BOTTLE WITH A ROLL-ON APPLICATOR AND A STOPPER

Abstract

The invention relates to a bottle comprising a reservoir (1) for a liquid or semi-fluid product and a dispensing head (2) projecting from the reservoir along a main axis (A). The dispensing head (2) comprises a roll-on applicator (5) comprising a ball holder in which a ball (12) is caged and from which a cap of the ball emerges. The bottle comprises a rotary stopper (6) suitable for covering the roll-on applicator (5) in a closed position of the bottle, and for being released from the roll-on applicator (5) for distributing product in an open position of the bottle. The ball holder is mounted translatably along the main axis (A), the roll-on applicator (5) comprising an elastic means inserted between an applicator body and the ball holder. The ball moves in translation jointly with the ball holder to take a retracted position when the roll-on applicator (5) is covered by the rotary stopper (6) and a deployed position when the rotary stopper (6) is released from the roll-on applicator (5).

Description

[0001] Bottle with a rollerball applicator and a cap

[0002] The invention relates to the field of devices for dispensing and applying a perfume or a cosmetic, toiletry, or skincare product. It relates in particular to ball-type dispensing and application devices, commonly called ball applicators, or, according to Anglo-Saxon terminology, "roll-on".

[0003] In this document, cosmetic products include, in particular, all products for applying makeup to the skin, lips, or hair and nails. Toiletries include shower gels, bath products, body lotions, and deodorants. Perfumes refer specifically to all perfumed or scented compositions intended for application to the body. Care products include, in particular, products intended to be applied to the human or animal body to cleanse it, perfume it, change its appearance, or maintain it in good condition.

[0004] Ball applicators are commonly used for dispensing and applying liquid or semi-fluid products from bottles equipped with such a dispenser. A bottle with a ball dispenser has a ball at its dispensing neck, enclosed in a ball holder or cage. The ball holder has a dispensing orifice that connects to the inside of the bottle. The ball has a diameter larger than that of the dispensing orifice. Opposite the bottle's dispensing orifice, the ball holder has a mouth. The ball is held within the ball holder, for example, by a radial retaining lip oriented towards the axis of rotation of the ball holder.

[0005] The ball is held in the ball holder, on the dispensing orifice, and is free to rotate. When the bottle is held with the ball facing downwards, the product inside reaches the ball and coats its visible surface in the dispensing orifice. Rotating the ball, for example when applying the product to the skin, positions the wetted surface of the ball opposite the dispensing orifice, where it is visible and in contact with the application surface.

[0006] Ball applicators are simple devices that simultaneously dispense and apply liquid or semi-fluid products. However, they do have some drawbacks. They do not, by themselves, guarantee a perfect seal, particularly an airtight seal, which is often necessary for proper product preservation and / or to prevent loss, especially through evaporation. Indeed, the play required for the ball to rotate freely within the ball holder prevents such a seal.

[0007] It is known in the prior art to attach a cap to the ball dispenser to ensure a seal. The cap thus attached is either tightly connected to the bottle or creates pressure on the ball, thereby sealing the dispensing orifice, which forms a seat for the ball. However, a cap attached to the bottle by screwing results in a large ball nozzle, which is not always desirable, while a cap attached by clipping is unreliable or difficult to attach and remove.

[0008] The invention thus aims to provide a bottle with a ball tip to ensure good sealing outside of the product application phases, and not presenting the aforementioned disadvantages of devices known in the prior art.

[0009] Thus, the invention relates to a bottle comprising a reservoir having an internal volume adapted to contain a liquid or semi-fluid product and a dispensing head extending from the reservoir along a principal axis. This dispensing head comprises a rollerball applicator with a rollerball holder in which a ball is caged and free to rotate, and from which a cap of the ball emerges on the side opposite the reservoir. The bottle includes a rotating cap adapted to fit over the rollerball applicator in the closed position of the bottle, and to be released from the rollerball applicator for product dispensing in the open position of the bottle. The rotating cap is free to rotate relative to the rest of the bottle along an axis of rotation perpendicular to the principal axis.The rollerball applicator comprises an applicator body in which the rollerball holder is mounted for translation along the main axis, and in which an elastic means is interposed between the applicator body and the rollerball holder. The rollerball applicator includes an elastic means and is configured such that the rollerball can translate together with the rollerball holder along the main axis to adopt a retracted position within the dispensing head when the rollerball applicator is capped by the rotary stopper in the closed position of the bottle, the elastic means being compressed, and to adopt a deployed position outside the dispensing head under the effect of a release of the elastic means when the rotary stopper is disengaged from the rollerball applicator.

[0010] The use of a rotating stopper linked to the rest of the bottle, for example to the reservoir or the dispensing head (e.g., a bottle neck), directly above the ball of the rollerball applicator, achieves the desired seal without requiring a bulky applicator. Furthermore, the stopper is more reliable than a snap-on cap and cannot be lost because it is linked to the rest of the bottle whether it is closed or open. A configuration in which the elastic element is interposed between an applicator body and the ball holder allows the use of a simple and reliable elastic element (e.g., a helical spring) that is not exposed to the dispensed product. It also allows for significant ball movement between the closed and extended positions of the bottle. This results in a bottle that is both compact when closed and allows for easy product application when the ball is extended.

[0011] The ball holder may include a product delivery channel extending along the main axis towards the internal volume and the applicator body may include an upper volume separated from the internal volume of the reservoir by a partition having in its center a well which is closed at the bottom by a bottom, the walls of the well having at least one light, said bottle being configured so that when it is in the closed position the delivery channel blocks said light and when it is in the open position said light is clear.

[0012] The elastic means can, for example, be a helical spring. The rotating obturator may include a cap in which is arranged an obturator element having a concavity shape complementary to that of the ball cap protruding from the ball holder. The obturator element may include a resilient element.

[0013] The sealing element may have chamfered edges parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotary shutter, the chamfers thus formed coming into contact with the ball during the transition from the open position to the closed position.

[0014] The reservoir may have an external shape of revolution, the axis of rotation of the rotary shutter coinciding with an axis of revolution of the reservoir's external shape. In particular, the reservoir may have an external cylindrical shape whose height is less than or equal to its radius. Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the following description.

[0015] The attached drawings are given as non-exhaustive examples:

[0016] - Figure 1 represents, according to a schematic three-dimensional view, a bottle conforming to an embodiment of the invention;

[0017] - Figure 2 shows, from a side view, the bottle from Figure 1 in the closed position;

[0018] - Figure 3 represents, from a view similar to that of Figure 2, the bottle of Figures 1 and 2 in the open position;

[0019] - Figure 4 shows, in cross-section, the bottle from Figures 1 to 3 in the closed position;

[0020] - Figure 5 is a detailed view of Figure 4;

[0021] - Figure 6 shows, in a cross-sectional view, the bottle from Figures 1 to 5 in the open position;

[0022] - Figure 7 is a detailed view of Figure 6; and

[0023] Figure 8 shows a detailed cross-sectional view of the rollerball applicator of the bottle in Figures 1 to 7, during the transition from the open to the closed position. Figure 1 shows a bottle according to a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of the invention. The bottle includes a reservoir 1 that can hold a liquid or semi-fluid product. The bottle of the invention is particularly intended to contain a perfume or a cosmetic, toiletry, or skincare product.

[0024] The reservoir of the bottle that is the subject of the invention can thus have a capacity (internal volume intended to receive the product) of between 10 mL and 500 mL, in particular 20 mL, 35 mL, 75 mL, 100 mL, or 200 mL.

[0025] The tank shown here has a flattened cylindrical shape. The term "flattened" indicates that the cylinder has a disc-like shape, or a height H that is small compared to its diameter. Typically, the tank 1 has a thickness (corresponding to the height H of the cylinder that defines it) less than or equal to its radius r.

[0026] The bottle also includes a dispensing head 2. The dispensing head 2 is positioned on the edge of the reservoir 1 of the bottle shown here, that is, on the lateral wall 3 of the cylindrical reservoir 1, from which it protrudes. The dispensing head 2 has a neck 4 in which a ball applicator 5 is assembled. The dispensing head extends along a general direction of extension that forms a principal axis A of the bottle.

[0027] In order to cover the ball applicator 5 to ensure the sealing of the bottle, the bottle of the invention includes a rotating stopper 6, i.e. mobile in rotation relative to the rest of the bottle, and whose operation is described in more detail below.

[0028] The rotary stopper essentially consists of a movable cap rotating relative to the rest of the bottle, i.e. relative to the reservoir 1 as in the embodiment shown or where applicable relative to the dispensing head 2. The rotary stopper has the general shape of an arch comprising two uprights 7 linked together by a crossbar forming a cap 8.

[0029] The uprights 7 are linked to the rotating reservoir 1. This allows the rotary shutter 6 to be switched between a closed position of the bottle shown in figures 1 and 2, and an open position of the bottle shown in particular in figure 3.

[0030] In the closed position, the rotary shutter 6 is aligned with the main axis P, such that the cap 8 covers the ball 5. In the open position, the rotary shutter 6 can be in any position in which it does not cover the ball applicator; that is, any position in which the ball applicator is free and allows the application of the product in the bottle. In other words, the angular position of the rotary shutter 6 relative to the main axis A is not necessarily unique. The angular position of the rotary shutter is specifically defined by the angle α between the main axis A and the axis connecting the intersection of the rotation axis of the rotary shutter with said main axis and the center of the cap 8 of the rotary shutter 6.

[0031] A preferred and stable open position can be defined, according to an unrepresented variant, by a notch provided between the rotating shutter 6 and the reservoir 1.

[0032] In the embodiment shown, the rotation axis R of the rotary stopper coincides with the axis of revolution of the reservoir 1. When the bottle is open, the rotary stopper can be positioned at any angle in which it does not cover the rollerball applicator 5. In particular, due to the shape of revolution of the reservoir, the rotary stopper can be rotated 360° to open and then close the bottle. The user can position the rotary stopper at the angle that seems most appropriate for applying the product.

[0033] Figure 4 corresponds to the bottle of Figure 2, in the closed position, seen in cross-section along a transverse plane P shown in Figure 1. The reservoir 1, which has a generally cylindrical external shape, provides an internal volume 9 for containing the product, liquid or semi-fluid, to be dispensed. An internal wall 10 provides a passage for a shaft 11 of the rotary shutter 6, the shaft 11 coinciding with the axis of rotation R.

[0034] Figure 5 is a detailed view of Figure 4, at the level of the rollerball applicator 5. The rollerball applicator comprises a ball 12, which is held in a ball holder 13. The ball 12 is fixed in translation within the ball holder 13 but can rotate freely there. The ball 12 is thus caged within the ball holder 13. A cap 14 of the ball protrudes, or emerges, from an upper face 15 of the ball holder 13. The upper face 15 is typically formed by a lip 16 that retains the ball 12 in the ball holder 13. The cap 14 corresponds to the application surface of the rollerball applicator, that is, the surface that can be brought into contact with, for example, the user's skin in order to apply the product. The ball holder 13 has a supply conduit 17. The supply conduit 17 allows the ball 12 to be supplied with product from the reservoir 1.In particular, the feed conduit 16 opens into the ball holder 13 so as to load the surface of the ball 12 with product, this product-loaded surface being able to pass into the emerged part of the ball (cap 14) under the effect of a rotation of the ball in the ball holder 13.

[0035] The feed conduit 17 is typically centered on the main axis A. The ball holder is mounted to move in translation along the main axis.

[0036] A, in an applicator body 18.

[0037] The applicator body 18 is permanently fixed in the neck 4 of the bottle. The applicator body 18 has an upper volume 19 in which the ball holder 13, and therefore the ball, can move. The movement of the ball holder in the applicator body is limited in its retraction (i.e., towards the inside of the reservoir 1) by a bearing surface 20 acting as a stop for a lower surface 21 of the ball holder 13, and in its extension by an upper ring 22 acting as a stop for a collar 23 of the ball holder 13.

[0038] The applicator body is configured so that its upper volume 19 is separated from an optional lower volume 24, and thus from the internal volume of the reservoir, by a partition 25 having in its center a well 26 which is partially closed at the bottom by a base 27. The walls of the well have at least one light (i.e., a through-hole). When the bottle is in the closed position, the supply conduit 17 seals the well's lights, and when it is in the open position, the lights are uncovered. This improves the bottle's seal. An elastic element, namely in the example shown a helical spring 28, tends to bring the ball holder 13 and the ball 12 into the deployed position, in which the collar 23 rests under the upper ring 22.Thus, the ball holder 13 and the ball 12 adopt the deployed position, illustrated in figures 6 and 7 described below, under the effect of the elastic element, in the absence of other mechanical constraints exerted on the ball 12 or the ball holder 13.

[0039] Thus, the retracted position shown in Figure 5 must be maintained by a restoring force pushing the ball back towards the reservoir 1. The restoring force is typically exerted by the rotary shutter 6 (in particular when it covers the ball applicator as shown in Figure 4). For clarity, the rotary shutter is not shown in Figure 5.

[0040] In the closed position of the bottle, the helical spring 28 is compressed between the lower face 21 of the ball holder 13 and a surface of the applicator body 18.

[0041] The rotating stopper thus presses on the ball 12 when the bottle is in the closed position. To this end, the cap 8 has a stopper element 29, in which is formed a concavity 30 of a shape complementary to that of the cap 14 of the ball 12 protruding from the ball holder 13.

[0042] This complementary shape allows the stopper element 29 to bear against the upper face 15 of the ball holder when the ball is engaged in its concavity 30, thus ensuring the bottle is airtight when closed. The interaction between the ball and the cavity also helps maintain the stopper in a stable angular position when the bottle is closed.

[0043] The sealing element 29 is ideally formed from a resilient material, which improves the bottle's seal and facilitates the transition between the open and closed positions of the bottle.

[0044] In the open position illustrated in figures 6 and 7, the rotating shutter 6 has been disengaged from the dispensing head 2 and in particular from the ball applicator 5. By relaxing, the helical spring 28 pushes the ball holder 13 and the ball 12 into the deployed position, in which the collar 23 of the ball holder 13 is in contact with the upper ring 22 of the applicator body 18. This deployed position offers the user greater ease of application, as well as a flexibility offered by the helical spring which is appreciated during application. In addition, the deployment of the ball applicator clears the supply channel 17 of the openings formed in the well 26 of the applicator body 18, which allows the product from the reservoir 1 to pass into the supply channel 17 and supplies the surface of the ball 12 with product.

[0045] Figure 8 shows, in a detailed cross-sectional view, the ball applicator of the bottle in Figures 1 to 7, during the transition from the open position to the closed position of the bottle.

[0046] In Figure 8, the ball applicator 5 is in the retracted position. The transition from the extended to the retracted position is facilitated by chamfers 31 formed on the cap 8. In particular, the closure element 29 has chamfered edges parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotary stopper, so that the chamfers 31 thus formed come into contact with the ball holder and / or the ball during the transition from the open to the closed position. More precisely, the chamfers 31 are positioned and configured so that they form the first surface in contact with the ball applicator when the bottle is closed, thereby directing the force from this contact substantially inwards towards the inside of the bottle, and thus facilitating the retraction of the ball holder 13 and the ball 12.

[0047] Alternatively, the chamfers 31 can be replaced by other shapes to prevent a sharp edge of the sealing means 29 from coming into contact with the ball 12. For example, rounded edges or fillets can be formed.

[0048] Although the invention has been described with reference to a particular embodiment, it is obviously not limited to that single embodiment.

[0049] In particular, a specific type of reservoir has been described in detail, but other shapes can be considered within the framework of the present invention, including any shape of revolution including a sphere, an oval or ovoid shape, a parallelepiped shape surmounted or not by a rounded shape such as a half-disk, etc.

[0050] The shaft 11 can alternatively be replaced by two cylindrical studs formed on the inner faces (facing the reservoir 1) of the uprights 7 of the rotary shutter 6, so as to be inserted on either side of the opening formed by the inner wall 10. In this case, the opening can be replaced by two cavities formed in the wall of the reservoir 11. Other means for rotating the rotary shutter are also conceivable without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, a circular or arcuate boss can be formed on each of the inner faces of the uprights 7. The boss is engaged in a circular or arcuate groove of corresponding radius formed in the wall of the reservoir 1.

[0051] Similarly, the rotation axis of the rotary obturator can be formed at any part of the bottle, including the dispensing head.

[0052] The helical spring of the embodiment described above can be replaced by any suitable elastic means, including leaf springs and elements made of resilient materials such as rubber or silicone, or can have a different arrangement from that presented in the invention.

[0053] Furthermore, the bottle may have a rollerball applicator in which only the ball (and not the entire assembly comprising the ball and the ball holder) is movable between the open and closed positions. The bottle may also have a fixed rollerball applicator, with the resilient or movable elements that enable closure and sealing of the bottle being integrated into the cap of the rotating stopper. The bottle thus developed in the invention, thanks to the use of a rotating stopper, offers a compact and leak-proof rollerball applicator when the bottle is closed, while also being very easy to use. It also has the advantage of a captive stopper. Finally, the alternative to stoppers known in the prior art offered by the object of the present invention allows, according to certain embodiments, for the creation of a bottle with a distinctive and attractive aesthetic for the user.

Claims

DEMANDS 1. Bottle comprising a reservoir (1) having an internal volume (9) adapted to contain a liquid or semi-fluid product and a dispensing head (2) extending outward from the reservoir along a principal axis (A), said dispensing head (2) comprising a ball applicator (5) comprising a ball holder (13) in which a ball (12) is caged freely for rotation and from which a cap (14) of the ball emerges on the side opposite the reservoir (1), the bottle comprising a rotating stopper (6) adapted to fit over the ball applicator (5) in a closed position of the bottle, and to be released from said ball applicator (5) for the dispensing of the product in an open position of the bottle, the rotating stopper (6) being rotationally movable relative to the rest of the bottle along an axis of rotation (R) perpendicularly intersecting said main axis (A), characterized in that the ball applicator (5) comprises an applicator body (18) in which the ball holder (13) is mounted in translation along the main axis (A), the ball applicator (5) comprising an elastic means interposed between the applicator body (18) and the ball holder (13), and the ball applicator being configured so that the ball (12) can translate jointly with the ball holder (13) along the main axis (A) to adopt a retracted position in the dispensing head (2) when the ball applicator (5) is capped by the rotary obturator (6) in the closed position of the bottle, said elastic means being compressed, and to adopt a deployed position out of the dispensing head (2) under the effect of a relaxation of the elastic means when the rotary obturator (6) is disengaged from the ball applicator (5).

2. Bottle according to claim 1, wherein the ball holder (13) comprises a product delivery conduit (17) extending along the main axis (A) towards the internal volume (9), and the applicator body (18) comprises an upper volume (19) separated from the internal volume (9) of the reservoir (1) by a partition (25) having in its center a well (26) which is closed at its lower part by a bottom (27), the walls of the well (26) having at least one opening, said bottle being configured such that when it is in position When closed, the supply conduit (17) blocks said light, and when it is in the open position, said light is clear.

3. Bottle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the elastic means is a helical spring (28).

4. Bottle according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the rotary stopper (6) has a cap (8) in which is disposed a stopper element (29) having a concavity (30) of complementary shape to that of the cap (14) of the ball (12) protruding from the ball holder (13).

5. Bottle according to claim 4, in which the sealing element (29) comprises a resilient element.

6. A method according to claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the sealing element (29) has chamfered edges parallel to the axis of rotation (R) of the rotating shutter (6), the chamfers (31) thus formed coming into contact with the ball (12) during the transition from the open position to the closed position.

7. Bottle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the reservoir (1) has an external shape of revolution, said axis of rotation (R) of the rotating obturator (6) being coincident with an axis of revolution of the external shape of the reservoir (1).

8. Bottle according to claim 7 having the reservoir (1) having an external cylindrical shape whose height is less than or equal to its radius (r).