Rapid gassing valve for refillable aerosol

Abstract

The invention relates to a dispensing valve (30) with a longitudinal axis (X) intended to be mounted on a container (12) of a packaging assembly for a refillable cosmetic product. The valve body (40) is provided with a movable element (28) that closes a communication channel (26) between the container (12) and the chamber (52) during aerosol use and opens the communication channel (26) under gas pressure during refilling of the container (12). The communication channel (26) is provided on a lateral wall of the valve body (40). Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: Rapid gassing valve for refillable aerosol

[0001] The present invention relates to a rapid gassing dispensing valve, particularly for a refillable aerosol containing a cosmetic product. The invention also relates to a product dispensing device comprising such a valve and a product packaging assembly, particularly a refillable aerosol, comprising such a dispensing device. It also relates to a method for manufacturing this packaging assembly.

[0002] More generally, a cosmetic product is a product as defined in Regulation (EC) No 1223 / 2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on cosmetic products. Technological background

[0003] Conventionally, a pressurized container includes a dispensing valve fixed to a cup, which can itself be crimped or flared onto the neck of the container. The container holds the product to be dispensed and a compressed propellant gas, such as compressed air. The propellant gas can be in direct contact with the product to be dispensed inside the container. In this case, the container is filled with propellant gas via the dispensing valve.

[0004] Such a container can be refilled with cosmetic product. In this case, once the product has been consumed, the dispensing system can be detached from the container, which can then be refilled with product. The container can then be resealed using the same dispensing system and repressurized, for example, by means of a new compressed gas supply connected to the dispensing valve.

[0005] The cosmetic product is contained under pressure, generally in liquid form, in a container of the packaging assembly closed by the dispensing device. The cosmetic product is normally retained in the container by the dispensing device. When the actuating rod is moved to the dispensing position, the cosmetic product is spontaneously dispensed from the container through the dispensing conduit under the effect of the pressure inside the container. Most often, a diffuser coupled to the outlet breaks the cosmetic product exiting the container into small droplets which, when projected into the air, form an aerosol.

[0006] Once empty, these packaging assemblies can be refilled by injecting a new product into the container via the dispensing device. To do this, simply move the actuating rod to the dispensing position and then inject the new product under pressure into the outlet.

[0007] When it is desired that the product to be distributed be isolated from the propellant gas, it is possible to separate them by a flexible bag or by a piston.

[0008] French patent application FR-A1-2 951 140 describes a rechargeable diffuser of the type The system comprises a pouch mounted inside a container and containing the product to be dispensed, and a propellant gas introduced into the container to exert pressure on the pouch. The dispensing valve is crimped or flared onto a cup. A ring is provided that screws onto the container and presses a cup bearing the dispensing valve against the open end of the container. Once the product in the pouch has been fully dispensed, unscrewing the ring allows access to the pouch for replacement.

[0009] To use such a refillable pouch device, it is known to place a pouch of product surmounted by a distribution system in a container, to close the whole with a screw ring making the system airtight and to connect the valve to a compressed air network or to a compressor, up to an air supply that can reach a pressure of 3 to 12 bars depending on the desired spray force.

[0010] However, whether for an aerosol with or without a pocket, the gassing time of the rechargeable aerosol is long.

[0011] There is a need to offer a refilling system for an aerosol device with a reduced gassing time compared to current systems, particularly by the consumer if the system is usable at home or in stores, if the system is installed in large stores for example.

[0012] There is a need to propose a refilling system for an aerosol device, which is simple to use and adaptable to any type of device, regardless of the level of filling and / or residual internal pressure.

[0013] There is a need to provide a refilling system for an aerosol device, which does not require any difficult and meticulous handling.

[0014] There is a need to provide a recharging system for an aerosol device, with which it is possible to refill without risking getting one's hands dirty.

[0015] There is a need to provide a rechargeable aerosol operating with a compressed gas, in particular air, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, with performance equivalent to aerosols on the market using liquefied gas. DEFINITION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] The invention relates to a longitudinal axis X dispensing valve for mounting on a container in a packaging assembly for a refillable cosmetic product, the valve comprising: a valve body, defining an internal chamber within the valve body which opens to the outside of the valve body through a product inlet opening, and an actuating stem, inserted into an opening of the valve body outlet, the stem defining an internal distribution conduit, said distribution conduit opening outside the stem through a product inlet orifice and a product outlet orifice, the actuating stem being movably mounted in the valve body chamber between a cosmetic product dispensing position, in which the inlet orifice is in fluidic communication with the chamber and the outlet orifice is disposed outside the chamber, and a cosmetic product blocking position, in which the inlet orifice is not in fluidic communication with the chamber, and a return element for the actuating stem to its blocking position, the valve body is provided with a movable element closing a communication channel between the container and the chamber during aerosol use and opening the communication channel under the effect of gas pressure during container refilling,The communication channel is provided in a lateral wall of the valve body.

[0017] Thanks to the device according to the invention, it becomes possible to reduce the gassing time during gas recharging by modifying a known valve through the addition of a communication channel between the container and the chamber. This modification can be made to most known valves, leaving a considerable choice of valves depending on the intended application.

[0018] According to the invention, it is proposed to add one or more orifices to a valve body that is obstructed by a movable element, particularly made of elastomer, which can become lodged in a groove during product use by the consumer. This orifice is opened during the gassing step. This reduces the gassing time for the consumer.

[0019] The invention also relates to a longitudinal axis X distribution device, comprising a valve as described above.

[0020] The invention also relates to a packaging assembly for a cosmetic product refillable with gas, comprising a container containing a cosmetic product and a dispensing device closing the container, in which the dispensing device is a device as described above.

[0021] The invention further relates to a method of manufacturing such a packaging assembly, comprising the following successive steps: supplying the container and the dispensing valve, closing the container with the dispensing valve, filling the container by moving the actuating rod into the dispensing position, injecting the cosmetic product under pressure into the outlet orifice, injecting the gas under pressure into the outlet orifice. Main definitions

[0022] A "cross-section of a part with axis X" is a section perpendicular to the X axis of the part.

[0023] By "longitudinal axis of a part", we mean the line joining all the barycenters of the cross sections of a part. Preferred modes of implementation

[0024] Preferably, the valve according to the invention has one or more of the following characteristics, taken alone or in combination:

[0025] The inlet port is disposed outside the chamber when the moving element closes the communication channel and the inlet port is in communication with the chamber when the moving element opens the communication channel, the outlet port being in communication with the gas recharge.

[0026] The communication channel defines a seat for the moving element, the moving element resting on the seat during the use of the aerosol and moving away from the seat during the refilling of the container.

[0027] It comprises one or more communication channels.

[0028] The valve body is formed in one piece and the communication channel passes through the valve body.

[0029] The moving element is an O-ring. Description of the figures

[0030] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, non-limiting examples of its implementation, and from examination of the accompanying schematic and partial drawing, on which:

[0031] [Fig.l],

[0032] [Fig. 1] is a cross-sectional view of part of a conditioning assembly according to the invention, the valve being non-actuated at rest,

[0033] [Fig.2],

[0034] [Fig.2] is a cross-sectional view of part of a conditioning assembly according to the invention, during its gas recharging; the arrows show the passage of gas during gassing.

[0035] [Fig.3],

[0036] [Fig.3] is a longitudinal section of the valve body according to the invention showing communication channels,

[0037] [Fig.4],

[0038] [Fig.4] is a cross-section of the body of a four-channel communicating valve,

[0039] [Fig.5],

[0040] [Fig.5] is a front view of the valve of [Fig.1], the O-ring being detached from the valve body.

[0041] The packaging assembly 10 of [Fig. 1] comprises a container 12 and a dispensing device 14 with longitudinal axis X closing the container 12. The container 12 includes, in a known manner, a wall 20 defining an internal cavity 22 for receiving a cosmetic product. Said internal cavity 22 opens to the outside of the container 12 through a neck 24 formed in the wall 20.

[0042] This internal cavity 22 contains a cosmetic product (not shown), for example, eau de toilette, perfume, deodorant, or hair styling product. The dispensing device 14 is positioned across the neck 24 so as to completely close off the neck 24. It is fixed, at its periphery, to the rim 26 of the neck 24. The dispensing device 14 comprises a dispensing valve 30 and a cup 32. The cup 32 defines a passage 34 for the cosmetic product. The valve 30 is engaged in this passage 34 and is connected to the cup 32 so as to prevent the passage of fluid through the passage 34 between the valve 30 and the cup 32 when the pressure of this fluid is less than or equal to the pressure prevailing in the cavity 22. The cup 32 connects the valve 30 to the container 12. For this purpose, the cup 32 is crimped, at its periphery, to the rim 26. The valve 30 comprises a valve body 40, an actuating stem 42, and a return member 44.The valve body 40 is entirely located on one side of the cup 32. In particular, the valve body 40 is entirely located on the side of the cup 32 facing the cavity 22. The valve body 40 is rigidly connected to the cup 32. For this purpose, the cup 32 is, for example, crimped onto the valve body 40. The valve body 40 comprises a cylindrical portion 50 defining an inner chamber 52 opening to the outside of the valve body 40 through an inlet 54 for the cosmetic product and an opening 56 for the passage of the stem 42. The openings 54 and 56 are formed at opposite axial ends of the cylindrical portion 50. It should be noted that the term "cylindrical" is used here and throughout the rest of the application in its broadest sense, encompassing both cylinders of revolution and cylinders with polygonal cross-sections. The valve body 40 also includes an appendage 58 for connecting a dip tube (not shown).This appendage 58 projects from an axial end of the cylindrical portion 50 and surrounds the inlet opening 54. The valve body 40 further includes a seal 60 surrounding the outlet orifice 56 (internal seal). Said seal 60 is disposed against the cup 32 and ensures a seal between the valve body 40 and the cup 32. The actuating stem 42 is substantially coaxial with the cylindrical portion 50. The orifice of the actuating stem 64 is closed by the seal 60.

[0043] It extends through the passage 34 and the opening 56. It thus extends partly into the chamber 52 and partly outside the chamber 52. The seal 60 is in contact with a lateral face 61 of said stem 42 so as to provide a seal between the stem 42 and the valve body 40. The actuating stem 42 defines a conduit axial 62, internal to the rod 52, for distributing the cosmetic product. This conduit 62 opens outside the rod 52 through an inlet 64 for the cosmetic product and through an outlet 66 for the cosmetic product. The inlet orifice 64 is provided in the lateral face 61. The outlet orifice 66 is provided in an axial end of the rod 42 located outside the chamber 52. The actuating rod 42 is movably mounted in the chamber 52 along its axis AA' between a cosmetic product blocking position, shown in [Fig. 1], in which the inlet orifice 64 is not in fluidic communication with the chamber 52, and a cosmetic product dispensing position (not shown), in which the inlet orifice 64 is in fluidic communication with the chamber 52. In particular, in the blocking position, the inlet orifice 64 is positioned opposite the seal 60 and, in the dispensing position, the inlet orifice 64 is positioned in the chamber 52.The actuating rod 42, for example, carries a stop (not shown) to prevent it from moving when it reaches the locked position. This stop is also designed to prevent the actuating rod 42 from fully extending from the chamber 52. In the example shown, the stop is adapted to be in contact with the seal 60 when the rod 42 is in the locked position. The stop, in the example shown, is thus formed by a shoulder on the rod 42, oriented towards the seal 60. The return element 44 is designed to force the rod 42 towards its locked position. This locked position is the rest position of the rod 42. The return element 44 is located in the chamber 52.In the example shown, this return member 44 is a compression spring interposed between the axial end of the rod 42 positioned in the chamber 52 and the axial end of the cylindrical portion 50 in which the inlet opening 54 is formed. A seat 74 is disposed in the conduit 62.

[0044] In the side wall of the valve body 40, a communication channel 26 is defined, opening on one side into the chamber 52 and on the other into the container 12 above the level of the composition. An enlarged internal space, receiving a movable element such as an O-ring 28 and extending a cylindrical portion 29 of the communication channel 26 by means of a hemispherical bearing surface, serves as a seat 27 for the O-ring 28. The O-ring 28 can be partially held inside the seat 27 during its movement by an elastic means such as a spring or an elastic blade, the ends of which can be inserted into the side wall of the valve body 40.

[0045] The O-ring 28 obstructs the orifice 26. The orifice 26 is released during gassing because the gassing pressure is greater than the elastic resistance of the O-ring, allowing the gas to pass through the orifice 26. In the example shown, the channel communication 26 is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X but it could be otherwise.

[0046] The O-ring 28 moves in its seat 27 along the axis Y perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X, the inner diameter of the seat 27 being less than the diameter of the O-ring 28.

[0047] The hemispherical head forming the seat 27 cooperates with the O-ring 28 engaged in the communication channel 26. The seat 27 is extended by a transverse hole forming the cylindrical portion 29 passing through the body wall.

[0048] The seat 27 may have a completely different shape than that represented as a truncated conical, conical, cylindrical or cubic shape and for example form a groove.

[0049] Figure 3 shows the communication channel 26 comprising the cylindrical portion 29 and the hemispherical portion forming the seat 27 in which the O-ring moves. In Figure 3, the O-ring is located at the bottom of the seat to close the chamber, outside of an aerosol gassing operation. Of course, the channel 26 could have a completely different shape.

[0050] Figure 4 shows an embodiment of the invention with four communication channels 26, 260, 261, 262 equally distributed around the longitudinal axis X, channels 26 and 261, respectively 260 and 262 being symmetrical to each other with respect to the axis X. Other channels could be added.

[0051] Fig. 5 shows the assembly comprising the valve body 40 with an orifice, a housing for the O-ring and an O-ring.

[0052] The conditioning assembly operates as described below.

[0053] Valve 30 open

[0054] When the user wishes to recharge the packaging assembly with gas, they slide the rod 42 along the X-axis and connect the product outlet 66 to a gas refill ([Fig. 2]). The pressure in the chamber, and therefore the pressure at the valve body outlet, is thus transmitted to the communication channel 26 via the inlet 64 and exerted on a surface of the O-ring 28, corresponding to the cross-section of the channel 26, against the force exerted by the spring holding the O-ring 28 in its seat. When this pressure exceeds a predetermined value, the O-ring 28 is displaced from its seat and the gas pressure is established over the entire cross-section of the container above the level of the composition.

[0055] The pressurized gas enters the chamber through the product outlet 66 and then through the inlet 64. It then passes through the channel 26 and pushes the O-ring 28 aside to create an access point to the container between the O-ring 28 and the bottom of the seat 27. The channel 26 is opened and the gas enters the container ([Fig. 2]). In the example shown, the O-ring protrudes from the wall of the valve body, but this could be otherwise.

[0056] At the end of the gassing operation, because the cross-section of the container is much larger than the cross-section of the channel 26, the force exerted on the O-ring 28 becomes much greater than that which caused the detachment from its seat and the O-ring 28 moves inwards in the radial direction towards the longitudinal axis X.

[0057] Valve 30 closed

[0058] When the gassing is complete, the stem 42 rises, the inlet orifice 64 positions itself opposite the seal 60, and the O-ring 28 settles into the bottom of the seat 27 ([Fig. 1]). The channel 26 is closed during aerosol use. The O-ring 18 is pushed, by the higher pressure, against the seat 27 of the channel 26 connected to the lower-pressure chamber, thus closing this channel 26. After each gassing operation, the O-ring 28 falls back onto its seat 27, where it is held in place by the spring, for example. The highest pressure is thus available inside the container 19, and therefore pushing the O-ring 28 inward. A return of the valve stem to the upper position allows the O-ring 28 to be pushed radially into the seat 27.

[0059] The invention is not limited to the embodiments shown in the figures. For example, the valve body may have more channels, coplanar or not. The longitudinal axis of the channels may be inclined or perpendicular to the X-axis.

Claims

Demands

1. Dispensing valve (30) with longitudinal axis (X) intended to be mounted on a container (12) of a packaging assembly for a refillable cosmetic product, the valve (30) comprising: a valve body (40), defining a chamber (52) internal to the valve body (40) which opens to the outside of the valve body (40) through a product inlet opening (54), an actuating stem (42), inserted in an outlet opening (56) of the valve body (40), the stem defining an internal dispensing conduit (62), said dispensing conduit (62) opening to the outside of the stem (42) through a product inlet orifice (64) and through a product outlet orifice (66), the actuating stem (42) being movably mounted in the chamber (52) of the valve body (40) between a cosmetic product dispensing position,in which the inlet orifice (64) is in fluidic communication with the chamber (52) and the outlet orifice (66) is disposed outside the chamber (52), and a cosmetic product blocking position, in which the inlet orifice (64) is not in fluidic communication with the chamber (52), and a return element (44) for the actuating rod (42) to its blocking position, the valve body (40) is provided with a movable element (28) closing a communication channel (26) between the container (12) and the chamber (52) during aerosol use and opening the communication channel (26) under the effect of gas pressure during refilling the container (12), the communication channel (26) being provided in a lateral wall of the valve body (40), characterized in that it comprises several communication channels (26), the communication channels (26) defining a seat (27) for the moving element,the movable element (28) resting on the seat during use of the aerosol and moving away from the seat during refilling of the container (12).

2. Dispensing valve (30) according to claim 1, characterized in that the inlet orifice (64) is disposed outside the chamber (52) when the moving element (28) closes the communication channels (26) and the inlet orifice (64) is in communication with the chamber (52) when the moving element (28) opens the communication channels (26), the outlet orifice (66) being in communication with the gas recharge.

3. Distribution valve (30) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the valve body is formed in one piece and the communication channels (26) pass through the valve body (40).

4. Distribution valve (30) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the moving element (28) is an O-ring.

5. Longitudinal axis (X) distribution device (14), characterized in that it comprises a valve according to any one of the preceding claims.

6. Packaging assembly (10) for a gas-refillable cosmetic product, comprising a container (12) containing a cosmetic product and a dispensing device (14) closing the container (12), wherein the dispensing device (14) is a device according to claim 6.

7. A method for manufacturing a packaging assembly according to claim 6, comprising the following successive steps: supplying the container (12) and the dispensing valve (30), closing the container (12) with the dispensing valve (30), filling the container (12) by moving the actuating rod (42) into the dispensing position, injecting the cosmetic product under pressure into the outlet orifice (66), injecting the gas under pressure into the outlet orifice (66).

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