REFILLABLE LIQUID DISPENSER

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a refillable fluid dispenser comprising a fluid reservoir defining a neck and a filling orifice. The dispenser also comprises a dispensing member, such as a pump, mounted on the neck of the fluid reservoir for drawing fluid, as well as a filling valve. The dispenser defines a chamber separating the filling orifice from the filling valve.

[0002] The preferred field of application of the present invention is that of perfumery, without forgetting cosmetics or even pharmacy.

[0003] In the prior art, numerous refillable dispensers are already known, often referred to as "portable dispensers". They comprise a reservoir of reduced volume, of the order of 5 to 20 ml, and are refillable using a source of fluid product capable of injecting fluid product under pressure through the filling orifice, so that the pressure of the fluid product opens the filling valve so that the injected fluid product can fill the reservoir. The source generally comprises a valve stem which is applied against the outer edge of the filling orifice. Each time the valve stem is pushed against the filling orifice, a dose of fluid product is injected.

[0004] At the end of the filling operation, the valve stem is moved away from the filling orifice, but a small amount of fluid product remains present at the filling orifice. Sometimes, a small drop may separate from it. This residual fluid product can then contaminate an object brought into contact with the filling orifice or on which the small drop falls.

[0005] There is therefore a cleanliness problem with the filling hole with these portable dispensers. This is one of the main reasons why they are not more widely available in stores. The user does not want to spread their perfume all over their belongings, especially those in their handbag, since portable dispensers are often carried in handbags.

[0006] The present invention aims to remedy this persistent problem of cleanliness of prior art mobile dispensers. The filling orifice must remain clean and therefore free of fluid product after each filling operation.

[0007] To achieve this aim, the present invention proposes that the chamber, located between the filling orifice and the filling valve, comprises retention means for retaining the fluid product inside the chamber, the retention means are present in the chamber both when filling the dispenser and when dispensing the fluid product.

[0008] This means that there is almost no or no fluid left at the filling hole, which therefore remains clean.

[0009] Advantageously, the filling valve is a hydraulic valve that opens under the action of the fluid injected under pressure through the filling orifice and the chamber. The fluid under pressure therefore enters the chamber through the filling orifice and lifts the filling valve to reach the tank.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the filling valve may comprise an insert forming a valve seat and a movable member which comes into selective sealed contact with the valve seat. Furthermore, the reservoir may comprise a bottom forming the dispensing orifice, the insert being mounted on the bottom forming the chamber between them. Thus, it can be said that the chamber is a buffer space between the filling orifice and the filling valve. Advantageously, the bottom forms an inlet conduit defining the filling orifice and an inlet into the chamber.

[0011] According to a first embodiment, the retention means may comprise an anti-drip device located near the filling orifice. Advantageously, the anti-drip device may comprise a split flexible membrane which opens under the action of the fluid injected under pressure through the filling orifice and which remains closed and sealed at rest. It is possible for the split flexible membrane to rest in the rest state directly against the inlet. The anti-drip device may be held in place by being wedged between the base and the fixed insert. Alternatively, the anti-drip device may also be held in position by an intermediate piece.

[0012] According to a second embodiment, the chamber may have a variable volume between a maximum volume in the rest state and a minimum volume when pressure is exerted at the filling orifice, thus creating a suction effect of the fluid product towards the interior of the chamber, when the latter returns to its rest state. The variation in volume of the chamber may come from a deformation of the bottom and / or from sliding between the bottom and the insert. Advantageously, the inlet duct defines a volume which is less than the variation in volume of the chamber, so as to guarantee the emptying of the inlet duct. Otherwise, it is preferable for the inlet duct to be long and thin to increase capillarity.

[0013] According to a third embodiment, the chamber contains a spongy material which is expressed under the action of the fluid injected under pressure into the chamber and which becomes impregnated with fluid as the pressure falls back into the chamber. The spongy material can for example fill the chamber, with the exception of a central passage which directly connects the filling orifice to the filling valve. With each injection of fluid under pressure into the chamber, the spongy material is crushed and releases its contents of fluid and as soon as the pressure returns to normal, the spongy material relaxes and becomes impregnated with the fluid remaining in the chamber.

[0014] In all three embodiments, the fluid product is retained in the chamber, so as to prevent the fluid product from flowing back into the filling orifice. The invention applies to fluids of all viscosities, from perfume to cosmetic products. It also makes it possible to delay or prevent the drying of cosmetic products.

[0015] The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the attached drawings giving, by way of non-limiting examples, several embodiments of the invention.

[0016] In the figures: There figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view through a dispenser according to a first embodiment of the invention, The figure 2 is an enlarged view of the lower part of the figure 1 , There figure 3 is a view similar to that of the figure 2 for a variant of the realization of the figure 2 , There figure 4 is a view similar to that of the figure 2 for a second embodiment of the invention, and The figure 5 is a view similar to that of the figure 2 for a third embodiment of the invention.

[0017] The dispenser comprises the following constituent elements, namely a fluid product reservoir R, a dispensing member P, a fixing ring F, a pusher B, a filling valve 2, 3 and a vent valve 5, 6.

[0018] The fluid product reservoir R comprises a barrel R1 which is generally cylindrical. At its upper end, the barrel R1 defines a neck R2. The barrel R1 can be made of transparent glass. At its lower end R3, the barrel R1 is provided with a reservoir bottom 1 defining a filling orifice 10. This bottom 1 serves as a support for the filling valve, which comprises a fixed insert 2 and a movable member 3. A chamber C is jointly defined by the bottom 1 and the fixed insert 2 between the filling orifice 10 and the movable member 3.

[0019] More specifically, the bottom 1 is a part inserted into the lower end R3 of the barrel R1. The bottom 1 can be made of plastic. It comprises a sleeve 11 engaged forcefully and in a sealed manner in the lower end R3 of the barrel. An annular shoulder 12 rests on the free annular edge of the lower end R3. The bottom 1 forms an annular flange 13 which connects the sleeve 11 and the annular shoulder 12 to a crown 14 and a nipple 15. The crown 14 projects towards the inside of the tank R, while the nipple 15 projects in an opposite manner towards the outside. The nipple 15 forms an inlet duct 16 which defines the filling orifice 10 on the outside and an inlet 17 on the inside. The filling orifice 10 is located at the bottom of a cup 18, adapted to receive the free end of the valve stem S (shown in dotted lines) of a source of fluid product.The internal passage of the valve stem S is thus automatically aligned with the filling hole 10.

[0020] The fixed insert 2 of the filling valve is mounted, for example by snap-fastening onto the bottom 1. It comprises an external skirt 25 which is engaged in the sleeve 11 of the bottom 1 and a bushing 23 engaged with the crown 14 of the bottom 1. One of these two sockets, or even both, may be sealed. The insert 2 also forms a central housing 24 which is surrounded by one or more openings 22, themselves surrounded by an annular valve seat 21.

[0021] The movable member 3 of the filling valve is mounted on the fixed insert 2. It comprises a flexible corolla 31 which selectively comes into sealed contact with the valve seat 21 of the insert 2. The movable member 3 also comprises an anchoring heel 32 which is engaged in the central housing 24. At rest, the filling valve is naturally closed. When fluid under pressure passes through the openings 22, it lifts the corolla 31, deforming it elastically. As soon as the pressure falls below a predetermined threshold, the corolla 31 returns into sealed contact with its seat 21.

[0022] The base 1 and the fixed insert 2 form between them a chamber C through which the fluid product passes by entering through the inlet conduit 16 and exiting through the passage created between the corolla 31 and its seat 21. This chamber C is therefore caused to be constantly filled with fluid product. A leak is therefore possible through the inlet conduit 16 and the filling orifice 10.

[0023] According to the invention, the chamber C comprises retention means for retaining the fluid product inside the chamber. Thus, there is almost no or no more fluid product at the filling orifice, which therefore remains clean. These retention means can have different embodiments. They can act by blocking, suction or impregnation.

[0024] According to a first embodiment shown in the figures 1 And 2, the retention means comprise an anti-drip device 4 located near the filling orifice 10. The anti-drip device 4 comprises a split flexible membrane 41 which opens under the action of the fluid injected under pressure through the filling orifice 10 and which remains closed and sealed at rest. The anti-drip device 4 comprises a fixing ring 42 which is held in place by wedging between the stud 15 of the bottom 1 and the sleeve 23 of the fixed insert 2. The wedging of the ring 42 can ensure the sealing of the chamber C between the bottom 1 and the insert 2. This anti-drip device 4 therefore acts in the manner of a shutter or a valve, but with a very low opening threshold, which generates very little pressure loss. Indeed, the fluid product injected under pressure through the inlet conduit 16 must not be hindered by the split flexible membrane 41, which must open easily and quickly.Its function is not to withstand pressures or depressions, but simply to retain the fluid product in the chamber C which is at atmospheric pressure, once the injection of fluid product is complete. It can be considered that the anti-drip device 4 has the physical function of creating a sufficient pressure drop at rest to prevent the fluid product from leaking through the inlet conduit 16. Perfect sealing is not required.

[0025] As a variant shown on the figure 3 , the anti-drip device 4' is in the form of a simple split flexible disc which is held in place on its periphery by an extended sleeve 23' of the insert 2', which presses the split flexible disc against a flat bottom wall 19 of the chamber C'. It should be noted that the split flexible disc 4' rests in the resting state directly against the inlet 17 of the inlet duct 16. Thus, only the contents of the inlet duct 16 are likely to leak, but since its volume is extremely small, the leak will be imperceptible.

[0026] According to a second embodiment shown in the figure 4 , the chamber C" has a variable volume between a maximum volume in the rest state and a minimum volume when pressure is exerted on the nipple 15" at the filling orifice 10, thus creating a suction effect of the fluid product towards the interior of the chamber C", when the latter returns to its rest state. The variation in volume of the chamber C" results from a deformation of the bottom 1" and / or from a sliding between the bottom 1" and the insert 2". More precisely, the annular flange 13" of the bottom 1" has a reduced wall thickness, so that it is elastically deformable, even if only very slightly. Thus, when the valve stem S is pressed against the cup 18, the nipple 15" is displaced relative to the sleeve 11 and the insert 2. The displacement of the nipple 15" induces a sealed sliding between the bushing 23" and the crown 14". It This results in a reduction in the volume of chamber C".As soon as the pressure is released on the nipple 15", it returns to its initial rest position, which causes an increase in the volume of the chamber C". But since the filling valve is already closed, the fluid product present in the inlet conduit 16" is sucked inside the chamber C", thus leaving the inlet conduit 16" and the filling orifice free of fluid product. Advantageously, the inlet conduit 16" defines a volume which is less than the variation in volume of the chamber C", so as to guarantee the emptying of the inlet conduit 16". Otherwise, it is preferable for the inlet conduit 16" to be long and thin to increase its capillarity.

[0027] According to a third embodiment shown in the figure 5, the chamber C"' contains a spongy material 4"' which is expressed under the action of the fluid product injected under pressure into the chamber C"' and which becomes impregnated with fluid product, the pressure falls back into the chamber C"'. The spongy material 4"' can for example fill the chamber C"', with the exception of a central passage which directly connects the filling orifice 10 to the filling valve. With each injection of fluid product under pressure into the chamber C"', the spongy material 4"' is crushed and releases its contents of fluid product and as soon as the pressure returns to normal, the spongy material 4"' relaxes and becomes impregnated with the fluid product remaining in the chamber C"'. It can be said that the fluid product is sucked and retained in the chamber C"' by capillarity inside the spongy mass 4'". The inlet conduit 16"' is thus free of fluid product.

[0028] In all the described embodiments, the chamber forms or contains means for retaining the fluid product inside the chamber which can even empty the inlet conduit, so that there is no risk of leakage.

Claims

1. A refillable fluid product dispenser comprising: - a fluid product reservoir (R) defining a neck (R2) and a filling port (10), - a dispensing member (P), such as a pump, mounted on the neck (R2) of the fluid product reservoir (R) for extracting the fluid product, - a fluid product filling valve (2, 3; 2', 3'; 2", 3"; 2"', 3"'), - a fluid product chamber (C; C'; C"; C"') separating the filling port (10) from the filling valve (2, 3; 2', 3'; 2", 3"; 2"', 3"'), - characterised in that the chamber (C; C'; C"; C"') comprises retention means (4; 4'; 4"') for retaining the fluid product inside the chamber (C; C'; C"; C"'), the retention means are present in the chamber both during filling of the dispenser and during dispensing of the fluid product.

2. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the filling valve (2, 3; 2, 3'; 2", 3"; 2"', 3"') is a hydraulic valve that opens under the action of the fluid product injected under pressure through the filling port (10) and the chamber (C; C'; C"; C‴).

3. The dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the filling valve comprises an insert (2; 2'; 2"; 2"') forming a valve seat (21) and a movable member (3) selectively and sealingly engaging the valve seat (21).

4. The dispenser according to claim 3, wherein the reservoir (R) comprises a bottom (1; 1'; 1"; 1‴) forming the filling port (10), the insert (2; 2'; 2"; 2"') being mounted on the bottom (1; 1'; 1"; 1‴) forming therebetween the chamber (C; C'; C"; C"').

5. The dispenser according to claim 4, wherein the bottom (1; 1'; 1"; 1‴) forms an inlet duct (16; 16") defining the filling port (10) and an inlet (17) to the chamber (C; C'; C"; C"').

6. The dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the retention means comprise an anti-drip device (4; 4') disposed near the filling port (10).

7. The dispenser according to claim 6, wherein the anti-drip device (4; 4') comprises a slotted flexible membrane (41; 4') that opens under the action of the fluid product injected under pressure through the filling port (10) and that remains closed and sealed in the non-operating state.

8. The dispenser according to claims 5 and 7, wherein the slotted flexible membrane (4') rests in the non-operating state against the inlet (17).

9. The dispenser according to claim 6, 7 or 8, wherein the anti-drip device (4; 4') is held in place by trapping between the bottom (1; 1') and the fixed insert (2; 2').

10. The dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 5, wherein the chamber (C") has a variable volume between a maximum volume in the non-operating state and a minimum volume when a pressure is applied at the filling port (10), creating thus a suction effect of the fluid product towards the inside of the chamber (C"), when this latter returns to its non-operating state.

11. The dispenser according to claims 5 and 10, wherein the inlet duct (16") defines a volume that is less than the volume change of the chamber (C"), so as to ensure the emptying of the inlet duct (16").

12. The dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 5, wherein the chamber (C"') contains a spongy material (4"') that is expressed under the action of the fluid product injected under pressure into the chamber (C"') and that is impregnated with fluid product as soon as the pressure subsides in the chamber (C"').

13. The dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a vent valve (5, 6).