WO2004054722A1

WO2004054722A1 - Pump-action nozzle arrangements

Info

Publication number: WO2004054722A1
Application number: PCT/GB2003/005302
Authority: WO
Inventors: Keith Laidler; Thimothy Rodd
Original assignee: Incro Limited
Priority date: 2002-12-13
Filing date: 2003-12-05
Publication date: 2004-07-01
Also published as: JP2006509694A; BR0316936A; EP1569758A1; AU2003290230A1; CA2509324A1; WO2004054723A1; MXPA05006300A; US20060071030A1; AU2003295088A1

Abstract

The present invention to a pump-action nozzle arrangement (100) adapted to be fitted to an opening of a container and enable a liquid or air/gas to be dispensed from the interior of said container during use. The nozzle arrangements (100) have a body which defines: (i) an internal chamber (102) ; (ii) an inlet (110) through which fluid can be drawn into said chamber (102); (iii) an outlet orifice (112) ; and (iv) an internal passageway (106) that connects said chamber to said outlet orifice. The nozzle arrangement (100) also further comprises a one-way inlet valve (108a) adapted to only permit fluid to be drawn into said internal chamber (107) through the inlet when the pressure within the chamber falls below the external pressure, an actuator and a one-way precompression valve (105) disposed in the internal passageway (106) that is configured to only permit fluid to flow along said internal passageway (106) when the pressure within the chamber equals or exceeds a predetermined minimum threshold pressure. The body of nozzle arrangement (100) is configured such that the internal volume of the chamber (107) is reduced when said actuator is operated, thereby causing fluid stored in the chamber (107) to be ejected along said internal passageway (106) to the outlet office, and increased when said actuator is released, thereby causing fluid to be drawn into the chamber (107) through the inlet (110). The precompression valve (105) comprises a valve member integrally formed with a portion of the body that defines said internal passageway (106), said valve member being configured to assume a resiliently biased configuration in which said internal passageway (106) is closed when the pressure within the chamber (107) is below the predetermined minimum threshold pressure and to be displaced from said resiliently biased configuration to define an opening through which fluid can flow along the internal passageway (106) when the pressure within the chamber (107) equals or exceeds the predetermined minimum threshold pressure.

Description

PUMP- ACTION NOZZLE ARRANGEMENTS

The present invention relates to pump-action nozzle arrangements.

Pump-action nozzle arrangements are commonly used as a means for

dispensing a liquid from the interior of non-pressurised containers.

Conventional pump-action nozzle arrangements are adapted to be fitted to an

outlet opening of a container and comprise an internal chamber which is

compressed when an actuator of the nozzle device is operated, thereby

increasing the pressure within the chamber and forcing any liquid present

therein to flow out through an outlet of the device. Once the desired volume of

liquid has been dispensed, or the chamber has been compressed to its fullest

extent, the actuator is then released by the operator and the chamber is allowed

to re-expand, which causes the pressure within the chamber to reduce, which in

turn causes more liquid to be drawn into the chamber from the associated

container through an inlet. One-way valves are provided at the inlet and the

outlet to ensure that fluid can only be expelled from the internal chamber

through the outlet and drawn into the chamber through the inlet.

The actuator is typically a portion of the body of the nozzle device that

can be depressed and subsequently released by an operator (generally known as

pump nozzle arrangements), or a trigger that an operator can pull and then

subsequently release (generally known as trigger-actuated nozzle arrangements), to cause the chamber to be compressed and then re-expanded

respectively.

To ensure that the liquid ejected from the internal chamber with

sufficient force to form a spray, it is known to provide a valve at the outlet of

the chamber, generally known as a pre-compression valve, which is configured

to only permit fluid to flow out of the chamber when a predetermined threshold

pressure has been achieved.

A problem with these conventional pre-compression valves is that they

tend to be unduly complex in design and are also bulky and/or comprise a

number of separate component parts. In addition to adding to the expense of

the nozzle arrangement in terms of material costs and the necessary assembly

procedures required, these valve assemblies are also particularly

disadvantageous if a compact nozzle arrangement is desired, which is the case,

for example, if the nozzle arrangement is to be fitted to a small container.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a nozzle

arrangement comprising an alternative pre-compression valve that is simple and

effective in design. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a

nozzle arrangement comprising a pre-compression valve having a reduce

number of components and which is compact so that it can incorporated into

small pump/trigger-activated nozzle arrangements. The present invention achieves the aforementioned objectives by

providing, in a first aspect, a pump-action nozzle arrangement adapted to be

fitted to an opening of a container and enable a liquid to be dispensed from the

interior of said container in the form a spray, said nozzle arrangement having a

body which defines:

(i) an internal chamber;

(iϊ) an Met through which fluid can be drawn into said chamber;

(iii) an outlet orifice; and

(iv) an internal passageway that connects said chamber to said outlet

orifice;

said device further comprising a one-way inlet valve adapted to only

permit fluid to be drawn into said internal chamber through the inlet when the

pressure within the chamber falls below the external pressure, a one-way pre¬

compression valve disposed in said internal passageway that is configured to

only permit fluid to flow along said internal passageway when the pressure

within the chamber equals or exceeds a predetemώ-ed minimum threshold

pressure and an actuator;

wherein said body is configured such that the internal volume of the

chamber is reduced when said actuator is operated, thereby causing fluid stored

in the chamber to be ejected along said internal passageway to the outlet orifice,

and increased when said actuator is released, thereby causing fluid to be drawn

into the chamber through the inlet;; characterised in that said pre-compression valve is integrally formed

within the internal passageway and comprises a valve member that is integrally

formed with a portion of the body that defines said internal passageway, said

valve member being configured to assume an initial resiliently biased

configuration in which said internal passageway is closed when the pressure

within the chamber is below the predetermined minimum threshold pressure

and to be displaced from said initial resiliently biased configuration to define an

opening through which fluid can flow along the internal passageway when the

pressure within the chamber equals or exceeds the predetermined minimum

threshold pressure.

The nozzle arrangements of the present invention comprise a pre¬

compression valve of simple construction which has the added advantage that it

does not require the insertion of a separate component that forms the pre¬

compression valve because valve member is integrally formed within the

portion of the body that defines the internal passageway. Thus, the pre¬

compression valve is an integral component of the portion of the body that

defines the internal passageway and can therefore be readily formed when the

body of the device is moulded from a suitable material, such as plastic. The

provision of such a pre-compression valve is also advantageous in that it is

compact because it is formed by the body of the nozzle arrangement rather than

requiring the insertion of additional separate component parts (and thus, can be

incorporated into a small area and small nozzle arrangements). Another advantage of the nozzle arrangements of the present invention is that the valve

member can be small so it does not require too much energy to displace it and,

therefore, it does not take too much pressure from the form the fluid to maintain

it in its displaced position.

The nozzle arrangement may be adapted to be fitted to an opening of a

container by any suitable means. In most cases, the nozzle arrangement will

comprise a screw thread formed in the base of the body, which can be screwed

onto or into a correspondingly threaded portion of the container.

It is an important feature of the nozzle arrangements of the present

invention that the nozzle arrangement is adapted to enable a liquid to be

dispensed from the interior of said container in the form a spray where it is

necessary for the fluid to flow through the internal passageway and the outlet

orifice with sufficient speed and force to ensure that the liquid droplets are

broken up to form a spray of suitable quality.

Any suitable one-way valve may be provided at the inlet. Suitable

constructions of such valves are well known in the art. The inlet valve may

also be formed in exactly the same way as the pre-compression valve defined

herein. In other words the inlet valve is also preferably formed between two

component parts of the body of the nozzle arrangement as for the pre-

compression valve defined herein.

The actuator may be any suitable means by which the compression and

subsequent re-expansion of the chamber may be facilitated. For instance, the actuator may be a portion of the body that can be pressed by an operator to

facilitate the compression of the chamber or, alternatively, the nozzle

arrangement may further comprise a trigger actuator that can be pulled by an

operator to facilitate the compression of the chamber.

Preferably, the nozzle arrangement further comprises a resilient means to

cause said chamber to increase in volume when said actuator is released. For

instance, a portion of the body defining the chamber may be resiliently

deformable so that it can be pushed inwards when the actuator is operated to

reduce the volume of the chamber, and then allowed to return to its original

configuration, and thus, cause the volume of the chamber to increase back to its

initial volume when the applied pressure is removed. Alternatively, the

chamber may be compressed by the displacement of a resiliently biased piston

or by sliding a resiliently biased portion of the body, which defines a portion of

the chamber, relative to another portion of the body which also defines a

portion of the chamber.

It is preferable that the opening defined by the one-way pre-compression

valve is narrow rather than being a large chamber, for example, which would

allow the liquor to drop in pressure.

Preferably, at least a portion of the internal passageway is defined

between the abutment surfaces of two or more component parts of the nozzle

arrangement. Most preferably, at least one of said component parts comprises

the valve member integrally formed thereon. In certain embodiments of the invention a portion of the internal

passageway may be defined by just one of said component parts. In such

embodiments, the valve member may be formed on said part and disposed

within said portion of the internal passageway.

Preferably, however, the valve is disposed in the at least a portion of the

internal passageway defined between the abutment surfaces of the two or more

component parts of the body. Most preferably, the valve member is formed on

one of the parts and resiliently biased against the opposing surface of another of

said component parts, thereby closing the internal passageway formed there

between.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, each of said parts has an

abutment surface which contacts the abutment surfaces of the other parts when

the parts are contacted together in the assembled nozzle arrangement and at

least one of said abutment surfaces has one or more groove and/or recesses

formed thereon which define the internal passageway between the respective

abutment surfaces when said parts are contacted together.

It is most preferred that the at least a portion of the internal passageway

is defined between just two component parts of said body. In such cases, the at

least a portion of the passageway is defined between opposing abutment

surfaces of said two parts and at least one of said abutment surfaces has one or

more grooves and/or recesses formed thereon which define said passageway

when the abutment surfaces of said parts are contacted together. Most preferably, both of said abutment surfaces have one or more grooves and/or

recesses formed - thereon which align to define said passageway when the

abutment surfaces of said parts are contacted together.

The outlet orifice is positioned at the end of the internal passageway.

Preferably, the outlet orifice is formed at an edge of the abutment surfaces of

the at least two parts. Thus, when the pressure within the chamber exceeds a

predetermined minimum threshold pressure, the pre-compression valve opens

and permits fluid to flow from the chamber through the initial portion of the

internal passageway and into the portion defined between the opposing surfaces

of the first and second component parts .

Preferably, the valve member is in the form of a resiliently deformable

flap that is mounted to one of said component parts and is resiliently biased into

a configuration whereby the flap extends across the internal passageway and

closes the passageway. The flap is further configured to be displaced or

resiliently deform when the pressure within the chamber is at or exceeds a

predetermined n imum threshold pressure to define an opening or channel

through which fluid from the chamber can flow along the internal passageway

to the outlet orifice, where it is ejected in the form of a spray. The flap may

simply extend across the passageway, but it is preferable that the flap is

resiliently biased against an opposing abutment surface or surfaces, which

define the internal passageway. It is especially preferred that the flap is

mounted within chamber formed within the internal passageway. The chamber provides sufficient space for the flap to be deflected from its resiliently biased

position to open the valve when the pressure within the chamber is at or

exceeds the predetermined minimum threshold. The flap will typically be

configured to be deflected away from the chamber, but cannot be deflected the

other way, i.e. by pressure acting in the opposite direction (along the internal

passageway towards the chamber). This means that the valve is a one-way

valve and only permits fluid to flow towards the outlet orifice and thereby

prevents air being sucked into the chamber from the outside when the pressure

within the chamber falls below the external pressure.

Alternatively, the valve member is in the form of a plug which is

resiliently biased into a position in which the plug blocks the internal

passageway, but is configured to also be displaced to define an opening or

channel through which fluid can flow when the when the pressure within the

chamber is at or exceeds the predetermined n- nimum threshold. Although the

plug itself may be configured to deform so as to define a channel or opening

through which fluid can flow when the pressure within the chamber (and acting

on the plug) is at or exceeds the predetermined minimum threshold, it is most

preferable that the plug is mounted to a resiliently deformable surface which

can deform to withdraw the plug from the internal passageway when the

requisite pressure within the chamber has been achieved.

As a further alternative, the valve member may be adapted to resiliently

collapse inwards or otherwise deform away side of the internal passageway, thereby fom-ing a channel through which fluid can pass when a π-inimum

pressure within the chamber has been achieved.

As yet another alternative, the valve member could define an opening or

passageway that extends through the member. The sides of the opening will be

configure to assume a resiliently biased configuration in which the sides of the

internal passageway contact one another and define a closed passageway and to

deform to define an open channel through which liquid can flow only when the

pressure within the chamber is at or exceeds a pre-determined --mnimum

pressure.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a first of said component

parts of the body of the nozzle arrangement defines at least one internal wall of

the internal chamber and comprises an orifice which forms an initial section of

the internal passageway. The remainder of the internal passageway is defined

between the outer surface of the first component part of the body and the

opposing surface of a second of said component part. In such embodiments,

the valve member may be a flap, as previously defined, or, alternatively, it may

be in the form of a plug. In the latter case, the plug is preferably formed on the

second of said component parts and is configured to fit into the aperture of first

component part that forms the initial section of the internal passageway. The

plug is mounted to a resiliently deformable support of said second part which is

configured such that the plug is resiliently biased within the opening of said

aperture, thereby closing the internal passageway, but can be displaced from the aperture when the pressure within the chamber is at or exceeds a predetermined

minimum threshold pressure and forces the plug to be displaced from the

aperture so that fluid can flow past the valve member and along the internal

passageway.

Preferably, the internal passageway further comprises one or more

internal spray-modifying features. As an alternative, the nozzle arrangement

may be configured to receive an insert which comprises one or more spray-

modifying features. The insert can be positioned in relation to the nozzle

arrangement so that fluid exiting the outlet orifice flows into an inlet of the

insert, through the one or more internal spray modifying features present

therein, and is then ejected through an outlet orifice of the insert.

Suitable spray-modifying features that may be incorporated within the

internal fluid flow passageway or present in an insert fitted thereto are known

in the art and are described further in, for example, International Patent

Publication No. WO 01/89958, the entire contents of which are incorporated

herein by reference. Illustrative examples of such features include one or more

features selected from the group consisting of: an expansion chamber, a swirl

chamber, an internal orifice, multiple passageway branches, a dog-leg

arrangement (where the passageway comprises a turn in one direction, typically

through ninety degrees, followed by a turn back in the opposing direction), a

venturi chamber (where air is drawn into the fluid stream by venture), an outlet

orifice in the form of a slit, or multiple outlet orifices. It is preferable that pre-compression valve is positioned before (or

upstream from) the one or more spray modifying features, such that fluid can

only flow through the spray modifying features when the pre-compression

valve is open.

The nozzle arrangements of the present invention may comprise multiple

pre-compression valves as defined herein. For instance, the nozzle arrangement

may comprise two or more separate internal chambers, or two or more separate

compartments wil n the internal chamber, each of which comprises a pre¬

compression valve as defined herein. In an especially preferred embodiment of

the present invention, the body of the nozzle arrangement comprises an

additional air chamber which is compressed at the same time as the internal

chamber and comprises an outlet channel through which a pressurised air

stream is introduced into the internal passageway to mix with liquid dispensed

from the internal chamber. The outlet channel is preferably provided with a

pre-compression valve as defined herein to ensure that air is only ejected when

a predetermined minimum pressure is achieved within the internal passageway.

Thus, it will be appreciated mat the nozzle arrangements of the present

invention may comprise numerous pre-compression valves as defined herein

and said valve may be configured to control the ejection of liquids and or air

from the nozzle arrangement. Furthermore, as these valves are all defined by

the body, i.e. no extra components are required, any extra valve can be simply

formed by the moulding of the body and thus, no extra costs will be incurred. The nozzle arrangements of the present invention are preferably formed

from plastic. The component parts of the nozzle arrangement may be moulded

individually and then connected together to form the assembled nozzle

arrangement. Alternatively, some or all of the components may be formed by a

bi-injection moulding process whereby a first component is moulded during a

first moulding stage and a second component part is then moulded onto the first

component part during a second moulding stage. The first and second

component parts may be made from the same or a different material.

In embodiments where the housing is composed of two component parts

which define the internal passageway, each component part may be moulded

separately and then joined together or formed by a bi-injection moulding

process, as described above. Thus, it will be possible in some embodiments of

the invention to form one of said parts from a softer plastic. This will enable

the integrally formed valve member formed on one of said parts from a softer

or more deformable plastic material so that it is configured to deform to open

the valve thus formed when the two parts are contacted together to define the

internal passageway of the device.

As an additional alternative, the two component parts may be connected

to one another by a binge or foldable connection element and moulded in a

single moulding operation and then folded over about said binge or connection

element to form the assembled housing component. In this case, the component

parts will be made from the same material in a single moulding step. The respective parts, once formed, may be permanently fixed together

by, for example, ultrasonic welding, or alternatively, the parts may be

releasably connectable to one another. This latter form of assembly is preferred

because it enables the respective parts to be separated to expose the interior of

the nozzle device for cleaning.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided

a container comprising a pump-action nozzle arrangement as defined herein

fitted thereto.

In addition to being used in nozzle arrangements adapted to dispense

liquids in the form of a spray, the nozzle arrangements of the present invention

may also be used to dispense air or other gases present in a container. Such

nozzle arrangements may be, for example, fitted to the opening or a wine bottle

to permit the air or other gases that have accumulated in the bottle to be

dispensed. Thus, according to a further aspect of the present invention, there is

provided a pump-action nozzle arrangement adapted to be fitted to an opening

of a container and enable air or other gases to be dispensed from the interior of

said container, said nozzle arrangement having a body which defines:

(i) an internal chamber;

(ii) an inlet through which fluid can be drawn into said chamber;

(iii) an outlet orifice; and (iv) an internal passageway that connects said chamber to said outlet

orifice;

said device further comprising a one-way inlet valve adapted to only

permit fluid to be drawn into said internal chamber through the inlet when the

pressure within the chamber falls below the external pressure, a one-way pre¬

compression valve disposed in said internal passageway that is configured to

only permit fluid to flow along said internal passageway when the pressure

within the chamber equals or exceeds a predetermined π---nimum threshold

pressure and an actuator;

wherein said body is configured such that the internal volume of the

chamber is reduced when said actuator is operated, thereby causing fluid stored

and increased when said actuator is released, thereby causing fluid to be drawn

into the chamber through the inlet;;

characterised in that said pre-compression valve is integrally formed

within the internal passageway and comprises a valve member that is integrally

formed with a portion of the body that defines said internal passageway, said

valve member being configured to assume an initial resiliently biased

configuration in which said internal passageway is closed when the pressure

within the chamber is below the predetermined minimum threshold pressure

opening through which fluid can flow along the internal passageway when the pressure within the chamber equals or exceeds the predetermined minimum

threshold pressure.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is

provided a container comprising a pump-action nozzle arrangement as defined

above fitted thereto.

How the invention may be put into effect will now be described further

by way of example only in reference to the following Figures, in which:

Figure 1A is a cross-sectional view taken through a first embodiment of

a nozzle arrangement according to the present invention;

Figure IB is an exploded cross-sectional view showing the components

which make up the device shown in Figure 1 A; and

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the

nozzle arrangement of the present invention.

In the following description of the Figures, like reference numerals will

be used to denote like or corresponding parts in different Figures.

A first embodiment of a nozzle arrangement 100 according to the

present invention is shown in Figures 1A and IB. The nozzle arrangement 100

has a body which is formed from separate component parts, namely a base 101,

a housing 102, and a lid 104, which together define an internal chamber 107, an

inlet 110, an internal passageway 106 and an outlet orifice 112.

The base 101 comprises a cavity 150 having a screw thread formed in the internal wall thereof. This internal cavity 150 is adapted to receive a

corresponding shaped screw threaded neck of a container, thereby enabling the

nozzle arrangement 100 to be screwed onto a container for use.

The housing 102 is slidably mounted within a recessed groove 103

formed on the upper surface of the base 101. The base is provided with an

inwardly projecting rim 101a which abuts against an outwardly projecting rim

102a formed on the housing 102 to prevent the housing from sliding out of

engagement with the base during use and thus, also limits the extent to which

the housing can slide upwards relative to the base. The base also defines the

inlet 110.

The base 101 and the housing 102 together define an internal chamber

107 in which a plunger 108, which is seated on the base 101, is positioned. The

plunger 108 extends across the entire width of the chamber 107 and forms a

tight seal with the wall of the chamber formed by the housing 102. The plunger

108 also has an integrally formed, downwardly extending valve member 108a,

which is received within a valve seat 109 formed in the base 101. The valve

member 108a, together with the valve seat 109, forms the one-way inlet valve

of the nozzle arrangement. An inlet channel 110 is also formed in the base 101

and a dip tube (not shown) is fitted to this channel to enable the contents of the

container to which the nozzle arrangement is fitted to be drawn into the internal

chamber 107 when the pressure within the chamber is reduced relative to the

pressure within the container. The upper surface of the housing 102 possesses an orifice which forms

an initial section of the internal passageway 106. The remainder of the internal

passageway 106 is defined between the upper surface of the housing 102 and

the under surface of the lid 104. The lid 104 has a resiliently mounted flap 105,

which forms the valve member of the pre-compression valve, formed on it

under surface. The flap 105 is positioned within a chamber 105a formed within

the portion of the internal passageway defined between the upper surface of the

housing 102 and the under surface of the lid 104. The flap 105 is resiliently

biased against the upper surface of the housing 102 so as to close the internal

passageway and thereby prevent fluid from flowing along the internal

passageway to the outlet orifice 112.

A coiled spring 111 is positioned witiiin the chamber 107. The spring is

biased at one end against the housing 102 and the base 101 at its other end. The

housing additional comprises a support member 102b which extends

downwards from its upper surface and is positioned inside the bore defined by

the coiled spring 111. The support member 102b provides support to the

spring and also enables the spring to be kept in place while the device is

assembled.

The spring forces the housing upwards relative to the base so that the

rim 102a of the housing abuts the internal rim 101a of the base. In this position

(and as shown in Figure 1A) the internal chamber 107 possesses its maximum

internal volume. During use, the lid 104 of the housing 102 can be pressed downwards by an operator so as to cause the housing 102 to slide relative to the

base 101, against the action of the spring 111. During this process, the internal

volume of the chamber 107 is reduced and this in turn compresses the contents

present within the chamber. The resultant increase in pressure pushes the valve

member 108a of the plunger into a sealing engagement with the valve seat 109,

thereby closing the one-way inlet valve and preventing the contents of the

chamber flowing from the chamber 107 into the interior of the container. Once

the pressure within the chamber reaches a predetermined minimum threshold

pressure, for example 5 bars, the contents of the container cause the resiliently

mounted flap 105 positioned over the chamber outlet 105a to be displaced from

its resiliently biased position in which the outlet is blocked to define a channel

through which fluid can flow past the flap (i.e. the pre-compression valve is

open), thereby enabling the contents stored within the chamber 107 to flow

through the internal passageway 106 and then be dispensed from the device

through the nozzle outlet 112. The pressure within the chamber will reduce as

fluid is expelled through the internal passageway 106 and the outlet orifice 112.

Once the pressure wilhin the chamber falls below the minimum threshold, the

resiliently mounted flap 105 will return to its original position, as shown in

figure 1A, in which it closes the internal passageway 106.

Once the desired amount of product has been dispensed, or the housing

has been depressed to its fullest extent so that the maximum quantity of product

has been dispensed from the chamber, then the operator will release the pressure applied to the housing 102 and the housing will then slide back to its

initial position shown in Figure 1 A under the action of the spring 111. In doing

so and the internal volume of the chamber 107 is increased and this in rum

causes the pressure within the chamber to reduce. This reduced pressure within

the chamber 107 will cause the pre-compression valve to close, as discussed

above, and the inlet valve to open, i.e. the valve member 108a of the plunger

108 is displaced from the valve seat 110 by the pressure acting on the vale

member 108a, and the contents of the container are drawn into the chamber 107

to replenish the contents previously dispensed.

Figure 2 shows a portion of an alternative nozzle arrangement 200 of the

present invention. The nozzle arrangement 200 is similar in many respects to

the nozzle arrangement shown in Figure 1A, as shown by the like reference

numerals. As before, the internal passageway 106 comprises an initial portion

106a, which is an opening formed in the upper surface of the housing 102, and

the remainder of the internal passageway 106b through to the outlet orifice 112

is defmed between the upper surface of the housing 102 and the under surface

of the lid 104. The pre-compression valve consists of a plug 201 formed on the

under surface of the lid 104, which is mounted on a resiliently deformable

support 202. When the lid 104 and the housing 102 are connected together, the

plug 201 is received within the opening of the initial portion of the internal

fluid flow passageway 106a, as shown in Figure 2 to close the internal

passageway. However, when the chamber 107 is compressed and the pressure therein exceeds a predetermined mi-nimum value, the plug 201 will be pushed

upwards, thereby causing the support member 202 to deform and defining an

open channel through which fluid can flow out of the chamber and along the

passageway 106 to the outlet 112, where it is dispensed in the form of a spray.

An expansion chamber 203 with a constricted inlet opening 204 is

positioned in the passageway 106 downstream from the plug 201. This

arrangement of spray-modifying features causes the fluid passing through the

internal passageway 106 to be sprayed into the expansion chamber 203, which

has been found to further atomise the droplets ultimately dispensed through the

outlet orifice 112.

Claims

1. A pump-action nozzle arrangement adapted to be fitted to an opening of

a container and enable a liquid to be dispensed from the interior of said

container in the form a spray, said nozzle arrangement having a body which

defines:

(i) an internal chamber;

(ii) an inlet through which fluid can be drawn into said chamber;

(iii) an outlet orifice; and

(iv) an internal passageway that connects said chamber to said outlet

orifice;

said device further comprising a one-way inlet valve adapted to only

permit fluid to be drawn into said internal chamber through the inlet when the

pressure within the chamber falls below the external pressure, a one-way pre-

compression valve disposed in said internal passageway that is configured to

only permit fluid to flow along said internal passageway when the pressure

within the chamber equals or exceeds a predeteirnined minimum threshold

pressure and an actuator;

wherein said body is configured such that the internal volume of the

chamber is reduced when said actuator is operated, thereby causing fluid stored

in the chamber to be ejected along said internal passageway to the outlet orifice, and increased when said actuator is released, thereby causing fluid to be drawn

into the chamber through the inlet;

characterised in that said pre-compression valve is integrally formed

within the internal passageway and comprises a valve member that is integrally

formed with a portion of the body that defines said internal passageway, said

valve member being configured to assume an initial resiliently biased

configuration in which said internal passageway is closed when the pressure

within the chamber is below the predetermined mi-αimum threshold pressure

opening through which fluid can flow along the internal passageway when the

pressure within the chamber equals or exceeds the predetermined minimum

threshold pressure.

2. A pump-action nozzle arrangement according to claim 1, wherein at

least a portion of the internal passageway is defined between the abutment

surfaces of two or more component parts of the body of the nozzle

arrangement.

3. A pump-action nozzle arrangement according to claim 2, wherein at

least one of said component parts comprises the valve member of said pre¬

compression valve formed thereon.

4. A pump-action nozzle arrangement according to claim 1 or claim 2,

wherein a portion of the internal passageway is defined by just one of said

component parts.

5. A pump-action nozzle arrangement according to claim 4, wherein said

valve is formed on said part and disposed within said portion.

6. A pump-action nozzle arrangement according to any one of claims 2 to

4, wherein the valve is disposed in the at least a portion of the internal

passageway defined between the abutment surfaces of the two or more

component parts of the body.

7. A pump-action nozzle arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the

valve member is formed on one of said parts and is resiliently biased against the

opposing surface of the other component part or parts, thereby closing the

internal passageway formed there between.

8. A pump-action nozzle arrangement according to any one of claims 2 to

7, wherein each of said parts has an abutment surface which contacts the

abutment surfaces of the other parts when the parts are contacted together in the

assembled nozzle arrangement, at least one of said abutment surfaces having

one or more groove and/or recesses formed thereon which define said internal passageway between the abutment surfaces when said parts are contacted

together.

9. A pump-action nozzle arrangement according to any one of claims 2 to

8, wherein at least a portion of said passageway is defined between two

component parts of said body.

10. A pump-action nozzle arrangement according to claim 9, wherein said at

least a portion of the passageway is defined between opposing abutment

surfaces of said two parts and at least one of said abutment surfaces having one

or more grooves and/or recesses formed thereon which define said passageway

when the abutment surfaces of said parts are contacted together.

11. A pump-action nozzle arrangement according to claim 10, wherein both

of said abutment surfaces have one or more grooves and/or recesses formed

thereon which align to define said passageway when the abutment surfaces of

said parts are contacted together.

12. A pump-action nozzle arrangement according to any one of claims 2 to

11, wherein the outlet orifice is formed at an edge of the abutment surfaces of

the two parts.

13. A pump-action nozzle arrangement according to any preceding claim,

wherein the valve member is in the form of a resiliently deformable flap that is

mounted to one of said component parts and which is resiliently biased into a

configuration whereby the flap extends across the internal passageway and

closes the passageway, said flap being further configured to resiliently deform

when the pressure within the chamber is at or exceeds a predetermined

minimum threshold pressure to define an opening or channel through which

fluid from the chamber can flow along the internal passageway to the outlet

orifice.

14. A pump-action nozzle arrangement according to claim 13, wherein said

flap is resiliently biased against the opposing abutment surface that defines the

internal passageway.

15. A pump-action nozzle arrangement according to claim 15 or 14, wherein

said flap is mounted within chamber formed in the internal passageway.

16. A pump-action nozzle arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to

12, wherein the valve member is in the form of a plug which is resiliently

biased into a position in which the plug blocks the internal passageway, but is

configured be displaced to define an opening or channel through which fluid

can flow when the when the pressure within the chamber is at or exceeds the

predetermined minimum threshold.

17. A pump-action nozzle arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the

plug is mounted to a resiliently deformable surface which can deform to

withdraw the plug from the internal passageway when the requisite pressure

within the chamber has been achieved.

18. A pump-action nozzle arrangement according to any one of claims 9 to

17, wherein a first of said component parts of the body of the nozzle

arrangement defines at least one internal wall of the internal chamber and

comprises an orifice which forms an initial section of the internal passageway,

the remainder of the internal passageway being defined between the outer

surface of the first component part of the body and the opposing surface of a

second of said component part.

19. A pump-action nozzle arrangement according to claim 18, wherein said

valve member is plug formed on the second of said component parts which is

configured to fit into the aperture of first component part that forms an initial

section of the internal passageway, said plug being mounted to a resiliently

deformable support such that said plug is resiliently biased within the opening

of said aperture, thereby closing the internal passageway, and also being

configured to be displaced from the aperture when the pressure within the

chamber is at or exceeds a predetermined minimum threshold pressure and the plug and/or the mounting is caused to deform so as to withdraw the plug from

the aperture so that fluid can flow past the valve member.

20. A pump-action nozzle arrangement according to any one of the

preceding claims, wherein said internal passageway ftirther comprises one or

more internal spray-moαifying features.

21. A pump-action nozzle arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to

19, wherein said nozzle arrangement is configured to receive an insert

comprising one or more spray modifying features, said insert being configured

such that fluid exiting the outlet orifice flows into said insert, through the one

or more spray modifying features, and is ejected through an outlet of the insert

22. A pump-action nozzle arrangement according to claims 20 or 21,

wherein said spray-modifying features include one or more features selected

from the group consisting of: an expansion chamber, a swirl chamber, an

internal orifice, multiple passageway branches, a dog-leg arrangement, a

venturi chamber, an outlet orifice in the form of a slit, or multiple outlet

orifices.

23. A pump-action nozzle arrangement according to any one of claims 20 to

22, wherein said pre-compression valve is positioned before the one or more spray modifying features, such that fluid can only flow through the spray

modifying features when the pre-compression valve is open.

24. A pump-action nozzle arrangement according to any one of the

preceding claims, wherein said actuator is a portion of the body of the nozzle

arrangement which can be pressed in order to facilitate the compression of the

internal chamber and subsequently released to enable the volume of the

chamber to increase.

25. A pump-action nozzle arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to

23, wherein said nozzle arrangement further comprises a trigger actuator which

is actuator can be pulled to facilitate the compression of the internal chamber

and subsequently released to enable the volume of the chamber to increase.

26. A pump-action nozzle arrangement according to any one of the

preceding claims, wherein said nozzle arrangement comprises a resilient means

to cause said chamber to increase in volume when said actuator is released.

27. A container comprising a pump-action nozzle arrangement as defined in

any one of claims 1 to 26 fitted thereto.

28. A pump-action nozzle arrangement adapted to be fitted to an opening of

a container and enable air or other gases to be dispensed from the interior of

said container, said nozzle arrangement having a body which defines:

(i) an internal chamber;

(ii) an inlet through which fluid can be drawn into said chamber;

(iii) an outlet orifice; and

(iv) an internal passageway that connects said chamber to said outlet

orifice;

said device further comprising a one-way inlet valve adapted to only

permit fluid to be drawn into said internal chamber through the inlet when the

pressure within the chamber falls below the external pressure, a one-way pre¬

compression valve disposed in said internal passageway that is configured to

only permit fluid to flow along said internal passageway when the pressure

within the chamber equals or exceeds a predetermined minimum threshold

pressure and an actuator;

wherein said body is configured such that the internal volume of the

chamber is reduced when said actuator is operated, thereby causing fluid stored

and increased when said actuator is released, thereby causing fluid to be drawn

into the chamber through the inlet;;

characterised in that said pre-compression valve is integrally formed

within the internal passageway and comprises a valve member that is integrally formed with a portion of the body that defines said internal passageway, said

valve member being configured to assume an initial resiliently biased

configuration in which said internal passageway is closed when the pressure

within the chamber is below the predetermined minimum threshold pressure

opening through which fluid can flow along the internal passageway when the

pressure within the chamber equals or exceeds the predetermined rr-inimum

threshold pressure.

29. A container comprising a pump-action nozzle arrangement as defined in

claim 28 fitted thereto.