Device for dispensing a cosmetic or personal care product with solid elements that break during dispensing

Description

[0001] The invention relates to the field of devices for distributing and applying a cosmetic or skincare product.

[0002] Cosmetic products encompass all products for the makeup of the skin or hair, as well as all perfumed or odorous compositions intended for application to the body.

[0003] Personal care products include products intended to be applied to the human or animal body to treat or prevent a disease.

[0004] The invention relates in particular to a device for distributing and applying such a cosmetic or care product in liquid, semi-fluid or paste form.

[0005] The invention is of particular interest for the application of a heterogeneous mixture containing dispersed, suspended solid elements. Such a mixture may, for example, comprise solid particles or spheres with a liquid core surrounded by a gelled membrane. For example, some cosmetic or skincare compositions contain active ingredients, essences, or other ingredients encapsulated in this way.

[0006] The particles or beads of such a heterogeneous mixture must, however, be broken up in order to release their contents during the distribution of the mixture, that is to say either during the application of the mixture to the user, or just before this application for example during the migration of the mixture between a reservoir and an applicator.

[0007] If necessary, the contents of the particles or beads must be homogenized with the rest of the mixture.

[0008] Such fluids can be delivered, in a known manner, by means of pumps with a high suction capacity or by means of an airless pump.

[0009] These pumps, however, have the disadvantage of being relatively expensive and may prove unsuitable for pumping solutions containing suspended solids. Furthermore, the suspended solids can clog and damage the pump, rendering the dispensing system inoperative.

[0010] Prior art has been considered for equipping dispensing devices with grid-type elements or filters designed to break, grind, and / or mix solid particles suspended in a heterogeneous liquid or paste composition. US patent 5284275 describes a dispensing element for an adhesive composition formed by mixing beads of a first product with a second product. The described element has a filter wall perpendicular to the direction of product flow within the dispensing element. A piston pushes the beads through the filter wall, breaking them. However, such a device is easily subject to clogging of the filter wall.

[0011] A distribution method, partially solving this problem, is also disclosed in document FR2994536. The device disclosed in this document includes a guide conduit for the composition to be delivered, equipped with a filtration element comprising a filtration element with a typically conical filtration wall, thus forming a non-zero angle with the axis of the guide conduit.

[0012] The filtration unit, under the pressure of a piston, causes the membranes of the balls to rupture, which then interfere with the filtration wall at the openings it contains.

[0013] However, while such a filtration device can deliver a significant amount of product, it does not guarantee that all the beads (or other solid elements) or even that a majority of the beads contained in the composition are broken as they pass through the filtration device.

[0014] A dispensing device incorporating such a filtration element is therefore unsuitable for dispensing certain products where it is essential to ensure that a significant percentage, the majority, of the beads are broken before application. This is the case, for example, with lipstick or lip gloss (generally referred to by the English term "gloss"), because the final application by the user to their lips does not break the beads that were not broken before application.

[0015] The invention aims to provide a distribution device for a liquid or pasty cosmetic or skincare product that is initially heterogeneous and contains suspended solid elements, allowing for the maximization and reliability of the quantity of solid elements broken during product distribution, and for homogenizing the product, while limiting the risk of clogging.

[0016] Thus, the invention relates to a device for distributing a liquid, semi-fluid or pasty cosmetic or skincare product, stored in heterogeneous form comprising solid elements in suspension which can be mechanically broken to release a fluid which they contain, comprising a reservoir for storing the product, a product dispensing nozzle, a guide conduit enabling the transport of the product between the reservoir and the dispensing nozzle, and means adapted to cause the circulation of the product from the reservoir to the nozzle, via the guide conduit, the guide conduit comprising a device for breaking the solid elements.The solid element breaking device comprises a first stage, at the outlet of the tank, forming a first portion of the guide conduit and having a cross-section which evolves progressively and which has protruding edges at the outlet inside said guide conduit, and a second stage, near the distribution nozzle, forming a second portion of the guide conduit and having a progressive restriction of cross-section, said second portion of the guide conduit, formed in the second stage (E2) of the breaking device, is in the shape of a truncated cone.

[0017] The plaintiff noted that a solid element breaking device comprising two stages, each stage of which causes the breakage of said elements in different ways, makes it possible to obtain the breakage of the majority, or even almost all or all of the solid elements passing through this breaking device.

[0018] The stages of the rupture device form portions of the product guidance conduit between the reservoir and the product dispensing nozzle, limiting the risk of clogging of the device, as well as the pressure loss induced by the rupture device of solid elements, which allows the easy delivery of a large quantity of product.

[0019] The device may also include, downstream of the second stage of the rupture device, a non-return valve. The non-return valve may have a product outlet with a cross-section smaller than the outlet cross-section of the first stage and the narrowest cross-section of the second stage.

[0020] The first floor exit section, for example, is star-shaped.

[0021] The second floor section restriction may, for example, correspond to a restriction of between 50% and 95% of the surface area of ​​the second floor entrance section.

[0022] The device may comprise an elongated, hollow rotating body and an elongated, hollow outer barrel joined end-to-end and free to rotate relative to each other, the dispensing nozzle being fixed to the end of the rotating body. The rotating body and outer barrel together form an internal volume containing a perforated cylinder, which includes the guide conduit, and an inner barrel with an open end through which the perforated cylinder is inserted and a closed end to form the reservoir. The device may include a mechanism for converting a rotation of the rotating body relative to the outer barrel into a translational movement of the inner barrel relative to the perforated cylinder within the internal volume formed by the rotating body and outer barrel.The device may further include a piston fixedly mounted at one end of the perforated cylinder inserted through the open end of the inner barrel and an elongated portion forming a portion of the guide conduit in the perforated cylinder, in which the piston has a central opening forming the first stage of the rupture device.

[0023] The invention also relates to an assembly comprising a device as described above, and a cosmetic or care product comprising solid elements in suspension, which can be mechanically broken to release a fluid they contain, said cosmetic or care product being stored in the reservoir of the device.

[0024] In such an assembly, the solid elements can be substantially spherical balls with a diameter smaller than the maximum dimension of the most restricted section of the second stage.

[0025] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the description below.

[0026] The attached drawings are given as non-exhaustive examples: there figure 1 represents, according to a schematic cross-sectional view, a product distribution device conforming to an embodiment of the invention; the figure 2 represents, according to an exploded view, the device of the figure 1 ; there figure 3 represents, according to a schematic cross-sectional view, in three dimensions, certain constituent elements of the device of figures 1 And 2 ; there figure 4 This represents, according to a schematic three-dimensional view, an example of the first stage of a device for breaking solid elements; the figure 5 This represents, in a truncated schematic view, a three-dimensional example of the second stage of a device for breaking solid elements; figure 6 represents, according to a truncated schematic view, in three dimensions, an example of a non-return valve that can be implemented in certain embodiments of the invention.

[0027] There figure 1 represents a device conforming to an embodiment of the invention. The figure 2 also represents an exploded view of the device of the figure 1 , which details its component parts and allows one to understand its assembly.

[0028] The device allows for the distribution and application of a cosmetic or skincare product P, which may be fluid, semi-fluid, or paste-like. Product P is considered heterogeneous, as it contains suspended solid elements B. These solid elements B can be mechanically broken to release the fluid they contain. For example, the solid elements B may be beads with a gelled shell containing one or more liquids, active ingredients, essences, essential oils, or other ingredients.

[0029] The solid elements B are suspended in the product when it is stored in a reservoir 1 of the device, or can be suspended by shaking the device before use.

[0030] In the example embodiment shown here, the reservoir 1 is formed by an element called the inner barrel.

[0031] The inner barrel is in the shape of a straight cylinder, closed at one end and open at the other.

[0032] The device includes an outer drum 2. The outer drum 2 forms the lower part of the dispensing device. It is elongated and may have a cylindrical or prismatic external shape. The outer drum 2 has a base 21 which may include a closing wall. This air intake may be provided through the wall of the base 21. The air intake allows air exchange between the inside and outside of the outer drum 2. In particular, it allows air to enter the outer drum during the movement, described below, of the inner drum 1 within the outer drum 2 during product dispensing. The outer drum 2 also has an open opposite face 22, into which the inner drum is inserted. The internal shape of the outer drum 2 corresponds, within a certain margin, to the external shape of the inner drum.This allows a longitudinal translation, or in other words a sliding along a principal axis (A) of the device, of the inner drum acting as a reservoir 1 in the outer drum 2.

[0033] The outer drum 2 is advantageously transparent or translucent, allowing the position of the inner drum within the device to be seen. The position of the inner drum within the device also corresponds to a given quantity of product remaining. In other words, seeing the position of the inner drum allows the user to see the remaining quantity of product, or, conversely, the quantity of product consumed.

[0034] If the inner container is itself transparent or translucent, the product is directly visible. This is aesthetically pleasing and also allows the user to identify the desired product by its appearance, including its color, gloss, and / or other visual characteristics, such as the presence of suspended solids which can have an attractive aesthetic appearance due to their color, gloss, shape, etc.

[0035] The device also includes an element which forms its upper part and which is called rotating body 3. The rotating body 3 is elongated in shape, and can have an external cylindrical or prismatic shape, and in particular an external shape corresponding to the external shape of the lower shaft 2. The rotating body 3 is butted to the outer shaft 2. The rotating body 3 can be pivoted relative to the latter around the main axis (A) of the device.

[0036] The rotating body 3 is designated as such because it is the element that the user rotates, relative to the outer barrel 2, in order to cause the distribution of cosmetic product by the device.

[0037] The rotating body 3 is hollow and thus defines, together with the outer barrel 2 to which it is linked, an internal volume of the distribution device.

[0038] In the example shown here, a dispensing nozzle 4 is fixed to the end of the rotating body 3. The dispensing nozzle 4 has an application surface 41, through which the cosmetic product P is dispensed and which allows its application, for example in a thin and regular layer on the user's skin.

[0039] The device includes, in the internal volume formed by the rotating body 3 and the external shaft 2, on the one hand the internal shaft, but also a perforated cylinder 5. The perforated cylinder 5 has along its entire length, that is to say along its axis of extension coinciding with the main axis (A), a longitudinal conduit.

[0040] In the example shown here, the perforated cylinder 5 is fixed in translation relative to the rotating body 3, inside which it extends. The perforated cylinder 5 is fixed to the rotating body 3, and fixed in rotation relative to the latter.

[0041] The perforated cylinder 5 is inserted into the inner barrel through its open end 22.

[0042] The device includes a mechanism for transforming a rotation of the rotating body 3 relative to the outer barrel 2 into a translational movement of the inner barrel relative to the perforated cylinder 5.

[0043] Thus, within the internal volume formed by the rotating body and outer barrel, it is the inner barrel that is mobile, while the perforated cylinder 5 remains fixed longitudinally. Due to the movement of the inner barrel, the perforated cylinder penetrates more or less deeply into said inner barrel, which varies the available internal volume in the reservoir 1 for storing the cosmetic product P.

[0044] A decrease in the available volume in the reservoir results in the expulsion of a corresponding quantity of product P via the conduit 51 of the perforated cylinder 5.

[0045] The mechanism for transforming the movement can have various configurations. These mechanisms can be based, as in the example shown here, on a threaded part (having a female or male thread) linked to the inner barrel, and on the fact that the assembly formed by the rotating body 3 and the pierced cylinder 5 has a threaded part (male or female, correspondingly) adapted to cooperate with the threaded part.

[0046] The rotation of said assembly formed by the rotating body 3 and the pierced cylinder 5 causes the translation of said threaded part and of the inner barrel 1 in said rotating body 3, and corollarily of the inner barrel 1 vis-à-vis the pierced cylinder 5.

[0047] In the example of figures 1 And 2 The threaded part is a ring 71 having an internal thread, called a female thread. The ring 71 is fixed to the open end 22 of the inner barrel, which it obstructs except at the level of its threaded opening.

[0048] As it moves back up in the rotating body, the inner drum moves up along the perforated cylinder 5, which has the effect of reducing the available internal volume in the reservoir 1 for the product P, and of causing the expulsion of a quantity of product P from the inner drum through the conduit 51 of the perforated cylinder 5.

[0049] The device includes a piston 52, which is fixed to the end of the perforated cylinder. The piston 52 has a central opening 53 which communicates with the conduit 51 so as to form a guide conduit for the product P between the reservoir 1 and the dispensing nozzle 4.

[0050] The central opening 53 thus ensures fluidic communication between a front surface 54 of the piston 52, which is in contact with the product P in the perforated cylinder 5, and the rest of the conduit 51. The piston 52 is configured so as to present a peripheral surface 55 in tight contact with the inner wall of the inner barrel.

[0051] In order to allow the translation of the ring 71 along the threaded part of the hollow cylinder 5, said ring 71 must be free in translation with respect to the outer barrel 2 and the rotating body 3 while being held fixed in rotation with respect to the outer barrel 2. To this end, the device includes a sleeve 10, extending into the rotating body, which is fixed with respect to the outer barrel 2 and which has guides in translation of the ring 71.

[0052] Thus, the outer barrel 2 has in its upper part a toothed section 25 adapted to mesh with a corresponding toothed section 101 of said sleeve, which prevents the sleeve 10 from rotating relative to the outer barrel 2. The sleeve 10 has longitudinal grooves on its inner surface, i.e., grooves parallel to the main axis (A), along which the ring 71 is guided. The ring 71 may, for this purpose, have notches 72 on its periphery ( figure 2 ) which slide along the longitudinal grooves.

[0053] Thus, when the inner barrel rises around the pierced cylinder 5, the decrease in available volume in the inner barrel under the front surface 54 of the piston 52 causes the expulsion of a quantity of product P corresponding to this decrease.

[0054] The product is expelled via the central opening 53 of the piston 52, then via the conduit 51 of the perforated cylinder, before reaching the application nozzle 4 which it passes through distributing orifices 42 before reaching the application surface 41.

[0055] Between its storage in tank 1 and its distribution, product P passes through a solid element breaking device. This device is designed to break or rupture solid elements containing fluid that are suspended in product P, which is stored in heterogeneous form in tank 1, so that the fluid mixes with the rest of product P just before distribution. A majority of the solid elements are broken by the device, resulting in a relatively homogeneous product being distributed (although, according to certain embodiments of the invention, some solid elements may remain unbroken or incompletely broken).

[0056] The solid element breaking device comprises at least two stages, namely a first stage E1 and a second stage E2. The solid element breaking device is formed in the guide conduit which includes (or is constituted by) the central opening 53 of the piston 52 and the conduit 51 of the perforated cylinder 5. An example of a breaking device, equipping the distribution device of figures 1 And 2 , is particularly represented in the three-dimensional cross-sectional view of the figure 3 .

[0057] We have represented on the figure 3 only certain component parts of a distribution device as shown on the figures 1 And 2 On the figure 3 are represented: the reservoir 1; the rotating body 3; the perforated cylinder 5; the piston 52; and a non-return valve 91.

[0058] The piston 52, and in particular the central opening 53 of the piston 52, forms the first stage E1 of the solid element breaking device. An extreme portion of the conduit 51, proximal to the distribution nozzle 4, forms the second stage E2 of the solid element breaking device.

[0059] There figure 4 , showing a detailed view of piston 52, allows with the figure 3 to better understand the composition of the first floor E1.

[0060] The first stage E1 of the solid element breaking device is formed by the central opening 53 of the piston 52. The central opening 53 is a conduit which extends into an elongated portion of the piston 52 inserted into the perforated cylinder 5. It connects the reservoir 1 with the conduit 51.

[0061] In the example shown here, the central opening at the level of the reservoir 1 has an inlet with a large circular cross-section, allowing the free passage of the product P and in particular of the solid elements B it contains. The diameter of the inlet of the central opening 53 is thus much greater than the maximum dimension of the solid elements B (for example, the diameter of the solid elements B if they are essentially spheres).

[0062] At the outlet, the central opening 53 of the piston 52 has an asterisk shape, as shown in the figure 4 Numerous exit shapes are conceivable for the first stage E1 of the solid element rupture device, these shapes having protruding edges inside the guide duct. Possible shapes include stars, particularly triangular stars with five, six, seven, or eight points. Other possible shapes include five- or six-pointed crosses and asterisks.

[0063] The evolution between the inlet shape of the central opening 53 and the shape of its outlet is progressive, and extends over a portion or over the entire length of the central opening 53.

[0064] Restricting the outlet section accelerates the flow of product and presses the solid elements against the protruding edges in the central opening 53, which tends to break them, in particular their outer wall.

[0065] The second stage of the solid element breaking device consists of a significant restriction in the cross-section of the guide duct. In the example shown, the restriction in the cross-section of the guide duct is located in the portion formed by the duct 51 of the perforated cylinder 5.

[0066] There figure 5 The image shows, in three dimensions, the rotating body 3 and the perforated cylinder 5 attached to it. The view is truncated to show the interior of these parts.

[0067] The cross-sectional restriction forming the second stage E2 of the solid element rupture device is progressive and tends to compress the solid elements until they burst. Thus, the most restricted cross-section of the second stage, which here corresponds to the outlet cross-section of conduit 51, is such that it does not allow passage without significant deformation, resulting in the bursting of the solid elements B. For example, the maximum dimension of the most restricted cross-section of the second stage (i.e., its diameter if the restriction is circular, large diameter if it is, according to an unclaimed shape, elliptical, etc.) is smaller than the diameter of the solid elements if these are substantially spherical. For example, the most restricted cross-section (here the outlet cross-section of the second stage E2) can be circular and have a diameter of 0.6 mm. The first stage can have a cross-section such that it allows the passage of balls up to 0.8 mm in diameter.

[0068] The beads, for example, have a diameter of around 1mm, with potentially some dimensional variation.

[0069] The combined effects of the first stage (E1) and the second stage (E2) allow for the bursting of a large number of solid elements. For example, if a solid element has its wall weakened but not broken by the first stage (E1), it is easily burst by compression in the second stage due to its prior weakening. Furthermore, the solid elements present in the product may exhibit some variation in their dimensions. The first stage (E1) can, in particular, allow the rupture of the largest solid elements, while the second stage (E2) allows the rupture of the smaller solid elements, which were not burst by the first stage (E1). Because the largest elements are broken in the first stage (E1), the pressure loss that would be associated with the obstruction of the cross-sectional restriction in the second stage (E2) by large solid elements is limited.

[0070] In the embodiment of the invention shown here, a non-return valve 91 is arranged between the outlet of the conduit 51 and the application nozzle 4. The non-return valve 91 protects the product P contained in the device from the outside atmosphere. The non-return valve 91 also prevents, to a certain extent, the rotating body from being actuated in the direction of rotation that would tend to draw product back into the inner drum.

[0071] The non-return valve 91 can also help to break up solid elements present in product P before distribution. Indeed, the non-return valve 91 can have a small outlet area, and, according to certain embodiments such as the one shown in the figure 6 , membranes or fins 92 tending to close and break the walls of solid elements having, where appropriate, passed through the first and second stages of the solid element breaking device without their wall being broken.

[0072] Advantageously, the non-return valve contributes to the overall sealing of the dispensing device when the latter is in an inverted position (application nozzle 4 facing downwards), for example in a user's handbag.

[0073] The invention is particularly suited to the distribution of a cosmetic or care product P in which it is necessary to release a fluid just before the distribution of said product, for example a lip gloss, in which an ingredient is released to enhance the shine obtained.

[0074] The fixed piston and rotating body mechanism of the device described above is particularly well suited to a device according to the invention, as it allows for easy control of the quantity of product delivered. Compared to a conventional pump system, the risk of the pump being blocked by the product is eliminated.

[0075] Based on this principle, other mechanisms can be implemented, for example in which the rotating body has a threaded part on its inner surface, while the reservoir is linked to or has a ring with a corresponding male thread.

[0076] The invention can implement, in general, any type of mechanism allowing the expulsion of the product P via a guide conduit in which are provided the two stages of a device for breaking solid elements.

[0077] It is noteworthy that the dispensing nozzle 4 can have various shapes, depending on the type of product and the intended application area.

[0078] The dispensing nozzle 4 may have a substantially conical application surface, or a substantially flat surface inclined with respect to the principal axis (A) of the device, as in the example of the figure 1 , or even be bulging.

[0079] The devices presented are particularly suited to the application of lip gloss, more commonly referred to by the English term "gloss".

[0080] The invention thus developed provides a device for dispensing a cosmetic or skincare product stored in heterogeneous form, i.e., containing solid elements. Due to the presence of at least two stages of a device for breaking up the solid elements, arranged in a line and without any filter-type elements susceptible to clogging, the invention simultaneously allows for the breaking up of a large part (if not all) of the solid elements present in the dispensed product, while limiting the risk of clogging compared to devices known in the prior art.

Claims

1. Dispensing device for a liquid, semi-fluid or paste-like cosmetic or care product (P) stored in heterogeneous form including solid elements (B) in suspension which can be mechanically ruptured to release a fluid contained therein, including: • a reservoir (1) for storing the product; • a dispensing nozzle (4) for the product; • a guide duct for conveying the product between the reservoir (1) and the dispensing nozzle (4); and • means designed to cause the product to flow from the reservoir (1) to the nozzle, via the guide duct, the guide duct including a device for rupturing the solid elements (B); characterized in that the device for rupturing solid elements includes: a first stage (E1), at the outlet of the reservoir (1), forming a first portion of the guide duct and having a cross-section which changes gradually and which has edges at the outlet that project into said guide duct; and a second stage (E2), close to the dispensing nozzle, forming a second portion of the guide duct and having a gradually narrowing cross-section, said second portion of the guide duct, formed in the second stage (E2) of the rupturing device, is in the shape of a truncated cone.

2. Device according to Claim 1, further including a non-return valve (91) downstream of the second stage (E2) of the rupturing device.

3. Device according to Claim 2, wherein the non-return valve (91) has an outlet opening for the product having a smaller cross-section than the outlet cross-section of the first stage (E1) and the narrowest cross-section of the second stage (E2).

4. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the outlet cross-section of the first stage (E1) is star-shaped.

5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the narrowing of the cross-section of the second stage (E2) is a narrowing of between 50% and 95% of the surface area of the inlet cross-section of the second stage (E2).

6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, said device including an elongated hollow rotating body (3) and an elongated hollow outer shaft (2) abutting each other and movable in rotation relative to each other, the dispensing nozzle (4) being fixed at the end of the rotating body (3), said rotating body (3) and outer shaft (2) forming an internal volume in which are arranged: a bored cylinder (5), including the guide duct; and an inner shaft, having an open end through which the bored cylinder (5) is inserted and a closed end to form the reservoir (1), this device includes a mechanism for transforming a rotation of the rotating body (3) with respect to the outer shaft (2) into a translational movement of the inner shaft with respect to the bored cylinder (5) in the internal volume formed by said rotating body (3) and said outer shaft (2).

7. Device according to Claim 6, further including a piston (52) fixedly mounted at one end of the bored cylinder (5) inserted through the open end of the inner shaft and having an elongate portion forming the first portion of the guide duct in the bored cylinder (5), in which the piston (52) has a central opening (53) forming the first stage (E1) of the rupturing device.

8. Assembly including a device according to one of the preceding claims, and a cosmetic or care product including solid elements (B) in suspension, which can be mechanically ruptured to release a fluid contained therein, said cosmetic or care product being stored in the reservoir (1) of the device.

9. Assembly according to Claim 8, wherein the solid elements (B) are substantially spherical balls of diameter less than the maximum dimension of the narrowest cross-section of the second stage (E2).