Device for dispensing a fluid product

Abstract

A device for dispensing a fluid product, comprising a reservoir (10) containing a fluid product and a dispensing head (20) provided with a dispensing orifice (21) and a radial flange (23) forming a finger rest during actuation, the reservoir (10) being axially movable relative to the dispensing head (20) during actuation, a stopper / piston (50) is movable in said reservoir (10) in order to dispense a fluid product through said dispensing orifice (21) during actuation, said device comprising a blocking member (100) blocking the axial movement of said reservoir (10) in said dispensing head (20), said blocking member (100) being movable and / or deformable between a blocking position and a release position, the device comprises an unlocking member (200) movable between a rest position, in which the blocking member (100) is in a blocking position, and an unlocking position, in which the blocking member (100) is moved and / or deformed to a release position.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for dispensing a fluid product. More particularly, the present invention relates to a single-dose device for nasal dispensing of a fluid product for dispensing a pharmaceutical fluid product into the nose of a user by a single nasal spray.

[0002] A disadvantage of existing devices for nasal dispensing of a fluid product is the risk of unwanted actuation in the event of the device falling.

[0003] The documents EP0810906, FR3116203, US2013317433, US6708846 and FR3011829 describe prior art devices.

[0004] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a device for dispensing a fluid product that no longer has the above-mentioned disadvantages.

[0005] More particularly, an object of the present invention is to provide a device for dispensing a fluid product that avoids any risk of unwanted actuation, such as in the event of the device falling.

[0006] Another object of the present invention is to provide such a device that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and assemble.

[0007] Accordingly, the present invention provides a device for dispensing a fluid product, comprising a reservoir containing the fluid product and a dispensing head, the dispensing head being provided with a dispensing orifice and a radial flange that forms a finger support during actuation, the reservoir being axially movable relative to the dispensing head during actuation, a stopper / piston being movable in the reservoir so as to dispense the fluid product through the dispensing orifice during actuation, the device comprising a blocking member that blocks the axial movement of the reservoir in the dispensing head, the blocking member being movable and / or deformable between a blocking position and a release position, the device comprising an unlocking member that is movable between a support position and an unlocking position, in the support position, the blocking member being in the blocking position, and in the unlocking position, the blocking member moving and / or deforming to the release position.

[0008] Advantageously, the reservoir is formed by a hollow and closed body that includes a bottom and a single opening that is sealed by the stopper / piston in the support position.

[0009] Advantageously, the device includes a hollow insert that is inserted and fixed in the dispensing head, the insert supporting a piercing tip for piercing the stopper / piston so as to connect the reservoir to the dispensing orifice during actuation.

[0010] Advantageously, the piercing tip is manufactured separately and then assembled in the insert, in particular by force fit or by overmolding in the insert.

[0011] In a variant, the piercing tip is integrally formed with the insert.

[0012] Advantageously, the blocking member is radially movable and / or deformable between its blocking position and its release position, and the unlocking member is axially movable.

[0013] Advantageously, the device includes an actuating body that houses the reservoir.

[0014] Advantageously, the blocking member includes a hollow inner sleeve assembled around the actuating body, the hollow inner sleeve including a blocking projection that extends radially inward and is formed on an elastically deformable first tab, the blocking projection cooperating with a first groove of the actuating body in the blocking position of the blocking member so as to block relative movement between the actuating body and the blocking member.

[0015] Advantageously, the first groove is arranged in the upper part of the actuating body, a second groove is arranged in the lower part of the actuating body, and the inner diameter of the upper part is greater than the diameter of the lower part.

[0016] Advantageously, the upper part and the lower part are connected by a frustoconical portion.

[0017] Advantageously, the unlocking member includes a tubular body that contains an inner body defining a radial shoulder that axially extends upward through an elastically deformable tab.

[0018] Advantageously, in the rest position, the radial shoulder is spaced apart from the axial bottom wall of the actuating body.

[0019] Advantageously, at the start of actuation, the user axially moves the unlocking member upward until it contacts the actuating body, which causes the blocking member to move and / or deform toward its release position.

[0020] Advantageously, the actuating body includes a radial ring connected to the actuating body by one or more frangible bridges, the radial ring cooperating with a part of the dispensing head to form a pre-compression threshold that the user must overcome during actuation to break the frangible bridges and thus actuate the device.

[0021] Advantageously, the reservoir contains a single dose of fluid product dispensed in a single actuation.

[0022] These and other features and advantages of the invention emerge more clearly from the following detailed description given by way of non-limiting example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0023] Figures 1 to 3 are schematic cross-sectional views of a device for dispensing a fluid product according to advantageous embodiments, at rest, at the start of actuation, and after actuation, respectively;

[0024] Figure 4 is Figures 1 to 3 a schematic perspective view of the actuating body of;

[0025] Figure 5 is Figures 1 to 3 a schematic perspective view of the blocking member of;

[0026] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the steps of assembling the blocking member on the actuating body supporting the reservoir;

[0027] Figure 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view after assembling the blocking member on the actuating body;

[0028] Figure 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the steps of assembling the unlocking member on the actuating body, and

[0029] Figure 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the steps of assembling the actuating body in the dispensing head.

[0030] The terms "axial" and "radial" are with respect to the longitudinal central axis of the device. The terms "top" and "bottom" refer to Figures 1 to 3 the vertical position of the device shown in.

[0031] Referring to the accompanying drawings, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. In this embodiment, the device is a single-dose device, that is, the reservoir contains a single dose of fluid product to be dispensed in a single actuation.

[0032] In a known manner, a reservoir 10 containing the fluid product to be dispensed (usually a liquid) is arranged inside the body forming the dispensing head 20. The dispensing head 20 includes an axially oriented dispensing orifice 21. The dispensing orifice 21 is for dispensing a dose of fluid from the dispensing head 20 when the device is actuated by the user.

[0033] The dispensing head 20 includes an extended nose piece 22 which includes the dispensing orifice 21 at its proximal axial end, and a side body 24 connected to the nose piece 22 at a radial flange 23.

[0034] The hollow insert 60 is advantageously arranged in the dispensing head 20, upstream of the dispensing orifice 21. The hollow insert 60 defines a central discharge channel and engages with the bottom wall of the dispensing head 20, directly forming a spraying profile (not visible in these figures) upstream of the dispensing orifice 21.

[0035] The channel 61 terminates at its bottom end in a piercing tip 40. The piercing tip 40 can be integrally molded with the insert 60. As a variant, it can be made separately, for example, of metal or a synthetic material different from the insert, and then assembled in the insert, for example, by force fit or by overmolding. The piercing tip 40 axially extends downward beyond the elongated cylinder of the insert 60.

[0036] The reservoir 10 is advantageously formed by a closed and hollow body, including a single opening defining a neck 11, and is closed by a stopper / piston 50. In the example of the single-dose form shown, the reservoir 10 contains a single dose of fluid product to be dispensed by a single actuation of the device. The stopper / piston 50 is movable in the reservoir 10 between a rest position and an end-of-actuation position to dispense the fluid product through the dispensing orifice 21 during actuation.

[0037] An actuating body 30 is provided so as to be able to actuate the device.

[0038] The actuating body 31 is movable relative to the dispensing head 20. The actuating body 31 supports the reservoir 10 so as to axially move it relative to the dispensing head 20 towards the dispensing orifice 21. The actuating body 30 includes a bottom wall 32.

[0039] To actuate the device, the user axially presses on the actuating body 30 so as to axially move the actuating body 30 together with the reservoir 10 in the dispensing head 20, thereby causing the piercing tip 40 to pierce the stopper / piston 50 and dispense a dose of fluid through the dispensing orifice 21. During such an actuation, the reservoir 10 is thus axially pushed towards the dispensing orifice 21 such that the piercing tip 40 pierces the stopper / piston 50. Accordingly, the content of the reservoir 10 is connected to the dispensing orifice 21, and the user presses the actuating body 30 to move the stopper 50 in the reservoir 10, thereby dispensing the fluid product.

[0040] It should be noted that the present invention can also be applied to devices that do not have a piercing tip adapted to pierce the stopper / piston, such as those described in documents WO2019122671, WO2021069823, WO2022090675, WO2022101589, WO2022208014.

[0041] Advantageously, the actuator 30 includes a radial ring 35 connected to the actuator by one or more frangible bridges 36, which is particularly visible in Figure 6 . The ring 35 engages a portion of the dispensing head 20 to form a pre-compression threshold that the user must overcome during actuation in order to break the frangible bridges 36 and thus actuate the device. The radial ring 35 also serves as an anti-tampering element.

[0042] These frangible bridges 36 provide security against unwanted actuation, but during axial dropping of the device, it is not excluded that the inertia of the device is sufficient to break the frangible bridges, and thus the security provided by the frangible bridges 36 may be insufficient.

[0043] According to the invention, the device includes a blocking member 100 that blocks the axial movement of the reservoir 10 in the dispensing head 20. The blocking members 100, 200 are movable and / or deformable between a blocking position and a release position. Before the device can be actuated by axially moving the reservoir 10 in the dispensing head 20, the user must first move and / or deform the blocking member 100 to its release position.

[0044] According to the invention, the device includes an unlocking member 200 that is axially movable relative to the actuator 30 between a supporting position and an unlocking position. In the supporting position of the unlocking member 200, the blocking member 100 is in the blocking position, and in the unlocking position of the unlocking member 200, the blocking member 100 is in the release position.

[0045] Advantageously, the invention provides that when the user holds the device in his hand, the movement and / or deformation of the blocking member 100 towards its release position is achieved by pressing his finger on the radial flange 23 of the dispensing head 20 and pressing his thumb on the bottom of the unlocking member 200. Thus, the invention makes it possible to ensure safety in the event of device dropping without the need for additional movement by the user to actuate the device. When the user holds the device in his hand, he places two fingers on the radial flange 23 of the dispensing head 20 and presses his thumb on the distal axial bottom of the unlocking member 200. To actuate the device by pressing, he will first move the unlocking member 200 towards its unlocking position with his thumb, which will move and / or deform the blocking member 100 towards its release position, and then the thumb will move the actuator 30 to dispense the dose.

[0046] Therefore, in order to actuate the device, it is necessary to axially press simultaneously on the radial flange 23 and on the bottom of the unlocking member, which is impossible during an accidental fall of the device. Moreover, during an accidental fall of the device, the weight of the unlocking member 200 is not sufficient to move and / or deform the blocking member 100 towards its release position by inertia. Thus, the present invention ensures perfect safety against unwanted actuation in case of a fall of the device.

[0047] One advantage of the present invention is that it does not require additional movement or displacement of a part of the device: the user simply holds the device in the hand and performs a conventional actuation movement.

[0048] The advantageous embodiments shown in the drawings will now be described in more detail below.

[0049] The blocking member 100 includes a hollow inner sleeve 101 assembled around the actuating body 30.

[0050] The hollow inner sleeve 101 includes blocking protrusions 102 extending radially inwards, which are formed on a first elastically deformable tab 103. In the blocking position of the blocking member 100, these blocking protrusions 102 cooperate with a first groove 33 of the actuating body 30, thereby blocking the relative movement between the actuating body 30 and the blocking member 100.

[0051] The hollow inner sleeve 101 further includes fixing protrusions 104 formed on a second elastically deformable tab 105. In the blocking position of the blocking member 100, these fixing protrusions 104 cooperate with a second groove 34 of the actuating body 30.

[0052] As Figure 4 and Figure 6 shown, the first groove 33 and the second groove 34 of the actuating body 30 are axially offset from each other, and as a result, the blocking protrusions 102 and the fixing protrusions 104 of the blocking member 10 are also axially offset from each other, as Figure 5 and Figure 6 shown.

[0053] The first groove 33 is arranged in the upper part 38 of the actuating body, while the second groove 34 is arranged in the lower part 39 of the actuating body, and the outer diameter of the upper part 38 is greater than the diameter of the lower part 39. Thus, when the blocking member 100 is in the blocking position, a radial gap 109 is formed between the lower part 39 of the actuating body and the first tab 103, as Figure 7 and Figure 8 shown. The upper part 38 and the lower part 39 are connected by a frustoconical portion 37, as Figure 6 shown.

[0054] The blocking member 100 includes a hollow outer body 110 that contains a hollow inner sleeve 101 and includes an upper axial edge 111 that is provided with a snap-fastening profile that is adapted to cooperate with the snap-fastening housing 25 of the dispensing head 20 in the assembled state.

[0055] Thus, when the device is assembled, any axial movement of the actuator 30 relative to the dispensing head 20 is blocked by the blocking member 100 when the blocking member 100 is in the blocking position.

[0056] The unlocking member 200 includes a tubular body 210 that contains an inner body 201 that defines a radial shoulder 202 that axially extends upwardly through a plurality of elastically deformable tabs 205 that include a plurality of securing profiles 204 at their upper axial ends.

[0057] During the assembly of the unlocking member 200 onto the actuator 30, as Figure 8 shown, the tubular body 210 slides inside the hollow outer body 110 of the blocking member 100 while the elastically deformable tabs 205 of the inner body 201 enter into the radial clearance 109 where these securing profiles 204 cooperate with the second groove 34 of the actuator 30 and / or with the securing protrusions 104 of the blocking member 100 to prevent withdrawal of the unlocking member 200.

[0058] As Figure 1 shown, in the rest position, the radial shoulder 202 is remote from the axial bottom wall 32 of the actuator.

[0059] At the start of actuation, the user axially moves the unlocking member 200 upwardly until it contacts the actuator 30, which moves the elastically deformable tabs 205 on the frustoconical portion 37 of the actuator 30 such that these tabs 205 radially outwardly deform the first elastically deformable tabs 103 of the blocking member 100. Thus, the blocking protrusion 102 leaves the first groove 33 and the blocking member 100 is no longer in the blocking position but in the release position. Pressing the bottom of the unlocking member 200 will then move the actuator 30 and thus the reservoir 10 relative to the dispensing head 20 in order to dispense the dose.

[0060] Naturally, other variant embodiments can also be envisaged without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A device for dispensing a fluid product, comprising a reservoir (10) containing the fluid product and a dispensing head (20), the dispensing head (20) being provided with a dispensing orifice (21) and a radial flange (23), the radial flange (23) forming a finger support during actuation, the reservoir (10) being axially movable relative to the dispensing head (20) during actuation, a stopper / piston (50) being movable in the reservoir (10) so as to dispense the fluid product through the dispensing orifice (21) during actuation, characterized in that, the device comprises a blocking member (100) that blocks the axial movement of the reservoir (10) in the dispensing head (20), the blocking member (100) being movable and / or deformable between a blocking position and a release position, the device comprising an unlocking member (200), the unlocking member (200) being movable between a support position and an unlocking position, in the support position, the blocking member (100) is in the blocking position, and in the unlocking position, the blocking member (100) moves and / or deforms to the release position.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the reservoir (10) is formed by a hollow and closed body, the body comprising a bottom and a single opening, the single opening being sealed by the stopper / piston (50) in the support position.

3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, the device comprising a hollow insert (60) inserted and fixed in the dispensing head (20), the insert (60) supporting a piercing tip (40) for piercing the stopper / piston (50) so as to connect the reservoir (10) to the dispensing orifice (21) during actuation.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the piercing tip (40) is manufactured separately and then assembled in the insert (60), in particular by force fit or by overmolding in the insert (60).

5. The device according to claim 3, wherein the piercing tip (40) is integrally formed with the insert (60).

6. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the blocking member (100) is radially movable and / or deformable between its blocking position and its release position, and the unlocking member (200) is axially movable.

7. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, the device comprising an actuating body (30) for receiving the reservoir (10).

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the blocking member (100) comprises a hollow inner sleeve (101) assembled around the actuating body (30), the hollow inner sleeve (101) comprising a blocking projection (102) extending radially inwards and formed on an elastically deformable first tab (103), the blocking projection (102) cooperating with a first groove (33) of the actuating body (30) in the blocking position of the blocking member (100) so as to block the relative movement between the actuating body (30) and the blocking member (100).

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the first recess (33) is arranged in the upper part (38) of the actuating body (30), the second recess (34) is arranged in the lower part (39) of the actuating body (30), and the outer diameter of the upper part (38) is greater than the diameter of the lower part (39).

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the upper and lower parts (38, 39) are connected by a frustoconical portion (37).

11. The device according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the unlocking member (200) comprises a tubular body (210) having an internal body (201) defining a radial shoulder (202), the radial shoulder axially extending upwardly by an elastically deformable tab (205).

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein in the rest position, the radial shoulder (202) is remote from the axial bottom wall (32) of the actuating body (30).

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein at the start of actuation, the user axially moves the unlocking member (200) upwardly until it contacts the actuating body (30), which causes the blocking member (100) to move and / or deform towards its release position.

14. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the actuating body (30) comprises a radial ring (35) connected to the actuating body (31) by one or more breakable bridges (36), the radial ring (35) cooperating with a part of the dispensing head (20) to form a pre-compression threshold that the user must overcome during actuation to break the breakable bridges (36) so as to actuate the device.

15. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the reservoir (10) contains a single dose of fluid product dispensed in a single actuation.

Images