EP1687096B1 - Pump for dispensing fluid products - Google Patents

Abstract

The inventive pump for dispensing fluid products comprises a pump body (10), a pump chamber (20) at least one piston (30, 72) sliding inside the pump chamber (20) for dispensing a fluid product, a dispensing orifice (45) and a shutter (38) which interacts with said dispensing orifice (45) and is embodied in such a way that it is movable and/or deformable between the closed position of the dispensing orifice (45) and the open position thereof, said shutter being elastically driven to a closed position. Said invention is characterised in that the inventive pump comprises only one elastic element (50) in the form of a spring for bringing at least one piston (30, 72) to a rest position after actuation and for driving the shutter (38) to a closed position and at least one piston is embodied in one piece with the shutter (38).

Description

The present invention relates to a fluid dispenser pump, and a fluid dispenser device comprising such a pump. A pump having the features of the preamble of claim 1 is known from US 5,377,881.

Fluid dispensing pumps are well known in the state of the art, and are used to dispense fluid, especially in the fields of perfumery, cosmetics or pharmacy. These pumps generally comprise a pump body and a pump chamber in which at least one piston slides to dispense a dose of product at each actuation. The pump chamber generally comprises an inlet valve and an outlet valve. A dispensing head incorporating the dispensing orifice is generally assembled on the pump, said head comprising an expulsion channel connecting said pump to said dispensing orifice. In particular when the fluid product is a pharmaceutical product, it may be necessary to avoid contamination of this product, in which case a shutter may be provided at the dispensing orifice. This shutter is generally biased towards its closed position by an elastic element, and is open at the time of expulsion to allow the exit of the product. When the device is a spraying device, it can further provide an insert disposed in the expulsion channel to limit the dead volume thereof and promote the spraying of the product. Since the pump is part of a fluid dispensing device, a fixing ring is generally provided for fixing this pump on a reservoir containing the fluid product. A dip tube may also be associated with the pump to extend to the bottom of the tank and allow the distribution of all the product contained therein. This type of pump, well known, has a relatively large number of component parts, which makes its manufacture and assembly relatively complicated and expensive. Another problem that may arise, especially when the fluid product is a pharmaceutical product, is that the product is generally in contact with the pump springs, these being usually metallic. Depending on the pharmaceutical product under consideration, this type of contact with a metal product may be harmful and cause the product to deteriorate.

The present invention aims to provide a fluid dispensing pump that does not reproduce the aforementioned drawbacks.

More particularly, the present invention aims to provide a fluid dispenser pump that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and assemble.

The present invention is intended in particular to provide a fluid dispensing pump which consists of a number of minimum constituent parts.

The present invention also aims to provide a fluid dispenser pump, which eliminates any risk of alteration of the fluid dispensed by said pump including eliminating contact with metal parts.

The subject of the present invention is therefore a fluid product dispensing pump comprising a pump body, a pump chamber, at least one piston sliding in said pump chamber for dispensing the fluid, a dispensing orifice, and a shutter. cooperating with said dispensing orifice, said shutter being movable and / or deformable between a closed position of the dispensing orifice and an open position of the dispensing orifice, said shutter being elastically biased towards its position of shutter, the pump comprising a single elastic element, such as a spring, adapted to return said at least one piston to its rest position after actuation and to bias said shutter towards its closed position, and said at least one piston being made of a one-piece piece with said shutter.

Advantageously, said spring is out of contact with the fluid product.

Advantageously, the pump comprises a fixing ring adapted to fix said pump on a reservoir.

According to a first embodiment of the present invention, said pump body is made in one piece with said fixing ring.

Advantageously, said fixing ring is made of a one-piece piece with a dip tube for extending into a tank.

Advantageously, said fixing ring is made of a one-piece piece with an inlet valve seat of the pump chamber.

Preferably, the pump comprises a dispensing head comprising the dispensing orifice.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, said pump body is disposed inside said dispensing head.

Advantageously, said dispensing head is connected, in particular snapped, irremovably on said fixing ring, said dispensing head and said fixing ring forming a stop to define the rest position of the pump.

According to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, an insert is disposed in the pump chamber upstream of the dispensing orifice.

Advantageously, said insert is made of a one-piece piece with said shutter.

Advantageously, said pump consists of only four parts comprising the dispensing head part, the piston and shutter piece, the spring piece, and the pump body part, fixing ring and dip tube.

Advantageously, the pump body part, fixing ring and dip tube also forms the seat of an inlet valve of the pump chamber, cooperating with a valve element.

According to an alternative embodiment, the valve element is integral with the piston and shutter piece.

Advantageously, said pump chamber is disposed immediately upstream of said dispensing orifice, said shutter forming an outlet valve of said pump chamber.

The present invention also relates to a fluid dispenser device comprising a reservoir and a pump as described above.

Advantageously, the pump is fixed, in particular latched, on the tank with the interposition of a seal.

• la figure 1 est une vue schématique en section transversale d'un dispositif de distribution de produit fluide comportant une pompe de distribution de produit fluide réalisée selon un mode de réalisation avantageux de la présente invention, en position de repos de la pompe ;
• la figure 2 est une vue schématique agrandie d'une partie du dispositif de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 3 est une vue similaire à celle de la figure 1 en position de distribution de la pompe ; et
• la figure 4 est une vue schématique agrandie d'une partie du dispositif des figures 1 et 3.

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly in the following detailed description of several embodiments and embodiments of the present invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, given by way of non-limiting examples, and on which :

• Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a fluid dispenser device comprising a fluid dispenser pump made according to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, in the rest position of the pump;
• Figure 2 is an enlarged schematic view of a portion of the device of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 in dispensing position of the pump; and
• FIG. 4 is an enlarged schematic view of part of the device of FIGS. 1 and 3.

The dispensing pump according to the present invention comprises a pump body 10 in which at least a first piston 30, 72 slides. Said at least one piston 30, 72 slides in a pump chamber 20 to dispense a dose of fluid through a dispensing orifice 45, each actuation of the pump. Said pump chamber 20 preferably comprises an inlet valve 70. To avoid product contamination between two actuations, the dispensing orifice 45 is provided with a shutter 38 which is displaceable and / or deformable between a position of closing of this dispensing orifice 45 and an open position thereof, said shutter 38 being resiliently biased towards its closed position. According to the invention, the pump comprises a single elastic element 50, such as a spring, which is adapted both to return the piston 30, 72 to its rest position after actuation and bias the shutter 38 to its closed position. Advantageously, this spring is disposed out of contact with the fluid, which avoids any risk of contamination, especially when the spring is metallic. Preferably, the pump comprises a dispensing head 40 which incorporates the dispensing orifice 45. Advantageously, the pump chamber 20 is disposed at least partially in said dispensing head 40, directly upstream of said dispensing orifice 45. shutter 38 then forms the outlet valve of this pump chamber. The pump may be attached to a reservoir 60 containing the fluid product by means of a fixing ring 15, which may be of any desired type, for example screwable, snap-on or crimpable. Preferably, the pump is assembled on the reservoir 60 by means of said fixing ring 15 with the interposition of a seal 65 between these two elements.

The figures show an advantageous embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the fixing ring 15 is advantageously made of a one-piece piece with the pump body 10. Preferably, this fixing ring 15 is also made in one piece with a plunger tube 18 which is extends towards the bottom of the tank 60. As shown in the figures, this dip tube 18 can also be extended inside the pump body by an axial tubing extension forming a valve seat 71 of the inlet valve 70 of the chamber 20. The piston 30 is made integrally with the shutter 38. In addition, an insert 39 may be provided upstream of the dispensing orifice 45 in the pump chamber 20, this insert being preferably made in one piece with said shutter 38. This insert 39 may form at its lower end the valve member 75 of the inlet valve 70 of the pump chamber, which cooperates with the valve seat 71 described above. As shown in the figures, the pump comprises only one spring 50, which in this embodiment is disposed outside the pump body 10, outside said fixing ring 15, so that it is out any contact with the fluid product. Advantageously, the pump comprises a second piston 34, preferably integral with the first piston 30, and which slides sealingly in the dispensing head 40 to partially limit said pump chamber 20.

The operation of the pump shown in the figures is as follows. When the user presses the dispensing head 40 from the position shown in FIG. 1, the dispensing head descends axially with respect to the reservoir by compressing the spring 50. In doing so, the valve element 75 formed on the the lower end of the insert 39 cooperates with the valve seat 71 of the inlet valve 70 to close the inlet valve. The volume of the pump chamber 20 is then defined and extends between the pump body 10, the first piston 30, and the second piston 34 and the shutter 38 which closes the dispensing orifice 45. A continuation of the axial actuating force on the dispensing head 40 causes a rise in pressure of the pump chamber 20, which causes an axial displacement of the piston 30, and therefore of the shutter 38 away from the dispensing orifice 45, allowing a distribution of the product through it. When the user releases his pressure on the dispensing head 40, it is returned to its rest position by the spring 50, as the piston 30 and thus the shutter 38 is also returned to its rest position simultaneously . Preferably, the dispensing head 40 is connected, in particular snapped, irremovably on the fixing ring 15, forming therewith an abutment position which defines the rest position of the pump. The pump chamber 20 preferably extends directly upstream of the dispensing orifice 45, at least partially in the dispensing head 40. It is therefore essential that this dispensing head 40 is not removable, to avoid any risk. contamination of the product contained in the pump chamber. Advantageously, the inlet valve seat 71 of the inlet valve 70 comprises air passage means 78 axially offset with respect to said inlet valve seat 71, and able to cooperate with the valve element 75 during boot. This position is shown in FIG. 4, in which it can be seen that these passage means 78 are formed by one or more lateral grooves (s) formed in the wall of the tubular element forming the valve seat 71, and adapted (s) to cooperate with the end 75 of the insert 39 provided with corresponding grooves or passing ribs. This priming position can be reached when the pump chamber is filled with air. After evacuation of the air, the pump chamber then fills with the product, and during the next actuations of the pump, this valve member 75 can not move to these passage means 78 during the dispensing of the product. , but only at the end of actuation. The priming means therefore do not generate any risk of loss of dose during the normal actuation of the pump.

A particular advantage of the present invention is that it allows for a pump with a minimum of component parts. The pump shown in the figures can thus be made with only four components, namely the dispenser head piece 40, the pump body part 10, the fixing ring 15 and the dip tube 18, the spring piece 50, and the piston piece 30 and shutter 38. The pump is then assembled on the reservoir 60 with the interposition of a seal 65, and it thus clearly appears that the number of parts of the pump according to the invention is lower compared to pumps of the state of the art, which simplifies the manufacture and assembly of this pump, and therefore makes it less expensive. Similarly, the operation of this pump is reliable by ensuring a spray of good quality, and facilitating priming. Similarly, the fact that the return spring is never in contact with the fluid product avoids any risk of damage to the product by contact with a metal part (when the spring is made of metal).

Although the invention has been described with reference to a particular embodiment thereof, it is understood that it is not limited by the example shown. On the contrary, a person skilled in the art can make any useful modifications without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (17)

1. Pump for dispensing fluid products comprising a pump body (10), a pump chamber (20), at least one piston (30; 72) sliding in said pump chamber (20) to dispense the fluid product, a dispensing orifice (45), and a shutter (38) interacting with said dispensing orifice (45), said shutter (38) being movable and/or deformable between a closed position of the dispensing orifice (45) and an open position of the dispensing orifice (45), said shutter (38) being elastically driven to its closed position, the pump comprising only one elastic element (50), such as a spring, adapted for bringing said at least one piston (30, 72) back to its rest position after actuation and for driving said shutter (38) to its closed position, characterised in that said at least one piston (30) is made in one piece with said shutter (38).
2. Pump according to claim 1, wherein said spring (50) is away from all contact with the fluid product.
3. Pump according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the pump comprises a retaining ring (15) adapted to anchor said pump to a tank (60).
4. Pump according to claim 3, wherein said pump body (10) is embodied in one piece with said retaining ring (15).
5. Pump according to claim 3 or 4, wherein said retaining ring (15) is embodied in one piece with a plunger tube (18) intended to extend into a tank (60).
6. Pump according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein said retaining ring (15) is embodied in one piece with an inlet valve seat (71) of the pump chamber (20).
7. Pump according to any one of the previous claims, where the pump comprises a dispensing head (40) including the dispensing orifice (45).
8. Pump according to claim 7, wherein said pump body (10) is placed inside said dispensing head (40).
9. Pump according to claim 7 or 8 and any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein said dispensing head (40) is connected, particularly by being snapped, irremovably onto said retaining ring (15), said dispensing head (40) and said retaining ring (15) forming a stop to define the rest position of the pump.
10. Pump according to any one of the previous claims, wherein an insert (39) is placed in the pump chamber (20) upstream of the dispensing orifice (45).
11. Pump according to claim 10, wherein said insert (39) is embodied in one piece with said shutter (38).
12. Pump according to any one of the previous claims, wherein said pump is constituted by only four parts including the part forming the dispensing head (40), the part forming the piston (30) and shutter (38), the part forming the spring (50), and the part forming the pump body (10), retaining ring (15) and plunger tube (18).
13. Pump according to claim 12, wherein the part forming the pump body (10), retaining ring (15) and plunger tube (18) also form the seat (71) of an inlet valve (70) of the pump chamber (20) interacting with a valve element (75).
14. Pump according to claim 13, wherein the valve element (75) is integral with the part forming the piston (30) and shutter (38).
15. Pump according to any one of the previous claims, wherein said pump chamber (20) is placed immediately upstream of said dispensing orifice (45), said shutter (38) forming an outlet valve of said pump chamber (20).
16. Device for dispensing fluid products including a tank (60), characterised in that the device comprises a pump according to any one of the previous claims.
17. Device according to claim 16, wherein the pump is anchored, particularly by being snapped on to the tank (60) with interposition of a gasket (65).

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