Fluid substance dispensing device

Abstract

A device (1) for dispensing a fluid substance (S), said device (1) comprising a manually operated pump (2) equipped with a hollow stem (3) which moves in opposition to a spring (4), the hollow stem (3) being coupled with a piston (5) which slides in a sealed manner inside a cup-shaped body (6) so as to define a compression chamber (7) which is coupled with a first valve element (8) for the entry of the fluid substance (S) into said compression chamber (7), the compression chamber (7) being fluidically coupled with a second valve element (9) for the exit of said fluid substance from said compression chamber (7), there being a dispensing button (10) equipped with a dispensing nozzle (11) mounted on the hollow stem (3), the dispensing button having at least one channel (10A) for supplying the fluid substance to the nozzle (11); the nozzle is formed by a substantially rigid body (12) which is fixed in a sealed manner into a seat (10B) in the dispenser button (10), the rigid body (12) being coupled with a deformable body (13) which defines a dispensing port (L) for the fluid substance (S) so that, during dispensing, the deformable body (13) deforms at least in the vicinity of said dispensing port (L) and then returns to its undeformed configuration upon completion of the dispensing.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a fluid substance dispensing device.

[0002] In particular, it relates to a device for dispensing a fluid substance, preferably of the cream type, by means of a manually operated pump. BACKGROUND

[0003] It is known that the problems that arise with the dispensing of cream or cream-like substances by means of a manually operated pump are mainly related to the formation of droplets or hanging streams at the dispensing outlet of the device.

[0004] Another drawback is related to the possibility that, when the cream or cream-like substance comes into contact with the air and remains unused for a long time, it dries, thus obstructing the dispensing outlet with the resulting blockage, which makes subsequent dispensing difficult.

[0005] The generally known systems that minimize the aforementioned problems are complex from a technical point of view and are formed by many parts.

[0006] Although they bring good results, they are expensive and therefore difficult to apply to low-cost products.

[0007] Furthermore, given their inherent complexity, such systems can malfunction and generate a non-negligible amount of waste during their production.

[0008] CN112110030A and US2003231923A1 further describe the known prior art. SUMMARY

[0009] One purpose of the present invention is to provide a fluid substance dispensing device that is improved compared to those according to the prior art.

[0010] Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a dispensing device that is simpler and cheaper compared to those according to the prior art.

[0011] Still another purpose of the present invention is to provide a dispensing device that is less complex and therefore more reliable compared to the generally known devices. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0012] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in the description of a preferred, but non-exclusive, embodiment of the device, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0013] Figure 1 is a simplified cross-sectional view of a device according to the present invention;

[0014] Figure 2 is Figure 1 an enlarged view of the portion encircled in

[0015] Figure 3 is Figure 1 a disassembled rear view of the nozzle of the device in

[0016] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in Figure 3 DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] With reference to the drawings, the reference numeral 1 is used to indicate as a whole a device for dispensing a fluid substance.

[0018] The device 1 for dispensing a fluid substance S comprises a pump 2 operated manually.

[0019] In the present wording, the term "fluid substance S" means a fluid substance substantially dense, such as a cream, a soap, or a cosmetic fluid or a medical fluid for use in cosmetics.

[0020] The pump 2 is equipped with a hollow stem 3 for the operation and movement against a spring 4.

[0021] The hollow stem 3 is coupled with a piston 5 for the movement of said hollow stem, said piston sliding in a sealed manner within a cup-shaped body 6 so as to define a compression chamber 7, said compression chamber being coupled with a first valve element 8 for the entry of the fluid substance S into the compression chamber 7.

[0022] The first valve element 8 can be arranged on the bottom of the compression chamber 7 and intercepts a passage which can be coupled with a dip tube T, if necessary. If the pump is coupled with a deformable bag of the airless type, said dip tube can be absent.

[0023] The pump can be coupled with a container C in which the fluid substance S can be contained (freely or within a deformable airless bag).

[0024] The compression chamber 7 is fluidically coupled with a second valve element 9 for the exit of the fluid substance S from the compression chamber 7. In the example illustrated, the second valve element 9 comprises the piston 5 which slides along said stem to open or close a passage 9A for the fluid flow into the cavity of the stem 3.

[0025] It should be noted that, for simplicity of construction and assembly, in this case the stem 3 is formed by two portions coupled with each other by a snap fit.

[0026] Mounted on the hollow stem 3A, at one of the free ends thereof, is a dispensing button 10 equipped with a dispensing nozzle 11.

[0027] ​The dispensing button has at least one channel 10A for feeding the fluid substance to the nozzle 11, said at least one channel substantially communicating the cavity of the stem with said nozzle.

[0028] According to the application, the nozzle 11 is formed by a substantially rigid body 12, which is snap-coupled in a sealed manner with a seat 10B in the dispenser button 10.

[0029] The rigid body 12 is coupled with a deformable body 13 so as to form the nozzle 11, said deformable body defining a dispensing port L for the fluid substance S.

[0030] During dispensing, and therefore when the fluid substance flows into the dispensing port L, the deformable body 13 deforms at least in the vicinity of the dispensing port L (see the dashed line in Figure 2 , so as to allow the constant dispensing of the fluid substance S through the port L.

[0031] Once dispensing is completed, the deformable body 13 returns to its undeformed configuration, thereby substantially closing the dispensing port.

[0032] The deformable body 13 alone defines said dispensing port.

[0033] As can be seen from Figure 3 , the deformable body can define a cross-shaped dispensing port L; said port can also be configured as a linear segment or "cut-out", etc. The cross shape preferably has four arms, but configurations with three, five, six, eight arms, etc. can also be envisaged.

[0034] When the deformable body 13 is in the undeformed configuration, the dispensing port L can allow a slight passage for air between the channel 10A and the outside. In this way, at the first delivery, it is possible to "bleed" the compression chamber 7 of the pump to remove the air present therein (before filling said chamber with the substance S to be dispensed).

[0035] In this wording, the term "slight passage for air" means that the port L has a slight possibility of air leakage. Essentially, the port L can be configured to allow the flow of air from the dispensing channel, but prevents the drop or flow of the fluid substance S, which is denser than air.

[0036] The presence of this slight air leakage through the dispensing port, which should be reminded is intended to facilitate and allow priming, minimizes the possibility of the fluid substance S drying at the dispensing port. In fact, the portion of fluid substance S in contact with air has a very small volume, and even if this portion dries due to contact with air, it does not adversely affect subsequent dispensing, precisely due to the small or negligible volume of this portion.

[0037] Preferably, according to the present application, the deformable body 13 is coupled with the rigid body 12 by overmolding and therefore forms substantially a single component with the rigid body 12.

[0038] This technique makes it possible to mold one section of the component (for example the rigid body 12) in a single molding process in a first step and to inject the second section (13) onto the first section by means of a movement inside the mold in a second step. This technique makes it possible to produce a component consisting of a single component but made of materials having different mechanical / physical characteristics. The attachment of the two components is achieved by means of chemical bonding between the two materials. A mechanical anchoring system can also be envisaged, which is substantially a protrusion or a groove 40 formed on or in the surface of the rigid body 12 and therefore at the interface between the rigid body and the deformable body. The presence of said protrusion or groove 40, which can have any configuration, increases the contact surface between the two overmolded components and creates an undercut intended to improve and stabilize the adhesion over time.

[0039] Advantageously, the rigid body 12 can be made of one or more of the following plastic materials: HDPE (high-density polyethylene) - PP (polypropylene) - PA (polyamide) - SANTOPRENE - HYTREL - PBT (polybutylene terephthalate).

[0040] The deformable body, remembering that it can be overmolded onto the rigid body, can advantageously be made of one or more of the following materials: LDPE (low-density polyethylene) - PA (polyamide) - SANTOPRENE - HYTREL - RUBBER.

[0041] At the same time, the dispenser button 10 is advantageously made of PP (polypropylene) - PETG (polyethylene terephthalate) - ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) - PA (polyamide).

[0042] For aesthetic purposes, the dispensing button 10 can be encapsulated with a cover 20, for example made of metal or plastic with a glossy finish, etc. The cover can be given an opening 20A at said nozzle 11.

[0043] In order to effectively couple with the nozzle, the dispensing button 10 can have a cylindrical element 30 at the seat 10B, on which the nozzle 11 is fitted (see Figure 2 For further information).

[0044] The cylindrical element is distanced from the deformable body 13, thus allowing its free movement.

[0045] The nozzle 11 can have a centring rib N on the cylindrical element 30.

[0046] This type of coupling minimises the risk of both the cylindrical element 30 and the rigid body 12 of the nozzle 11 becoming elliptical, thus making it possible to machine-assemble the present invention in any case.

[0047] As clearly visible in Figure 4 The nozzle 11, or rather the rigid body 12, can have on the outside a protruding annular edge 31 which is coupled in a sealed manner with the seat 10B by means of an interference fit. This allows the nozzle to be snap-fitted into its seat.

[0048] From the analysis of Figure 3 It is noted that, at the dispensing port L, the deformable body 13 can have at least two, preferably four, flexible blades 32 which define the dispensing port L.

[0049] When they are in the deformed configuration or during passage of the substance S through the port, these blades are shown in dotted line in Figure 2 .

[0050] There can also be three flexible blades. In this case, the configuration of the dispensing port will have three linear segments branching out from the centre. Obviously, there can also be more than four flexible blades.

[0051] In at least one region where they face each other, the flexible blades 32 can have inclined surfaces 33 converging towards the outside of the nozzle 11. This configuration is beneficial for causing the flexible blades to deform when the substance S is dispensed and improves the "cutting off" of the dripping of the substance S from the dispensing port.

[0052] Basically, the flexible blades 32 of the deformable body 13 define the dispensing port L in the portion where at least two of them (directly) face each other.

[0053] It has been seen that the described invention is simple to make and optimises the dispensing of a substance which is creamy or has a certain density, minimising the possibility of dripping and substantially "protecting" the bulk of the substance S left behind the nozzle 11 from the air and thus minimising or eliminating the volume of this substance S which would otherwise dry out.

[0054] Various embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed herein, but further embodiments can be conceived using the same innovative concept.

Claims

1. A dispensing device (1) of a fluid substance (S) comprising a manually operated pump (2) equipped with a hollow stem (3) movable with respect to an elastic element (4), said hollow stem (3) being associated with a piston (5) sliding sealingly within a cup-shaped body (6) to define a compression chamber (7), said compression chamber (7) being associated with a first valve element (8) for the entry of the fluid substance (S) into the compression chamber (7), said compression chamber (7) being fluidically associated with a second valve element (9) for the exit of the fluid substance from the compression chamber (7), a dispensing button (10) equipped with a dispensing nozzle (11) being mounted on the hollow stem (3), said dispensing button providing at least one passage (10A) for the feeding of the fluid substance to the nozzle (11), characterized in that, The nozzle (11) is formed by a rigid body (12) sealingly fixed in a seat (10B) of the dispensing button (10), the rigid body (12) being associated with a deformable body (13) which alone defines a dispensing port (L) of the fluid substance (S) so that, during dispensing, the deformable body (13) deforms at least in the vicinity of the dispensing port (L), returning to its non-deformed configuration upon completion of dispensing, the deformable body (13) being overmoulded on the rigid body (12), wherein, when the deformable body (13) is in the non-deformed configuration, the dispensing port (L) allows a minimum passage of air between the channel (10A) and the outside for allowing the air flow from the channel (10A) but preventing the fluid substance (S) from dripping or flowing.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The rigid body has grooves and / or protrusions (40) configured to improve the adhesion between the deformable body and the rigid body by forming an undercut.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The dispensing button (10) has a cylindrical element (30) corresponding to the seat (10B) on which the nozzle (11) fits, the cylindrical element (30) being distanced from the deformable body (13).

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein, The nozzle (11) has a rib (N) formed on the rigid body (12) and which centralises the nozzle (11) on the cylindrical element (30).

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The deformable body defines a dispensing port (L) configured as a cross-shaped section or a linear section.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein, The nozzle has a protruding annular edge (31) on the outside which is coupled with the seat (10B) tightly and by interference fit.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The deformable body (13) has, corresponding to the dispensing port (L), at least two flexible blades (32) which define the dispensing port (L).

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein, The deformable body (13) has, corresponding to the dispensing port (L), four flexible blades (32) which define the dispensing port (L).

9. The apparatus of claim 7 or 8, wherein, The blades (32) present, corresponding to at least one zone in which they face each other, an inclined surface (33) converging towards the outside of the nozzle (11).

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The dispensing button (10) is covered for aesthetic purposes by a cover (20) provided with an opening (20A) corresponding to the nozzle (11).

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The dispensing port (L) is defined by at least two flexible blades (32) of the deformable body (13) which directly face each other.

Images