mixer means comprise the piston (235) disposed in the second tank (210), actuation of said piston (235) creating sufficient pressure in the second tank (210) to expel the ball (115) from the passage (160) into the inside of the first tank (110) and to transfer the substance contained in the second tank (210) into the first tank (110) to mix therein with the other substance, the dispenser means including the piston (135) disposed in the first tank (110), with actuation thereof serving to dispense the mixture.

9. A device according to claim 1, in which one of the substances is a liquid and the other substance is a powder, mixing being performed extemporaneously by transferring the liquid into the tank containing the powder.

10. A device according to claim 1, in which said first tank (110) contains a solvent and said second tank (210) contains a powder, or vice versa.

11. A device according to claim 9, in which said powder is a pre-dosed liquid solution that has subsequently being freeze-dried.