EP1925553B1 - Spraying push button including an invisible nozzle - Google Patents

Abstract

The pusher has a distribution channel formed in a body (1) and comprising an end projecting from a pipe (5) formed in the body. A spray gun (8) is associated in the pipe. The channel has an upstream end communicating with the gun. The pipe has a rear groove (9) on which a front radial projection (10) of the gun is supported so as to prevent the expulsion of the gun from the interior of the pipe. The gun is formed by transparent or translucent material that presents rigidity greater than the rigidity of the material forming the body.

Description

The invention relates to a push button for spraying a liquid distribution system and such a dispensing system.

In a particular application, the dispensing system is intended to equip bottles used in perfumery, in cosmetics or for pharmaceutical treatments. Indeed, this type of bottle contains a liquid which is returned by a dispensing system comprising a pump or a manually operated valve, said system being actuated by a push button to allow the spraying of the liquid.

Such push buttons are conventionally made in two parts: an actuating body and a liquid spray nozzle which are associated with each other to form the push button. In particular, the spray nozzle may be arranged to form an aerosol with the liquid, in particular by being provided with a so-called vortex chamber.

In addition, the constraints of use of each of these parts being different, it is known to realize each in a different material. However, in some specific applications, prior art pushbuttons are not entirely satisfactory in selecting the respective properties of the materials forming the body and the spray nozzle.

A push button having the features of the preamble of claim 1 is described in the document GB-A-2 402 712 .

The object of the invention is to solve the problems of the prior art by proposing in particular a push button whose characteristics of the materials forming respectively the body and the spray nozzle are selected to fulfill both aesthetic and mechanical considerations.

For this purpose, and according to a first aspect, the invention proposes a spraying push button for a liquid dispensing system, said push button comprising a body in which a dispensing path is formed, said dispensing path having a downstream end which opens into a chimney formed in said body, said push button comprising in in addition to a spray nozzle which is associated in the chimney, the downstream end of the distribution path being in communication with said spray nozzle, said chimney comprising at least one axial retention zone on which an anchor zone of the nozzle of sputtering is supported so as to prevent its expulsion from the interior of said chimney, wherein the material forming the spray nozzle is transparent or at least translucent and has a rigidity greater than the stiffness of the material forming the body.

According to a second aspect, the invention provides a liquid distribution system comprising a pump or a manually operated valve on which such a push button is mounted to allow the spraying of the liquid.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description with reference to the appended figure showing in longitudinal section a push button according to one embodiment of the invention.

In the description, the spatial positioning terms are taken with reference to the position of the push button shown in the figure and the front and rear positions are respectively defined with respect to the press fit described below.

In relation to the figure, a push-button for a liquid dispensing system is described below, said liquid being able to be of any nature, in particular used in perfumery, in cosmetics or for pharmaceutical treatments.

The push button comprises a body 1 in which a distribution path is formed. In addition, the body 1 has an annular skirt appearance 2 which is surmounted by a housing 3 for mounting the push button on the dispensing system. In addition, the push button includes a top area 4 allowing the user to exert a digital support on said push button in order to move it axially.

In particular, the dispensing system may comprise a nozzle (not shown) which is inserted sealingly into the housing 3. In a known manner, the dispensing system further comprises means for mounting on a bottle containing the liquid and means sampling fluid inside said bottle which are arranged to supply the nozzle with liquid under pressure.

To do this, the dispensing system comprises a manually operated pump or, in the case where the liquid is packaged under pressure in the bottle, a manually operated valve. Thus, during a manual movement of the push button, the pump or the valve is actuated to supply the nozzle with liquid under pressure.

The body 1 also has a chimney 5 of axis perpendicular to that of the mounting housing 3, the downstream end of the distribution path opening into said chimney. More specifically, in the embodiment shown, the distribution path comprises a receiving zone 6 of the liquid from the nozzle and a conduit 7 opening into the chimney 5.

The push button also comprises a spray nozzle 8 which is associated in the chimney 5, the downstream end of the distribution path being in communication with said spray nozzle. In the embodiment shown, the spray nozzle 8 is force-fitted into the chimney 5 so that the periphery of said nozzle is in contact with the bore of said chimney. In addition, the nozzle 8 is arranged collinearly with the axis of the chimney 5 to allow lateral spraying of the fluid relative to the body 1.

Given the forces exerted on the nozzle 8 by the liquid under pressure, in particular of the order of 5 to 12 bars, it is necessary to provide means preventing its expulsion from the inside of the chimney 5. To do this, the chimney 5 comprises at least one axial retention zone on which an anchor zone of the spray nozzle 8 is supported.

In the embodiment shown, the chimney 5 comprises a rear groove 9 forming axial retention zone and the spray nozzle 8 comprises a forward radial projection 10 forming an anchoring zone which extends outwards to engage in said throat. Furthermore, the spray nozzle 8 comprises a rear positioning surface 11 which bears on a bearing surface 12 provided in the chimney 5. Thus, the rear surface 13 of the spray nozzle 8 is flush with the periphery of the body 1.

The radial projection 10 is provided on the edge of a housing formed in the spray nozzle 8, the bottom of said housing comprising a swirl chamber 14 which is in communication on the one hand with the outlet orifice 15 of the nozzle 8 and on the other hand with the downstream end of the distribution path. This embodiment makes it possible to turn the liquid very rapidly in order to form an aerosol at the outlet of the spray nozzle 8. Alternatively, especially in the case of a more viscous liquid, the spray nozzle 8 can be in the form of an extension tube.

The material forming the spray nozzle 8 has a stiffness that is greater than the stiffness of the material forming the body 1. Thus, the significant stiffness of the nozzle 8 prevents its deformation during fitting. In addition, the lower stiffness of the body 1 allows on the one hand a more qualitative touch during the actuation and on the other hand an improved seal between the mounting housing 3 and the nozzle. Finally, the greater rigidity of the nozzle 8 allows a harpooning of the projection 10 in the groove 9 of the body 1 whose rigidity is lower, which helps to avoid the risk of expulsion. This rigidity can allow the incrustation of the radial projection 10 in the bore of the chimney 5, making unnecessary the realization of the rear groove 9, the latter being formed of itself during this incrustation.

In an exemplary embodiment, the material forming the nozzle 8 has a modulus of elasticity greater than 1500 MPa, and the modulus of elasticity of the material forming the body 1 is of the order of 1000 MPa.

The material forming the spray nozzle 8 is transparent or at least translucent, which makes it possible to benefit from the advantages of transparency during the creation of the push buttons, while ensuring the safety constraints relating to the expulsion of the nozzle 8 In addition, the material forming the body 1 can also be transparent or at least translucent so as to create a completely transparent push button, that is to say, almost invisible to the user.

In one exemplary embodiment, the body 1 is made of clarified polypropylene or a copolymer of ethylene and methacrylic acid containing ionic bridging bonds with metal cations, in particular based on a resin called Surlyn from DuPont, which has advantage of being very transparent to the light.

Regarding the spray nozzle 8, it may be made of cycloolefinic copolymer (COC), in particular having a modulus of elasticity of between 2600 MPa and 3200 MPa.

According to another embodiment, the spray nozzle 8 is made of metallocene polypropylene, in particular having a modulus of elasticity of about 2000 MPa.

The materials according to the two embodiments described above also have the advantage of good chemical resistance, particularly with respect to the aggression of the liquid which may contain alcohol, oils or surfactants.

Claims (10)

1. Spraying push button for a distribution system of a liquid, said push button comprising a body (1) wherein a distribution channel is formed, said distribution channel having a downstream end which exits in a pipe (5) formed in said body, said push button further comprising a spraying nozzle (8) which is associated in the pipe (5), the downstream end of the distribution channel communicating with said spraying nozzle, said pipe comprising at least one axial retaining zone (9) whereon an anchoring zone (10) of the spraying nozzle (8) is supported in such a way as to prevent the expulsion of the spraying nozzle from the interior of said pipe, said push button being characterised in that the material forming the spraying nozzle (8) is transparent or at least translucent and has a rigidity that is greater than the rigidity of the material forming the body (1).
2. Spraying push button according to claim 1, characterised in that the material forming the body (1) is also transparent or at least translucent.
3. Spraying push button according to claim 2, characterised in that the body (1) is made of clarified polypropylene or of ethylene / methacrylate acid copolymer containing ionic bonds with metallic cations.
4. Spraying push button according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the material forming the spraying nozzle (8) has a modulus of elasticity greater than 1,500 MPa.
5. Spraying push button according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the spraying nozzle (8) is made of cycloolefin copolymer.
6. Spraying push button according to claim 5, characterised in that the modulus of elasticity of the cycloolefin copolymer is between 2,600 MPa and 3,200 MPa.
7. Spraying push button according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the spraying nozzle (8) is made of metallocene polypropylene.
8. Spraying push button according to claim 7, characterised in that the modulus of elasticity of the metallocene polypropylene is approximately 2,000 MPa.
9. Spraying push button according to any of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the spraying nozzle (8) is force-fitted into the pipe (5) in such a way that the periphery of said nozzle is in contact with the bore of said pipe, said pipe comprising a rear groove (9) forming an axial retaining zone and the spraying nozzle (8) comprising a front radial projection (10) formant an anchoring zone which is engaged in said gorge.
10. System for distributing a liquid comprising a pump or a valve with manual actuation whereon a push button according to any of claims 1 to 9 is mounted in order to allow for the spraying of the liquid.

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