Fluid dispenser

• US 6,761,288 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2002
• Issued: 07/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aptar France S.A.S (AptarGroup Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Valois (Mestdagh Family)
• Inventors: Garcia, Firmin
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancene, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cartagena, Melvin A
• Application Number:
  US10/123,181
• Publication Number:
  US 20020190081A1
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 222/103, 222/105, 222/107, 222/213, 222/214, 222/94, 222/95
• US Class Current: 222/214
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/042 the spray being effected by a gas or vapour flow in the nozzle, spray head, outlet or dip tube
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/048 characterised by the container, e.g. this latter being surrounded by an enclosure, or the means for deforming it B05B11/041, B05B11/046 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1077 characterised by a particular shape or material B05B11/1076 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2221/00 Small packaging specially adapted for product samples, single-use packages or échantillons
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/5811 and defining, after tearing, a small dispensing spout, a small orifice or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/5872 Non-integral spouts
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0055 Containers or packages provided with a flexible bag or a deformable membrane or diaphragm for expelling the contents
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/06 for dispensing powdered or granular material B65D83/04 takes precedence

Abstract

A fluid dispenser comprising a fluid reservoir (111) of variable volume, and a dispensing orifice (130), said reservoir being provided with at least one deformable actuating wall (112) urged by resilient means (15) into a rest position corresponding to the reservoir having its maximum volume, said dispenser being characterized in that the resilient means (15) are situated outside the reservoir (111), not in contact with the fluid.

Claims

1. A fluid dispenser comprising a fluid and air reservoir (111) of variable volume, and a dispensing orifice (130), said reservoir being provided with at least one deformable actuating wall (112) urged by resilient means (15) into a rest position corresponding to the reservoir having its maximum volume containing both fluid and air, said dispenser being characterized in that the resilient means (15) are situated outside the reservoir (111), not in contact with the fluid.

2. A dispenser according to claim 1, in which the resilient means (15) are connected to said at least one actuating wall (112) by fixing means (16;

116, 126).

3. A dispenser according to claim 2, in which the fixing means comprise an adhesive.

4. A dispenser according to claim 2, in which the fixing means comprise a holding clamp (16;

116, 126) secured to or integral with the actuating wall (112) and in which the resilient means are retained.

5. A dispenser according to claim 4, in which said clamp (16) is fixed to the actuating wall (112).

6. A dispenser according to claim 4, in which said clamp (116, 126) is made integrally with the actuating wall (112).

7. A dispenser according to claim 6, in which said clamp (116, 126) is formed by a flap formed by folding a flexible sheet over onto itself, said flexible sheet forming said actuating wall (112).

8. A dispenser according to claim 2, in which the fixing means comprise a fixing sheet covering the resilient means and at least a portion of the reservoir.

9. A dispenser according to claim 1, in which the resilient means (15) are in the form of a clip having two branches (151, 153) connected together and extending in mutually-diverging manner in the rest position.

10. A dispenser according to claim 9, in which each of the branches (151, 153) of the clip defines a free end (152, 154), at least one of the free ends of the branches being secured to the actuating wall (112).

11. A dispenser according to claim 9, in which the branches of the clip are connected together at an end of the dispenser that is opposite from the dispensing orifice.

12. A dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising a removable closure member (14) for closing off the dispensing orifice (130), the reservoir prior to removal of the removable closure member containing only a small quantity of fluid and little or no air, so that the volume of the reservoir is restricted and the resilient means are compressed, and the reservoir after removal of the closure member containing a small quantity of fluid and a larger quantity of air so that the volume of the reservoir is at its maximum and the resilient means are relaxed to the maximum extent.

13. A dispenser according to claim 1, made up of two flexible sheets (11, 12) connected together and forming the reservoir (111) between them, each flexible sheet forming a respective actuating wall (112).

14. A dispenser according to claim 1, in which the reservoir (111) is located in an envelop (216, 226) containing said resilient means.

15. A dispenser according to claim 14, in which said envelop is secured in a sealed manner to the reservoir.

16. A fluid dispenser comprising:

a reservoir of variable volume, including a first volume and a second volume that is greater than the first volume, the reservoir comprising at least one deformable actuating wall;

a dispensing orifice; and

a resilient member;

wherein the resilient member, when in a relaxed state, urges the at least one deformable actuating wall to a position corresponding to the reservoir having the second volume and in which the reservoir contains fluid and air; and

wherein the resilient member is disposed outside the reservoir so as not to contact the fluid.

17. The dispenser according to claim 16, wherein the resilient member is connected to the at least one actuating wall by an adhesive.

18. The dispenser according to claim 16, wherein the resilient member is connected to the at least one actuating wall by a holding clamp secured to or integral with the at least one actuating wall and in which the resilient member is retained.

19. The dispenser according to claim 18, wherein the clamp is formed by a flap formed by folding a flexible sheet over onto itself, the flexible sheet forming at least part of the actuating wall.

20. The dispenser according to claim 16, wherein the resilient member is a clip having two branches connected together and extending in mutually-diverging manner in the rest position.

21. The dispenser according to claim 20, wherein each of the branches of the clip defines a free end, at least one of the free ends of the branches being secured to the actuating wall.

22. The dispenser according to claim 16, wherein the resilient member is connected to the at least one actuating wall by a fixing sheet covering the resilient member and at least a portion of the reservoir.

23. The dispenser according to claim 16, wherein the reservoir is located in an envelop containing the resilient member.

24. The dispenser according to claim 23, wherein the envelop is secured in a sealed manner to the reservoir.