EP1492627A1

EP1492627A1 - Dispensing head mounted on a mobile hollow actuating shaft

Info

Publication number: EP1492627A1
Application number: EP03735796A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Firmin Garcia; Fabrice "Sous le Porche" PERIGNON
Original assignee: Valois SAS
Current assignee: Aptar France SAS
Priority date: 2002-04-04
Filing date: 2003-04-01
Publication date: 2005-01-05
Anticipated expiration: 2023-04-01
Also published as: CN1642658A; JP2005528192A; US7172098B2; DE60301211D1; FR2838070B1; FR2838070A1; ES2247546T3; US20050211798A1; BR0308770A; DE60301211T2; WO2003084673A1; EP1492627B1

Abstract

Disclosed is a dispensing head comprising a joining shaft (20), a dispensing orifice (31), a conduit (123) connecting said joining shaft (20) to the dispensing orifice, and a supporting surface (11). The inventive head also comprises a plug (4) which is disposed at least in part inside said conduit (31) and is resiliently biased in the direction of the dispensing orifice (31) with the aid of spring means (47). Said plug (4) comprises a water-proof elastic supporting contact area (41) within dispensing orifice (31) such that the dispensing orifice (31) is closed in a sealing manner. The plug is movable in an axial direction counter to the spring means such that the contact area is removed from the dispensing orifice, thereby creating a discharge passage for the fluid product. The plug is provided with at least one stop area (440) which is resiliently biased counter to a fixed support area (34).

Description

Dispensing head to be mounted on a movable hollow actuating rod

The present invention relates to a dispensing head intended to be mounted on a movable hollow actuating rod which serves as a delivery channel mounted at the outlet of a fluid dispensing member such as a pump or a valve. Indeed, a conventional design for a pump or a valve provides a hollow actuating rod through which the product under pressure is discharged into the dispensing head. Usually, the dispensing head includes a connecting sleeve intended to engage on the open free end of the movable actuating rod. In this case, the head also defines a dispensing orifice which is connected to the connection sleeve by an internal conduit. On the other hand, the dispensing head is provided with a bearing surface on which one can press with one or more fingers to move the head axially and thereby push the hollow actuating rod in the distribution organ.

The present invention relates more particularly to the type of dispensing head incorporating a shutter, that is to say a device for closing the dispensing orifice. Thus, the fluid stored inside the head is perfectly isolated from the outside and cannot therefore deteriorate by oxidation or drying. By definition, the shutter closes the dispensing orifice at the level where the product is dispensed out of the head. However, it can be assumed that the shutter is located a little further upstream inside the dispensing head without however qualifying this shutter device.

Conventionally, this type of shutter is at least partially located inside the duct connecting the dispensing orifice to the connection sleeve. This shutter is also often biased elastically by spring means towards the dispensing orifice. It is understood here that the shutter is an internal shutter located inside the dispensing head, and that the opening of the dispensing orifice is effected by a withdrawal of the shutter inside the head of distribution. Document FR-2 654 079 describes a dispensing head incorporating such a shutter. The shutter of this document is housed inside the dispensing head below the bearing surface on which is pressed to actuate the dispensing member. The shutter comprises at one of its ends a needle intended to come selectively into leaktight support in the dispensing orifice. At its opposite end, the shutter defines spring means in the form of an elastically deformable tongue which bears against the body of the dispensing head. In addition, means are provided for moving the shutter in the form of a cam secured to the bearing surface. The bearing surface is here elastically deformable so that it is possible to push the cam through the shutter which forms for this purpose an actuation window. By thus lowering the cam by depressing the bearing surface, the shutter is moved inside the dispensing head by deforming its elastic tongue. This displacement has the effect of dislodging the needle from the dispensing orifice and thus clearing an outlet passage for the fluid under pressure.

In the dispensing head of this French document, the movement of the shutter to clear the dispensing orifice is carried out using a cam as we have just seen. However, other means of moving the shutter may be provided. For example, the shutter can form a piston slidably housed inside a chamber. Thus, when the fluid under pressure arrives in this chamber, the piston is pushed back slidingly against spring means which has the effect of releasing the needle from the dispensing orifice. It can therefore be seen that different means of moving the shutter are possible. Anyway, the present invention is more particularly attached to shutters whose needle is resiliently biased by spring means.

In fact, in dispensing heads with elastically biased shutters, it is really difficult to control the force with which the spring means press the needle into the dispensing orifice. This force is of course proportional to the intrinsic stiffness of the spring means but also to their positioning inside the dispensing head. In addition, friction forces influence the pressing force. A major drawback with this type of shutter lies in the fact that the needle is sometimes too strongly pressed into the dispensing orifice so that it remains trapped inside. It is then no longer possible to use the dispensing head, and therefore the dispensing member (pump or valve). In addition, even when the needle does not remain literally stuck in the dispensing orifice, it sometimes happens that the shutter remains momentarily stuck, and that it then suddenly becomes detached when a strong pressure is pressed on the bearing surface of the distribution head. This then results in a violent or explosive distribution of the fluid, which is not at all the desired effect. All these drawbacks are of course linked to the lack of mastery or control of the bearing force exerted by the spring means at the level of the dispensing orifice.

Consequently, the object of the present invention is to remedy, or at least reduce, the abovementioned drawbacks of the prior art by defining a dispensing head in which the obturator which is elastically stressed presses in a controlled and constant manner at the level of the dispensing orifice so that its actuation is reliable and constant.

To achieve these goals, the present invention provides a dispensing head intended to be mounted on a movable hollow actuation and delivery rod of a fluid dispensing member, said head comprising a connection sleeve intended to engage on said movable rod, the head defining a dispensing orifice, a conduit connecting said connection sleeve to the dispensing orifice and a bearing surface which can be pressed to move the head axially by pushing the hollow rod into the dispensing member, the head further comprising a shutter housed at least partially in said duct and resiliently biased by spring means towards said dispensing orifice, said shutter comprising a contact zone in elastic sealing support in the dispensing orifice so as to seal it hermetically, said shutter being axially displaceable against the means of comes out so as to disengage its area of contact of the dispensing orifice so as to create an outlet passage for the fluid product when sufficient pressure is exerted on the bearing surface, characterized in that the shutter comprises at least one stop zone elastically stressed by the spring means against a fixed bearing zone, the abutment zone thus taking up part of the pressing force generated by the spring means so that the contact zone presses with a constant limited force against the dispensing orifice . Thus, a constant and limited support force of the shutter is guaranteed at the dispensing orifice since the excess support force is taken up by the stop zone. Advantageously, the abutment zone comprises planar abutment surfaces located symmetrically with respect to the axis of movement of the shutter, the abutment surfaces coming to bear on associated planar bearing surfaces.

According to a practical embodiment, the shutter comprises a needle connected to a shoulder, the needle thus defining a free end forming the contact zone intended to selectively close the dispensing orifice, the shoulder defining the bearing zone. Advantageously, the needle extends in an outlet section of the duct comprising an inlet end defining the bearing area and an outlet end defining the dispensing orifice. According to another aspect of the invention, the outlet section is formed with internal guide ribs oriented radially inward to maintain the needle in the axis of movement of the shutter. Not only can the needle not be trapped inside the head, but it is also perfectly centered on the dispensing orifice. Still according to a practical aspect, the dispensing head comprises a body and a dispensing end piece sealingly attached to the body, the end piece forming the conduit and the dispensing orifice.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the dispensing head further comprises a displacement cam intended to come into engagement with the shutter to move it when sufficient pressure is exerted on the bearing surface, said cam being adapted coming into engagement with a cam amplification to amplify the movement of the shutter. Advantageously, the connection sleeve is produced in a single piece with the displacement cam, the amplification cam being integral with the bearing surface.

According to another aspect of the invention, the spring means are produced in a single piece with the shutter in the form of an elastically deformable loop. Advantageously, at least one of the dispensing orifice and the contact zone has a frustoconical configuration. Preferably, the contact is made cone on cone with cones not necessarily identical so that there is not an extended frustoconical contact, but simply an annular contact at the place where the two truncated cones touch. On the other hand, it is advantageous for the contact at the level of the abutment zone to be of the plane against plane type, or at least against a plane perpendicular to the axis of movement of the shutter.

The invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings which give, by way of nonlimiting examples, a mode of reahsation of the invention.

In the figures:

- Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view through a dispensing head according to the invention, - Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view through the dispensing head of Figure 1 at its dispensing orifice ,

FIG. 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view seen from above of the dispensing head of FIG. 1, and

- Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 during dispensing of fluid.

The dispensing head shown in the figures comprises four constituent elements, namely a body 1, a connecting piece 2, a dispensing nozzle 3 and a shutter 4. These four constituent elements are distinct and separated from each other in this mode of embodiment, but one can very well imagine alternative embodiments in which some of these constituent elements are produced in a single piece. We can for example imagine that the dispensing nozzle and the body are made in one piece. One can also imagine that the connecting piece and the body are made in one piece. Conversely, it can also be imagined that certain constituent elements could be produced in two or more parts initially separated and attached or fixed together during assembly. All these constituent elements, namely parts 1 to 4, can be made of molded plastic. Other materials are not however excluded, as are other production techniques.

The body 1 comprises a skirt 10 which is of generally cylindrical shape. The body 10 is open at its lower end and closed at its upper end by a wall defining a bearing surface 11 which can be pressed using one or more finger (s). In addition, the skirt 10 defines a lateral opening serving as a receiving housing 12 for the dispensing nozzle 3 as will be seen below. This receiving housing 12 comprises a front bearing surface 121 as well as an internal wall 122 defining a latching rim 13. On the other hand, the bearing surface 11 is provided with a transverse flange 14 which extends from its underside down. This transverse flange 14 forms an inclined surface serving as an amplification cam 15 as will be seen below. The inclination of the amplification cam 15 is oriented in the direction opposite to the receiving housing 12. The bearing surface 11 also forms at the level where it connects with the skirt 10 a stop housing 110 whose function will be given below. On the other hand, the skirt 10 forms a latching housing 101 intended to receive the connecting piece 2. The connecting piece 2 comprises a latching ring 21 in engagement snapped into the latching housing 101 formed by the skirt 10 of the body 1. The connection piece 2 also comprises a connection sleeve 20 which is disposed inside the ring 21. This connection sleeve 20 is intended to be force-fitted on the upper end of a rod hollow actuation defining an internal fluid delivery channel. This actuating rod is an integral part of a dispensing of fluid product (not shown) such as a pump or a valve. The bottom of the connection sleeve 20 is pierced by a passage 23 which allows fluid product communication in the upper part of the body just below the bearing surface 11. On the other hand, the connection piece 2 forms a cam displacement 24 having a cam surface 241 and an amplification edge 242. The connection sleeve 20 and the displacement cam 24 occupy a substantially central position inside the snap ring 21. The assembly formed by the sleeve 20 and the cam 24 is substantially rigid and is connected to the crown 21 by an elastically deformable connection 22. This elastically deformable connection 22 can be produced by junction legs or even by a continuous deformable plate which extends all around the sleeve 20 inside the crown 21. Thus, the sleeve 20 and the cam 24 can be moved inside the crown 21, and therefore inside the c orps 1. The displacement of the sleeve and of the cam can be carried out axially, that is to say horizontally, but also laterally, that is to say radially. In other words, the cam 24 can be moved vertically towards and away from the bearing surface 11 but also from front to back. Consequently, when sufficient pressure is applied to the bearing surface 11, the actuating rod fitted into the sleeve 20 has the effect of displacing the sleeve 20 and the cam 24 upwards towards the surface of the support 11. This vertical movement takes place perfectly axially until the amplification edge 242 comes into sliding or friction contact against the amplification cam 15 formed by the transverse flange 14. From this moment , the displacement cam 24 is moved laterally while moving vertically upwards and to the right when looking at FIG. 1. The amplification cam 15 therefore has the effect of accentuating the displacement of the cam surface 241 from there displacement cam 24. We will see below what is the advantage of such an amplification of the displacement of cam 24 in relation to the shutter 4. The distribution fitting 3 is fitted by snap-fastening in the re housing ception 12 of the body 1 in a perfectly sealed manner. The tip of distribution 3 comes into forced abutment on the front surface 121 and comprises a tight snap-on sleeve 30 in snap-fit engagement inside the cylinder 122. This tight snap-on sleeve 30 includes a snap-on profile 33 which projects radially towards the interior so as to engage behind the snap rim 13 formed inside the housing 12. In this way, it is guaranteed perfect fixing of the dispensing nozzle 3 on the body 1 as well as perfect sealing which is formed both at the rim 13 and at the front surface 121. The dispensing nozzle 3 defines an internal duct section 32 which extends from an internal end defined by the annular end 34 of the latching sleeve 30 at another external end which forms a dispensing orifice 31. This section of internal duct 32 also forms radial ribs 35 which are more visible in FIG. 2. These ribs he radials 35 serve as guide means for the shutter 3 as will be seen below. On the other hand, the end 34 of the sleeve 30 serves as a zone or bearing surface for the shutter 4 as will be seen below.

The body 1, the connection piece 2 and the distribution nozzle 3 form an internal chamber or conduit 123 comprising an inlet 23 and an outlet 31. The section 32 forms a part of this conduit 123. The displacement cam 24 as well as the amplification cam 15 are located inside this conduit 123.

The shutter 4 is here entirely located inside the duct 123. The shutter forms a needle 40 entirely or partially located in the duct section 32, a shoulder 44 is connected directly to the needle 40. Then, the shutter forms a drive part 45 provided with a cam window 450 and spring means 46, 47. The shutter can advantageously be made in one piece.

The purpose of the needle 40 is to selectively close the dispensing orifice 31 formed by the end piece 3. The needle 40 comprises a free end forming a front wall 42 as well as a contact area 41 adapted to come into sealing contact against the dispensing orifice 31 so as to seal it hermetically. The needle 40 has a substantially cylindrical section constant having a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter passing through the edges of the vertical ribs 35, so that the needle 40 is guided axially inside the duct section 32 with very limited play. This ensures perfect centering of the needle 40 in the duct section 32 and thus on the dispensing orifice 31. At its end opposite to the front wall 42, the needle 40 is connected to the shoulder 44 which defines two surfaces of stop 440 adapted to come into contact pressed against the bearing area 34 defined by the dispensing end piece 3. Beyond the shoulder 44, the shutter is crossed by the displacement cam 24 engaged in the cam window 450 The cam surface 241 is oriented so that a displacement of the cam 24 upwards causes a displacement of the shutter 4 from the left to the right in FIG. 1, that is to say in the direction d 'A depression of the needle 40 inside the dispensing nozzle 3, which has the effect of breaking the sealed contact with the dispensing orifice 31 and thus creating an outlet passage for the fluid under pressure. In addition, this movement of the needle inward is accentuated by the amplification cam 15 which has the effect of displacing the cam 24 away from the dispensing orifice 31. Thus, with limited vertical displacement of the cam 24 a significant displacement of the needle 40 is obtained inside the end piece 3. Beyond the cam window 450, the shutter 4 forms spring means, here in the form of a sort of loop or toggle forming a base 46 bearing in the housing 110 as well as two articulated legs 47 which provide the elastic characteristic. In the rest state shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the elastic legs 47 are prestressed so that the needle 40 presses at its contact zone 41 against the dispensing orifice 31 while taking reaction support at the base 46. However, since the shoulder 44 also abuts against the bearing surface 34, the pressure force exerted by the spring means is not entirely exerted at the needle 40. The bearing surface .34 thus takes up a part of the pressure force exerted by the spring means, which makes it possible to limit and stabilize the bearing force at the level of the dispensing orifice 31. Since the dispensing orifice 31 as well as the area of contact 41 have a slightly frustoconical configuration in order to improve sealing, there would be a risk of pinching the needle 40 in the dispensing orifice in the event that there is no resumption of the pressing force at the level of the bearing 34. The abutment area or surface 440 as well as the bearing area or surface 34 are substantially flat and perpendicular to the direction of movement of the shutter 4, which thus avoids any risk of jamming or seizing. The bearing 34 offers a strong support which makes it possible to modulate and stabilize the pressing force of the needle 40 at the level of the dispensing orifice 31.

The operation of this dispensing head will now be described. Starting from the rest position shown in Figure 1, we see that the needle 40 is engaged in a sealed manner in the dispensing orifice 31. By pressing on the bearing surface 11, the actuating rod engaged in the connection sleeve 20 has the effect of moving the cam 24 upwards towards the bearing surface 11. The displacement cam 24 then fulfills its displacement function in association with the amplification cam 15 and thus displaces the needle 40 towards the inside of the head, as seen in FIG. 4. The dispensing orifice 31 is then cleared and an outlet passage is then created for the fluid under pressure which will be discharged by the actuating rod through the conduit 123 to the level of the dispensing orifice 31. The release of the pressure on the bearing surface 11 allows the cam 24 and the sleeve 20 to return to their initial rest position as shown in the figure 1. The p ointeau then resumes its rest position in sealed support in the dispensing orifice 31. The return of the needle to this position is ensured by the spring means 47. In the embodiment used to illustrate the present invention, the shutter is moved using a cam system. One can easily imagine other ways of moving ^'shutter, such as the pressure of the product fluid within the conduit 123. The shutter can then be formed with a piston sliding sealingly in inside of a coμlissement cylinder. One of the interesting features of the invention resides in the fact that the pressure force exerted by the spring means is not entirely exerted at the level of the dispensing orifice.

Claims

claims

1.- Dispensing head intended to be mounted on a movable hollow actuation and delivery rod of a fluid dispenser member, said head comprising a connection sleeve (20) intended to engage on said movable rod , the head defining a dispensing orifice (31), a conduit (123) connecting said connection sleeve (20) to the dispensing orifice and a bearing surface (11) which can be pressed to move the head axially by driving the hollow rod into the dispensing member, the head further comprising a shutter (4) housed at least partially in said duct (31) and resiliently biased by spring means (47) towards said dispensing orifice (31 ), said shutter (4) comprising a contact zone (41) in resilient watertight support in the dispensing orifice (31) so as to seal it hermetically, said shutter being axially displaceable against means spring so as to disengage its contact zone from the dispensing orifice, thereby creating an outlet passage for the fluid when sufficient pressure is exerted on the bearing surface, characterized in that the shutter comprises at less an abutment zone (440) urged elastically by the spring means against a fixed bearing zone (34), the abutment zone thus taking up part of the bearing force generated by the spring means so that the zone contact presses with a constant limited force against the dispensing orifice.

2. A dispensing head according to claim 1, in which the abutment zone comprises planar abutment surfaces (440) situated symmetrically with respect to the axis of movement of the shutter, the abutment surfaces (440) coming to bear on associated flat bearing surfaces (34).

3. Dispensing head according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the shutter (4) comprises a needle (40) connected to a shoulder (44), the needle thus defining a free end forming the contact zone. (41) intended to selectively close the dispensing orifice (31), the shoulder (44) defining the bearing area (440).

4. A dispensing head according to claim 3, in which the needle (40) extends in an outlet section (32) of the duct comprising an inlet end defining the bearing area (440) and an outlet end defining the dispensing orifice (31).

5. A dispensing head according to claim 3, in which the outlet section (32) is formed with internal guide ribs (35) oriented radially inwards to maintain the needle (40) in the axis of movement. shutter.

6. A dispensing head according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a body (1) and a dispensing end piece (3) attached in a sealed manner to the body, the end piece (3) forming the conduit (32) and the dispensing orifice (31).

7. Dispensing head according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a displacement cam (24) intended to come into engagement with the shutter to move it when sufficient pressure is exerted on the bearing surface. , said cam being adapted to engage with an amplification cam (15) to amplify the movement of the shutter.

8. A dispensing head according to claim 7, in which the connection sleeve (20) is produced in a single piece with the displacement cam (24), the amplification cam (15) being integral with the bearing surface. (11).

9. Dispensing head according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the spring means (47) are produced in a single piece with the shutter (4) in the form of an elastically deformable loop (46, 47). .

10. Dispensing head according to any one of the preceding claims, in which at least one of the dispensing orifice (31) and the contact zone (41) has a frustoconical configuration.