Dispenser for dispensing care substances

Abstract

Dispenser (2) for dispensing care substances, comprising a housing (4) surrounding at least one chamber (20; 40), a piston (26; 46) movable in the chamber (20; 40), an actuating device (6) for moving the piston (26; 46) to dispense the care substance from the chamber (20; 40), and a dispensing opening (22; 42) exposed on the outside of the housing (4) for dispensing the care substance from the chamber, characterized in that at least two chambers (20; 40) are provided, each of which is assigned a piston (26; 46), and that the actuating device (6) is designed such that, when the actuating device (6) is actuated, the at least two pistons (26; 46) are moved relative to each other in a predetermined ratio.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a dispenser for dispensing care substances, comprising at least one chamber surrounded by a dispenser housing. A piston closing the chamber is movably mounted within the chamber. The dispenser further comprises an actuating device for displacing the piston relative to the chamber. This relative movement changes the volume of the chamber. This allows the care substance contained in the chamber to be dispensed. For this purpose, the dispenser has an exposed dispensing opening on the outside of the housing that communicates with the chamber.

[0002] The present invention is based on the problem of providing a dispenser of the type mentioned above that is suitable for dispensing various care substances in a predetermined ratio. These are preferably care substances that exhibit a particular combinatorial effect when mixed, so that it is desirable to store the care substances separately from one another and only mix them together to form a blended care substance immediately before applying the care substances to the skin.

[0003] In view of this, the present invention proposes providing at least two chambers on the dispenser. Each of the chambers is assigned a piston for discharging the care substance contained in the respective chamber. Furthermore, the actuating device is designed such that, upon actuation of the actuating device, the at least two pistons are moved relative to one another in a predetermined ratio.

[0004] The dispenser according to the invention accordingly has at least two, optionally three, or more than three chambers. These chambers are each provided with a piston. The piston is each provided with a spindle and is thus drivingly connected to the spindle in order to jointly advance the pistons upon actuation of the actuating device, so that they discharge the care substance contained in the respective chamber toward at least one dispensing opening associated with the respective chamber.

[0005] The mixing ratio can be adjusted through design features. These design features include the pitch of each spindle, so that, assuming the same angular speed of the spindle, the pistons are advanced to different distances in the longitudinal direction of the spindle. The mixing ratio can also be adjusted by varying the base areas of the chambers and, subsequently, the areas of the respective pistons. It goes without saying that both measures can be combined. It also goes without saying that, in the case of an unequal mixing ratio, the chambers are designed so that the volumes are adapted to the mixing ratio, making the dispenser suitable for the largest possible storage of the care substances.

[0006] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the housing has a mixing surface on its exterior. The dispensing openings associated with the chambers are exposed in this mixing surface. Typically, the dispensing openings are located opposite a lower end of the dispenser, where the actuating device is typically located. The mixing surface is preferably formed by a cover cap, which, on its side opposite the mixing surface, can form receptacles, holders, or bearings for all spindles. This cover can be rigidly connected to a housing base, which is typically cylindrical and extends between the actuating device and the cover, and also typically supports the movable actuating device.

[0007] This cover can be detachably or permanently connected to the housing base. With a detachable connection, a snap-in connection is preferable, as it allows the dispenser to be refilled. This can be done by filling the individual chambers yourself or by exchanging chamber housings filled with care substances, each of which forms different chambers of the dispenser and is housed in the housing base. The cover is usually provided with a detachable cap on its outside, which protects the mixing surface and the dispensing openings from the environment and is removed before using the dispenser to apply a mixed care substance.

[0008] The mixing surface is preferably concave or convex. A concave mixing surface forms a depression on the outside of the dispenser, which is suitable for mixing the care substances to be mixed with the user's fingers on the mixing surface and can also hold larger quantities of care substances if necessary. A convexly curved mixing surface is particularly suitable for directly applying the care substances to the user's skin, so that the care substances provided on the mixing surface can be wiped off the mixing surface when applied to the skin, smeared together, and thus mixed and further blended on the skin.

[0009] It is understood that the pistons are drivingly coupled to the spindles, so that a rotational movement of the piston relative to the spindle results in the piston being moved axially relative to the spindle and thus translationally. For this purpose, the spindle can be rotatable, whereas the piston is non-rotatable relative to the spindle and is arranged in the dispenser so that it cannot rotate. However, a design is also conceivable in which the piston is arranged so that it can rotate relative to a spindle that is fixed in the dispenser so that it cannot rotate, and accordingly moves translationally. It is understood that different solutions can be selected for different pistons in a single dispenser.

[0010] The actuating device preferably has a pivoting actuating element. This is usually mounted on the housing for rotation. Typically, the actuating element is an adjusting wheel that is mounted on the housing for rotation and also forms a base for the dispenser, allowing it to be placed with the dispensing openings facing upwards.

[0011] According to a first variant, the spindle is drivingly coupled to the actuating element. Such a configuration is easily achieved by directly driving the spindle to the actuating element. Particularly preferably, all spindles are directly connected to the actuating element. The actuating element preferably has a sun gear. Each spindle has a planet gear. The planet gears of the respective spindles interact internally with the sun gear and, opposite the sun gear, with an inner circumferential surface of a housing part in the manner of a planetary gear. This means that when the sun gear rotates, on the one hand, the planet gears rotate about their central longitudinal axis and, on the other hand, are rotated circumferentially around the axis of rotation of the sun gear.For this design, it is preferable, but not necessary, that the sun gear, the planet gear, and the inner circumferential surface of the housing part each be provided with teeth. A design in which the corresponding gears merely roll against each other with frictional engagement and interact accordingly with the inner circumferential surface of the housing part is also conceivable. This design entails the necessity of forming the respective chambers in chamber housings, which, together with the respective planet gears and thus the associated spindles, rotate circumferentially around the central longitudinal axis of the sun gear. It goes without saying that the discharge opening remains stationary. This results in a relative movement of the individual chambers relative to the discharge openings.The care substances present at the dispensing openings are thus guided past the dispensing openings, which makes it possible to scrape them off at least partially. For this purpose, appropriate projections can be provided on the dispensing opening. This makes it possible to discharge highly viscous care substances in an improved manner.

[0012] The preferred design with a sun gear and planetary gears also offers the possibility of utilizing the overlapping rotations of the spindles to minimize the amount of care substance being drawn out of at least one chamber. Due to the design, the spindle pitch cannot be less than a certain degree. However, the overlapping of the spindle's rotational movement around its longitudinal axis and the resulting circumferential rotation of the spindle around the sun gear can result in a reduced relative rotation between the spindle and the piston drivingly coupled to it.

[0013] In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, a chamber housing surrounding the chamber is rotatably mounted in the housing and drivingly coupled to the actuating element, such that actuation of the actuating element by pivoting, preferably rotating, leads to a rotary movement of the chamber housing. The piston arranged in the associated chamber housing is axially displaceable but torsionally fixed to the corresponding chamber housing and, as usual, is penetrated by a spindle which is torsionally fixed. In this way, several chamber housings can be provided, such that actuation of the actuating element leads to a rotation of the chamber housings, due to which the corresponding pistons are rotated with the chamber housings and twisted relative to the spindles to which they are drivingly coupled. Since these are not rotatably mounted, a translational relative movement of the pistons relative to the spindles results.

[0014] Such a design can also be achieved by designing said chamber housing in the manner of a spindle. This chamber housing surrounds a centrally arranged chamber of the dispenser. The outer peripheral surface of the corresponding chamber housing, designed as a spindle, is drivingly coupled to an annular piston that is mounted in a rotationally fixed manner, so that rotation of the central chamber housing leads to a translational movement of the annular piston.

[0015] Further details and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective side view of a first embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 a longitudinal section view of the Fig. 1 shown embodiment; Fig. 3 a longitudinal sectional view of a second embodiment; Fig. 4 a sectional view along the line IV-IV as shown in Fig. 3, perpendicular to its plane of representation; Fig. 5 a sectional view along the line VV as shown in Fig. 3, perpendicular to its plane of representation; Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of a third embodiment; Fig. 7 a sectional view along the line VII-VII as shown in Fig. 6, perpendicular to its plane of representation; Fig. 8 a sectional view along the line VIII-VIII as shown in Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a plan view of the top side of the first to third embodiments; Fig. 10 to longitudinal sectional view of a fourth embodiment; Fig. 11 a sectional view along the line XI-XI as shown in Fig. 9, perpendicular to its plane of representation; Fig. 12 a sectional view along the line XII-XII as shown in Fig. 9; Fig. 13 a sectional view along the line XIII-XIII as shown in Fig. 9 and Fig. 14 is a perspective side view of a fifth embodiment of the invention.

[0016] In the drawing, identical components are designated by identical reference numerals. Reference numeral 2 designates the dispenser as a whole, wherein a first chamber is designated by reference numeral 20 and a second chamber is designated by reference numeral 40, which are arranged in a housing 4 comprising a rotatably mounted adjusting wheel 8 as the actuating device 6. This adjusting wheel 8 forms a base 10. Between this base 10 and the free upper end of the housing 4 is a cylindrical housing base 12, which rotatably supports the adjusting wheel 8 and which, on the side opposite the adjusting wheel 6, is provided with a cover 14 that serves as an applicator and, for this purpose, has a first dispensing opening 22 assigned to the first chamber 20 and a second dispensing opening 42 assigned to the second chamber 40. These corresponding dispensing openings 22, 44 communicate with the respective chambers 20, 40.

[0017] Reference numeral 16 denotes a cap that is removably attached to the housing 4 and covers the cover 14. On the side facing the cap 16, the cover 14 forms a convex mixing surface 18.

[0018] The first chamber 20 is in the first embodiment according to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 is centrally penetrated by a first spindle 24, which is drivingly coupled to a first piston 26, for which purpose the spindle threads of the spindle 24 are in engagement with a corresponding configuration of the piston 26. In a corresponding manner, a second spindle 44 provided in the second chamber 40 is drivingly coupled to a second piston 46.

[0019] In the embodiment according to the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the chambers 20, 40 are each formed by first and second chamber housings 28, 48, which have a non-rotationally symmetrical base surface in order to optimally adapt to the interior space formed by the housing base 12. The chamber housings 28, 48 are penetrated by the spindles 24, 44, which form bearing pins 24.2, 44.2, which are received in bearing pin receptacles 28.2, 48.2 of the respective chamber housings 28, 48, each formed in a chamber housing base designated by reference numerals 28.4 and 48.4, respectively. Below the bearing pins 24.2, 44.2, the spindles 24 form spindle gears 24.2, 44.2. These engage with a drive gear 8.4 of the adjusting wheel 8. The drive gear 8.4 is provided at the free end of an adjusting wheel bearing pin 8.6, which is formed in one piece by the adjusting wheel 8 and is rotatably mounted in a housing base bearing pin 12.2 formed by the housing base 12, which is formed in a housing base bottom 12.4 is formed.

[0020] By turning the adjusting wheel 8, the meshing gears 8, 4 on the one hand and 24.4 and 44.4 on the other hand are set in rotation. This causes the spindles 24, 44 to rotate relative to the corresponding pistons 26, 46, so that they move translationally, reducing the volume of the two chambers 20, 40. As a result, the care substance held within the respective chambers 20, 40 is dispensed via the dispensing openings 22, 42. The care substances can be mixed together on the mixing surface 18 and then applied to the skin by sweeping the mixing surface 18 over the skin.

[0021] In the embodiment according to the Fig. 3 to 5, the spindles 24, 44 are held in a rotationally fixed manner. This can be achieved, for example, by fastening them to the cover 14. There, the spindles 24, 44 can be welded to the cover 14, for example. The first piston 26 is rotationally fixed relative to a first chamber housing 28, but is axially movable relative thereto. The second piston 46 is similarly rotationally fixedly coupled to a second chamber housing 46, but is freely axially movable relative thereto. The chamber housings 28, 48 have a circular base and are rotatably mounted in the housing 4.

[0022] For this purpose, a bottom 12.4 of the housing base 12 has upper housing base bearing pins 12.2.1, each of which is encompassed by a bearing pin receptacle 28.2, 48.2 formed by the chamber housing 28, 48. The bearing pin receptacles 28.2, 48.2 each have external teeth to form chamber housing gears 28.6, 48.6, which mesh with the drive gear 8.2 of the adjusting wheel 8. The adjusting wheel 8 forms a one-piece drive gear 8.4, which meshes with the external teeth of the respective chamber housing gears 28.6, 48.6 and is arranged at the free end of an adjusting wheel bearing pin 8.6, via which the rotatable mounting of the adjusting wheel 8 relative to the housing base 12 takes place. For this purpose, the housing base bottom 12.4 forms a lower housing base bearing pin 12.2.2, which is locked to the adjusting wheel bearing pin 8.6.

[0023] To discharge the care substance contained in the two chambers 20, 40, the adjusting wheel 8 is rotated. This causes the two chamber housings 28, 48 to rotate at the same angular speed, the pistons 26, 46, which are displaceably mounted in the respective chamber housings 28, 48, are carried by the rotating chamber housings 28, 48 and rotated accordingly relative to the spindles 24, 44, resulting in a translational relative movement of the pistons 26, 46 relative to the chamber housings 28, 48. In the process, the care substance contained in the respective chambers 20, 40 is conveyed in the direction of the discharge openings 22, 42 and discharged there.

[0024] In the embodiment according to the Fig. 6 to 8, the first spindle 24 is rotationally fixedly connected to the adjusting wheel 8, for which purpose the adjusting wheel 8 is fixedly connected to the first spindle 24, for example, welded. The first chamber 20 is formed by a sleeve-shaped first chamber housing 28, which is received within the second spindle 44, which is hollow on the inside, and lines the inside of this hollow spindle 44. The first piston 26 rests in a sealed manner against the inner circumferential surface of the first chamber housing 28 and is drivingly coupled to the first spindle 24. The second piston 46 is drivingly coupled to the hollow spindle 44.

[0025] The hollow spindle 44 is firmly connected to a rotary head collar 8.8, which is formed integrally with the adjusting wheel 8 and is locked to the housing base 12. The second chamber housing 48 lines the inside of the housing base 12. The second chamber housing 48 lines the inside of the housing base 12.

[0026] As the Fig. As illustrated in Figure 8, the first chamber housing 28 is provided with a non-rotationally symmetrical base surface, which ensures that the first piston 26 is provided within the first chamber housing 28 in a rotationally fixed manner. The outer circumferential surface of the second spindle 44, in contrast, is rotationally symmetrical and passes through a central opening of a second annular piston 46, which bears sealingly against an inner circumferential surface of the second chamber housing 48. This second chamber housing 48 also has a non-rotationally symmetrical oval base surface, so that the second piston 46 is also arranged in the second chamber 40 in a rotationally fixed manner but is axially displaceable.

[0027] By turning the adjusting wheel 8, the first spindle 24 is set in rotation, resulting in a relative rotational movement between this first spindle 24 and the associated piston 26, which consequently moves axially relative to the spindle 24. Together with the spindle 24, the first chamber housing 28 formed by the second spindle 44 is also set in rotation. This results in a relative rotational movement between this second spindle 44 and the second piston 46, which consequently moves translationally. The actuation of one adjusting wheel 8 leads - as before - to a predetermined reduction in the volume of the two chambers 20, 40. The arrangement of the discharge openings 22, 42 can be as in Fig. 9, so that the different care substances can be applied to the mixing surface 18 and mixed there.

[0028] In the embodiment according to the Fig. 10 to 13, both the chamber housings 28, 48 and the spindles 24, 44 are provided both individually and collectively around a central longitudinal axis, designated by reference symbol M, of the present dispenser 2 provided with a circular base area.

[0029] The housing base 12.4 has an inner peripheral surface 12.6 with internal gearing 12.8. Between this internal gearing 12.8 and the drive gear 8.4, spindle gears 24.4, 44.4 are provided, each assigned to the spindles 24, 44. In this embodiment, the drive gear 8.4 forms the sun gear of a planetary gear, whose planetary gears are formed by the spindle gears 24.4, 44.4.

[0030] By rotating the adjusting wheel 8, the drive gear 8.4 is rotated. Since this meshes with the spindle gears 24.4, 44.4, these are rotated and, due to the meshing connection with the internal toothing 12.8, are also rotated about the central longitudinal axis M. The rotation of the spindles 24, 44 causes a relative movement of the respective pistons 26, 46. The rotation of the chamber housings 28, 48 about the central longitudinal axis M can be opposite, so that the angular amounts partially cancel each other out, with the result that only a certain portion of the rotation of the spindles 24, 44 manifests as relative movement between the spindle rotation and the pistons 26, 46.

[0031] How Fig. As illustrated in Figure 12, the chamber housings 28, 48 each have a non-rotationally symmetrical cross-section. The cross-section of the chamber housings 28, 48 is oval. The same applies to the pistons 26, 46, so that this positive fit prevents rotation of the pistons 26, 46 relative to the chamber housings 28, 48.

[0032] Fig. Figure 14 outlines, in the form of a perspective top view of the interior of the housing base, a design with three chamber housings 28, 48, 68 and thus illustrates a possibility of providing more than two chambers on a dispenser.

[0033] The above embodiments illustrate different possibilities for designing a dispenser equipped with a single adjusting wheel 8 such that rotating the adjusting wheel 8 results in a predetermined relative movement of the pistons 26, 46 along the longitudinal axis of the associated spindles 24, 44. By selecting the spindle pitch or the base area of ​​the respective pistons 26, 46 and thus the base area of ​​the respective chambers 20, 40, the ratio of the dispensed care substances can be adjusted structurally. List of reference symbols 2 donors 4 housings 6 Actuating device 8 Adjustment wheel 8.2 Stand area 8.4 Drive gear 8.s sun gear 8.6 Adjusting wheel bearing journal 8.8 Adjusting wheel collar 12 Housing base 12.2 Housing base bearing journal 12.2.1 upper housing base bearing journal 12.2.2 lower housing base bearing journal 12.4 Housing base-bottom 12.6 Inner circumferential surface 12.8 Internal gearing 14 Cover 14.2 Spindle bearings 16 cap 18 Mixed area 20 first chamber 22 first discharge openings 24 first spindle 24.2 Bearing journal 24.4 Spindle gear 24.p planetary gear 26 first piston 28 first chamber housing 28.2 Bearing journal holder 28.4 Chamber housing base 28.6 Chamber housing gears 40 second chamber 42 second discharge openings 44 second spindle 44.2 Bearing journal 44.4 Spindle gear 44.p Planetary gear 46 second piston 48 second chamber housing 48.2 Bearing journal holder 48.4 Chamber housing base 48.6 Chamber housing gears

Claims

[1] Dispenser (2) for dispensing care substances with a housing (4) surrounding at least one chamber (20; 40), a piston (26; 46) movable in the chamber (20; 40), an actuating device (6) for displacing the piston (26; 46) for dispensing the care substance from the chamber (20; 40) and a dispensing opening (22; 42) exposed on the outside of the housing (4) for dispensing the care substance from the chamber, characterized by that at least two chambers (20; 40) are provided, each of which is assigned a piston (26; 46), and that the actuating device (6) is designed such that when the actuating device (6) is actuated, the at least two pistons (26; 46) are moved relative to one another in a predetermined ratio. [2] Dispenser (2) according to claim 1, characterized bythat the housing (4) forms on its outer side a mixing surface (18) in which the discharge openings (22; 42) assigned to the chambers (20; 40) are exposed. [3] Dispenser according to claim 2, characterized by that the mixing surface (18) is concavely or convexly curved. [4] Dispenser according to claim 2 or 3, characterized by that the actuating device (6) has a pivotable actuating element (8) which is drivingly coupled to the pistons (26; 46), and that the actuating element (8) is provided on one side of the housing (2) and the mixing surface (18) is provided on the opposite side of the housing (2). [5] Dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the actuating device (6) has a pivotable actuating element (8), that the piston (26; 46) is drivingly coupled to a spindle (24; 44) which is drivingly coupled to the actuating element (8). [6] Dispenser according to claim 5, characterized bythat the actuating element (8) is rotatably mounted and has a sun gear (8.s) and that each spindle (24; 44) has a planetary gear (24p; 44p) which cooperates internally with the sun gear (8.s) and opposite thereto with an inner circumferential surface (12.6) of a housing part (12) in the manner of a planetary gear. [7] Dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the actuating device has a pivotable actuating element (8), that the piston (26; 46) is drivingly coupled to a spindle (24; 44), that a chamber housing (28; 48) surrounding the chamber (20; 40) is rotatably mounted and drivingly coupled to the actuating element (8), and that the piston (26; 46) is axially displaceable but rotationally fixed in the associated chamber housing (28; 48). [8] Dispenser according to one of claims 4 to 7, characterized bythat the actuating element is formed by an adjusting wheel (8) which is rotatably mounted on the housing (4) and which is drivingly coupled to the spindles (24; 44) and / or to a chamber housing (28; 48) surrounding a chamber (20; 40) via at least one toothing (8s, 8.4). [9] Dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the adjusting wheel (8) has an external toothing (8.4, 8.s), that each spindle (24; 44) with a drive gear (24.2; 44.2) and / or each chamber housing (28; 48) surrounding a chamber (20; 40) has a gear (24, 44; 28.2, 48.2), and that each drive gear (24.2; 44.2) and / or each gear (24, 44; 28.2, 48.2) is meshingly coupled to the external toothing (8.4; 8.s). [10] Dispenser according to claim 4 or 8, characterized bythat the chambers (20; 40) are arranged concentrically and that a chamber housing (48) surrounding the centrally arranged chamber (20; 40) is driven in rotation and is designed on its outer circumferential surface as one of the spindles (44) which is drivingly coupled to an annular piston (46) which is mounted in the chamber housing (48) in a rotationally fixed manner. [11] Dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the pistons (26; 46) assigned to the chambers (20: 40) have different base areas. [12] Dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the spindles (24; 44) assigned to the chambers (20; 40) have different pitches. 152289

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