Device for dispensing combined doses of fluid product

• US 7,011,234 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2002
• Issued: 03/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aptar France S.A.S (AptarGroup Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Valois SAS (AptarGroup Incorporated)
• Inventors: Stradella, Giuseppe
• Primary Examiner(s): BRINSON, PATRICK F
• Application Number:
  US10/250,432
• Publication Number:
  US 20040050864A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,531 Days
• Field of Search: 222/129, 222/135, 222/136, 222/137, 222/386, 222/391, 604 89- 92, 604/191, 604/208, 604/209, 604/218, 604/187, 604/223, 604/227, 604/228
• US Class Current: 222/129
• 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 dispenser device comprising a body (1), dispensing means (30) for dispensing the fluid, a first reservoir (10) containing a first fluid and a second reservoir (20) containing a second fluid, the first and second fluids being to be mixed prior to dispensing so as to form one or more doses of fluid to be dispensed, said fluid dispenser device being characterized in that it further comprises a mixture-forming system for mixing the first and second fluids in one of said reservoirs (10, 20), said mixture-forming system having a manual actuating element (50) that is mounted to move in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the fluid is dispensed, said manual actuating element (50) being actuatable with one hand and acting, after said first and second fluids have been mixed, to actuate the dispensing means (30) for dispensing the fluid, without any further manipulation of the device being necessary.

Claims

1. A nasal fluid dispense spray device comprising a body (1), dispensing means (30) for dispensing the fluid, a first reservoir (10) containing a first fluid and a second reservoir (20) containing a second fluid, the first and second fluids to be mixed prior to dispensing so as to form one or more doses of fluid to be dispensed, said fluid dispenser device being characterized in that it further comprises a mixture-forming system for mixing the first and second fluids in one of said reservoirs (10, 20), said mixture-forming system having a manual actuating element (50) that is mounted to move in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the fluid is dispensed, said manual actuating element (50) being actuatable with one hand and acting, after said first and second fluids have been mixed, to actuate the dispensing means (30) for dispensing the fluid, without any further manipulation of the device being necessary;

said actuating element comprising energy accumulation means for preventing the actuating element from being actuated until a threshold force is applied to the actuating element.

2. A device according to claim 1, in which the mixture-forming system comprises a first piston (15) mounted to slide in the first reservoir (10), a passageway (55) interconnecting the two reservoirs (10, 20), and one or more pegs (16, 17) co-operating firstly with said piston (15) and secondly with the actuating element (50), in particular via a cam surface (51) on said element, which cam surface transforms the substantially lateral motion of the actuating element (50) into axial motion of the first piston (15) so as to transfer the fluid contained in the first reservoir (10) to the second reservoir (20) through said passageway (55).

3. A device according to claim 2, in which said passageway (55) is provided with a check valve.

4. A device according to claim 2, in which the fluids are mixed by actuating the mixture-forming means once only.

5. A device according to claim 2, in which the fluids are mixed by actuating the mixture-forming means a plurality of times, the device having a plurality of pegs (16, 17) offset axially and co-operating in succession with said first piston (15) so as to move it axially in the first reservoir (10).

6. A device according to claim 1, in which the actuating element (50) is provided with resilient means (52) for returning it to its rest position after each occasion on which it is actuated.

7. (currently amended):

A device according to claim 1, in which the actuating element (50) is pivotally mounted on one side of said body (1), and it comprises abutment means limiting the stroke of the actuating element (50) in predetermined manner.

8. A device according to claim 1, in which the device is a single-dose device, the mixture of said first and second fluids being dispensed in a single dose, by actuating the actuating element (50) once only.

9. A device according to claim 8, in which the second reservoir (20) is provided with a second piston (30), at least one peg (31) co-operating firstly with said second piston (30) and secondly with the actuating element (50) to dispense the mixture contained in the second reservoir (20).

10. A device according to claim 1, in which the device is a multi-dose device, the mixture of said first and second fluids being dispensed in a plurality of part doses, by actuating the actuating element (50) a plurality of times in succession.

11. A device according to claim 10, in which said device further comprises dose subdivision means for separating the fluid mixture into part doses, the part doses being dispensed in succession merely by actuating said actuating element (50) manually a plurality of times in succession, without any further manipulation of the device being necessary, without having to use both hands, and without having to turn one or more component portions of the device relative to each other between occasions on which a part dose is dispensed.

12. A device according to claim 11, in which the dose subdivision means comprise pegs (31, 32) for respective ones of the part doses, which pegs co-operate firstly with the dispensing means (30) and secondly with the actuating element (50).

13. A device according to claim 10, in which the device is a two-dose device, the mixture of said first and second fluids being dispensed in two half-doses by actuating the actuating element (50) twice in succession.

14. A device according to claim 1, in which the respective pegs (16, 17, 31, 32) are provided with non-return means (60) preventing them from moving axially in the direction opposite to the direction imparted by actuating the manual actuating element (50).

15. A device according to claim 1, in which one of the first and second fluids is a powder and the other is a solvent.

18. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a dispensing end configured for spraying a dose of the mixed first and second fluids in a nasal passageway.

16. A fluid spray device comprising a body, dispensing means for dispensing the fluid, a first reservoir containing a first fluid and a second reservoir containing a second fluid, the first and second fluids to be mixed prior to dispensing so as to form one or more doses of fluid to be dispensed, said fluid dispenser device being characterized in that it further comprises a mixture-forming system for mixing the first and second fluids in one of said reservoirs, said mixture-forming system having a manual actuating element that is mounted to move in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the fluid is dispensed, said manual actuating element being actuatable with one hand and acting, after said first and second fluids have been mixed, to actuate the dispensing means for dispensing the fluid, without any further manipulation of the device being necessary;

and

wherein the mixture-forming system comprises a first piston mounted to slide in the first reservoir, a passageway interconnecting the two reservoirs, and one or more pegs co-operating firstly with said piston and secondly with the actuating element, in particular via a cam surface on said element, which cam surface transforms the substantially lateral motion of the actuating element into axial motion of the first piston so as to transfer the fluid contained in the first reservoir to the second reservoir through said passageway.

17. A nasal fluid spray device comprising:

a body,

a piston that dispenses the fluid;

a first reservoir comprising a first fluid;

a second reservoir comprising a second fluid;

a passageway for conveying the first fluid to the second fluid prior to dispensing so as to form one or more doses of mixed fluid in the second reservoir; and

a manual actuating element mounted to move in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the fluid is dispensed, the manual actuating element configured to be actuated with one hand and acting, after the first and second fluids have been mixed, to actuate the piston to dispense the fluid;

the actuating element comprising an energy accumulation elastic member that prevents the actuating element from being actuated until a threshold force is applied to the actuating element.

19. The device according to claim 17, further comprising a dispensing end configured for spraying a dose of the mixed first and second fluids in a nasal passageway.