Diffuser and device for packaging and dispensing a foaming product

• US 7,934,667 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2006
• Issued: 05/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: L'Oreal SA
• Original Assignee: L'Oreal SA
• Inventors: Westrich, Caroline
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Dinh Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCGRAW, TREVOR EDWIN
• Application Number:
  US11/608,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20070131804A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,607 Days
• Field of Search: 222/192, 222/399, 222/394, 222/402.1, 222/402.12, 222/402.22, 222/569, 222/575, 222/490, 222/402.16, 222/402.17, 239/337, 239/588, 239/601, 239/565, 239/589, 239/579
• US Class Current: 239/337
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/20 operated by manual action, e.g. button-type actuator or actuator caps actuators formed as a rigid elongate spout B65D83/306
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/40 Closure caps actuator caps B65D83/205

Abstract

A diffuser for a device for packaging and dispensing a product. The arrangement is particularly advantageous for foaming cosmetic products. The diffuser includes a collar which can be mounted on a container and a product diffusion head extending from the collar and provided with at least one output aperture. Preferably, the output aperture is oriented at an angle, relative to an axis of the collar, lying between 0° and 85°. The diffusion head is movable relative to the collar. Moreover, the diffusion head has an extension axis inclined with respect to a longitudinal axis of the collar, and has a size which is contained within the maximum cross-section of the collar and/or of the container.

Claims

1. A diffuser for a device for packaging and dispensing a foaming product, comprising;

a collar mounted above a container, said collar having a longitudinal axis;

a product diffusion head extending from the collar and including at least one output aperture through which the foaming product exits the device; and

a beveled surface mounted above the collar that increases in area from a front side of the diffusion head including the output aperture to a back side thereof,

wherein the diffusion head is movable relative to the collar such that, at each position of the diffusion head, an axis of the output aperture is oriented downward towards a bottom of the container at an angular sector within a range from 0 to 85 degrees from a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the collar, and

wherein said diffusion head is movable relative to the collar such that the diffusion head is contained within a maximum cross-section of the collar and/or of the container as measured orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the collar.

2. The diffuser according to claim 1, wherein the diffusion head includes:

a concave surface provided between the output aperture and the collar to allow fingers of a user to be positioned underneath the output aperture.

3. The diffuser according to claim 1, wherein the range is from 45 to 70 degrees.

4. The diffuser according to claim 3, wherein the range is 55 degrees.

5. The diffuser according to claim 1, wherein the diffusion head is movable angularly with respect to the collar.

6. The diffuser according to claim 5, wherein the diffusion head and the collar are connected by a hinge allowing the angular movement of the diffusion head with respect to the collar and wherein the angular movement of the diffusion head from a rest position reduces the angle between the output aperture and the axis of the collar.

7. The diffuser according to claim 1, wherein the output aperture is provided at a free end of the diffusion head, and a hinge connects a connected end of the diffusion head to the collar.

8. The diffuser according to claim 7, wherein the output aperture opens out in a direction generally perpendicular to the diffusion head.

9. The diffuser according to claim 1, wherein the diffusion head includes a single output aperture and a plurality of diffusion branches which radiate from said single output aperture.

10. The diffuser according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of output apertures.

11. The diffuser according to claim 10, wherein the output apertures are arranged so as to form a diffusion grille.

12. The diffuser according to claim 1, wherein the diffusion head comprises a dispensing duct oriented at an angle, relative to the longitudinal axis of the collar, which is less than 90°

.

13. The diffuser according to claim 2, wherein the diffusion head comprises a contact area for one of the fingers of the user, the contact area having a concave shape and extending over a face of the head opposite to the concave surface.

14. The diffuser according to claim 1, wherein the diffuser is molded of at least one plastic material.

15. The diffuser according to claim 14, wherein the collar and the diffusion head are a single piece of material.

16. The diffuser according to claim 1, in combination with a pressurized container containing a cosmetic product, wherein the diffuser is mounted on the container.

17. The diffuser and container according to claim 16, wherein the diffusion head does not project radially beyond an outer diameter of said container at each position of the diffusion head.

18. The diffuser and container according to claim 17, wherein a concave surface is provided between the output aperture and the collar to allow at least one finger of a user to be positioned underneath the output aperture to collect the foaming product exiting the output aperture, the concave surface is configured to allow the at least one finger of the user to be partially enveloped by the concave surface.

19. The diffuser and container according to claim 18, wherein the diffusion head does not project radially beyond an outer diameter of said collar.

20. The diffuser and container according to claim 18, wherein the container contains a foamable product.

26. The diffuser according to claim 1, wherein at each position of the diffusion head, the diffusion head is contained within a maximum cross-section of the collar and/or of the container as measured orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the collar.

28. The diffuser according to claim 1, wherein the diffusion head is contained within a maximum cross-section of the collar and/or of the container as measured orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the collar when an actuator of the diffuser is not activated.

21. A diffuser and container assembly, comprising:

a container containing a product, said container having an outer diameter;

a diffuser mounted on said container, the diffuser comprising;

a collar coupled to the container, the collar including;

a first tubular portion concentric to the container and having a first annular radially-outwardly-facing surface,

a second tubular portion concentric to the container and having a second annular radially-outwardly-facing surface, a diameter of the second annular-radially-outwardly-facing surface smaller than the first annular-radially-outwardly-facing surface, and

a radial abutment surface between the first tubular portion and the second tubular portion, the radial abutment surface configured to interface with a cap, the cap configured to cover a diffusion head; and

the diffusion head extending from the collar, said diffusion head including;

a base, and an output aperture arranged such that when said container is in a vertical position a flow of the product exiting said output aperture is directed in a downwards direction, the diffusion head being connected by a hinge to the second tubular portion,

wherein said diffusion head is movable relative to the collar such that, at each position of the diffusion head, an axis of the output aperture is oriented downwards towards a bottom of the container at an angular sector within a range from 0 to 85 degrees from a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the collar, and

wherein the base includes a beveled surface mounted above the collar that increases in area from a front side of the diffusion head including the output aperture to a back side thereof.

22. The assembly according to claim 21,

wherein a concave surface is provided between said output aperture and said collar to allow at least one finger of a user to be positioned under said output aperture to collect product exiting said output aperture, the concave surface is configured to allow the at least one finger of the user to be partially enveloped by the concave surface, and

wherein a flow of product exiting said output aperture is directed downward to a location at least partially within an outer diameter of said container.

23. The assembly according to claim 22, wherein said diffusion head does not radially project beyond an outer diameter of said collar.

24. The assembly according to claim 22, wherein said container contains a foam product.

25. The assembly according to claim 22, wherein said container contains a cosmetic product.

27. The diffuser according to claim 21, wherein said diffusion head does not radially project beyond an outer diameter of the container at each position of the diffusion head.

29. The diffuser according to claim 21, wherein said diffusion head does not radially project beyond an outer diameter of the container when an actuator of the diffuser is not activated.