Priming cap for a device for dispensing a fluid product

Abstract

Priming cap (10) intended to cover, in a closure position, a dispensing head (4) of a device for dispensing fluid product, the dispensing head (4) comprising an axial end wall provided with a dispensing orifice (6), the priming cap (10) comprising means for trapping fluid (20; 30) in order, in the closure position, to receive and retain fluid that is dispensed through the dispensing orifice (6) during actuations of priming the dispensing device.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for distributing fluid products, in particular of the nasal spray type, comprising a priming cap.

[0002] It is known in the prior art to use a removable cover to seal the dispensing orifice of such a distributor. Such covers are described in particular in documents WO0061454, WO9800354, EP0131501, EP0775530, WO2007009872 and WO2008142357.

[0003] This type of removable cover, when placed in the closed position, protects and / or seals the distribution orifice of the distribution head.

[0004] In general, a fluid dispensing device, especially one with a pump, must be primed before use. This means that the air in the dosing chamber must be replaced with fluid. This may require several actuations of the device, resulting in a partial dispensing of the fluid. Particularly for certain types of fluid, such as medications, it is crucial to ensure that the first dose dispensed is complete and accurate. In some cases, up to five priming actuations may be necessary. This is achieved by removing the protective cap used to seal and protect the dispensing orifice, and then actuation of the device in the air the required number of times to guarantee a complete dose on the first actual use. Depending on the nature of the fluid, these priming actuations in the air may be undesirable or even dangerous.

[0005] Documents US20020066752, US20150298893, JPH03178671, JP2013094407 and EP3468532 describe other prior art hoods.

[0006] The present invention aims to provide a fluid product distribution device, comprising a fluid product reservoir, a distribution member, such as a pump mounted on said reservoir or a piston sliding in said reservoir, and a distribution head provided with a distribution orifice, comprising a priming cap which allows priming actuations of the distribution device without removing the cap from its closed position.

[0007] In particular, the present invention aims to provide such a priming hood which receives and retains the fluid distributed during priming actuations.

[0008] The present invention also aims to provide such a priming hood that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and assemble.

[0009] The present invention therefore relates to a fluid product distribution device, comprising a fluid product reservoir, a distribution member, such as a pump mounted on said reservoir or a piston sliding in said reservoir, and a distribution head provided with a distribution orifice, comprising a priming cover intended to cover in a closed position a distribution head of a fluid product distribution device, said distribution head comprising an axial end wall provided with a distribution orifice, said priming cover comprising fluid trapping means to, in the closed position, receive and retain fluid distributed through said distribution orifice during priming actuations of said distribution device.

[0010] Advantageously, said priming hood includes a side wall provided with fastening means to hold said priming hood on said distribution head in the closed position.

[0011] Advantageously, the priming hood includes a contact section intended to cooperate with an axial end wall of said distribution head which includes said distribution orifice.

[0012] Said priming hood comprises an upper axial wall connected to a lateral wall, said trapping means comprising an internal sleeve fixed in said lateral wall and defining a trapping space between said internal sleeve and said priming hood.

[0013] Said internal sleeve includes a substantially radial bottom axial wall having an opening, said bottom axial wall being positioned in the closing position of said priming cover on said axial end wall of said distribution head, with said opening disposed facing said distribution orifice.

[0014] Advantageously, said upper axial wall has an internal profile, in particular of convex shape, adapted to guide the fluid exiting said distribution orifice towards the sides to prevent it from returning directly to said distribution orifice.

[0015] Advantageously, said trapping space extends laterally around an upper portion of said inner sleeve, which allows the trapped fluid to flow out and remain trapped in a lower portion of said trapping space.

[0016] Advantageously, said side wall of said priming hood is at least partially transparent or translucent to allow the fluid contained in said trapping space to be seen after priming actuations.

[0017] Advantageously, said side wall includes an external marker, such as a rib, forming a priming indicator.

[0018] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of several advantageous embodiments, given by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: there figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a fluid product dispensing device comprising a priming cap according to the invention in the closed position on a nasal dispensing head, the figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the hood of the figure 1 , and the figures 3 to 5are views similar to that of the figure 2 showing three other embodiments of the priming hood not falling within the scope of the claimed invention.

[0019] In the description below, the terms "axial" and "radial" refer to the longitudinal central axis A of the device. The terms "top," "bottom," "upper," and "lower" refer to the upright position shown in the drawings.

[0020] There figure 1This represents an example of a fluid product dispensing device according to the present invention. This device comprises a reservoir 1 containing the fluid product, a pump 2 being mounted on the reservoir 1, notably by means of a mounting ring 3. A dispensing head 4, provided with a dispensing orifice 6, is mounted on the pump 2 and serves to actuate the pump and dispense a dose of fluid product with each actuation. These various elements can, of course, be implemented differently from the example in the figure 1 .

[0021] A priming cover 10 according to a first advantageous embodiment is shown in its closed position on the figure 1 and in isolation on the figure 2 . THE figures 3 to 5 show other embodiments not related to the claimed invention.

[0022] This priming cap 10 comprises a side wall 11, advantageously at least partially conical in shape, and therefore particularly well suited to a nasal-type dispensing head 4, provided with an elongated nasal tip 5 intended to penetrate a nostril in use, and having the dispensing orifice 6 at its upper axial end, viewed in the orientation of the figure 1 .

[0023] The primer cover 10 may have fastening means 14 on its side wall 11, preferably at its lower axial edge, for holding the primer cover 10 in the closed position on the distributor head 4. The fastening means 14 of the primer cover 10 on the distributor head 4 may have any suitable shape. For example, the primer cover 10 may be fastened by snap-fitting, as illustrated in the drawings, or alternatively, by screwing.

[0024] In the closed position, the priming hood 10 has a contact section 16 intended to cooperate with the axial end wall of the distribution head 4 which has the distribution orifice 6, and fluid trapping means 20, 30 to receive and retain fluid distributed during priming actuations of the device.

[0025] According to a first embodiment, visible on the figures 1 and 2 , the priming hood 10 has an upper axial wall 13 connected to said side wall 11, and the trapping means 20 have an internal sleeve 21 fixed in the side wall 11 and defining a trapping space 23 between said internal sleeve and the hood 10.

[0026] The internal sleeve 21 has a substantially radial axial bottom wall 25 with an opening 22. The axial bottom wall 25 is positioned, in the closed position of the cover, on the axial end wall of the distribution head 4, which has the distribution orifice 6, with the opening 22 facing the distribution orifice 6. This axial bottom wall 25 and the opening 22 thus form the contact section 16 of the cover 10. When fluid is dispensed during a priming actuation, it will pass through the opening 22 and enter the trapping space 23.

[0027] Advantageously, the upper axial wall 13 of the priming hood 10 has an internal profile 12, for example of a domed shape, adapted to guide the fluid exiting the distribution orifice 6 to the sides to prevent it from returning directly to the distribution orifice 6. Indeed, the fluid exits in the form of a conical spray, and upon encountering the internal profile, the droplets of the spray are deflected radially outwards.

[0028] Advantageously, the internal sleeve 21 is fixed in a sealed manner in the side wall 11, at the level of appropriate retaining means 15.

[0029] Advantageously, the trapping space 23 extends laterally around the upper part of the inner sleeve 21, which allows the trapped fluid to flow out and remain trapped in the lower part of said trapping space 23. In this way, when the user removes the cover 10 from the distribution head, after the priming actuations and before the operating actuation, there is no risk of leakage of the trapped fluid, for example through the opening 22 of the inner sleeve 21.

[0030] Advantageously, the side wall 11 of the priming hood 10 is at least partially transparent or translucent to allow the fluid contained in the trapping space 23 to be seen after the priming actuations.

[0031] Advantageously, the side wall 11 has an external marker 19, such as a rib, which acts as a priming indicator. Thus, when the fluid level in the trapping space 23 reaches said external marker 19, the user knows that the device has been sufficiently primed and can therefore remove the priming cover 10 to use the device.

[0032] THE figures 3 to 5 represent other embodiments not falling within the scope of the claimed invention of the priming hood in which the liquid trapping means are different.

[0033] In these examples of Figures 3 to 5 , the upper axial end of the side wall 11 of the priming hood 10 is open, and the trapping means 30 comprise a hollow cap 31 fixed on said upper axial end of the side wall 11 of the priming hood 10.

[0034] In the examples of figures 3 and 4, this cap 31 contains an insert 32 whose lower surface forms the contact section 16 of the cap 10. A trapping space 33 is defined axially above said insert, in the bottom of said hollow cap 31.

[0035] This insert 32 is advantageously porous and can absorb the fluid distributed during priming actuations. It can also guide this fluid, notably by capillary action, towards the trapping space 33.

[0036] In the example of the figure 4 , an axial passage 34 is provided in the insert 32 to facilitate the transfer of the fluid to the trapping space 33.

[0037] In the example of the figure 5The cap 31 contains a one-way valve 35 defining the contact area 16 of the cap 10. This valve 35 may include a diaphragm 37 having a slot 36 in its center, which opens when fluid is dispensed through the dispensing orifice during priming actuations. A trapping space 33 is defined axially above said diaphragm, in the bottom of said hollow cap 31.

[0038] This one-way valve 35 opens under the pressure of the fluid to allow this fluid to pass into the trapping space 33, and closes automatically to retain the fluid in this trapping space 33.

[0039] The hollow cap 31 of the embodiments of figures 3 to 5 may also be at least partially transparent or translucent and include an external marker forming a priming indicator.

[0040] The present invention has been described above with reference to several advantageous embodiments thereof, but it is clear that it is not limited to these embodiments. In particular, the shape of the hood, as well as the shape and position of the fluid trapping means, may be different. Other modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. Device for dispensing a fluid product, comprising a fluid product reservoir (1), a dispensing member (2), such as a pump mounted on said reservoir (1) or a piston sliding in said reservoir (1), a dispensing head (4) provided with a dispensing orifice (6), and a priming cap (10) intended to cover, in a closing position, said dispensing head (4), said dispensing head (4) comprising an axial end wall provided with said dispensing orifice (6), said priming cap comprising means (20) for trapping fluid to, in the closing position, receive and retain the fluid dispensed through said dispensing orifice (6) during actuations of priming said dispensing device, said priming cap (10) comprising an upper axial wall (13) connected to a side wall (11), said trapping means (20) comprising an internal sleeve (21) fixed in said side wall (11) and defining a trapping space (23) between said internal sleeve (21) and said priming cap (10), characterised in that said internal sleeve (21) comprises a substantially radial bottom axial wall (25) comprising an opening (22), said bottom axial wall (25) being positioned in the closing position of said priming cap (10) on said axial end wall of said dispensing head (4), with said opening (22) disposed facing said dispensing orifice (6).

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein said side wall (11) is provided with fixing means (14) to hold said priming cap (10) on said dispensing head (4) in the closing position.

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a contact section (16) intended to engage with an axial end wall of said dispensing head (4) which comprises said dispensing orifice (6).

4. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said upper axial wall (13) comprises an internal profile (12), in particular dome-shaped, adapted to guide the fluid exiting from said dispensing orifice (6) to the sides to avoid it directly returning onto said dispensing orifice (6).

5. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said trapping space (23) extends laterally around an upper part of said internal sleeve (21), which enables the trapped fluid to flow and remain trapped in a lower part of said trapping space (23).

6. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said side wall (11) of said priming cap (10) is at least partially transparent or translucent to make it possible to see the fluid contained in said trapping space (23) after the priming actuations.

7. Device according to claim 6, wherein said side wall (11) comprises an external marker (19), such as a ridge, forming a priming control.

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