阅读说明：本技术 流体产品分配头和这种分配头的模制组件 (Fluid product dispensing head and moulding assembly of such a head ) 是由 F·舍瓦利耶 F·普莱西 于 2018-05-03 设计创作，主要内容包括：流体产品分配头,其包括一体式头主体(1),主体形成：能够连接至例如泵或阀的分配构件(D)的轴向集流井(12)、和自轴向集流井(12)延伸的横向供流管(13),分配头还包括与横向供流管(13)流体连通的分配孔(21),其中过滤器(F)位于轴向集流井(12)和/或横向供流管(13)中。(Fluid product dispensing head comprising a one-piece head body (1) forming: an axial collecting well (12) connectable to a distribution member (D), such as a pump or a valve, and a transverse supply pipe (13) extending from the axial collecting well (12), the distribution head further comprising a distribution orifice (21) in fluid communication with the transverse supply pipe (13), wherein a filter (F) is located in the axial collecting well (12) and/or the transverse supply pipe (13).)

1. A fluid product dispensing head comprising a one-piece body (1) thereof forming:

-an axial collector well (12) connectable to a distribution member (D) such as a pump or a valve,

-a transverse supply pipe (13) extending from the axial collector well (12),

the fluid product distribution head also comprises distribution holes (21) in fluid communication with the transverse flow supply duct (13), the fluid product coming from the distribution member (D) passing through the axial collector well (12) and the transverse flow supply duct (13) to reach the distribution holes (21),

characterized in that a filter (F; F ') is located in the axial collector well (12) and/or in the transverse feed pipe (13), the fluid product passing through the filter (F; F').

2. Spray head according to claim 1, characterized in that the filter (F; F '; F "; F'") is formed by a one-piece body (1).

3. Spray head according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the filter (F; F '; F "; F'") is located at the junction between the axial collecting well (12) and the transverse feed pipe (13).

4. Spray head according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the filter (F; F '; F "; F'") is in the form of a grid.

5. Spray head according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transverse supply pipe (13) defines an inlet (131), the axial collector well (12) forming a flattened portion (121), the inlet (131) of the transverse supply pipe (13) being formed in the flattened portion.

6. Spray head according to claim 5, characterized in that the filter extends in the plane of the flattened section (121) at the inlet (131) of the transverse supply pipe (13).

7. Spray head according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the transverse supply duct (13) opens into the seat (14), the nozzle (2) forming the distribution orifice (21) engaging in the seat (14).

8. The spray head of the preceding claim, wherein the spray head further comprises: a connection sleeve (11) able to receive an actuation rod (5) of a dispensing member (D), for example a pump or a valve; and a nozzle (2) defining, upstream of the orifice (21), a swirl chamber (22) and a swirl channel (23) which opens transversely into the swirl chamber (22) for ejecting the fluid product through the dispensing orifice (21), together with the unitary body (1).

9. Spray head according to the preceding claim, wherein the diameter of the dispensing orifice (21) is less than or equal to 150 microns.

10. Dispenser of fluid products comprising a container (R), a pump mounted on the container (R), and a fluid product dispensing head (T) according to any one of the preceding claims, associated with the pump.

11. Moulding assembly for moulding a fluid product dispensing head (T) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, the moulding assembly comprising a well-forming core (B2) for forming an axial collecting well (12) and a tube-forming core (B1) for forming a transverse flow supply tube (13), the tube-forming core (B1) comprising an end wall (B11) formed with a hollow profiled groove (B12), the well-forming core (B2) comprising a contact side wall (B23) against which the end wall (B11) is in contact so as to define an open channel network therebetween into which molten plastic material is to be injected to form a filter (F; F '; F "; F'").

12. Moulding assembly according to claim 11, characterized in that the contact side walls (B23) are advantageously flat, formed by a flexible coating which can be deformed by the end walls (B11) to well isolate the network of open channels.

Technical Field

The invention relates to a fluid product dispensing head comprising a one-piece body forming: an axial manifold well connectable to a distribution member such as a pump or valve; and a transverse flow supply tube extending from the axial collector well. The dispense head further includes a dispense orifice in fluid communication with the transverse supply flow tube. Such a dispensing head may for example be in the form of a button which is actuatable by means of one or more fingers. The preferred field of application of the invention is that of perfumes, cosmetics or pharmaceuticals, without excluding other fields.

Background

In the prior art, document FR2994866a1 describes a dispensing head in which a swirl channel is formed in a frustoconical surface, which opens at an angle into a swirl chamber defining a cylindrical side wall. More specifically, the nozzle forming the orifice and the cylindrical wall is engaged around a mandrel forming a bottom wall and a frustoconical surface in which the vortex channel is formed. Thus, the flow of fluid product from the swirl passage enters the swirl chamber through the swirl chamber towards the orifice. It should be noted that the passage section of the fluid product in such dispensing heads of the prior art is particularly reduced compared to conventional dispensing heads. The dispensing orifice has a diameter of about 150 microns, while for conventional dispensing heads, the diameter is about 300 microns.

Empirically, it is sometimes found that particles of various nature and generally of unknown origin clog the nozzle, especially for heads having small dispensing orifices. A simple solution is to place a particulate filter at the inlet of the dip tube. Another solution is to filter the fluid product before filling the dispenser container.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention aims to find another solution that causes minimal or almost no modification to the dispenser, its manufacturing or packaging line.

To this end, the invention proposes that a filter, for example in the form of a grid, be located in the axial collector well and/or in the transverse feed pipe. Thus, the filter is placed as close as possible to the dispensing hole. Advantageously, the filter is formed by a unitary body of the distribution head, which also forms the axial collector well and the transverse feed pipe. The filter is integrally formed in the unitary body so that installation or assembly operations may be avoided. Furthermore, the formation of the filter does not bring any disadvantages to the moulding operation. Preferably, the filter is located at the junction between the axial flow well and the lateral flow supply tube. Thus, the particles retained by the filter remain in the collector well without causing a risk of clogging or reducing the flow supply pipe through the cross section. According to a practical embodiment, the transverse flow supply pipe defines an inlet, the axial collecting well forms a flat portion, and the inlet of the transverse flow supply pipe is formed in the flat portion. In this case, the filter may extend in the plane of the flattened portion at the inlet of the transverse flow supply tube.

According to other aspects of the invention, the spray head further comprises: a connection sleeve able to receive an actuation rod of a dispensing member, for example a pump or a valve; and a nozzle defining, with the unitary body, upstream of the orifice, a swirl chamber and a swirl channel opening transversely to the swirl chamber for ejecting the fluid product through the dispensing orifice. This is a common feature of spray heads in the fields of perfumery, cosmetics or pharmacy.

The invention also defines a fluid dispenser comprising a container, a pump mounted on the container and a dispensing head as described above in combination with the pump.

The invention also defines a molding assembly for molding a dispensing head of the invention, the molding assembly comprising a well-forming core for forming an axial manifold well and a tube-forming core for forming a transverse flow supply tube, the tube-forming core comprising end walls formed with hollow channels, the well-forming core comprising contacting side walls against which the end walls contact so as to define an open piping network therebetween into which molten plastic material is to be injected to form a filter. The only difference from conventional molded assemblies is therefore that the end wall of the tube forming core is formed with a concave void-shaped groove corresponding to the filter. The moulding operation remains exactly the same. Advantageously, the contact side walls may be flat and may be formed of a flexible coating which can be deformed by the end walls to isolate the network of open channels well.

The subject of the invention lies in the fact that: the filter is integrated into the dispensing head or even integrally molded with the body of the dispensing head. The positioning of the filter at the outlet of the collector well, i.e. at the inlet of the flow supply pipe, allows the particles to be trapped in the collector well, which has a much larger volume than the volume of the flow supply pipe.

Drawings

The present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments and variants of the invention are given by way of non-limiting example.

In the drawings:

figure 1 is a vertical transverse section through a dispenser of fluid products according to the invention,

figure 2a is a greatly enlarged view of detail a of figure 1,

figures 2b, 2c and 2d are views showing a variant of the embodiment of figure 2a,

figure 2e is a view similar to figures 2a to 2d but of a prior art dispensing head,

figure 3a is a perspective schematic view of a tube forming core pin,

FIG. 3b is a schematic perspective view of a well forming core that can be mated with the tube forming core of FIG. 3a to mold a filter of the present invention.

Detailed Description

The dispensing head T of the invention can be applied at the outlet of any fluid product dispensing member D, such as a pump, a valve, a squeezable container, etc. The dispensing head of the present invention will preferably be applied as a button manually actuatable by means of one or more fingers. The button may be integrated with the pump or valve or preferably attached to the free end of the actuating rod forming the inner outlet tube. The dispensing head is used to deliver a fluid product.

In fig. 1, the dispensing member D of the fluid product is a precompression pump. The pump has a substantially conventional general configuration, the pump body 4 of which defines, in a lower part, a seat for the valve 41 of the ball B and a seat 43 for a dip tube 44. At the upper part, the pump body 4 forms a radially outwardly projecting collar 45. The collar 45 may be used to lock the fastening system 7, which may be in the form of a crimp ring, for example. It is of course conceivable to combine other forms of fastening system 7 with the pump body 4. The fastening system 7 is equipped with a neck seal G that can seal against the neck R1 of the liquid product container R. The pump body 4 internally defines a cylindrical sliding cylinder 41 in which a piston 6 with a sealing lip 61 slides hermetically. The piston 6 is mounted on an actuating lever 5, which actuating lever 5 is pulled into the rest position by a return spring S1. To generate precompression, the piston 6 is pulled by the precompression spring S2. The piston 6 is movably mounted on the actuating rod 5 so as to be able to open an outlet passage of the compressed fluid product in the pump chamber C. In other words, when the pressure in the pump chamber C reaches a predetermined value, the piston 6 performs the function of the outlet valve by releasing the output passage. The precompression spring S2 pulls the piston 6 to the closed position of the outlet valve. Thus, the piston 6 will only move on the drive rod 5 when the pressure in the chamber C is sufficient to compress the precompression spring S2.

Therefore, by press-inserting the actuating lever 5 inside the pump body 4 against the action of the spring S1, the volume of the pump chamber C is reduced, thereby putting the fluid contained therein under pressure. Once the pressure reaches a predetermined value, the outlet valve opens and the pressurized fluid product is sent out by pressure by means of the actuating rod 5 to reach the push-button integrated with the dispensing head according to the invention.

According to a non-limiting embodiment of the invention, the dispensing head T comprises a head body 1, which can be made by injection moulding of a suitable plastic material. The head main body 1 may be made in one piece. It typically comprises a coupling sleeve 11 for attachment to the free end 51 of the actuating rod 5. The connecting sleeve 11 opens directly into the axial collector 12, the axial collector 12 advantageously forming a flat side wall or flat 121. The axial collector well 12 is connected to the lateral supply pipe 13, the inlet 131 of the lateral supply pipe 13 being located at the flattened portion 121. The connecting sleeve 11 and the axial collector 12 extend substantially in the direction of elongation of the actuating rod 5, while the transverse supply pipe 13 extends perpendicularly to the actuating rod 5. The inlet 131 is more precisely located at the upper portion of the flat portion 131. As can be seen in fig. 2a, 2b and 2c, the cross-section of the transverse supply duct 13 has the shape of a ring-crown section with two long curved edges and two straight but divergently oriented end edges. The transverse supply duct 13 opens into a seat 14, preferably cylindrical, which opens laterally onto the periphery of the head body 1. The housing 14 receives a core 15 that projects outwardly from the housing 14. Thus, an annular space is formed around the core 15 inside the seat groove 14.

It should be noted that the axial manifold 12 and the transverse supply 13 convey the fluid product, but do not include any air or gas.

As can be seen in fig. 1, the nozzle 2 is conventionally attached around the core 15 and fixedly inserted inside the seat slot 14. The nozzle forms a dispensing hole 21 through which the fluid product is dispensed, for example in the form of a fine droplet spray. I.e. spraying. The diameter of the dispensing hole is preferably less than or equal to 150 microns. In a variation, the nozzle may form 2 to 100 dispensing orifice networks of 1 to 100 micron diameter. The nozzle 2 forms, upstream of the orifice 21, together with the core 15, a swirl chamber 22 and a swirl channel 23 which opens transversely into the swirl chamber 22. These swirl passages 23 are connected to the transverse supply duct 13 by passages 24 formed between the nozzle 2 and the core 15. This is the design of the nozzle which is usually mounted on a wick in the field of perfumery, cosmetics or pharmaceuticals.

The dispensing head T may also be provided with a collar 3 which surrounds the head body 1 in an aesthetic manner while leaving the nozzle 2 visible. This ring cover 3 includes: a side skirt 31 in which a window 32 for the nozzle 2 is formed; and an upper pressing wall 33 against which the user can press with one finger, usually the index finger.

According to the invention, the dispensing head T, and in particular the body 1 thereof, is provided with a filter F upstream of the seat 14 of the nozzle 2. The filter F is intended to be crossed by the fluid product. The filter is located either in the axial manifold 12 or in the transverse feed pipe 13. In fig. 1, a filter F is located at the junction between the axial manifold well 12 and the lateral flow supply tube 13. In more detail, the filter is located at the inlet 131 of the lateral flow supply pipe 13. The filter F is advantageously located in the tube 131 without projecting into the collector well 12. The upstream face of the filter F is preferably arranged flush with the flat portion 121.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the filter F is an integral part of the unitary head body 1. In other words, the filter F is integrally molded with the collector well 12 and the supply pipe 13. In fig. 2a, the filter F of fig. 1 is seen. It is presented in the form of a grid or cross dividing the cross section of the feed pipe 13 into four zones 13 a. Thus, some particles from the manifold 12 will be blocked by the filter F.

In fig. 2b, another embodiment variant of the filter is seen. The filter F' is also in the form of a grid, but it divides the cross section of the flow supply pipe 13 into six zones 13 b. Thus, the filter F' may block finer particles than the filter F of fig. 2 a.

In fig. 2c, another embodiment variant of the filter is seen. The filter F "has only four zones 13 c. Thus, the filter F "is still more suitably selected.

In fig. 2d, a further embodiment variant of the filter is also shown. The filter F' "has only two cells 13 d. The filter F "is therefore very suitable to be selected.

In fig. 2e, a conventional transverse feed pipe 13 is seen without a filter. Obviously, the duct 13 allows passage of much larger particles than the ones allowed by the filters F, F ', F "and F'".

Merely by way of indication, the passage cross-section of the flow supply pipe 13 may be about 0.9mm². Thus, the cumulative cross-sectional area of region 13a of FIG. 2a is about 0.4 to 0.5mm². The cumulative cross-sectional area of region 13b of FIG. 2b is about 0.3 to 0.4mm². The cumulative cross-sectional area of region 13c of FIG. 2c is about 0.2 to 0.25mm²The cumulative cross-sectional area of region 13d of FIG. 2d is about 0.1 to 0.15mm²。

Fig. 3a and 3B very schematically show shaped core bars B1 and B2, which are integral parts of a moulding assembly for the moulding head body 1.

The molding core bar B1 is a tube molding core bar with which the lateral flow supply tube 13 is formed. The tube forming core bar B1 includes an end wall B11 that is formed with grid or cross-shaped concave hollow channels B12 that correspond to the filter F.

The molded core pin B2 is a well-molding core pin from which the axial manifold 12 is formed. The well forming core pin B2 includes a lower portion B21 for molding the interior of the connection sleeve 11 and an upper portion B22 for molding the interior wall of the axial manifold 12. The upper portion B22 of the molded core bar B2 includes a contact sidewall B23, which is advantageously flat. The contact side wall B23 is advantageously formed with or from a deformable flexible coating.

During molding, the end wall B11 of the tube forming core B1 is brought into compressive contact with the contacting side wall B23 of the well forming core B2. Thus, the hollow-type grooves B12 are covered by the contact side walls B23, thereby creating an open channel network therebetween, and the molten plastic material is injected into the open channel network to form the filter F. Due to the flexible coating contacting the side wall B23, the end wall B11 may be in intimate contact by slightly deforming the flexible coating to well isolate the open channel network. In addition, the flexible coating may reduce end wall B11 wear. Moreover, the flexible coating replacement is easier to perform than the gravity end wall B11. With such a dispensing head or spray head, the risk of blockages at the spray nozzles or the transverse supply lines can be greatly reduced.