Hand-operated pump

Abstract

The invention relates to a hand-operated pump distributor, comprising: a body comprising a pump chamber, an inlet communicating with the pump chamber, an outlet communicating with the pump chamber, an inlet valve mounted between the pump chamber and the inlet, an outlet valve mounted between the pump chamber and the outlet, a piston, the invention relates to a variable displacement pump comprising a pump chamber having a variable volume, mounted in the pump chamber for defining a variable volume in the pump chamber and movable between a retracted position of a larger chamber volume and an inserted position of a smaller chamber volume,-wherein the pump chamber has a tapered shape.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a dispenser for liquid products, in particular to a so-called "trigger pump" having a trigger operable to drive a piston along a pump cavity to press liquid product under pressure from the pump cavity and through a dispensing orifice in a nozzle.

[0002] Prior art trigger pumps are described in WO2022023579.

[0003] In the plastic packaging industry, there is an increasing focus on sustainability and reducing environmental impact. This has led to an increased use of recycled plastic materials in the production of plastic packaging products.

[0004] As the use of recycled plastic in packaging becomes more widespread, new challenges arise to ensure the quality and consistency of the products. Recycled plastic materials do not have the same properties as virgin plastic materials, which can affect the performance and appearance of the final packaging product.

[0005] It has been found that in a dispenser having a pump cavity and a piston made from a mixture of recycled and virgin plastic, leakage between the piston and the pump cavity occurs earlier than with a pump cavity and piston made from virgin plastic only.

[0006] It is an object of the present invention to create a product that can be manufactured using virgin, recycled or a combination of both materials, while still maintaining high performance standards.

[0007] According to a first aspect, the present invention relates to a trigger pump dispenser comprising:

[0008] - a body comprising:

[0009] - a pump cavity

[0010] - an inlet in communication with said pump cavity

[0011] - an outlet in communication with said pump cavity

[0012] - an inlet valve mounted between the pump cavity and the inlet

[0013] - an outlet valve mounted between the pump cavity and the outlet

[0014] - a piston mounted in said pump cavity for defining a variable volume in said pump cavity and movable between a retracted position of a larger chamber volume and an inserted position of a smaller chamber volume,

[0015] - wherein said pump cavity has a conical shape. The conical shape of the pump cavity allows to prevent or at least delay leakage, in particular for pump cavities and pistons containing recycled plastic.

[0016] The conical shape of the pump cavity means that the pump cavity is essentially a truncated cone with two open ends. The larger open end allows the piston to be inserted inside the pump cavity. The smaller open end allows the liquid to pass in and out of the pump cavity through the inlet valve and the outlet valve.

[0017] In some embodiments, the pump cavity is characterized in that the conical shape of the pump cavity has a half angle of 0.1° to 0.5°, preferably 0.2° to 0.4°. Without being bound by any theory, this half angle range provides the best leakage prevention effect.

[0018] In the context of the present patent, the half angle of a conical pump cavity is the angle formed by the intersection of a plane passing through one of the inclined sides of the conical pump cavity with the axis of rotation of the conical pump cavity.

[0019] It was observed that in most embodiments, the movement of the piston is not a linear movement, but a slightly curved movement. Therefore, a solution is needed to prevent leakage between the piston and the outer wall of the piston cavity.

[0020] The piston is defined by a length and comprises a first sealing lip having a determined length and a determined thickness, and a second sealing lip having a determined length and a determined thickness.

[0021] In some embodiments, the ratio of the length of the first sealing lip to the length of the second sealing lip is 2 to 6, preferably 3 to 5. Such a ratio allows to prevent said leakage.

[0022] In some embodiments, the ratio of the length of the first sealing lip to the thickness of the first sealing lip is 9 to 18. In some embodiments, the ratio of the length of the second sealing lip to the thickness of the second sealing lip is 3.5 to 8. Such a ratio allows to prevent said leakage.

[0023] In some embodiments, the ratio of the length of the first sealing lip to the average diameter of the pump cavity is 0.51 to 0.61, preferably 0.53 to 0.59. In some embodiments, the ratio of the length of the second sealing lip to the average diameter of the pump cavity is 0.08 to 0.18, preferably 0.10 to 0.16. Such a ratio allows to prevent said leakage.

[0024] In the present specification and claims, the term "average diameter of the pump cavity" is understood to be the average between the diameters of the two open sides of the pump cavity.

[0025] The application will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0026] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of a hand pump dispenser according to various embodiments of the application is shown.

[0027] Figure 2A cross-sectional view of the body of a hand-cuff pump dispenser is shown in accordance with various embodiments of the present application.

[0028] Figure 3 A perspective view of a hand-cuff pump dispenser is shown in accordance with various embodiments of the present application.

[0029] Figure 4 An exploded view of a hand-cuff pump dispenser is shown in accordance with various embodiments of the present application.

[0030] Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of a piston is shown in accordance with various embodiments of the present application.

[0031] Figure 6 A cross-sectional view of a portion of a piston is shown in accordance with various embodiments of the present application.

[0032] Figure 7 A perspective view of a piston is shown in accordance with various embodiments of the present application.

[0033] Figure 8 A perspective view of a piston is shown in accordance with various embodiments of the present application.

[0034] The different aspects and / or embodiments of the present application can be used individually or together.

[0035] Other particular and preferred aspects of the present application are set out in the accompanying independent and dependent claims. The features of the dependent claims can be combined with the features of the independent claims as appropriate and can be combined in other combinations than those explicitly set out in the claims.

[0036] The present application will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0037] Thus, although the embodiments can be modified and varied, and be embodied in various alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown and described in detail to illustrate the principles of the application. It is to be understood that this application is not limited to the particular examples disclosed, nor to the specific forms which the methods for practicing the application are recited to have been implemented. Rather, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the following claims. Where appropriate, elements of the example embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the drawings and the detailed description.

[0038] The terminology used herein to describe embodiments is not intended to be limiting in scope. The articles "a," "an," and "the" are singular in that they have a single referent, but the use of the singular form in the present document is not intended to exclude the presence of more than one referent. In other words, unless the context clearly allows for it, the use of a singular term will also be taken to cover a plural term. It will also be further understood that the terms "comprise" and "comprising," when used in this document, specify the presence of stated features, items, steps, operations, elements, and / or components but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, items, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0039] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an overly legal or formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

[0040] While the illustrative embodiments of the application have been disclosed herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the application is not limited to the precise embodiments shown, and that various changes and modifications can be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the application.

[0041] A finger grip pump dispenser according to one embodiment of the application is shown in Figure 1 The finger grip pump dispenser 1 comprises a body 11 comprising a conical pump cavity 20. The conical pump cavity 20 comprises an outer wall 21. In this embodiment, the half angle of the conical pump cavity 20 is 0.3°. As Figure 2 shown, the half angle is formed by the intersection of a plane 201 through one of the inclined sides of the conical pump cavity 20 with the axis of rotation 202 of the pump cavity 20.

[0042] The body 11 comprises an inlet 23 and an outlet 24 in communication with the pump cavity 20.

[0043] In some embodiments, as Figure 1 shown, the pump cavity comprises a vent 27.

[0044] An inlet valve 25 is mounted between the pump cavity 20 and the inlet 23. When the pump cavity volume is increased by movement of the piston from the inserted position to the retracted position, liquid to be dispensed is drawn into the pump cavity through the inlet, the inlet valve 25 being adapted to open the inlet at this time.

[0045] An outlet valve 26 is mounted between the pump cavity 20 and the outlet 24. When the pump cavity volume is decreased, liquid therein is dispensed through the outlet, the outlet valve 26 being adapted to open the outlet at this time, and to close when the pump cavity volume is increased. In some embodiments, the outlet valve 26 is deformable under a force applied to the outlet valve 26.

[0046] In some embodiments, the outlet valve comprises a pre-compression valve that only allows liquid to pass through the outlet after a predetermined elevated pressure is reached.

[0047] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1, the inlet valve 25 and the outlet valve 26 can be connected to each other. Figure 1

[0048] In some alternative embodiments, the inlet valve and the outlet valve can be combined into a single valve that performs both valve functions.

[0049] In some embodiments, the body 11 comprises a tube retainer 12.

[0050] In some embodiments, the tube retainer 12 is integrally formed with the body 11. In some alternative embodiments, the tube retainer can be assembled into a portion of the body.

[0051] In some embodiments, the trigger pump dispenser can comprise an attachment system 70 for securing the trigger pump dispenser to a container.

[0052] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1, the attachment system 70 can be assembled into a portion of the body 11. In some alternative embodiments, the attachment system is integrally formed with the body 11. Figure 1

[0053] For example, the attachment system can comprise a bayonet attachment system molded with the body 11, a bayonet attachment system molded in a separate component, a screw-on attachment system molded as a separate component, or any other conventional attachment system.

[0054] The trigger pump dispenser comprises a piston 30 that is capable of being installed in the pump cavity 20 and capable of changing the volume inside the pump cavity 20.

[0055] In some embodiments, the trigger pump dispenser can comprise a nozzle 40. In some embodiments, the nozzle 40 is assembled or fitted to the body 11.

[0056] In some embodiments, the trigger pump dispenser can comprise a shroud 41. The shroud allows for control of the dispensed liquid and protects the user and surrounding surfaces from accidental exposure.

[0057] In some embodiments, the trigger pump dispenser can comprise a shroud 50. In some embodiments, the shroud is attached or fitted to the body 11.

[0058] ​​In some embodiments, the hand-held pump dispenser includes a trigger 60 and a resilient element 61 for biasing the trigger toward its home position. The trigger 60 is coupled to the piston 30 and is movable from a home position in which the piston is in the retracted position to a depressed position in which the piston is in the inserted position. The trigger 60 and the resilient element 61 can be formed in a single assembly.

[0059] In some embodiments, the resilient element can include a pair of curved spring arms that are spaced apart from each other.

[0060] The spring arms can be unconnected except by the trigger. The arms can be connected to the trigger at a hinge point, whereby the arms can hinge relative to the trigger in use. This can be used, for example, to provide a more powerful spring action. It will be appreciated that various embodiments of the present application can incorporate other trigger and resilient element combinations, including such combinations that include a trigger and a spring.

[0061] In some embodiments, during use, actuation of the trigger 60 causes the piston 30 to move within the pump cavity 20 between its retracted position and its inserted position, thereby reducing the internal volume of the chamber and pushing product toward the outlet 24. This movement exerts a force on the outlet valve 26 that causes the outlet valve 26 to open when the force exceeds a predetermined threshold. As a result, product flows through the outlet valve 26, the outlet 24, and the nozzle 40. Subsequently, the resilient means 61 initiates a suction stroke during which the piston 30 moves away from the valve and toward its retracted position, thereby creating a vacuum within the cylinder cavity. This vacuum creates negative pressure in the pump cavity 20, causing the inlet valve 25 to collapse and allowing liquid to enter the pump cavity 20 through the inlet 23. The piston 30 remains in its retracted position until the trigger 60 is actuated again, at which point the cycle repeats.

[0062] A cross-sectional view of the body 11 is shown in Figure 2 The body 11 includes a conical pump cavity 20, the volume of which is represented by the hatched area. In some embodiments, the body 11 includes a piston housing 28 in the extension of the pump cavity 20 and in the direction of the trigger 60. The piston housing 28 is capable of housing the piston in the retracted position. In some embodiments, the body includes a valve housing 29 in the extension of the pump cavity 20 and in the direction of the inlet 23 and the outlet 24. One or more valves, such as the inlet valve and the outlet valve, can be mounted in the valve housing. As shown in Figure 2 The valve housing 29 can include ribs 291, 292, 293 to retain the inlet valve between the pump cavity 20 and the inlet 23 and the outlet valve between the pump cavity and the outlet 24. This can be achieved by blocking the sides of the valves with the ribs and / or by locking the ribs into recesses of the valves.

[0063] A perspective view of a hand-held pump dispenser 1 according to various embodiments of the present application is shown in Figure 3An exploded view of a hand-cuff pump dispenser according to various embodiments of the present application is shown in

[0064] An exploded view of a hand-cuff pump dispenser according to various embodiments of the present application is shown in Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, the hand-cuff pump dispenser comprises an assembly comprising: a body 11 comprising a pump cavity 20 comprising an outer wall 21 having a conical shape and a back wall 22; an inlet 23; an outlet 24; an inlet valve 25; an outlet valve 26; a piston 30; a nozzle 40; a shutter 41; a shroud 50; a trigger 60; a resilient element 61; an attachment system 70; and a dip tube 71.

[0065] A cross-sectional view of a piston 30 according to various embodiments of the present application is shown in Figures 5 to 7

[0066] In some embodiments, the piston 30 is a single piece comprising a piston stem 33, a piston base 34, a first sealing lip 31, and a second sealing lip 32.

[0067] As shown in Figure 5 The piston stem 33 can be a tube or a hollow cylinder. A first end 33A of the piston stem 33 is capable of being connected or linked to the trigger.

[0068] The piston base 34 is a cylinder, one end 34A of which can be open and the other end 34B of which can be closed, surrounding a portion of the piston stem 33.

[0069] The first sealing lip 31 is a substantially frustoconical portion, extending from the open end 34A of the piston base, opposite the first end 33A of the piston, and away from the piston stem 33. The diameter of the first sealing lip 31 is larger on the side opposite the first end 33A of the piston.

[0070] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 5 The piston comprises a hollow cylinder 35 extending from the first sealing lip 31 towards the first end 33A of the piston stem 33, and having an axis of rotation substantially parallel to the piston stem 33. The diameter of the hollow cylinder 35 is larger than the diameter of the piston base 34.

[0071] The second sealing lip 32 is a substantially frustoconical portion, extending from the hollow cylinder 35, opposite the first end 33A of the piston, and away from the piston stem 33. The diameter of the second sealing lip 32 is larger on the side opposite the first end 33A of the piston. ​

[0072] As shown in Figures 5 to 7 , the piston 30 can be defined by its length 30L, which is the distance between its two opposite ends 33A and 33B. The first sealing lip 31 can be defined by a length 31L and a thickness 31T. As shown in Figure 5 , the length 31L of the first sealing lip 31 corresponds to the perpendicular distance between the two base planes of the truncated cone that is the first sealing lip 31. As shown in Figure 6 , the thickness 31T of the first sealing lip 31 is the distance perpendicular to its slope height.

[0073] The second sealing lip 32 can be defined by a length 32L and a thickness 32T. As shown in Figure 5 , the length 32L of the second sealing lip 32 corresponds to the perpendicular distance between the two base planes of the truncated cone that is the second sealing lip 32. As shown in Figure 6 , the thickness 32T of the second sealing lip 32 is the distance perpendicular to its slope height.

[0074] In the embodiment shown in Figure 5 , the ratio of the length 31L of the first sealing lip 31 to the length 32L of the second sealing lip 32 is 4.2.

[0075] In the embodiment shown in Figure 6 , the ratio of the length 31L to the thickness 31T is 14.

[0076] In the embodiment shown in Figure 6 , the ratio of the length 32L to the thickness 32T is 6.0.

[0077] As shown in the figure, the conical pump cavity 20 has an average diameter, which is the average between the diameters 20D1 and 20D2 of the two open sides of the pump cavity 20.

[0078] In the embodiment shown in Figure 6 , the ratio of the length 31L of the first sealing lip 31 to the average diameter 20D of the pump cavity 20 is 0.56.

[0079] In the embodiment shown in Figure 6 , the ratio of the length 32L of the second sealing lip 32 to the average diameter 20D of the pump cavity 20 is 0.13.

[0080] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 8 , the piston 30 comprises a base 34 comprising ribs 341. Such ribs help the demolding of the piston. In some preferred embodiments, the piston comprises between 4 and 10 ribs. The ribs 341 extend in a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the piston base 34. In some preferred embodiments, the ribs 341 extend along the entire length of the piston base 34. In some preferred embodiments, the ribs 341 are evenly distributed around the piston base 34.

[0081] In some embodiments, the body and the piston are formed from 10 to 100 weight percent recycled plastic. In some embodiments, the body and the piston are formed from 30 to 100 weight percent recycled plastic. In some embodiments, the body and the piston are formed from 50 to 100 weight percent recycled plastic.

[0082] Recycled plastic, as used in this patent application, refers to plastic materials that have been previously used and processed through collection, sorting, cleaning, and reprocessing techniques to make new products or manufacturing feedstock. These materials can originate from a variety of sources, including post-consumer waste, post-industrial waste, and agricultural waste. The recycling process includes breaking down used plastics into smaller pieces or melting them, removing contaminants, and transforming them into new plastic products or manufacturing feedstock.

Claims

1. A hand-cuff pump dispenser comprising: - a body comprising: - a pump cavity - an inlet communicating with said pump cavity - an outlet communicating with said pump cavity - an inlet valve mounted between said pump cavity and said inlet - an outlet valve mounted between said pump cavity and said outlet - a piston mounted in said pump cavity for defining a variable volume in said pump cavity and movable between a retracted position of a larger chamber volume and an inserted position of a smaller chamber volume, - wherein said pump cavity has a conical shape.

2. The finger grip pump dispenser of claim 1, wherein The conical shape of said pump cavity has a half-angle comprised between 0.1° and 0.5°.

3. The finger grip pump dispenser of claim 2, wherein, The conical shape of said pump cavity has a half-angle comprised between 0.2° and 0.4°.

4. The finger pump dispenser according to any of the preceding claims, wherein, Said piston comprises a first sealing lip and a second sealing lip and the length of said first sealing lip is comprised between 2 and 6 times the length of said second sealing lip.

5. The finger grip pump dispenser of claim 4, wherein, The length of said first sealing lip is comprised between 3 and 5 times the length of said second sealing lip.

6. The finger pump dispenser according to any of the preceding claims, wherein, Said piston comprises a first sealing lip and a second sealing lip and the ratio of the length of said first sealing lip to the thickness of said first sealing lip is comprised between 9 and 18.

7. The finger grip pump dispenser of claim 6, wherein Said piston comprises a first sealing lip and a second sealing lip and the ratio of the length of said second sealing lip to the thickness of said second sealing lip is comprised between 3.5 and 8.

8. The finger pump dispenser according to any of the preceding claims, wherein, Said piston comprises a first sealing lip and a second sealing lip and the ratio of the length of said first sealing lip to the average diameter of said pump cavity is comprised between 0.51 and 0.

61.

9. The finger pump dispenser according to any of the preceding claims, wherein, Said piston comprises a first sealing lip and a second sealing lip and the ratio of the length of said second sealing lip to the average diameter of said pump cavity is comprised between 0.08 and 0.

18.

10. The finger pump dispenser according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that Said piston comprises a base comprising a rib.

11. The finger pump dispenser according to any of the preceding claims, wherein Said body and said piston are formed from 10 to 100 weight percent of recycled plastic.

12. The finger grip pump dispenser of claim 11, wherein, Said body and said piston are formed from 30 to 100 weight percent of recycled plastic.

13. The finger grip pump dispenser of claim 12, wherein, Said body and said piston are formed from 50 to 100 weight percent of recycled plastic.

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