EP3592470A1

EP3592470A1 - Device for dispensing a product with improved triggering

Info

Publication number: EP3592470A1
Application number: EP18712970.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Pascal Hennemann; Gwénael DOULIN; Joey KURTZ
Original assignee: Promens SA
Current assignee: Promens SA
Priority date: 2017-03-07
Filing date: 2018-03-07
Publication date: 2020-01-15
Anticipated expiration: 2038-03-07
Also published as: US10821456B2; RU2019131146A; US20200047202A1; RU2759648C2; CA3054595A1; EP3592470B1; PL3592470T3; JP2020512246A; ES2938629T3; RU2019131146A3; CN110418678A; CN110418678B; JP7092804B2; FR3063661A1; KR102487773B1; KR20190125419A; FR3063661B1; WO2018162850A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) for dispensing a product (L), comprising: an element for connection to a container (R) containing the product; a piston (3) that is stationary in relation to the connection element; a cylinder body that moves around the piston, thereby defining a dosing chamber (100), the piston comprising a dosing inlet (35) for said chamber and the apex (64) of the dosing chamber comprising an outlet of the dosing chamber; and an inflow non-return valve (5) with a membrane for opening or closing the dosing inlet, the piston being in two parts, one of which forms a sealing joint with the cylinder body, the piston and the inflow non-return valve forming separate parts and being arranged such that the membrane is tightly clamped to the top of the piston.

Description

DEVICE FOR DISTRIBUTING A PRODUCT WITH ENHANCED PRIMING

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a device for dispensing a liquid or pasty product to be dispensed, in particular a cream, an ointment or a paste, in particular for cosmetic use.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a dispensing device intended to be mounted on an opening of a container containing the product to be dispensed, so that the product exits through a dispensing orifice of the dispensing device passing from the opening of the container and through the dispensing orifice.

More particularly, this dispensing device forms a pump with a metering chamber for dispensing a given amount, corresponding to the volume of this metering chamber.

State of the art

It is known in the state of the art dispensing devices amounting to the neck of a container containing a liquid or a cream.

These devices comprise parts forming a pump, in particular a cylinder body fixed relative to the container and a piston descending in this cylinder body. A central duct extends longitudinally inside the piston and the rod which drives it in displacement. One end of this conduit is connected to the metering chamber at the piston; the other end is connected at the top of the rod to an additional conduit leading to a product dispensing orifice.

When the pump is already primed, that is to say that the dosing chamber and all the communication spaces between this chamber and the dispensing orifice are filled with the product to be dispensed, the actuation of the piston by a push button thus allows the product present in the metering chamber formed between the bottom of the cylinder body and the bottom of the piston, through the central conduit, to be discharged to the dispensing orifice. When the piston moves in direction Conversely, a depression is created, causing the product to be drawn into the metering chamber. The presence of check valves at the inlet of the metering chamber and its outlet, allows the product is well discharged in the direction of the dispensing orifice when the piston down and sucked up when it goes up.

Among these devices, it is known dispensing devices with three check valves: a first at the inlet of the metering chamber, a second at the outlet of the metering chamber and a third, called dispensing valve, at the level of the dispensing orifice. During the discharge, the force exerted by the product causes the opening of the dispensing valve and allows the distribution of the product. This dispensing valve is intended to close the dispensing orifice and protect the product, especially the cream, against bacterial contamination or against drying it between two uses.

This dispensing valve nevertheless has a certain resistance to opening in order to prevent low pressure from opening it, and thus to avoid unintentional openings.

There are also dispensing devices, such as that of the document WO2013001 193A1, comprising only two valves: a bottom valve at the inlet of the metering chamber and a distribution valve at the dispensing orifice. They therefore do not include an intermediate valve at the level of the dosing outlet.

In these different devices, at the beginning of use, the communication spaces are filled with air. It is necessary to purge them of this air to fill them with liquid. One or more movements back and forth must then be performed with the piston. The piston expels air from the metering chamber to these communication spaces, within which the air is compressed, until the pressure is sufficient to open the dispensing valve. The air then exits the dispensing device, which closes once the air is exhausted and the pressure becomes insufficient to keep the dispensing valve open. Then, the piston goes up sucking a certain amount of product into the container through the bottom valve. The operation is renewed if necessary until the complete purging of the air. These purge operations correspond to the boot.

These devices work well when the quantities to be distributed are relatively large. In such a case, the volume of the chamber of dosing is sufficient to generate sufficient pressure in the communication spaces to allow the opening of the dispensing valve. However, below a certain dosing volume, priming can be tedious or even malfunction.

Thus, in the case of devices using only two valves, as mentioned above, there is a dosing limit volume below which the pressure is insufficient to achieve this priming, the pressure being insufficient to open the valve of distribution.

Moreover, in a case where one is close to this limit, just enough to be able to open the valve and realize the priming, it can nevertheless occur defusing problems, if bubbles of large sizes are present in the liquid and go back into these communication spaces.

In the case of devices using three valves mentioned above, there is no defusing, however with a low volume dosing chamber, it will be necessary to pump many times before the pressure between the top valve and the valve of distribution is sufficient for it to open. The boot will be tedious. At worst, the user may believe that the distribution device is defective and throw this device.

One solution may be to reduce the resistance of the distribution valve but this increases the risk of accidental distribution and / or contacting the outside air and the liquid contained in the communication spaces, which may be inconvenient for certain products. for example when they oxidize easily in the air.

Furthermore, the Applicant has found that certain priming problems directly came from leakage problem at the check valve, in particular in the case of ball inlet check valve in certain devices of the invention. prior art. This check valve in the form of a ball moves according to the gravity and the position of the dispensing system and may lose its seal.

Also, FR2848618 discloses devices with two valves, the manual pump is reversed, namely that it is the piston which is fixed and the movable cylinder body. The non-return valve forms a single piece with the piston. This valve indeed forms part of the piston. This part forms a cap, whose annular skirt ensures the lateral sealing of the piston. The bottom of the cap comprises a central opening cooperating with a stud formed at the top of the rigid base of the piston, so as to open or close the inlet in the metering chamber. Or the sealing of this check valve can be improved.

Presentation of the invention

The technical problem that the invention aims to solve is therefore to improve the priming of a dispensing device, especially when its dosing chamber has a small volume, for example between 0.15 and 0.4 milliliters (ml ).

For this purpose, a first object of the invention is a device for dispensing a liquid or pasty product to be dispensed comprising:

a joining member intended to be put in place at the open end of a container containing the product to be dispensed,

a piston arranged fixedly with respect to the junction member,

a cylinder body in which the piston is arranged so as to define a metering chamber between the piston and the cylinder body, the piston comprising at least one upstream opening forming an inlet of the metering chamber, called the metering inlet; and the metering chamber comprising an outlet, said metering outlet, the cylinder body being slidably movable along the piston between an extended position and a retracted position,

an inlet check valve mounted on the piston and comprising an inlet membrane having a concave shape,

the piston comprising a first portion and a second portion forming a seal fitted or molded around at least a portion of the first portion, said seal reinforcing the seal between the piston and the side wall or walls of the cylinder body, the piston and the inlet check valve forming separate parts and being arranged in a manner:

- that, when the cylinder body is stationary or moves to the retracted position, the inlet membrane is tight-tight with the top of said seal and closes the dosing inlet, and - The concave shape of the inlet diaphragm elastically deforms and opens the metering inlet when it is subjected to a negative pressure generated in the metering chamber during movement of the cylinder body to its deployed position.

Thus, by producing a fixed piston and a movable cylinder body, the latter moves down on the piston, displacing the air from the metering chamber directly from the top of the metering chamber, thereby reducing the communication spaces between the dosing chamber and the dispensing valve.

The effect of this inverted pump referred to in the above paragraph is increased by the particular embodiment of the piston and the valve according to the first subject of the invention mentioned above. This particular embodiment of the piston and the valve, whose membrane is arranged so as to pass a fluid via the inlet of the metering chamber only towards the inside of the metering chamber, allows a strengthening of the sealing at the the inlet of the metering chamber, especially when the cylinder body retracts on the piston.

This sealing, and therefore this increase in pressure, is reinforced by a synergy between the following characteristics:

tight fitting,

the realization of the piston in two parts, one of which with a function of lateral sealing, on which the tightness is effected, and

a valve separate from the piston, in particular from its second part.

Concerning the tight fitting, with the dispensing device according to the invention, the inlet non-return valve is fixed on the piston with a prestressing seal between the piston and the non-return valve, which makes it possible to keep a sealing tightness permanently at rest, namely when the cylinder body does not move, or when moving the cylinder body to the retracted position, or end position, regardless of the position of the dispensing device when from this displacement to the retracted position.

Regarding the embodiment of the piston in two parts, the non-return valve and the second part of the piston are both designed to ensure a seal. Therefore, the tight seal between the seal and the valve is more effective, moreover with the prestressing mentioned in the previous paragraph. In particular, this valve and this seal may each be formed of a flexible material, compared to the first part of the piston made of a rigid material. The valve material and the seal material may be identical.

Thus, this synergy makes it possible to reduce the risks of occurrence of priming problems. This improves the pressure increase in the system during priming, thus making it possible to compensate for the presence of dead volumes and thus to use dosing chambers of smaller volume.

The dispensing device can form a hand pump.

Note that in the dispensing device the metering chamber is defined between the top of the piston and the top of the metering chamber. In particular, the inlet check valve is mounted on the piston vis-à-vis the top of the metering chamber.

Note that the deployed position, corresponds to a position in which the top of the metering chamber is remote from the inlet check valve and the piston.

Note also that the retracted position, or end position, corresponds to a position in which the top of the metering chamber is closer to the inlet check valve than in the deployed position, including the top of the dosing chamber being against the inlet non-return valve.

The application device according to the invention may optionally have one or more of the following characteristics:

the concave shape of the inlet membrane is deformed so as to generate a restoring force of the membrane against the top of the piston, so as to maintain a tight clamping constraint;

- The dosing inlet is arranged in communication with a passage opening of the connecting member for receiving the liquid from the container;

the dispensing device comprises a dispensing orifice in communication, in particular via communication spaces, with the dispensing outlet;

the first part of the piston comprises a central duct in communication on one side with the liquid and on the other with the dosing inlet, the inlet check valve is sealingly assembled to the piston with a dimensional clamping preload given by the concave shape of the inlet diaphragm which results in fluidic sealing, to air and liquids; by dimensional clamping preload means a clamping made so that once the valve is placed on the piston, it undergoes a deformation, here at its concave shape, with respect to the shape of this concave shape when she suffers no constraint; this concave form is thus prestressed;

- The inlet check valve loses its seal with the piston and the diaphragm elastically deforms from a negative pressure difference between the inside of the metering chamber and the outside of the dispensing device less than - 20 mbar; thus, this seal is broken by an elastic deformation of the membrane, from a very small pressure difference, which allows to let the fluids into the metering chamber;

- The inlet membrane has the shape of a cup whose edge, hereinafter input cup edge, defines the periphery of the concave shape, the concave shape being opposite the inlet of dosage and the inlet cup edge being arranged around the dosing inlet, the inlet cup edge being supported under elastic stress against the top of the seal during said tight fitting, namely when the cylinder body is stationary or moves to the end position, and the inlet cup edge deviating from the top of the piston upon negative pressure in the metering chamber; the Applicant has found that such a shape made it easy to have good results for maintaining the seal, including during the increase of the pressure in the metering chamber;

the seal comprises a central opening delimited by a flared surface and inside which the dosing inlet is arranged, this central opening widening from upstream to downstream, the inlet non-return valve being mounted of so that, during said sealing, the inlet cup edge is supported above and against this flared surface; this reinforces the support in tight constraint; this flared surface can be conical; - The inlet check valve comprises a central portion fixed to the top of the piston, the membrane being arranged around this central portion; this type of valve is well adapted to cooperate in more uniform tight sealing on the seal;

- The upper part of the first part of the piston comprises clipping lugs, between which is clipped the central portion, the or the dosing inputs being formed (s) between these clipping lugs and the clipped portion of the central portion; this allows a realization and a simple mounting of the valve and the inlet (s) dosing;

- The clipping lugs comprise a convex upper portion whose convexity is arranged vis-à-vis the concavity of the concave shape; this makes it possible to avoid a risk of overturning the diaphragm while tightening and reinforcing the latter;

- The piston is mounted in a tubular portion of the connecting member; this facilitates the realization of the piston in two parts, in particular when the seal formed by the second part is overmolded on the first;

- the stroke of the piston is less than the length of the joint; this allows the seal not to exceed the bottom of the portion of the cylinder body in contact with the product to be dosed; this reduces the risk of product leakage out of the dosing chamber;

the top of the metering chamber forms a top wall;

the dosing outlet is formed inside the top wall;

in the retracted position, at least a portion of the surface of the top wall is completely covered, this portion comprising the metering outlet, this covering being provided either by a downstream surface of the inlet non-return valve or by a downstream surface of the inlet check valve and one or more portions of the piston; thus almost completely, or completely, the air is expelled from the metering chamber during the displacement of the cylinder body towards its retracted position; according to certain variants, this covering is carried out on the entire top wall;

the inlet non-return valve or the inlet check valve and the piston are arranged to match the shape of the surface of the top wall, retracted position; this makes it possible to perfectly cover the top wall and to expel all the air inside the metering chamber;

the inlet non-return valve or the inlet non-return valve and the piston have faces facing the top wall, these faces being of complementary shape to the shape of at least the portion the surface of the root wall that includes the dosing outlet; it is an embodiment for the recovery of at least the portion of the top wall in which this outlet is located, and therefore to further expel the air from the metering chamber during priming; according to some variants, the shape is complementary to the whole of the top wall, thus allowing the air to be completely expelled;

- The top wall comprises an annular groove arranged vis-à-vis the inlet non-return valve, so that in the end position of the concave shape of the inlet membrane is housed in the annular groove; there is thus a shape adapted to the input membrane;

the dosing outlet is arranged in the annular groove; the air is thus more effectively removed during priming, the membrane pushing the air to a portion that it marries;

- The inlet check valve covers only a central sector of the piston, the piston having a peripheral sector arranged around the central sector and vis-à-vis the top wall, the latter having a peripheral zone arranged around the annular groove and vis-à-vis the peripheral sector, the peripheral zone coming into contact with the peripheral sector in the end position; this allows the friction against the or the side walls of the metering chamber only with the piston; the peripheral area may be formed by a lip;

- The dispensing device comprises an outlet check valve arranged between the metering outlet and the dispensing orifice, so as to clear the passage between the metering outlet and the dispensing orifice under the exercise of a pressure increase on this outlet check valve; this makes it possible to ensure closure of the dispensing device when the cylinder body moves from its end-of-travel position to its deployed position; - The dispensing device comprises only two valves: the inlet check valve and the outlet check valve; it is a simple device to achieve;

- the outlet check valve is mounted at the dosing outlet, on the cylinder body and outside of it; thus, the outlet check valve closes the dosing chamber directly; the dispensing orifice may be arranged immediately after or a little further by being connected by conduits forming additional communication spaces; it is a simpler mode that can be used for a product with little risk of contamination, for example, when the liquid itself includes preservatives and / or antibacterial agents;

- According to the preceding paragraph, the outlet check valve comprises an outlet membrane having a concave shape able to deform elastically so that:

when the outlet membrane is subjected to a negative pressure generated in the metering chamber during the displacement of the cylinder body towards its extended position, the outlet membrane closes the metering outlet while being in tight sealing with the top of the body of the cylinder, the concave shape of the outlet membrane being deformed so as to generate a restoring force of this membrane against the top of the cylinder body, so as to maintain a tight clamping constraint, and

when the cylinder body is stationary or moves towards the end position, the concave shape of the outlet diaphragm elastically deforms to allow the fluid to pass;

the outlet check valve is thus fixed to the cylinder body with a sealing preload, which makes it possible to keep a tightness of seal permanently during the displacement of the cylinder body towards the deployed position, whatever the position of the dispensing device during this movement, and thus reduce the risk of occurrence of priming problems, by a new air inlet into the metering chamber; this improves the pressure increase in the system during priming;

according to one or the other of the two preceding paragraphs, the outlet check valve loses its seal with the top of the cylinder body and the membrane of outlet is elastically deformed from a pressure difference between the inside of the metering chamber and the outside of the dispensing device greater than 20 mbar; this reduces the risk of inadvertent opening of the dispensing device;

the inlet check valve and / or the outlet check valve are molded in a flexible material with a Shore A hardness of between 30 and 90, in particular a thermoplastic elastomer (also called TPE, for "Thermo Plastic Elastomer"); " in English) ; this allows to generate a restoring force to maintain a good seal in the absence of voluntary action on the cylinder body, without requiring a great effort by the user wishing to prime or distribute the product;

alternatively or in combination with the preceding paragraph, the membrane of the inlet non-return valve and / or the outlet check valve has a thickness of between 0.15 and 0.3 millimeters (mm); the combination of this and the preceding paragraph optimally provides a flexibility of the elastic membrane which allows a good sealing tightness and deformation with a small pressure difference to let the fluids through this combination of a very thin thickness of this membrane with very flexible materials, especially of the TPE type;

the inlet check valve and / or the outlet check valve comprise a central portion, the membrane of the corresponding non-return valve or the membranes of these non-return valves being arranged around this central portion, this or these membranes extending generally transversely to the direction of sliding of the cylinder body along the piston; the inlet membrane and / or, as the case may be, the outlet membrane are thus circumscribed in a transverse circle, respectively favoring the recovery of the metering inlet and / or the dosing outlet; in cases where the summit forms a top wall, it is also possible to improve the recovery of the top wall in a large part; in particular the top wall is mainly covered by the inlet membrane;

- The central portion of the inlet check valve is fixed by clipping inside the piston; this allows a good retention of the non-return valve, while easily and homogeneously conferring the clamping preload of the inlet membrane on the top of the piston; a fluidic sealing is thus permanently achieved; indeed, the curved shape of the membrane of the inlet check valve ensures the spring function of the flexible membrane and maintains a constant clamping stress on the piston;

- The central portion of the outlet check valve is clipped into the inside of the top of the cylinder cops, the output membrane being arranged outside thereof; this allows a good retention of the non-return valve, while easily and homogeneously conferring the clamping preload of the outlet membrane on the top of the cylinder body; thus permanently fluidic sealing is achieved, the curved shape of the membrane of the inlet check valve ensuring the spring function of the flexible membrane and to maintain a constant clamping stress on the cylinder body;

- The inlet membrane comprises an upper flank vis-à-vis the top wall and a lower flank vis-à-vis the piston, said flanks being separated by a wafer, in particular circular, and conferring on the membrane of its concave shape, the upper flank being convex and the concave lower flank, the concave shape of the inlet membrane thus being a form of annular gutter around the central portion; this allows easier deformation of the inlet membrane, when the cylinder body moves to its deployed position and thereby generates a vacuum inside the metering chamber and thus to the upper surface of the diaphragm. input, this depression to deform the flexible membrane, break the seal of the non-return valve and allow the fluid in the tank on which is mounted the dispensing device to enter the metering chamber;

- The outlet valve may have one, more or all of the shape characteristics of the inlet valve;

- instead of being mounted at the metering outlet, the outlet check valve can be arranged to close or open the dispensing orifice; here we ensure a closure of all communication spaces; this makes it possible to avoid contact between the liquid and the air in the dispensing device; it is a way to be used with a product sensitive to contamination bacterial, for example when the liquid itself is devoid of preservatives and / or antibacterial agents;

- according to the previous paragraph, the outlet check valve consecutively comprises:

o a shutter of the dispensing orifice,

o an elastically deformable bowl membrane connected to the shutter, o optionally, an auxiliary return member, in particular adapted to the low pressures soliciting closure of the shutter, and

a hermetically sealed vessel sealed by the vessel membrane, the outlet check valve being arranged so that the face of the vessel membrane outside the vessel is in fluid communication with a communication space connecting the dispensing orifice and the dosing outlet, so that on the one hand the tank membrane is biased by the product during the actuation of the cylinder body to said retracted position, so as to cause the disengaging the shutter of the dispensing orifice, and secondly the tank membrane is urged in the opposite direction during a negative pressure in the metering chamber, thus reminding the shutter in a closed position of the dispensing orifice;

thus the tank membrane is susceptible to being deformed by the product during the actuation of the cylinder body towards its end position, so as to cause the release of the shutter of the dispensing orifice; this tank makes it possible in particular to avoid untimely openings of the valve, in particular at low pressures, that is to say less than 2 bars, and in particular at pressures lower than 0.4 bars;

the auxiliary return member is arranged axially inside the hermetic tank, in permanent connection with the vessel membrane, and comprises two elastically deformable stages according to different characteristics, the first stage maintaining a permanent value return force predetermined against said membrane, and therefore the shutter, the second stage being interposed between the first stage and the bottom of the tank, and maintaining a restoring force greater than that of the first stage, acting only when the diaphragm tank is solicited; the first and second stages come from a central core;

- The first stage extends radially around the central core forming a cup whose outer edge is supported on the inner wall of the vessel, the cup being of an elastic material; there is thus a spring element with a hinge of the core to recall the shutter to the dispensing orifice;

the second stage extends axially from the central core, forming a bell whose outer edge bears on the bottom of the tank, this bell being made of an elastic material and being capable of deforming and exerting a return force only when the cell membrane is stressed;

- The dispensing device comprises a dispensing head mounted integral with the cylinder body and comprising a housing whose walls comprise the dispensing orifice and an orifice in communication with the metering chamber, the outlet nonreturn valve being arranged inside the housing, so as to define an upper volume sealed on one side by the cell membrane, the upper volume having as an opening the dispensing orifice and an orifice in communication with the metering chamber;

- The dispensing device comprises an attached tube mounted in the passage opening of the connecting member for communicating with the opening of the container, so that the lower end of the tube forms the inlet of the product in the dispensing device;

the tube has an internal section chosen so that when the cylinder body moves towards its deployed position, the depression in the metering chamber is greater than or equal to 8 mbar;

the tube has an internal section of a diameter at least 20% smaller than that of the passage orifice;

the tube extends below the passage opening;

- The dispensing device comprises a reduction ring is arranged inside the upper volume between and away from the vessel membrane and the dispensing orifice and against portions of the inner wall of the housing surrounding the shutter, the reducer having a reduced passage within which the shutter is slidably mounted away from the walls of this reduced passage, the vial diaphragm having a diameter greater than that of the reduced passage; so we limits the dead volume in the dispensing head while extending the surface of the membrane on which a fluid pressure can be exerted;

- in the device:

the joining member forms a receptacle housing the piston and the cylinder body,

o this receptacle has a bottom for closing the open end of the container,

o This bottom being crossed by a product passage opening,

the junction member comprises a tubular portion extending longitudinally between a first end communicating with this passage orifice and a second end on which the piston is mounted, the metering inlet being in communication with the tubular portion;

it is an embodiment of a mounting of the piston on the base; this easily allows the cylinder body to descend on the piston;

- The junction member comprises a shaft extending, in particular longitudinally, from the bottom of the receptacle and around the tubular portion, the cylinder body, the tubular portion and the barrel being arranged so that the wall or walls side of the cylinder body slide between the tubular portion and the barrel; this improves sliding guidance;

the side wall or walls of the cylinder body extend between the top wall and an open end, the latter having a peripheral bulge projecting on the external surface of this open end, the diameter of the cylinder body between this bulge and the wall; summit being adjusted to the inside diameter of the barrel, so that at the approach of the deployed position a radial pressure is generated between the bulge and the top of the inner face of the barrel; this allows to create a seal at the end of the race on the outside of the end of the side wall or walls;

- The dispensing device comprises a coil spring arranged longitudinally and around the barrel, the spring being supported on one side against the bottom of the receptacle and the other against a fixed abutment assembly fixed relative to the body of cylinder; this allows a maintenance of the spring and prevents the risk of buckling of the latter; the spring and the barrel are arranged in such a way that the barrel guides the turns of the spring during its compression or expansion; this facilitates the actuation of the cylinder body and its return to the deployed position;

the piston comprises an upper peripheral lip in contact with the lateral wall or walls of the cylinder body; this makes it possible to improve the tightness of the metering chamber;

the piston comprises a lower peripheral lip in contact with the lateral wall or walls of the cylinder body; this makes it possible to block liquid that could have passed between the top of the piston and the side wall or walls;

the piston comprises two parts: a first part comprising a central duct communicating on one side with the liquid and on the other with the dosing inlet, and a second part forming a seal fitted or molded around at least a portion of the first portion, said seal reinforcing the seal between the piston and the side wall (s) of the cylinder body;

- The dispensing orifice is formed in a push button comprising a communication between the dispensing orifice and the metering outlet, the push button being fixedly mounted on the cylinder body, in particular telescopically in the junction member.

Another subject of the invention is a packaging assembly of a liquid or pasty product to be dispensed, said assembly comprising:

- a container intended to contain or enclosing the product to be dispensed, and

- A dispensing device according to the invention set up at the open end of the container, so that a passage opening of the connecting member communicates with the interior of the container.

This packaging set is thus ready to be filled or filled and ready for use.

In the present application, the terms "up" and "down", "higher" and "lower" are applied according to the orientation of the different elements as illustrated in 2 to 7 and 14 to 18. The terms " upstream "and" downstream "are applied according to the direction of circulation of the product during its distribution. Brief description of the figures

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the detailed description of the following nonlimiting examples, for the understanding of which reference will be made to the appended drawings, among which:

- Figure 1 is an exploded view of an example of a dispensing device according to a first embodiment, corresponding to an example of a first embodiment of the invention;

- Figures 2 to 7 show different phases of the priming step and the first distribution of the liquid by the dispensing device of Figure 1;

FIG. 8 is a view from below of the base of the cylinder body of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view from above of the inlet nonreturn valve of the metering chamber of the application device of FIG. 1;

- Figure 10 is a bottom perspective view of the valve of the figure

9;

- Figure 1 1 is a perspective view from above of a portion of the piston of the device of Figure 1;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view from above of another part of the piston of the device of FIG. 1;

- Figure 13 is a top view of the connecting member of the application device of Figure 1;

FIG. 14 is an exploded view of an example of a dispensing device according to a second exemplary embodiment, corresponding to an example of a second embodiment of the invention;

- Figure 15 shows a vertical sectional view of Figure 14, the dispensing device being mounted on a container;

- Figure 16 is a sectional view of a dispensing device according to a second embodiment of the first embodiment;

- Figure 17 shows a perspective sectional view of the piston of Figure 16;

- Figure 18 shows Figure 16, with the valve mounted on the piston. detailed description

FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded view of the various parts forming a distribution device 1 of a product L, a liquid in this example, according to an example of a first variant of a first embodiment of the invention.

The dispensing device according to the present invention can, as in this example, be a pump 1, comprising two main sets:

- a dosing part 7

- A dispensing head 8, fixed at the top thereof.

The metering portion 7 and the dispensing head 8 together form a pump 1. This pump corresponds to the dispensing device 1.

Figures 2 and 3 show this pump mounted on a container, here a container R, filled with a liquid L. It may be a cosmetic product and / or care. This pump 1 and this container R thus forms a product packaging assembly.

The metering portion 7 comprises a connecting member 10 intended, as can be seen in Figure 2, to be mounted on the neck C of the container thus joining the pump 1 to the container R.

According to the invention, and as in this example, the joining member 10 may have a bottom 19 covered by a neck seal 2, mounted between walls of the open end of the container R, so as to seal against the junction member 10 and this open end.

The metering portion 7 comprises a cylinder body 6 inside which a piston 3 is mounted.

According to a principle of the invention, the piston 3 is fixedly mounted in the junction member 10, the cylinder body 6 being movable by sliding around the piston 3, along a sliding axis A. This sliding axis corresponds here to the longitudinal axis of the dispensing device 1.

According to the invention, and as can be seen in FIG. 1, the various elements of the metering portion 7 can be stacked one inside the other along the sliding axis A, in the following order: a first part 30 of the piston 3, hereinafter base of the piston, mounted inside the junction member 10.

a second part 40 of the piston, forming a tubular seal 40 and mounted around the base 30 of the piston,

- An inlet check valve 5 mounted on the top of the piston 3, and therefore distinct from the latter,

a base 60 of the cylindrical body with a side wall 61 forming a sliding tube arranged around all the above elements,

a pair of seals 70 forming, with the base 60 of the cylinder body, said cylinder body 6,

a coil spring 4 mounted in compression between the base 60 of the cylindrical body and the joining member 10, in particular its bottom 19, the turns surrounding here the sliding tube 61

- The connecting member 10, which forms a receptacle inside which are housed the various elements listed above.

According to the invention, as in the illustrated example, these elements 30, 40, 5, 60, 70, 10 can individually be formed in one piece. The metering portion 7 is therefore quite simple.

According to the invention, the dispensing head 8 may comprise a push button 80 integral with the cylinder body 6, so as to drive the latter downwards, by manual pushing above this push button 80.

This push button 80 comprises on one side, or at the front, a dispensing orifice (not visible in FIG. 1) through which the liquid L comes out during dispensing. This is located on the right in Figure 1. On the other side, at the rear, this push button 80 can, as here, be opened, thus giving access to a housing 85.

Inside this housing, the following elements can be stacked in this order and along a shutter axis B:

- A reducer 83 with a through passage along the shutter axis B,

- a part having a portion forming a shutter 90, and at the rear of this first portion, a second portion forming a tank membrane 96,

an internal reinforcement piece 95 of the shutter 90, here, an auxiliary return member 97,

a tank 86 housing the auxiliary return member 97.

A cap 87 closes the housing 85 of the push button 80.

According to the invention, as in the example shown, these elements housed inside the push button 80, the push button 80 and the cap 87 can individually be formed in one piece. The dispensing head 8 is therefore quite simple.

These various elements will be detailed more precisely below, in particular with reference to FIGS. 2 to 7, which represent longitudinal sections of the pump 1 mounted on the container R. For the sake of clarity of the drawings, all the references are not not shown in each figure.

FIG. 2 illustrates the pump 1 before it is put into service, that is to say before the priming phase, which consists in purging the air contained between the communication spaces allowing the delivery of the liquid L to the dispensing orifice 81.

According to the invention, the joining member 10 may comprise a central portion arranged in a lower manner than the fixing portions at the neck C, so as to be able to protrude below the neck C to be in contact with the liquid L.

The bottom 19 thus has in the central part, a passage opening 20 arranged vis-à-vis the liquid L. This passage opening 20 forms the inlet of the liquid L inside the pump 1.

In this example, the mounting of the pump is achieved by clipping the junction member 10 on the neck C.

The joining member comprises a skirt 21, here formed by a double wall. The lower end of the skirt 21 is open and has on its inner wall clipping lugs 22 projecting inwardly and cooperating with clawing lugs 26 of the neck. Thus the junction member 10 is blocked on the neck C.

Here at the inside and at the base of the neck C, edges project radially and form an intermediate opening O.

The neck seal 2 forms a dome covering the underside and the bottom of the junction member 10, being arranged around the passage opening 20. According to the invention, the neck seal 2 can, as here, be overmoulded on the junction member 10.

In this example, the cupola forming the neck seal 2 has on a lower surface a circular lip 23, bearing against the projecting edges of the intermediate opening O, thereby forming a first sealing zone at the open end of the R. container

The dome forming the neck seal 2 has an upper edge with a sealing zone 24 against the upper inner wall of the neck C, thus forming a second sealing zone at the open end of the container R.

The dome is arranged so that the neck seal 2 is spaced from the inner walls of the neck C between these two sealing zones. Thus, a dry zone is formed between these two sealing zones, which helps reduce the risk of contamination.

Around the passage opening 20 is arranged a tubular portion 12 which extends from the bottom 19 of the junction member 10 longitudinally and upwardly. On this tubular portion is fitted the piston 3. Around this, of this piston 3, is mounted the cylinder body 6.

The base 60 of the cylinder body 6 has an internal space delimited at the top by a top wall 64. The sliding tube 61 extends longitudinally downwards from the top wall 64 and an open end 74. The internal space is delimited in bottom by an open end 74 and on the side by the sliding tube 61.

In FIG. 2, the cylinder body 6 is mounted at the maximum, in the deployed position, thus releasing a volume between the top wall 64 and the top of the piston 3, this volume forming a metering chamber 100. The top wall 64 thus forms the top of this metering chamber 100.

In Figure 3, the cylinder body 6 is fully lowered on the piston 3 and is in the end position.

According to the invention, as in this example, the piston 3 may comprise a central duct 34 leading directly via passages 37 to openings 35 giving into the metering chamber 100. These openings form the liquid inlets L into the metering chamber 100, hereinafter dosing entries 35. The central duct 34 opens directly into the tubular portion 12; there is thus a direct communication with the liquid L, which can be conveyed to the dosing inputs 35.

These metering inlets 35 are closed by the inlet non-return valve 5, which passes a fluid entering the metering chamber 100 but prevents it from coming out of these metering inlets 35.

The inlet non-return valve 5, further illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, has an inlet membrane 50 arranged downstream of these metering inlets 35 and in relation thereto, so as to be able to to close.

As can be seen in Figure 3 and 8, the top wall 64 comprises an annular groove, hereinafter top groove 66, arranged around a central zone 65 of the top wall 64. Around this summit groove 66 is arranged a flat portion forming a peripheral zone 67.

According to the invention, the central zone 65, the summit groove 66 and the peripheral zone 67 can be arranged concentrically with respect to the sliding axis A.

At the bottom of this top groove 66, that is to say at the top of the metering chamber in FIG. 2, is arranged an orifice forming a metering outlet 73, through which the fluids, the liquid after the priming or the At the time of priming, the air can exit from the dosing chamber 100. In this example, there is only one dosing outlet 73.

In the first embodiment and more particularly in the example illustrated, the inlet valve 5 comprises a shape at least partially complementary to the top wall 64. According to the first variant, this complementarity is substantially total. On the other hand, in the second variant, illustrated in FIGS. 16 to 18 and to be discussed further, the top wall 264 is complementary only to the sides of the valve 5.

For example, as can be seen in FIGS. 9 and 10, the inlet non-return valve 5 comprises a central portion 54 whose surface forms a disc of the same diameter as the central zone 65 of the top wall 64.

Around this central portion 54, is arranged the inlet membrane 50. This inlet membrane 50 comprises an upper flank 51 and the opposite of that- ci, a lower flank 52, these two sides being separated by a wafer 53. This wafer 53 is circular and the inlet membrane 50 is arranged so that this wafer 53 is circumscribed in a circle arranged perpendicular to the axis sliding A.

The upper flank 51 is convex while the lower flank 52 is concave.

Here, the convex shape of the upper flank 51 is complementary to the summit groove.

According to the invention, and as can be seen in Figure 3, the upper surface of the inlet valve 5 may be complementary to the surface of the top wall 64, in particular, as here, cover the majority of its surface.

Here, the inlet membrane 50 does not extend to the inner surface of the sliding tube 61, so as to cover the top wall only up to the peripheral zone 67, in the end position.

The piston 3 may comprise an upper lip 41 arranged on the upper peripheral edge of the piston, as can be seen illustrated in Figure 1 1.

A portion of the piston 3, here this upper lip 41, can protrude around the wafer 53, and, as can be seen in FIG. 3, when the cylinder body 6 is in the end position, the upper lip 41 is arranged to cover this peripheral zone 67 of the top wall 64.

In the end position, or retracted position, the inlet membrane 50 is housed inside the summit groove 66, its upper flank 51 conforming to the bottom of this summit groove 66. The central zone 65 is exactly covered the central portion 54. The upper lip 41 comes to marry the surface of the peripheral zone 67. It follows that during priming, all the air from the metering chamber 100 is driven away, and all the more easily in the case where the dosing outlet 73 is arranged at the bottom of this summit groove 66.

It is therefore possible to use the entire volume of the metering chamber 100 during priming, in order to increase the pressure after the outlet 73 of the metering chamber 100 and to evacuate the air all the more easily inside the metering chamber 100. the pump 1.

From the lower flank 52 extends downwardly a protuberance forming a stud 55 having a head with wider edges than its base. Thus, the stud 55 is mounted by clipping on the piston 3, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. According to the invention, particularly as in FIG. 12, the piston base 30 may comprise a sleeve 31 which is fitted on the tubular portion 12. According to one embodiment of the invention, the base of the piston may also comprise a wider upper part. that the sleeve 31.

This upper part may comprise a skirt 32 extending downwards around, at a distance and facing east of this sleeve 31, so as to form an annular groove, into which the top of the portion fits together. tubular 12.

Here, in order to complete this fixation, interlocking shoulders 33 are arranged at the bottom of the sleeve 31 and are clipped beneath complementary internal shoulders 75 arranged on the inner wall of the tubular portion 12.

This sleeve 31 may comprise, as here, a slot 38 allowing the engagement shoulders 33 to be brought together by deformation of the sleeve 31.

The open end of this sleeve 31 is arranged at the bottom and opens into the tubular portion 12, the inside of the sleeve 31 forming the central duct 34.

According to the invention, as here, the upper part of the base of the piston 3 may comprise clipping lugs 36, between which the stud 55 is clipped. The passages 37 and the metering inlets 35 are in this case formed between these lugs. clip 36 and the stud 55.

These clipping lugs 36 can, as here, extend radially inwards without joining so as to leave room for the insertion of the stud 55 of the inlet valve 5. Thus the inlet valve 5 is fixed firmly at the top of the piston 3, with the inlet membrane 50 covering the metering inlets 35.

Thus, the inlet membrane 50 is able to deform upwardly leaving the open passage to the liquid L through the metering inlets 35, when pressure is exerted on its lower sidewall 52 or when a depression is exercised on the side of its upper side 51. On the other hand, when a pressure is exerted in the metering chamber 100, the force here downstream upstream on the inlet membrane 50 will place it above the metering inlets 35 and against the piston. 3, so that the dosage inputs 35 will be closed. The inlet valve 5 thus forms a non-return valve, allowing the liquid L to pass towards the inside of the metering chamber 100 but preventing it from leaving it via these metering inlets 35. According to the invention, in order to improve the seal between the side wall 61 of the cylinder body and the piston 3, the piston comprises a second part 40, which forms a seal, here a tubular joint 40, illustrated in detail in FIGS. 1 1. This tubular joint 40 is fitted directly around the upper part of the piston 3.

This tubular joint 40 comprises two open ends delimited here respectively by an upper lip 41 and a lower lip 42. These lips protrude from the upper part at the top and at the bottom. This allows a double seal against the inner wall of the sliding tube 61.

Between these lips 41, 42, the seal may comprise an annular projection 44, the largest diameter of which is arranged to be in contact with the inner wall of the sliding tube 61. This annular projection makes it possible to improve the sliding guide of the cylinder body 6.

Between these lips 41, 42 and this annular projection 44, the tubular seal 40 is spaced from the inner wall of the sliding tube 61. A gap is created between the sealing zones formed by these lips, reducing the risk of a formation of a continuous film of liquid between them.

As can be seen in Figures 2 to 7, as in Figure 13, the receptacle formed by the connecting member 10 extends between an open end 1 1 and its bottom 19. The interior of the receptacle is formed by side walls 17 having a shoulder forming a limit stop 18.

The tubular portion 12 may, as here, define the passage opening 20.

A barrel 14 is arranged concentrically around this tubular portion 12 so as to form between said tubular portion 12 and said barrel 14 a first lower groove 13, within which slides the sliding tube 61 between the end position. race and the deployed position.

At the top of this shaft 14, the inner wall of the barrel 14 comprises a recess 15 projecting inwards. This recess 15 is in contact with the outside of the sliding tube 61.

The sliding tube 61 comprises at its open end a bulge 71 which projects outwards, and which comes into contact with the recess 15 in the end position. Here, the pair of seals 70 of the cylinder body 6 comprises an upper seal 72 which surrounds a cooperating portion 69 forming the upper part of the base 60 of the cylinder body. This ensures the seal between the cooperation part and the dispensing head 8.

The pair of seal 70 of the barrel body 6 comprises a seal forming a bulge ring 71 which thus forms the bulge at the end of the sliding tube 61.

The bottom of the sliding tube 61 comprises a recess 62 reducing its outer diameter and thus making it possible to produce a receiving portion 63 of the bulge ring 71.

The pair of seals 70 may be made in one piece by overmolding on the base 60 of the cylinder body. For example, a groove may be provided in the barrel body 6 to connect the engagement portion 69 and the receiving portion. As can be seen in FIG. 1, an injection bead formed in this groove connects the upper seal 72 and the bulge ring 71.

According to the invention, the diameter of the sliding tube 61 above the bulge ring 71 may correspond approximately to the internal diameter delimited by the recess 15, so that in the end position of the drum walls 14 are unconstrained, and so that when the spring 4 recalls the cylinder body 6 upwards, the sliding tube 61 slides against the recess 15 without constraint on most of the movement. This facilitates the raising of the cylinder body upwards

When the cylinder body 6 approaches its extended position as illustrated in FIG. 2, the bulge ring 71 comes into contact with the recess 15 and will progressively exert a constraint on these outwards, thereby reinforcing the seal.

Here, as the material of the annular bulge 71 is more flexible than that of the connecting member, it is the bulge ring 71 which will compress. This strengthens the tightness.

As a result, in the deployed position there is a double seal on either side of the wall of the sliding tube 61 at its open end 74: inside, between the lower lip 42 and the inner wall of the sliding tube 61, and

- Outside between the annular bulge 71 and the recess 15 of the drum 14.

A space filled with air is created between this double seal, this space giving in the first lower groove 13. As a result, any liquid passing the first seal will fall to the bottom of this first lower groove 13. This is very unlikely. that a film of liquid can make the junction between the lower lip 42 and the outside of this first lower groove 13, beyond the annular bulge 71.

This has ensured a very good seal avoiding contaminations between the inside of the metering chamber and the outside thereof.

This is all the more effective in the example illustrated, the internal volume of the receptacle communicating with the outside of the pump 1, since the bottom of the dispensing head 8 is mounted telescopically in the receptacle.

The coil spring 4 is arranged inside the receptacle and around the barrel 14.

The spring 4 takes from one side support at the bottom of a second lower groove 16, formed between the shaft 14 and the side wall 16 of the receptacle.

The base of the cylinder body 60 comprises a flange 76 wider than the sliding tube 61. The spring is supported on the other side against this flange 76. As here, the flange may comprise an abutment assembly formed by radial ribs 68 against which the spring 4 is supported.

In both variants of the first embodiment, the pump 1 is suitable for liquids containing no preservatives and therefore must be protected from outside air.

For this, the metering outlet 73 is connected to the dispensing orifice 81 via communication spaces and an outlet check valve 9 directly closes this dispensing orifice 81.

According to the two variants of the first embodiment, these communication spaces may successively comprise three intermediate ducts and an upper space 82. The upper space is defined by the passage through the reducer 83, the tank membrane 96, and the passage in a front wall of the push button 80 leading to the dispensing orifice.

The reducer 83 may, as here, be in the form of a ring, or a reduction ring 83.

A first intermediate duct 84a is formed in the cylinder body and leads from the metering outlet 73 to a second intermediate duct 84b arranged in a transverse wall of the push button 80.

The second intermediate duct 84b opens into a third intermediate duct 84c formed inside the reducer 83 and opening into the upper space 82.

In the illustrated example of this first embodiment, and in its variant, the terms "front" and "rear" are applied in the direction of movement of the shutter 90.

According to the two variants of the first embodiment, as here, the hermetic tank 86 can be mounted, here by interlocking, in the housing 85 of the push button 80, so that the edges of the tank membrane 96 are pinched between a corresponding inner shoulder of the push button 80 and the edge of the tank 86, so that the tank membrane 96 hermetically closes the tank 86.

This tank membrane 96 is here integral with the shutter 90, which extends axially towards the dispensing orifice 81.

This shutter 90 comprises at its free end a pin 91 arranged to be able to seal the dispensing orifice 81.

Thus, when a fluid enters the interior of the upper space 82 and exerts a thrust on the tank membrane 96, the latter is deformed towards the bottom 89 of the tank 86, thus causing the shutter to retract according to FIG. B-axis and the clearance of the dispensing orifice 81.

The auxiliary return member 97 is in permanent connection with the vessel membrane 96 and comprises two elastically deformable stages 92, 93, in particular with stiffnesses and / or different geometries. The first stage 92 maintains a permanent restoring force of predetermined value against the tank membrane 96, and therefore on the shutter 90.

The second stage 93 is interposed between the first stage 92 and the bottom 89 of the tank 86, and maintains a restoring force greater than that of the first stage 92, acting only when the tank membrane 96 is biased.

The first and second stages 92, 93 are here of different geometries.

For example, the first and second stages 92, 93 may be from a central core 94.

The first stage 92 may extend radially around it by forming a cup 98 whose outer edge bears on the inner wall of the tank 86, for example in grooves or against shoulders of this inner wall. This cup 98 is made of an elastic material, and its zone between the core 94 and the outer edge forms an elastic articulation.

The second stage 93 can extend axially from the same central core 94, forming a bell whose outer edge bears on the bottom 89 of the tank 86. This bell 99 is made of an elastic material, and its zone between the core 94 and the outer edge form an elastic hinge.

On the one hand, the tank 86 being hermetically sealed, it is established that, when the dispensing device is at rest, the pressure P2 of the tank 86 is equivalent to the ambient air pressure at the time of the initial assembly. of the pump 1, that is to say equivalent to the initial atmospheric pressure.

On the other hand, there is no return of air in the container R of liquid, it having in particular a variable volume. Thus, the pressure P3 of the metering chamber 100 follows the evolution of the pressure P1 of the environment around the pump

1.

Therefore, in this first embodiment, as well as in that of the second variant, when the push button 80 rises or when the dispensing device 1 is placed in a low pressure environment P1 (P1 less than the initial atmospheric pressure ), for example when traveling by plane, the pressure

P3 of the metering chamber decreases and becomes lower than the initial atmospheric pressure, and therefore the pressure P2 of the vessel which remains invariable and therefore equivalent to the initial atmospheric pressure, the vessel being sealed.

The difference in pressure between the pressure P3 of the metering chamber and the pressure P2 of the tank generates a force on the tank membrane 96, deforming it towards the dispensing orifice 81 and thus reinforcing the support on the shutter 90 , and therefore the seal.

The auxiliary return member 97 can be made in one piece by molding a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) or thermoplastic vulcanized (TPV) or silicone or any other material with similar characteristics.

Similarly, the tank membrane 96 and its shutter 90 can be made integrally by molding a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) or thermoplastic vulcanized (TPV) or silicone or any other material with similar characteristics.

The shutter can as here extend axially and be hollow. This allows to house there as here a reinforcing piece 95 in a more rigid material. This reinforcement piece 95 extends from said tank membrane 96 and is in mechanical connection with the first stage 92 of the auxiliary return member 97.

The part forming here the tank membrane 96 and its shutter 90 and the reinforcement piece 95 can be obtained by bi-material injection.

The component material of the push button 80, the tank membrane 96, the reducer 83, the cylinder body 6, the inlet check valve and the base 30 of the piston 3 may include antibacterial agents.

According to one embodiment of the invention, as in this example and that of the second variant, the reducer 83 can be placed inside the volume defined between the tank membrane 96 and the inner walls of the housing 85 push button 80.

This reducer 83 makes it possible to produce the tank membrane 96 with a diameter greater than the volume available around the shutter 90. In other words, the housing 85 has a size enabling a tank membrane size 96 and the reduction gearbox to be reduced. the space available between the walls of the housing and the shutter

90. Thus by pressing the push button causing the liquid lift L in this upper space 82, more pressure is exerted on the tank membrane 96, thus facilitating opening. However, by decreasing the free volume around the shutter 90, the volume of the communication spaces to the dispensing orifice 81 is also decreased. This further increases the purge capacity associated with the arrangement of the cylinder body 6 and its piston 3 according to the invention.

In this example, the push button 80 is secured integrally with respect to the cylinder body 6 by clipping its flange 76 inside an appropriate groove of the push button 80. This is also the case in the second variant.

The operation of the pump 1 is now detailed with reference to FIGS. 2 to 7.

In FIG. 2, the push button 80 is in the deployed position, as is the cylinder body 6 integral with this push button 80, the top wall 64 being at a distance from the piston 3.

The metering chamber 100 is therefore at its maximum volume.

The ducts formed by the tubular portion 12, the central duct 34 and the passages 37, as well as the metering chamber 100 and the different communication spaces 84a, 84b, 84c, 82 are filled with air.

Then begins the priming operation of purging these spaces filled with air air they contain.

The push button 80 is then exerted downwardly with respect to the orientation of the pump in FIG. 2. The cylinder body 6 then leaves the extended position, illustrated in FIG. 2, towards the end-of-travel position, illustrated in FIG. 3, sliding along the piston 3.

In doing so, the pressure increases in the metering chamber 100, thereby pressing the inlet membrane 50 against the metering inlets 35.

The air is then compressed in all the communication spaces, in particular in the upper space 82, causing the deformation towards the rear of the tank membrane 96 and thus the retreat of the shutter 90 along the axis of shutter B and rearward, thus releasing the pin 91 of the dispensing orifice 81.

In doing so, the cup 98 and the bowl 99 are deformed, the core 94 moving away from the dispensing orifice 81 towards the bottom 89 of the tank 86, the edges of the cup 98 and of the bowl 99 remaining in fixed support against the inner wall of the tank 86. Thus the air is expelled through the dispensing orifice 81.

Once the air evacuated, the pressure becomes equal again between the outside of the pump 1 and the inside of the upper space 82 causing the return of the shutter towards the dispensing orifice 81 under the return force exerted by the cup 98 and the bowl 99. At the end of the return movement of the shutter 90, the pin 91 then closes the dispensing orifice 81, as illustrated in FIG. 4.

In FIG. 4, the air has been expelled and the pump is hermetically closed.

During this descent of the barrel body 6, the spring 4 is compressed against the bottom 19 of the junction member 10, being guided along the barrel 14.

When the push button 80 is released, the spring 4 recalls the cylinder body upwards and therefore drives the push button 80 upwards.

As a result, the top wall 64, which has come into complementary contact with the inlet membrane 50 and the upper lip 41, deviates from the piston gradually increasing the volume of the metering chamber 100. A depression is thus created, causing the exercise of a force on the input membrane 50, which then deforms towards the top wall 64, so that its portion 53 deviates from the piston 3, the concavity of the upper flank 51 and the convexity lower flank 52 decreasing. Thus, the inlet membrane 50 disengages the metering inlets 35, which causes the suction of the air in all the communications leading to the liquid L. The latter is thus also sucked up and up in the tubular wall 12, then in the central duct 34, then in the passages 37, passes through the metering inlets 35, and begins to fill the metering chamber 100.

Moreover, this depression causes a deformation of the tank membrane 96 to the dispensing orifice 81, and therefore further presses the shutter 90 in the latter. So we reinforce the boot. This is all the more effective as the sealing of the inlet valve 5 is improved.

Initially, it is the equivalent of the volume of the metering chamber 100 in liquid L which will go up in the ducts leading from the passage opening 20 to the metering inlets 35. After the first aspiration, once the cylinder body 6 is returned to the deployed position, the metering chamber 100 will not be completely filled, as can be seen in Figure 5. At least another downward pressure is needed here to purge the air completely. This number of downward pressure is not limiting.

When the cylinder body 6 descends again on the piston 3, it causes the compression of the air remaining in the metering chamber 100 and in the different communication spaces 84a, 84b, 84c, 82, which again entails the opening of the dispensing orifice 81 by shutter retraction 90.

The air is first evacuated. Then, as the piston continues to approach the top wall 64, the liquid L present in the metering chamber 100 reaches the top wall 64, passes through the inlet through the metering outlet 73, and goes up along the intermediate ducts 84a. , 84b, 84c, then fills the upper space 82 around the shutter and reaches the dispensing orifice 81. The air has been totally expelled.

If, as here, there is still a stroke length for the cylinder body 6, the liquid will begin to flow until the cylinder body 6 reaches the end position, as in FIG.

In FIG. 6, the air has thus been completely purged and liquid L fills all of the communication spaces 84a, 84b, 84c, 82 between the dispensing orifice 81 and the metering outlet 73, as well as the assembly passages leading from the metering inlets to the container R. Priming is complete.

At the end of the stroke, the liquid L no longer bears on the tank membrane 96, which as before is biased forward by the auxiliary return member 97, again causing the closure of the dispensing orifice 81, as illustrated in FIG.

Subsequently and not shown when the pressure on the push button 80 ceases, the spring 4 recalls the cylinder body 6 upwards, causing the liquid L to be drawn into the metering chamber 100, until it is filled completely. Since the pump 1 is primed, each pressure will cause a distribution of a volume of liquid L equal to the volume of the metering chamber 100.

Figures 16 to 18 therefore illustrate a second variant similar to the first variant of the first embodiment. A complete description of these figures 16 to 18 is therefore not repeated. The characteristics of the example of the first variant previously described are therefore applicable to the example of the second variant, unless otherwise indicated below.

In particular, the push button 80, the outlet check valve, with its shutter 90 with hermetic tank 96, and the inlet nonreturn valve 5 are identical between the variant of FIGS. 1 to 13 and that of FIGS. 18. The same references are therefore used for these elements.

In these two variants, as can be seen in FIGS. 11 and 17, the piston 3, 203 is therefore in two parts, respectively 30 and 40 and 230 and 240.

The tubular joint 40, 240 has a portion with a flared surface 45, 245 upwards, here formed at the top of the upper lip 41, 241. This makes it possible to ensure the tightness of the cup edges 53 against this flared surface 45, 245. This reinforces the seal resulting from the preloading of the inlet valve 5 against the piston 3, 203. This prestressed clamping is visible particularly in Figure 2, for the first variant, and in Figure 18, for the second variant. This optimizes the sealing of the inlet valve 5 and thus the boot.

Moreover, this flared surface 45, 245 with this inlet valve 5 in the form of a cup makes it easier to achieve a tight fit around the metering inlets 35, 235, formed between the clipping lugs 36, 236.

In order to reinforce the efficiency of the inlet valve 5, the clipping lugs 36 and 236 are provided with a convex upper portion 36a, 236a, here formed by a rounded bulge, the convexity of which is arranged vis-à- concavity of the concave shape of the membrane 50. Thus, as can be seen in particular in Figures 2, 3, 16 and 18, the top of this convex shape is wedge the underside of the membrane 50 of the valve 5. This allows it to retain its shape during compression and improves sealing, priming and accuracy of the dosage.

In this second embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, the length h2 of the seal 240 is greater than the stroke h1 of the piston 203. As a result, when the cylinder body 206 is in the retracted position, against the piston 203, namely in the end position, the lower lip 242 of the tubular seal 240 is below the lower position L of the top of the upper lip 241, namely the position that this lip 241 has in the extended position. As in use, the product only comes into contact with parts of the walls of the dosing chamber 300 above this low position L, which correspond to a contact zone z1 with the metered product, it follows that this lower lip 242 never comes within this contact zone z1. Thus, in the case where a product film is formed between the tubular seal 240 and the walls of the sliding tube 261, it is not driven downwards by the lower lip 242 and remains trapped between the annular projection 244 and the lower lip 242. This adds one more obstacle to product leakage, especially to the first lower groove 213. This improves the hygiene of the device 201.

The connecting member 210 also forms in this second variant a receptacle receiving the push button 80 and the spring 4 via its open end 21 1. However, its bottom 219 is different in that it is extended downwards with respect to the first variant. Indeed, to achieve the tubular joint 241 with a greater length h2, the tubular portion 212, the shaft 214 and the first lower groove 213 formed between them, are extended downwards, so that the height h3 between the bottom of the lower lip 242, in the deployed position, and the bottom of this first lower groove 213 is greater than the stroke h1 of the cylinder body 206.

The same additional sealing means 215, 271 may be added at the top of this first lower groove 213, here on the outside of the bottom of the sliding tube 261.

Here, the top wall 264 has been simplified. It has the shape of a dome, with the metering outlet 273 arranged in its rounded peripheral portion 264 '. The latter is of complementary shape to the outer lateral sides of the concave shape of the membrane 50, so that these outer lateral sides match the peripheral rounded portion 264 'and close the closest metering outlet 273.

Furthermore, an attached tube 310 is mounted in the passage opening 220 located at the bottom 219 of the connecting member 210. This passage opening is intended to communicate with the intermediate opening O of the container R, so that the The lower end of the tube 310 forms the inlet E 'of the product in the dispensing device 201.

The tube 310 may, as here, have an inner section 312 of a diameter at least 20% smaller than that of the orifice 220. In particular, here the tube is fitted into the internal duct of the tubular portion 212, through the passage opening 220, in particular up to the vicinity of the lower opening 238 of the central duct 234 of the piston 203, which in turn is clipped into the inner conduit of the tubular portion 212.

The tube 310 extends below the passage opening 220.

As the pump has only two valves 5, 9 and the outlet valve 9 communicates directly with the metering chamber 300, the depression created in the latter during the ascent of the push button 80 reinforces the closure of the outlet valve 9 and allows here at the stud of the shutter 90 to enter the dispensing hole 81 to have an optimum seal.

Without the added tube 310, this depression may be insufficient for fluid products, such as water, to ensure optimal sealing. By adding the added tube 310 of smaller section 312, it provides additional pressure drop and reinforces the closure of the outlet valve 9.

Note that this increases the depression by maintaining the flexible inlet valve 5, which allows a better priming of the pump with air.

Comparative studies on the operation of this reported tube 310 have been carried out.

A section of 3 millimeters (mm) of this tube 310 brings an additional depression in the dose chamber of:

- 85 millibar (mbar) with a viscous cream

- 18 mbar with a fluid cream

- 1 .7 mbar with water

A section of 1 mm of this tube 310 brings a depression in the dose chamber of:

- 51 1 mbar with a viscous cream

- 108 mbar with a fluid cream

- 10 mbar with water

For fluid products such as water, from 8 mbar of depression at the level of the attached tube is closed the outlet valve 9 optimally, greatly reducing the risk of bacterial retro-contamination. Thus, by choosing an appropriate section 312 of the attached tube 310, the latter operates in association with the inlet valve 5 to generate a sufficient pressure drop in the dose chamber 300, for all fluids as fluid as water and up to very viscous products, to optimize the closure of the dispensing orifice 81 without penalizing the priming with air, which is critical for a pump with a very small dose and a bacterial-tight end closure.

According to a second embodiment, an example of which is illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15, the dispensing device 101 comprises a proportioning portion 107 that is partly identical to that of the first embodiment. However, the dispensing head 108 is different.

In this second embodiment, a single outlet check valve 109 is mounted at the outlet of the metering chamber 200, away from the dispensing orifice 181.

This second embodiment has the advantage of being simpler. This second embodiment will preferably be used with liquids or creams comprising preservatives.

As in the first example shown, the metering portion 107 and the dispensing head 108 thus also together form a pump 101, corresponding to the dispensing device 101.

In FIG. 15, this pump 101 is mounted on a container, here a container

R, intended to be filled with a liquid, thus forming a packaging assembly of this liquid.

The elements identical to those of the illustrated example of the first exemplary embodiment will therefore not be systematically repeated. Apart from the differences that will be mentioned, the detailed characteristics of the example illustrated in FIGS.

13 therefore apply to the example illustrated in Figures 14 to 15 of this second embodiment.

The metering portion 107 here comprises a neck seal 102, a connecting member 1 10, a coil spring 104 substantially identical to those of the first embodiment and arranged together in the same manner, as can be seen in FIG. 15 . The metering portion 107 also comprises a cylinder body 106 inside which a piston 103 is mounted.

According to a principle of the invention, as in the first embodiment, the piston 103 is fixedly mounted in the junction member 1 10, the cylinder body 106 being slidably movable around the piston 103, along an axis of sliding A '. This sliding axis here corresponds to the longitudinal axis of the dispensing device 101.

The piston 103 is close to that of the first embodiment.

On the other hand, if in the same way as in the example of the first embodiment, the piston base 130 comprises a sleeve 131 fitted on the tubular portion 1 12 of the junction member 1 10 and a wider upper portion than the sleeve 131, this piston base 130 is however devoid of a skirt. In addition, it is provided with ribs 132 arranged on the periphery of the upper part of this piston base 130.

In this second example, the tubular joint 140 differs from that 40 of the first variant of the first example in that it comprises ribs on its inner surface cooperating with the ribs 132 of the piston base 130. This reinforces the fitting of the tubular joint 140 on this piston base 130. These ribs are present on the second variant of the first embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 16 to 18.

For the rest, the outer surface of the tubular joint 140 is identical to that of the first embodiment, in particular as illustrated in FIG. 11, and the same corresponding characteristics apply here.

Furthermore, the piston base 130 also comprises a first series of clipping lugs 136 of similar shape to those 36 of the piston 30 of the first embodiment, and with which is fixed, as in the first example, a first valve anti -retour input 105. This valve 105 is here of a shape identical to that of the inlet non-return valve 5 of the first embodiment.

In other words, the suction of fluid from the container R is done in the same way as in the first embodiment, especially as to the sliding of the cylinder body 106 around the piston 103 from the end position to the deployed position, and as to the opening of the metering inlet 135 by the deformation of the inlet nonreturn valve 105.

This is also the case for the displacement of the fluid as to its movement from the deployed position to the end position.

In the second embodiment, as illustrated, it is therefore possible to find common advantages with the first embodiment, and in particular those related to:

sliding of the cylinder body 106 with respect to the fixed piston 103,

at the double seal between the lips of the tubular joint 140,

the cooperation in tight-fitting of the flared surface 145 with the cup edge 53,

to the double seal created on the one hand between the bottom of the cylinder body 106 and the tubular portion 1 12, and on the other hand, between the bottom of the cylinder body 106 and the barrel 1 14 carried, this tubular portion 1 12 and this being carried by the bottom of the connecting member 1 10.

On the other hand, in the second embodiment, the arrangement at the outlet 173 of the metering chamber 200 differs from the first embodiment, as can be seen in the illustrated example.

Indeed, a second nonreturn valve, hereinafter output check valve 109, is fixed above the cylinder body 106, so as to allow the opening and closing of the outlet of the dosing chamber. 200, hereinafter metering outlet 173.

According to this second embodiment, as in the example illustrated, the top 164 of the metering chamber 200 may be formed by a second series of clipping lugs 139 of similar shape to those 136 of the piston 103 which allow the attachment of the inlet non-return valve 105.

Here, this vertex also forms the top of the cylinder body 106.

In this example, several dosing outlets 173 are provided between some or all of the clipping lugs of this second series 139.

These metering outlets 173 are closed by the outlet check valve

109, which passes a fluid leaving the metering chamber 200 but prevents it from entering through these dosing outlets 173. This outlet check valve 109 may be formed similarly to the inlet check valve 105, in particular with a central portion and a membrane arranged around this central portion, hereinafter output membrane.

In the example shown, the check valves 105 and 109 are identical and interchangeable. The fact of having here identical check valves allows standardization of these parts.

However, not shown, in the second embodiment, this outlet check valve is not necessarily identical in shape to that of the inlet nonreturn valve. It can also be of identical shape but in different proportions.

In this example, these non-return valves 105 and 109 are identical to the inlet non-return valve 5 of the first embodiment. Reference can be made to FIGS. 9 and 10 for these valves 105 and 109. The references of FIGS. 9 and 10 are hereinafter described for the details of the characteristics of the nonreturn valves 105 and 109.

Thus, the outlet membrane 50 is able to deform upwards, leaving the passage open to the liquid through the dosing outlets 173, when a pressure is exerted in the dosing chamber 200 against its lower flank 52. when the pressure is negative in the metering chamber 200, the upstream downstream force on the diaphragm 50 of the outlet check valve 109 will place it above the metering outlets 173 and against the top of the cylinder body 106, so that the dosing outlets 173 will be closed.

The lugs of the second series of clipping lugs 139 here overhang the metering chamber 200. Their underside forms a lower surface 139 '.

According to a possibility not shown, this lower surface 139 'may have a shape complementary to the upper side 51 of the outlet check valve 109. This allows to cover the lower surface 139', so a portion of the top of the metering chamber, with the membrane 50 of the outlet check valve 109. This reduces the dead volumes at the top of the metering chamber 200.

Here the cylinder body 106 comprises as in the first embodiment: a cylinder body base 160,

an annular bulge 171 mounted at the bottom of the cylinder body base 160, to reinforce its tightness at the end of the stroke with the barrel 114,

an upper seal 172 mounted at the top of the cylinder body base 160, for sealing between the cylinder body 106 and the pusher 180.

This annular bulge 171 and this upper seal 172 can be obtained with the same material and / or can be obtained together during the same injection operation. The latter can be performed in the same way as in the first embodiment.

According to the second embodiment, as in this example, the upper seal 172 may comprise a central opening delimited by a flared surface 172 ', in particular conical, this opening widening from upstream to downstream. The second non-return valve 109 may be mounted so that the wafer 53 of its membrane 50 is supported above and against this flared surface 172 ', in the rest position and during the suction of the fluid since the passage opening 120 of the connecting member 1 10.

The connecting member 1 10 is here mounted on the neck C of the container R, its intermediate opening O in communication on one side with the inside of the container R and the other with the passage opening 120.

According to the second embodiment, it is not necessary to add another non-return valve between the metering outlet 173 and the dispensing orifice 181. The dispensing head 108 is here simpler.

This head 108 comprises a push button 180, in which the cylinder body base 160 is fixedly fitted, so as to actuate the cylinder body 106 downwards and thus to carry out the discharge of the fluid, while compressing the spring 104 towards the bottom. At the release of the pressure, the spring 104 recalls the push button 180 upwards and thus the cylinder body 106, causing the fluid to be drawn into the metering chamber 200.

The metering outlets 173 can, as here, be connected to the dispensing orifice 181 of the pushbutton 180 via a single duct 184, opening into an upper space 182, into which the dispensing outlets 173 open directly when they are open. A reducer 183 may be arranged in this upper space 182 to reduce the dead volumes.

In these illustrated examples, the inlet check valve 5 of the first embodiment and the inlet nonreturn valve 105 and the outlet check valve 109 of the second embodiment are molded in a flexible material, especially a TPE, with a Shore A hardness of between 30 and 90. Moreover, in these examples, the membrane 50 of these valves 5, 105, 109 has a thickness of between 0.15 and 0.3 mm.

Claims

1. Device for dispensing (1; 101; 201) a liquid or pasty product to be dispensed (L) comprising:

- a connecting member (10; 1 10; 210) intended to be put in place at the open end (E) of a container (R) containing the product to be dispensed,

a piston (3; 103; 203) fixedly arranged with respect to the junction member,

a cylinder body (6; 106; 206) in which the piston is arranged so as to define a metering chamber (100; 200; 300) between the piston and the cylinder body, the piston comprising at least one upstream opening; forming an inlet of the metering chamber, said metering inlet (35; 135; 235), and the metering chamber comprising an outlet, said metering outlet (73; 173; 273), the cylinder body being slidably movable along the piston between an extended position and a retracted position,

an inlet non-return valve (5; 105) mounted on the piston and comprising an inlet membrane (50) having a concave shape,

the piston comprising a first portion (30; 130; 230) and a second portion forming a seal (40; 140; 240) fitted or overmolded around at least a portion of the first portion, said seal reinforcing the seal between the piston and the side wall or walls of the cylinder body, the piston and the inlet nonreturn valve forming separate parts and being arranged in a manner:

- that, when the cylinder body is stationary or moves to the retracted position, the inlet membrane is tight-tight with the top of said seal and closes the dosing inlet, and

- The concave shape of the inlet diaphragm elastically deforms and opens the metering inlet when it is subjected to a negative pressure generated in the metering chamber during movement of the cylinder body to its deployed position.

The dispensing device (1; 101; 201) according to claim 1, comprising a dispensing orifice (81; 181) in communication with the dispensing outlet (73; 173; 273), the dispensing device being characterized in that it further comprises an outlet check valve (9; 109) arranged between the outlet of dosage and the dispensing orifice, so as to clear the passage between the metering outlet and the dispensing orifice under the effect of a pressure increase on the outlet check valve, the dispensing device not comprising two check valves, this outlet check valve (9; 109) and the inlet non-return valve (5; 105).

3. Dispensing device (1; 101; 201) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inlet membrane (50) has the shape of a cup whose edge, hereinafter cup edge inlet (53) defines the periphery of the concave shape, the concave shape facing the metering inlet (35; 135; 235) and the inlet cup edge (53) being arranged around the metering inlet, the inlet cup edge being resiliently biased against the top of the gasket (40; 140; 240) during said watertight clamping, and the inlet cup edge departing from the top of the piston during a negative pressure in the metering chamber (100; 200; 300).

4. Dispensing device (1; 101; 201) according to claim 3, characterized in that the seal (40; 140; 240) comprises a central opening (46) delimited by a flared surface (45; 145; 245) and inside which the metering inlet (35; 135; 235) is arranged, this central opening widening from upstream to downstream, the inlet nonreturn valve (5; 105) being mounted in that, during said tight fitting, the inlet cup edge (53) abuts above and against this flared surface (45; 145; 245).

5. Dispensing device (1; 101; 201) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inlet nonreturn valve (5; 105) comprises a central portion (54) fixed to the top of the piston. (3; 103; 203), the membrane (50) being arranged around this central portion.

6. Dispensing device (1; 101; 201) according to claim 5, characterized in that the upper portion of the first portion (30; 130; 230) of the piston comprises clipping lugs (36; 136; 236), between which the central portion (54) is clipped, the one or more metering inlets (35; 135; 235) being provided between these clipping lugs and the clipped portion of the central portion (54).

7. Dispensing device (1; 201) according to claim 6, characterized in that the clipping lugs (36; 236) comprise an upper portion convex (36a; 236a) whose convexity is arranged vis-à-vis the concavity of the concave shape.

8. Dispensing device (1; 101; 201) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the piston (3; 103; 203) is mounted in a tubular portion (12; 1 12; 212) of the junction member (10; 1 10; 210).

9. Dispensing device (201) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stroke of the piston (203) is less than the length of the seal (240).

10. Dispensing device (1; 201) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the top of the metering chamber (100; 300) forms a top wall (64; 264) within which the metering outlet (73; 273) is formed and in the retracted position at least a portion of the surface of the top wall is completely covered, this portion comprising the metering outlet (73; 273), this covering being achieved either by a downstream surface (51) of the inlet check valve (5), or by a downstream surface (51) of the inlet nonreturn valve and one or more portions (41; 241) piston (3; 203).

1 1. Dispensing device (1; 201) according to claim 10, characterized in that the inlet non-return valve (5) or the inlet non-return valve (5) and the piston (3; 203) have faces facing the top wall (64; 264), these faces being of complementary shape to the shape of at least the portion of the surface of the top wall which includes the dosing outlet (73; 273) .

12. Dispensing device (1; 101; 201) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a dispensing orifice (81; 181) in communication with the dosing outlet (73; 173; 273), the dispensing device being characterized in that it comprises an outlet check valve (9; 109) arranged between the dosing outlet (73; 173; 273) and the dispensing orifice (81; 181) so as to clear the passage between the metering outlet and the dispensing orifice under the effect of a pressure increase on the outlet check valve.

13. Dispensing device (101) according to claim 12, characterized in that the outlet check valve (109) is mounted at the metering outlet (173) on the cylinder body (106) and at the outside of it.

14. Dispensing device (101) according to claim 13, characterized in that the outlet check valve (109) comprises an outlet membrane (50) having a concave shape able to deform elastically so that:

- when the outlet membrane is subjected to a negative pressure generated in the metering chamber (200) during the displacement of the cylinder body (106) to its deployed position, the outlet diaphragm closes the metering outlet by being tightly tightened with the top of the barrel body, the concave shape of the outlet membrane being deformed so as to generate a restoring force of this membrane against the top of the barrel, so as to maintain a tight clamping stress, and

- When the cylinder body is stationary or moves to the end position, the concave shape of the output diaphragm elastically deforms to let the fluid.

15. Dispensing device (1; 201) according to claim 12, characterized in that it comprises a dispensing orifice (81) in communication with the dosing outlet, and in that the outlet check valve (9 ) is arranged to close or open the dispensing orifice.

16. Dispensing device (1; 201) according to claim 15, characterized in that the outlet nonreturn valve (9) comprises consecutively:

a shutter (90) for the dispensing orifice,

an elastically deformable bowl membrane (96) connected to the shutter,

an hermetic tank (86) hermetically closed by the tank membrane,

the outlet check valve being arranged so that the face of the cell membrane outside the tank is in fluid communication with a communication space connecting the dispensing orifice (81) and the outlet of the dosing (73; 273), so that on the one hand the tank membrane is biased by the product during the actuation of the cylinder body (6; 206) to said retracted position, so as to cause the release of the shutter of the dispensing orifice, and secondly the tank membrane is solicited in the direction inverse when a negative pressure in the metering chamber (100; 300), thus recalling the shutter in a closed position of the dispensing orifice.

17. Dispensing device (201) according to claim 16, characterized in that it comprises a tube (310) attached mounted in the passage opening (220) of the connecting member (210) for communicating with the opening (O) of the container (R), so that the lower end of the tube forms the inlet (Ε ') of the product in the dispensing device.

18. Dispensing device (201) according to claim 17, characterized in that the tube (310) has an internal section of a diameter at least 20% smaller than that of the orifice (220) and is extends below the passage opening.

19. Dispensing device (1; 101; 201) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the piston (3; 103; 203) comprises a lower peripheral lip (42; 242) in contact with the wall or walls. side (s) (61; 261) of the cylinder body (6; 106; 206).

20. Packaging assembly of a product to be dispensed liquid or pasty, said assembly comprising:

- a container (R) intended to contain or containing the product to be dispensed

(L), and

- a dispensing device (1; 101; 201) according to one of the preceding claims and implemented at the open end (O) of the container, so that a through hole (20; 120; 220 ) of the connecting member (10; 1; 10; 210) communicates with the interior of the container.