Refillable dispenser including a translatable plunger

• US 4,954,000 A
• Filed: 04/14/1989
• Issued: 09/04/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: L'Oreal SA
• Original Assignee: L'Oreal SA
• Inventors: Gueret, Jean-Louis
• Primary Examiner(s): Bratlie, Steven A.
• Application Number:
  US07/338,226
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• Field of Search: 401/171, 401/172, 401/174, 401/182, 401/68, 401/70, 401/75, 401/62
• US Class Current: 401/68
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 40/04 effected by a screw

Abstract

The invention relates to a dispenser of a compact product (3) contained in a cylindrical reservoir (1); the product (3) is ejected via a plunger (4) that is displaceable in translation in the reservoir and is mounted at the end of a threaded rod (5), which cooperates with a nut (9). The rod (5) is driven in rotation incrementally via a pushbutton (8). The support (7) of the mechanism and of the nut (9) is movable with respect to the reservoir (1) by means of a thread. The nut (9) which cooperates with the rod (5) is slit along a diametrical plane, to allow the re-pressing of the rod when the half-nuts are capable of spreading apart. The reservoir includes a frustoconical surface 1c, which assures the pinching of the half-screws when the mechanism is put into place at the base of the full reservoir.

Claims

1. A dispenser of a product (3) contained in a cylindrical reservoir (1) in which said product (3) is disposed between the dispensing opening (1d) and a plunger (4) displaceable in translation in the reservoir (1), the plunger (4) being mounted at the end of a threaded rod (5) which cooperates with a fixed nut (9) supported by a support (7) integrally joined with the reservoir (1), the threaded rod (5) being displaceable in rotation incrementally by means of a mechanism also supported by said support (7), this movement being initiated by the action of the user upon a displaceable maneuvering device (8) supported by the support (7), in order to obtain the translation of the plunger (4) and the dispensing of the product (3)

the said dispenser comprising two sub-assemblies, the first sub-assembly including the mechanism, the threaded rod (5), the nut (9), the maneuvering device (8), the support (7) and the plunger (4), the second sub-assembly being the reservoir (1), and

the first sub-assembly being joined in a removable manner to the second sub-assembly by connecting means (6);

the nut (9) that cooperates with the threaded rod (5) is slit along at least one diametrical plane over the entire length of its threaded hole (11), the sectors of the nut being held together by a flexible zone (14) which assures the fixation of the nut (9) on the support (7);

the reservoir (1) includes a frustoconical surface (1c), which comes to be pressed against a corresponding frustoconical surface (2c) of the nut (9), when the movable reservoir (1) is joined with the support (7) to assure the pinching of the sectors of the nut about the threaded rod (5) driven by the mechanism.

2. A dispenser as defined by claim 1, characterized in that the maneuvering device of the mechanism is a pushbutton (8) disposed on the part of the dispenser that is opposite the dispensing opening (1d).

3. A dispenser as defined by claim 1, characterized in that the nut (9) is slit along a single diametrical plane and is fixed to one end of the support (7) by racheting.

4. A dispenser as defined by claim 1, characterized in that the reservoir (1) and the support (7) have a cylindrical shape of circular cross section.

5. A dispenser as defined by claim 4, characterized in that the means for integral joining with the reservoir (1) on the support (7) is a screwing means.

6. A dispenser as defined by claim 5, characterized in that the reservoir (1) comprises two cylindrical portions (1a, 1b) of different interior diameters connected to one another via the frustoconical portion (1c) which assures the pinching of the sectors of the nut, the portion (1a) of the smallest diameter closing the product (3) to be dispensed and the other (1b) comprising a sheath, which clasps the support (7), said sheath carrying a thread at its free end which cooperates with a thread carried by the end of the support (7) where the maneuvering device (8) is disposed.

7. A dispenser as defined by claim 4, characterized in that the nut (9) is engaged in one end of the support (7) at its fixed variant by racheting tabs (13), one end of the nut (9) remaining outside the support and forming the frustoconical surface (2c) which cooperates with that (1c) of the reservoir (1).

8. A dispenser as defined by claim 7, characterized in that the nut (9) has two racheting tabs (13), the center lines of which are in the diametrical plane along which the nut (9) is slit.

9. A dispenser as defined by claim 3, characterized in that the slit (10) of the nut (9), at the level of its thread, discharges on either side of the nut (9) in a peripheral slit (15), which extends over less than 180°

to allow a side wall zone to remain, forming the flexible zone (14) of the nut (9) and connecting the threaded portion with the means for fixation of the nut (9) to the support (7).

10. A dispenser as defined by claim 8, characterized in that the racheting tabs (13) of the nut (9) carry the male portions (16) of the rachet mechanism, their center lines being in the diametrical plane of the slit of the nut (9), and the support carries recesses (17) comprising the female portions of the rachet mechanism, one axial (18) and one peripheral slit (19) opening into each female portion (17), and the peripheral slit (19) extending symmetrically on either side of said female portion over less than 90°

.

11. A dispenser as defined by claim 1, characterized in that inside the support (7), the mechanism includes:

(a) a driver (23) integrally joined with the pushbutton (8), guided in translation in the support (7) via grooves and crenelated in a V shape on its edge (24) opposite the pushbutton (8), said driver (23) being pushed by a restoring spring (25) against a stop (20) of the support (7);

(b) a barrel (27) with peripheral fins (26) that are radial and parallel to the axis of the barrel, the barrel (27) being traversed along its axis by the threaded rod (5) of the mechanism, said rod carrying at least one flattened face and traversing the barrel (27) via a hole having the same cross section as the rod, such that any rotation of the barrel (27) causes a rotation of the rod (5), the fins (26) of the barrel (27) having ends (26a) that are oblique with respect to the axis of the barrel (27), facing the crenelations of the driver (23), the restoring spring (25) which acts upon the driver (23) being disposed between the barrel (27) and the end of the support (7) that is opposite the pushbutton (8);

(c) a sawtooth relief (30), which cooperates with the oblique ends (26a) of the fins (26) and comprises a stop for the fins, projecting from the inside wall of the support (7), the crenelations of the driver (23) having the same angular spacing as the sawteeth, but the tops of the crenelations being offset angularly with respect to the tops (31) of the sawteeth (30).