A device for dispensing a fluid substance

Abstract

The invention relates to a fluid substance dispensing device (1) comprising a container (2) secured to a sprayer (3), the said sprayer (3) comprising a shaped body (4) to which a lever (5) - which is coupled with a piston (6) and is movable counter to the force of an elastic element (8) - is secured, the piston (6) being slidable within a sealed chamber (7) formed within the shaped body (4), the chamber (7) being fluidically connected to an inlet valve (9) in fluid communication with the container (2) and to an outlet valve (10) in fluid communication with a sprayer (3) nozzle (11), characterised by the fact that the shaped body (4) forms a compartment (51), which is accessible from outside the shaped body (4), there being filling passageway (54) formed within the compartment (51) in fluid communication with the inside of the container (2).

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] "A device for dispensing a fluid substance"

[0003] ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

[0004] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The present invention relates to a device for dispensing a fluid substance via a trigger-type sprayer coupled with a container .

[0006] In particular, it refers to a refillable device .

[0007] STATE OF THE ART

[0008] Commonly known trigger-type devices comprise a container to which a sprayer is sealingly coupled .

[0009] The sprayer features a shaped body from which a lever protrudes (hinged to the shaped body) which enables activation of a dispensing pump integrated into the shaped body . Suitable channels made in the shaped body feed a nozzle from which a fluid substance housed inside the container is nebulised, or in any case expelled .

[0010] Usually, the sprayer features a threaded ring that couples with a corresponding thread on the neck of the container . To fully dispense the substance from the container, the sprayer may have a small dip tube that penetrates the inside of the container . When the product inside the container has been fully dispensed, a user can unscrew the sprayer from the container (by rotating the ring which is mounted movably on the sprayer) to remove the sprayer, thereby accessing the inside of the container so as to be able to refill the container with a new substance to be dispensed .

[0011] A refill operation usually consists in partially filling the container with normal water ( for example from the tap) . The user then adds a concentrated additive ( in liquid or tablet form) to the water in the container, which - when mixed with the volume of water in the container - recreates the original fluid substance ( cleaning, descaling, etc . ) .

[0012] The additive may be housed in special containers , with a smaller volume than the container coupled with the sprayer, or in the form of tablets that dissolve in water .

[0013] The operation is somewhat difficult and risky, especially if the substance inside the container is , for example, a cleaning product comprising, for example, relatively dangerous substances such as bleach or a descaler acid .

[0014] Indeed, when, after unscrewing the ring, the user separates the sprayer from the container, residues of the fluid substance may drip or spurt out ( for example those remaining on the dip tube ) , staining the user ' s clothing or, more dangerously, splashing the user ' s eyes , face, or hands . Furthermore, adding the additive (which, remember, is concentrated) via the neck of the container is not simple .

[0015] Also in this case, the additive may splash the user or, during the additive adding operation, the container may tip over, dispersing the contents thereof dangerously .

[0016] Furthermore, even if the refill operation is successful, re-coupling the sprayer to the container may present certain risks .

[0017] For example, the user might not tighten the ring sufficiently, thereby reducing the seal of the coupling between the container and the sprayer, or the user might have difficulty centring the thread of the ring with respect to the thread on the neck, thereby damaging the thread on the ring or the container .

[0018] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0019] The object of the present invention is to provide a fluid substance dispensing device which is improved compared with the prior art .

[0020] A further object of the invention is to provide a fluid substance dispensing device that can be refilled while minimising the risks coupled with the refill operation . A still further object of the invention is to provide a device that minimises or eliminates the risks of poor assembly of the system following a refill .

[0021] This and other objects are achieved by means of a fluid substance dispensing device produced according to the technical teachings of the appended claims .

[0022] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0023] Further features and advantages of the innovation will become clearer in the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the device, illustrated - by way of a non-limiting example - in the drawings appended hereto, in which :

[0024] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device according to the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 is a partial perspective view of the device in Figure 1 taken from another angle ;

[0026] Figure 3 is the perspective view in Figure 2 in a refilling configuration;

[0027] Figure 4 is a partial bottom-up perspective view of a part of the device in Figure 1 ;

[0028] Figure 5 is a perspective view of a reservoir usable with the device in Figure 1 ; Figure 6 is a perspective view, from another angle, of the reservoir in Figure 5 ;

[0029] Figure 7 is a partial, simplified section, taken along line VII— VII in Figure 2 ;

[0030] Figure 8 is a simplified sectional view taken along line

[0031] VIII-VIII in Figure 7 ;

[0032] Figure 9 is a partial, simplified section taken along line

[0033] IX— IX in Figure 8 ;

[0034] Figure 10 is an enlargement of the part circled in Figure 9 ;

[0035] Figure 11 shows a section of a variant of the device in Figure 1 ;

[0036] Figure 12 shows , in a sectional view, the variant in

[0037] Figure 11 equipped with another possible type of reservoir;

[0038] Figure 13 shows , in a sectional view, the variant in

[0039] Figure 11 in a possible use configuration;

[0040] Figure 14 is a perspective view of the reservoir mounted on the device in Figure 11 ;

[0041] Figure 15 is a perspective view of an insert present in the device in Figure 13 , and

[0042] Figure 16 is a sectional view similar to that in Figure 9 but of the variant in Figure 13 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0043] With reference to the figures stated, reference number 1 is used to denote, as a whole, a fluid substance dispensing device .

[0044] In this text, the term ' fluid substance ' refers , for example, to a household cleaning liquid such as a descaler, an ammonia- or bleach-based detergent , a glass cleaner, a room deodorant or a deodorant for fabrics or clothes , etc . , preferably of the sprayable kind .

[0045] The device 1 comprises a container 2 fixed to a sprayer 3 .

[0046] The container 2 may be simply a shaped container, for example, made of a blow-moulded plastic material, such as PP , PE, PET, possibly PCR, or a mix thereof .

[0047] The sprayer 3 is of the kind commonly known on the market with the term 'trigger' , since the operating lever thereof is similar to a trigger .

[0048] The sprayer 3 may be coupled in a permanent manner to the container by means of any coupling system that cannot be tampered with by the end user during normal use .

[0049] In the example described here, it should be noted that , with reference to Figure 4 , the sprayer may feature first teeth 120 that snap-fit onto second teeth featured on a neck

[0050] 2A of the container 2 ( see sectional view in Figure 7 ) . Sealing elements ( for example a simple gasket ) may be featured between the container 2 and the sprayer 3 to prevent fluid substance leakage where the two components are coupled .

[0051] The sprayer 3 comprises a shaped body 4 (which is preferably made of several pieces assembled together) to which a lever 5 coupled with a piston 6 is secured ( for example hinged) ( see sectional view in Figure 7 , where it can be seen that the piston can simply be placed on the lever 5 ) .

[0052] The piston 6 is movable counter to the force of an elastic element 8 , operated by the lever 5 .

[0053] The piston 6 slides within a sealed chamber 7 formed within the shaped body .

[0054] This chamber 7 is fluidically connected to a suction valve 9 in fluid communication ( for example via a dip tube 128 ) with the container 2 , and to an outlet valve 10 in fluid communication with a sprayer 3 nozzle 11 .

[0055] It should be noted that the nozzle 11 can be a separate piece from the shaped body 4 or integrated thereinto, depending on the kind of spray required of the sprayer and on the substance dispensed .

[0056] The system described above is commonly known and extremely familiar to those skilled in the art and therefore will not be explored further . It should only be noted that the system can provide venting systems 129 (to compensate for the volume of fluid substance expelled by the pump) and priming systems (to trigger the device ) which can be of any kind and are commonly known in the industry .

[0057] According to the invention, the shaped body 4 forms a compartment 51 which is accessible from outside the shaped body .

[0058] In the compartment 51 a loading passage or filling passageway 54 is formed in fluid communication with the inside of the container 2 .

[0059] The filling passageway 54 , which is clearly visible in Figure 4 , may be simply a circular hole . The hole may be coupled with a perforator 56 ( for example a hollow cylinder with a slash-cut end) supported by special ribs 130 .

[0060] The shaped body 4 can also delimit at least one vent duct 60 (but preferably two) which has a first end 60A (Fig . 4 ) in communication with the inside of the container 2 and a second end 60B (Figs . 9 and 10 ) which opens into the said compartment 51 further away from the container 2 than the filling passageway 54 .

[0061] Advantageously, the second end or ends 60B are featured near the free end of the compartment 51 .

[0062] As can be seen in Figure 3 , the compartment 51 is closed by a flap 4A, for example hinged to the shaped body 4 . The flap 4A optionally features a window 57 .

[0063] The flap 4A can feature snap-fit means ( for example an elastic tooth 140 ) that keep it in the closed position and must be disengaged to allow the said flap to open ( for example by pressing forcefully on a flexible tab with which the tooth 140 is equipped) .

[0064] The flap 4A can also feature one or more projections 142 , whose purpose will be clarified later .

[0065] The compartment 51 is configured to house a refilling reservoir 52 ( see Figs . 5 and 6 ) and Figure 7 shows a configuration in which the reservoir 52 is housed inside the compartment 51 .

[0066] The reservoir 52 has a discharge opening 53 configured to sealingly couple (with the aid of a gasket - not shown - if necessary) with the filling passageway 54 .

[0067] Advantageously, before being inserted into the compartment 51 , the reservoir 52 features a breakable part 90 ( for example, simply a laminated, heat-sealed film) sealing the discharge opening 53 .

[0068] When the reservoir 52 is inserted into the compartment 51 , the breakable part 90 rests on the perforator 56, and a further downwards movement of the reservoir results in rupture of the breakable part and the inside of the reservoir 52 coming into communication with the inside of the container 2 . Optionally, during closure of the flap 4A, the projections 142 push the reservoir 52 into the stroke limit position, thereby ensuring the seal at the interface between the discharge opening 53 and the filling passageway 54 , and the rupture of the breakable part 90 .

[0069] Furthermore, it should be noted that the reservoir 52 may feature a part 52A which, when the reservoir 52 is in the compartment 51 , seals the second end or ends 60B .

[0070] The part 52A may be slightly protruding, as shown in Figure 10 for example, or simply flat and located in front of (and in contact with) the second end or ends 60B .

[0071] It has in fact been verified that it is sufficient to place a wall of the reservoir in front of ( in contact with) the end or ends to achieve a closure that prevents spillage of the fluid substance contained in the container 2 when the device is lying down or upside down .

[0072] Finally, the reservoir 52 may feature a deformable portion 80 , 80A, optionally with a bellows 80 , configured to pressurise the contents of the reservoir, facilitating the emptying thereof into the container 2 through the said filling passageway 54 .

[0073] For example, the said bellows portion 80 may be at least partially accessible through the window 57 made in the flap 4A . The reservoir 52 may, advantageously, be made by blowmoulding a relatively soft elastic plastic material ( such as

[0074] PP or PE, or a mix thereof ) .

[0075] To complete the description, it should be noted that the device 1 may feature an insert , housed inside the compartment 51 , which seals the filling passageway 54 and the second end 60B .

[0076] In the case described here, the insert can be essentially similar to that shown in Figure 15 (which is suitable for a version of the sprayer without a flap 4A) , but made with a portion that fits inside the window 57 in the flap 4A and that forms a part of the external edge of the sprayer 3 .

[0077] Therefore, the insert forms a second part of the external edge of the sprayer 3 , delimited around the perimeter by the window 57 , but more generally the insert 70 can form at least a first part of the external edge of the sprayer 3 , as will be described later .

[0078] The insert may have a tubular part 200 (possibly supported by suitable ribs ) whose end seals the filling passageway and suitable protrusions 800 ( see Figure 16 ) that seal the second end or ends 60B, which may also be located in a different position from that shown in Figures 9 and 10 .

[0079] The operation of the invention is clear to a person skilled in the art and is essentially as follows . The device 1 may be supplied already filled with a fluid substance . In this event , the insert is positioned inside the compartment 51 and a part thereof delimited by the window 57 integrates perfectly into the design of the sprayer, with the flap closed .

[0080] In this configuration, the sprayer is aesthetically identical to those already on the market .

[0081] Once all the fluid substance contained in container 2 has been dispensed, it is possible to refill the device using simply water and a reservoir 52 filled with a concentrated substance which, when diluted in water, creates the fluid substance originally present in container 2 .

[0082] The flap 4A is then opened, thereby accessing the compartment 51 in which the insert is housed .

[0083] The insert is removed from compartment 51 , thereby freeing up both the filling passageway 54 and the second end or ends 60B .

[0084] Water is then poured into the compartment 51 until the container 2 is at least partially full .

[0085] It should be noted that , in this stage, the air contained in the container 2 can vent freely through the second end or ends 60B . For this reason, the second end or ends 60B are placed at a higher level than the filling passageway 54 . Subsequently, the reservoir 52 ( full of concentrated solution) is inserted into the compartment 51 and the reservoir 52 is pushed into the compartment 51 until the said breakable part 90 is ruptured .

[0086] The operation can be carried out by hand, by pushing the reservoir 52 , or simply by closing the flap 4A as already described .

[0087] At this point, the reservoir 52 is deformed until the contents thereof are fully discharged into the container 2 .

[0088] The deformation of the reservoir 52 ensures that all the contents thereof are discharged into the container 2 .

[0089] Advantageously, the deformation of the container 2 is achieved by pressing, via the window 57 , on the bellows portion 80 , where featured on the said reservoir 52 .

[0090] It may be neces sary to 'pump' the bellows portion 80 several times to discharge the contents of the reservoir 52 .

[0091] Once this operation is complete, the container 2 coupled with the sprayer 3 can be shaken well to mix the contents of the reservoir with the water contained therein, thereby forming the fluid substance to be dispensed via the sprayer 3 .

[0092] I f desired, it is possible to use the device 1 in this configuration, with the reservoir 52 inserted in the compartment 51 . Given the particular conformation of the reservoir (and specifically of the part positioned inside the window 57 ) , the aesthetics of the sprayer are not affected in the slightest .

[0093] Alternatively, it is possible to open the flap, extract the reservoir 52 and reposition the insert inside the compartment 51 , then close the flap 4A .

[0094] Figure 11 shows an alternative version of the device . In the said figure, parts that are functionally identical to those already described are denoted with the same reference numbers . These parts will not be described again .

[0095] It is immediately noticeable that the flap 4A is not present in this configuration . Therefore, the compartment 51 opens directly onto the surface of the sprayer 3 .

[0096] The reservoir 52 , which is better visible in the view in Figure 14 , takes on a different aesthetic conformation from that described previously and shown in, for example, Figure 5 .

[0097] In practice, the said reservoir 52 features a much larger portion that forms at least a part of the external surface of the sprayer 3 .

[0098] The said portion is , in practice, the entire upper surface of the reservoir 52 , which is completely exposed, thereby forming the entire upper rear part of the sprayer . It should be noted that this kind of reservoir 52 is devoid of bellows . In place thereof there is a deformable part 80A which serves to allow the contents of the reservoir to be 'pumped' into the container 2 .

[0099] Given the absence of the flap 4A, the reservoir 52 is also equipped with means for fastening to the shaped body 4A, which can have any form useful for the purpose of fastening the reservoir firmly (but always in a removable manner) inside the compartment 51 . In the example, these fastening means are teeth 301 (Fig . 14 ) which snap-fit into suitable seats made in the shaped body 4 .

[0100] The operation of the device 1 described above is identical to that described previously .

[0101] The said device can be marketed with a full reservoir, therefore with the insert 70 ( shown in Figure 15 ) inserted into the compartment 51 , as can be seen in the sectional view in Figure 13 .

[0102] The reservoir 52 can be used as a refill and, once the contents thereof have been used up (much like as described above ) , the reservoir can be left in position in the compartment 51 or replaced with the insert 70 .

[0103] Figure 12 shows a device is shown that is completely similar to that shown in Figure 11 , but with a reservoir 52 with a configuration that is once again different from those already described, obviously with a larger volume .

[0104] When placed in the compartment 51 , the said reservoir has , a bellows portion 80 in the upper part that protrudes with respect to the ' ideal ' outer edge of the sprayer .

[0105] When a reservoir 52 configured in this way is used, it is preferable, once the filling or refilling operation has been carried out , one must extract the reservoir from the compartment 51 and replace it with the insert 70 , which can have exactly the same configuration as the one shown in Figure 15 .

[0106] This is to enhance both the aesthetics of the sprayer 3 ( if important ) and the handleability thereof .

[0107] This reservoir 52 will also obviously be equipped with means of fastening to the shaped body 4 , if necessary .

[0108] It must be reiterated that the aforesaid variants of the reservoir in Figure 5 will have essentially the same functional characteristics as the latter, for example being sealingly couplable to the filling passageway 54 so as to seal the second end or ends 60B, and may be equipped with the same breakable portion 90 as already described in relation to the reservoir in Figure 5 . The insert in Figure 15 will also obviously feature a system to seal both the filling passageway 54 and the second end or ends 60B .

[0109] In the description above, a method for refilling the device 1 has been described but there is nothing to stop the same method, or a similar one, being used by the user to fill the device 1 prior to first use, with the said device sold with the container 2 empty .

[0110] Various embodiments of the innovation have been disclosed herein, but further embodiments may also be conceived using the same innovative concept .

Claims

CLAIMS1. Dispensing device (1) of a fluid substance, comprising a container (2) fixed to a sprayer (3) , said sprayer (3) comprising a shaped body (4) to which is constrained a lever (5) associated with a piston (6) movable against an elastic element (8) , said piston (6) being sealedly slidable in a chamber (7) defined in said shaped body (4) , said chamber (7) being fluidically connected to an inlet valve (9) in fluidic communication with said container (2) and to an outlet valve (10) in fluidic communication with a nozzle (11) of said sprayer, characterized in that said shaped body (4) defines a compartment (51) accessible from the outside of said shaped body (4) , in said compartment (51) a loading passage (54) in fluid communication with the inside of said container (2) being defined.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said shaped body (4) defines at least one vent duct (60) having a first end (60A) in communication with the inside of said container (2) and a second end (60B) opening into said compartment (51) at a position that is more distant from said container (2) with respect to the position of said loading passage (54) .

3. Device according to claim 1, wherein the compartment(51) opens directly onto the surface of the sprayer (3) .

4. Device according to claim 1, wherein the compartment(51) is closed by a flap (4A) hinged to the shaped body (4) , said flap optionally providing a window (57) .

5. Device according to claim 1, wherein said compartment (51) accommodates a recharging tank(52) , said tank (52) providing a discharge opening(53) configured to sealedly couple with said loading passage ( 54 ) .

6. The device according to claims 2 and 5, wherein the tank (52) provides a part (52A) that tightly closes the second end (60B) of the vent duct (60) .

7. Device according to the previous claim, wherein the tank (52) , before being inserted into the compartment (51) , provides a breakable part (90) that tightly closes the discharge opening (53) , the loading passage (54) being associated with a perforator (56) configured to break said breakable part when the tank (52) is inserted into the compartment (51) .

8. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein an insert (70) is housed inside the compartment (51) that tightly seals the loadingpassage (54) and the second end (60B), the insert (70) defining at least a first portion of the external profile of the sprayer (3) .

9. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the insert (70) defines a second portion of the external profile of the sprayer (3) bounded peripherally by the window (57) .

10. Device according to claim 5, wherein the reservoir(52) includes a deformable portion (80, 80A) , optionally a bellows (80) , configured to pressurize the content of the tank in order to help its emptying into the container (2) through the loading passage ( 5 ) .

11. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said bellows portion (80) is at least partially accessible through said window (57) .

12. Device according to claim 5, wherein the reservoir (52) provides a surface defining at least a portion of the outer surface of the sprayer (3) .

13. A method of filling a device according to one or more of the preceding claims, comprising the steps of: pouring water into the compartment (51) until the container (2) is at least partially filled, inserting the reservoir (52) into the compartment (51) , pushing the reservoir (52) into thecompartment (51) until the breakable part (90) is broken, deforming the reservoir (52) , preferably at the bellows (80) , until its content is completely discharged inside the container (2) , and optionally shaking the container (2) associated with the sprayer (3) so that the contents of the reservoir can mix with the water therein to form a fluid substance to be dispensed through the sprayer (3) .

14. A method according to the preceding claim, wherein the insert (70) is removed before water is poured into the compartment (51) , and when the reservoir (58) has been completely emptied, the reservoir (58) is removed from the compartment (51) and the insert (70) is repositioned.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein the flap(4A) is opened before the insert (70) is removed.

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