Device and spray head for atomizing a preferably cosmetic liquid by means of a throttle device, and method for producing such a device

A device (1) and a spray head (5) for atomization of a preferably cosmetic liquid and a process for producing such a device are proposed. Very simple and accurate throttling of the liquid flow is achieved in that on the supply connection (14) of the spray head (5) a radially open throttling channel (22) is formed which is radially overlapped at least in sections by a connector piece (17) when the spray head (5) has been slipped on.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a device for atomization of a preferably cosmetic liquid with a nozzle for atomization of the liquid and a process for producing such a device.

2. Description of Related Art

The concept of “cosmetic liquid” includes in a narrow sense hair spray, hair lacquer, a deodorant, a foam, a gel, a coloring spray, a sunscreen or skin care agent or the like. Preferably, in a wider sense, also other body care products, cleaning products, cosmetics, or the like, and also suspensions and fluids, especially with gaseous phases, are included. However, other liquids, for example, air fresheners, and especially also technical liquids and fluids, such as rust looseners or the like, can also be used. But, for reasons of simplification and based on the focus of use often only cosmetic liquids are addressed below.

A device for atomizing of a cosmetic liquid, such as hair spray, is known from practice, a container which contains the liquid having a valve, with a spray head which can be slipped onto its connector piece. When the spray head is pressed down the valve is opened, the liquid flowing through a throttling channel which forms a throttle radially into an axial recess of the connector piece and then into the spray head. The connector piece here at the same time forms an actuatable valve element and is preferably injected or injection molded in one piece from plastic. Production of a throttle valve is comparatively complex, since a separately movable mandrel or the like must be used.

In the known device, the tolerances for the throttle or the throttling channel are very small in order to be able to ensure the required or desired throttling action and thus the desired spray behavior of the device. This applies especially to the cross section and diameter of the throttling channel, since the length of the throttling channel is only relatively small, especially based on its radial alignment. In mass production it is relatively difficult to adhere to tolerances. This applies especially when liquids which are pressurized for example by volatile, easily flammable, especially organic propellants, by compressed gas and/or by carbon dioxide, require stronger throttling actions, therefore still smaller throttling cross sections and diameters.

Another disadvantage of the known device is that for different liquids or products to be atomized different throttling effects, therefore different throttling channel cross sections, and thus different valves and generally also different spray heads are necessary.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of this invention is to devise a device and a spray head for atomizing of a preferably cosmetic liquid and a process for producing and using such a device, and a throttle with if necessary very strong throttling action with high precision can be easily, and thus, economically achieved.

This object is achieved by a device and a process as described below.

The basic idea of this invention is that the spray head has or forms a second or the sole throttle for the liquid which is flowing through upstream of its nozzle. This leads to several advantages. By using a spray head with the desired throttling action, often, the same valve can be used for different applications. This simplifies production and mounting of the devices in accordance with the invention. Furthermore, if necessary, a stronger throttling action with high tolerances can be achieved by the formation of a single or additional throttle on the spray head in accordance with the invention, for example, by combination or serial connection of the first throttle on the valve and the second throttle on the spray head.

In this invention, the concept of “on the spray head” with respect to the arrangement of the (second) throttle should be understood in that the throttle can also be formed on the transition from the valve to the spray head, especially therefore also from the interaction of a connector piece of the container-side valve and of the spray head in the mounted state.

Another aspect of this invention which can also be independently implemented is that the throttle has a throttling channel which is produced preferably by injection molding first in the form of an especially groove-shaped or notch-shaped recess which is open on the lengthwise side, and only then is at least partially covered on the lengthwise side by a separately produced connector piece, especially when the spray head is slipped on or the device is otherwise assembled. This throttling channel can be produced especially easily by injection molding and with a very high tolerance due to a corresponding crosspiece in the injection mold or the like. This applies especially when the throttling channel is formed along a preferably cylindrical or hollow cylindrical section. The throttling channel can then be produced without additional effort, especially with a very simple injection mold without a movable mandrel or the like.

Another advantage of the indicated throttling channel is that its effective length, therefore the cover length or total length, and thus the throttling action or the flow resistance of the throttle can be varied quite easily with high precision.

The execution of the throttle in accordance with the invention with a throttling channel which is open first on the lengthwise side is preferably provided on the spray head or transition from the valve to the spray head, especially the throttling channel being at least partially covered during mounting or when the spray head is slipped on the container or its valve, by which an additional mounting or production step is not necessary. However, the throttle execution in accordance with the invention in addition or alternatively to production of another throttle can be used in the device for atomizing the liquid or a similar device.

Other advantages, features, properties and aspects of this invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The same reference numbers are used for the same or similar parts in the figures, the corresponding or comparable properties and advantages being achieved even if a repeated description is omitted.

FIG. 1shows in a schematic cross section a device1in accordance with the invention for atomizing a preferably cosmetic liquid2or the like which has a container3for the liquid2and a valve4located preferably on the front on the container3.

A spray head5is attached to the container3, especially after filling the container3with the liquid2. In the illustrated example, the spray head5has been slipped on. However, it can also be attached in an otherwise suitable manner, if necessary detachably.

The delivery side of the spray head5has a nozzle6for atomizing the liquid2and for discharge. In the illustrated example, the nozzle6is made as a separate part and is inserted, for example, subsequently into the spray head5or injected into it. However, the nozzle6can also be made integrally with the spray head5, especially can be formed especially directly by it.

The spray head5is produced preferably by injection molding from a suitable plastic and is made preferably in one piece, optionally with the exception of the nozzle6.

The liquid2in the container3can either be pressurized or is under pressure. In particular, the container3or the liquid2contains a suitable propellant, preferably a volatile and/or flammable propellant, compressed gas and/or carbon dioxide.

The valve4in the illustrated embodiment has an axially movable valve element7and a spring8which pretensions the valve element7in the illustrated embodiment up or out in the closing direction. The valve element7and the spring8are located in a valve housing9which is connected to the ascending line10for accommodating the liquid2in the illustrated embodiment.

In the illustrated embodiment, a sealing element11which is preferably at least essentially annular together with a matched recess12on the valve element7forms a valve seat13.

When the valve4is actuated—in the illustrated embodiment by pressing the spray head5down—the valve4opens, as is shown schematically inFIG. 2, but without a container3and without a liquid2. The pressurized liquid2can then flow through a passage14which runs radially in the illustrated embodiment and which is connected to the valve seat13, with a following first throttle15into the axial recess16of the valve element7. The axial recess16extends into the axially open connector piece17which is connected to the valve element7for the spray head5.

The first throttle15can have for example a diameter of 0.20 to 0.50 mm, a diameter of 0.25 mm already being very difficult to produce with the desired tolerance, since the valve element7—preferably together with the connector piece17—is made especially in one piece and is produced by injection molding from a suitable plastic in mass production.

The valve4is especially a conventional valve4to which the conventional spray heads5can be connected. But other valve structures can also be implemented.

The spray head5in accordance with the invention has a (second) throttle18upstream of the nozzle6. The second throttle18is located or formed in the illustrated embodiment on the supply side, especially in the region of a supply connection19of the spray head5.

The supply connection19in the illustrated embodiment has an outer, preferably hollow cylindrical receiving section20with an insertion bevel on the free end to accommodate the connector piece17. Accordingly the spray head5can be attached conventionally by slipping it onto the container3or its valve4, especially onto the connector piece17.

In the illustrated embodiment, the spray head5or supply connection19additionally has an inner, here cylindrical section21. The second throttle18has a throttling channel22which in the illustrated embodiment is formed on the additional inner section21of the supply connection9of the spray head5, in the form of a preferably groove-shaped or notch-shaped recess which is open radially to the outside and on the longitudinal side. The throttling channel22extends in the axial direction proceeding from the free end of the section21to beyond the free end of the connector piece17of the valve4when the connector piece17has been inserted in the spray head5, so that in the illustrated embodiment the hollow cylindrical connector piece17at least partially covers the throttling channel22on its outer or lengthwise side. Accordingly, the liquid2can flow from the axial recess16through the throttling channel22and then through a recess, cavities and channels or the like which further adjoin within the spray head5to the nozzle6, to be atomized and discharged there.

In the illustrated embodiment, the throttling action or function of the second throttle18is achieved on the one hand by interaction of the supply connection19and the inner section21of the spray head5and of the container-side connector piece17on the other. However, the throttle structure in accordance with the invention according to the second throttle18from other parts of the device1and of the spray head5and/or at other locations in addition or alternatively to the arrangement described in the embodiment can also be used.

The execution of the throttling channel18open on the lengthwise side allows first of all relatively simple production, also very small flow cross sections with low tolerances being attainable. This can be explained by the fact that in place of a very thin mandrel or the like a considerably more stable crosspiece or projection which can extend over the entire length of the throttling channel22which is to be formed on one wall of the casting mold can now be used.

In the region of the lengthwise-side cover—especially by the connector piece17, another component or the like—the throttling channel22can have for example a clear cross section area which corresponds to a hole with a diameter of 0.25 mm, 0.20 mm or even only 0.15 mm or less. These small opening cross sections conversely cannot be produced in the form of radial passages or channels or the like solely by injection molding with adequate tolerance.

The second throttle18has a flow cross section which is less than or equal to the flow cross section of the first throttle15. Preferably, the first throttle15has an inside diameter between 0.25 and 0.50 mm. But, the first throttle15can also be completely omitted if necessary. The second throttle18, conversely, has a clear cross-sectional area which corresponds to a hole diameter of 0.10 mm to 0.50 mm, especially roughly 0.25 mm or less. This equivalent diameter is preferably smaller than the opening diameter of the downstream nozzle6.

The flow resistance of the second throttle18is preferably greater than that of the first throttle15. This can be achieved especially by a corresponding smaller opening area of the throttling channel22. However, alternatively or additionally, this can also be easily established with great precision by the length of the throttling channel22which is relevant to the flow resistance, especially by the length of the covering or overlap by the connector piece17or other element.

As already indicated, if necessary, the first throttle15can also be completely omitted. However, the serial or successive connection of the first throttle15and of the second throttle18also has advantages. Thus, an especially strong throttling effect or especially high flow resistance, optionally, even for essentially the same flow resistances of the two throttles15,18, can be implemented, as is necessary for many liquids2or propellants, especially to make the volumetric or mass flow of atomized liquid2at least somewhat more independent of the propellant pressure. The spray head5in accordance with the invention can be very easily produced based on the simply additional inner section21with the throttling channel22and can be used together with conventional valves4.

In the approach in accordance with the invention, the second throttle18is implemented especially easily, no additional mounting effort being necessary.

In other words, a device1and a spray head5for atomizing a cosmetic liquid2and a process for producing such a device are proposed. Very simple and accurate throttling of the liquid flow is achieved by a radially open throttling channel22being formed on the supply connection19of the spray head5and being radially overlapped at least in sections by a connector piece17, with the spray head5slipped on.