Fluid product dispenser

• US 6,789,750 B1
• Filed: 11/15/2001
• Issued: 09/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aptar France S.A.S (AptarGroup Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Valois (Mestdagh Family)
• Inventors: Heldt, Frédéric
• Primary Examiner(s): Ganey, Steven J.
• Application Number:
  US09/979,012
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 239/320, 239/329, 239/333, 239/486, 239/490, 239/491, 239/533.1, 239/533.13, 239/602, 222/326, 222/327, 222/386, 222/387, 128/200.14, 128/200.22, 604/218, 604/225
• US Class Current: 239/490
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/3436 the interface being a plane perpendicular to the outlet axis
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/3457 in response to liquid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/0062 Outlet valves actuated by the pressure of the fluid to be sprayed fluid-actuated pump outlet valve arrangements B05B11/1016, B05B11/1022, B05B11/1033, B05B11/1036, B05B11/104, B05B11/1064, B05B11/1097
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/02 Membranes or pistons acting on the contents inside the container, e.g. follower pistons
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/025 with stepwise advancement of the piston, e.g. for spraying a predetermined quantity of content

Abstract

A fluid dispenser device comprising a reservoir (10) containing one or more doses of fluid, a dispensing orifice (20), and a dispensing member (30), said device being characterized in that said reservoir is of the syringe type (10) having a hollow tube (11) provided with an upstream opening (12) and with a downstream opening (13), said upstream opening (12) being provided with a piston (40) which, at rest, forms a leaktight stopper, and which co-operates with an actuating rod (30) forming the dispensing member, and said downstream opening (13) being provided with an end-piece (50) firstly incorporating closure means (51) for forming a leaktight stopper at rest, and secondly adapted to define a spray profile (55) when the device is actuated.

Claims

1. A fluid dispenser device compromising a reservoir (10) containing one or more doses of fluid, a dispensing orifice (20), and a dispensing member (30), said reservoir being of the syringe type (10) having a hollow tube (11) provided with an upstream opening (12) and with a downstream opening (13), said upstream opening (12) being prided with a piston (40) which, at rest, forms a leaktight stopper, and which co-operates with an actuating rod (30) forming the dispensing member, and said downstream opening (13) being provided with an end-piece (50) firstly incorporating closure means (51) for forming a leaktight stopper at rest, and secondly adapted to define a spray profile (55) when the deice is actuated, the device being characterized in that said end-piece (50) has a fixing portion (54) fixed in leaktight manner to said downstream opening (13)of the syringe (10) so that the unit formed by the reservoir (10), the piston (40), and the end-piece (50) can be prefilled and closed off in leaktight manner before the device is assembled, said syringe (10) and said end-piece (50) being inserted, during assembly, into an outer body (80) incorporating the dispensing orifice (20) of the device.

2. A device according to claim 1, in which said end-piece (50) bas a deformable closure portion (51) for acting at rest to close off said downstream opening (13) in leaktight manner, and for being deformed when the device is actuated so as to open said downstream opening (13), and a spray portion (56) for forming the spray profile (55) while the fluid is being dispensed.

3. A device according to claim 2, in which said spray portion (56) of the end-piece co-operates with the end wall (81) of said outer body (80) to define the spray profile (55) when the device is actuated.

4. A device according to claim 3, in which said end-piece (50) is provided with a central cylindrical stud (52) which, at one end, forms the closure means (51) for closing downstream opening (13) in the syringe (10), and, at the other end, forms a plane surface (56), said stud (52) being moved axially when the device is actuated, so as firstly to open the downstream opening (13) in the syringe (10), and secondly to press said plane surface (56) against the end wall (81) of the outer body (80) incorporating swirl channels (82) so that said stud (52) defines the spray profile (55) when the device is actuated.

5. A device according to claim 1, in which said end-piece (50) is made in one piece and of an elastomer material.

6. A device according to claim 1, in which said actuating rod (30), which can be moved axially by the user to dispense the fluid, co-operates with an outer body (80) provided with energy storage means (85) for storing up energy in the fingers of the user, thereby guaranteeing that a dose is dispensed in full each time the device is actuated.

7. A device according to claim 6, in which said body (80) and said actuating rod (30) co-operate to prevent the device from being actuated accidentally.

8. A device according to claim 1, in which said syringe (10) contains two doses of fluid, and said outer body (80) forms an abutment in the axial stroke of the actuating rod (30) so as to separate said stroke into two stroke portions, each of which corresponds to a respective one of the doses.

9. A device according to claim 8, in which, after the first dose has been expelled, said actuating rod (30) must be rotated relative to said outer body (80) so that it is possible to expel the second dose.

10. A device according to claim 9, in which the outer body (80) has non-retun means (86) which cooperate with said rod (30) so as to allow the rod (30) to be rotated in one direction only and to be moved axially in one direction only.

11. A device according to claim 8, in which said outer body (80) incorporates a window (89) level with the syringe for viewing the dose to be expelled.

12. A device according to claim 3, in which said outer body (80) is made in one piece.

13. A fluid dispenser device, compromising:

an outer body (80) comprising a dispensing orifice (20);

a reservoir (10) containing one or more doses of fluid; and

a dispensing member (30); and

wherein

the reservoir has a hollow tube (11), comprising;

an upstream opening (12);

a downstream opening (13);

a piston (40) disposed at or near (he upstream opening (12) and which, at rest, forms a leaktight stopper;

an actuating rod (30) that, when actuated, moves the piston within the reservoir; and

and end-piece (50) disposed at or near the downstream opening (13), the end-piece comprising a closure member that closes off in a leaktight manner the downstream opening (13) when the actuating rod is at rest, the end-piece cooperating with the outer body to define a spray profile when the actuating rod is actuated; and

wherein the end-piece further comprises a fixing portion (54) fixed in leaktight manner to the downstream opening (13) of the reservoir so that the assembly formed by the reservoir (10), the piston (40), and the end-piece (50) are configured to be prefilled and closed off in a leaktight manner before assembling of additional pieces.

14. The fluid dispenser device according to claim 13, wherein the reservoir and the end-piece (50) are inserted into the outer body (80).

15. The fluid dispenser device according to claim 13, wherein the end-piece (50) is made in one piece and of an elastomer material.

16. The fluid dispenser device according to claim 13, wherein the actuating rod (30), which is axially movable when actuated to dispense the fluid, co-operates with the outer body (80) provided with energy storage means (85) for storing up energy in the fingers of the user, thereby guaranteeing that a dose is dispensed in full each time the device is actuated.

17. The fluid dispenser device according to claim 13, wherein the reservoir contains two doses of fluid, and the outer body (80) forms an abutment in an axial stroke of the actuating rod (30) so as to separate the stroke into two stroke portions, each of which corresponds to a respective one of the doses.