Fluid substance dispensing device

A device for dispensing a fluid substance (F) comprising a manually operated pump (2) coupled to a deformable bag (3), the deformable bag being housed inside a container (4); the container is formed of a collar (5) made of plastic coupled to a tubular element (6) formed from a paper- or cardboard-based material, the tubular element featuring a bottom (7), the collar (5) featuring ribs (N) made on a surface thereof which comes into contact with an internal wall of the tubular element (6).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a fluid substance dispensing device.

In particular, it relates to a device for dispensing a fluid substance housed inside a deformable bag coupled, in a sealed manner, to a manual dispensing pump, preferably of the hermetic variety.

BACKGROUND ART

Commonly known devices for dispensing fluid substances by means of a manual pump are made entirely of plastic. Therefore the environmental impact thereof is significant.

Furthermore, costs for purchasing and moulding virgin or partially recycled plastic are high, and therefore commonly known devices are expensive. Especially when ‘environmental taxes’ are applied to the use of plastic.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a device for dispensing a fluid substance which is more environmentally compatible than commonly known devices.

This and other objects are achieved by means of a device produced according to the technical teachings of the claims annexed hereto.

Advantageously, a device for dispensing a fluid substance according to the invention can be less expensive than commonly known devices.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the figures stated, reference number1is used to denote, as a whole, a fluid substance dispensing device.

In this wording, a ‘fluid substance’ means a liquid or cream product designed for cosmetic or medical purposes, such as a hand cream, foundation, body cream, face cream, serum, gel, anti-ageing cream, etc.

The device for dispensing a fluid substance F, housed inside a deformable bag3, comprises a manually operated pump2which is preferably hermetic.

The pump may be of the type commonly known as ‘airless’, which prevents the entry of external air during the operation thereof. The said pump is coupled, in a sealed manner, to a deformable bag3.

Therefore, when the fluid substance is dispensed by the pump, a vacuum is created inside the bag3, which makes the bag deform as the fluid substance is dispensed.

The deformable bag3is housed inside a container4.

The container4is formed of a collar5made of conventional plastic material coupled to a tubular element6formed from a paper or cardboard-based material.

The collar can be formed from a thermoplastic polymer material and can be injection-moulded. Materials suitable for making the collar comprise: PE, PE PCR, HDPE, HDPE PCR, PP, PP PCR, PA, CELLULOSE-BASED PLASTIC, WOOD FIBRE PLASTIC, etc.

The paper-based (or rather cellulose-based) or paperboard-based (or cardboard-based) material can be made of virgin or recycled paper. Advantageously, it can be formed from a single sheet which as been rolled several times to lend it a certain rigidity.

The tubular element can be made of multilayer cardboard and can have a thickness of between 1 mm and 4 mm. It can also be covered with an additional layer of coloured and/or decorated paper or paperboard glued on.

The tubular element has a bottom7.

The bottom7can be an element made as one piece together with the tubular element and as such is also made of paper-based material.

The bottom7can also be made as a separate piece from the tubular element, fastened thereto for example by glue or simply by interference-fit with the internal diameters of the tubular element, or the bottom7may have reflanging that encloses the edge of the tubular element.

In the event that the bottom is a separate element from the tubular element6, the said bottom can be made of the same material as the tubular element, of a further cellulose- or cardboard-based material, or of conventional materials such as plastic or aluminium.

In the event that the bottom is made of a material which is different (in recyclability terms) from that of the tubular element6, the said bottom can be configured to be uncoupled from the tubular element6when the device has to be recycled. Regarding this, the bottom7may feature a surface or a handgrip (not shown) to enable manual extraction or uncoupling from the tubular element.

As can be seen inFIG.1or10, an annular wall7A can extend from the bottom7towards the inside of the tubular element6, into which wall a free end of the deformable bag3is inserted. The wall7A can be configured to limit the movement of the bag inside the tubular element6when the bag is full.

The collar5features ribs N made on one of the surfaces thereof that comes into contact with an internal wall of the tubular element6. Specifically, a plurality of ribs N are present. In this description a plurality of ribs N, means more than two ribs.

The ribs can be made on a tubular skirt that extends from the collar5towards the inside of the tubular element.

To improve the seal between the tubular element and the collar, the skirt5G can extend to a height of between ⅛ and ¼ of the tubular element6.

The ribs N ensure a perfect fastening between the tubular element and the collar. In practice, the ribs N are impressed into the cardboard (during the insertion of the collar into the tubular element), improving the fastening between the collar and the tubular element and torsionally coupling the cardboard and the said collar.

The ribs may be parallel with respect to an axis A of the tubular element6, as shown inFIGS.5to8for example.

The ribs N can also be inclined with respect to an axis A of the tubular element (as shown inFIG.9for example) or, optionally, orthogonal or with a screw configuration.

Furthermore, slots19can be featured which improve the deformability of the skirt5G, thereby facilitating the insertion thereof into the tubular element.

Slots19may be present even if the plurality of ribs N are parallel to an axis A of the tubular element6.

For example, at least two slots19may be formed on the tubular element6, possibly on its skirt5G.

On the skirt5G, at one of the free ends thereof, a positioning element I can be featured which facilitates the centring with the tubular element.

The tubular element6can feature a sunken area6A which fits into an annular groove8made in the collar5. The sunken area is clearly visible inFIG.12, while the coupling of this sunken area is shown in detail in bothFIG.4andFIG.11.

The tubular element can also not feature the sunken area6A and therefore can be equipped with a wall with an essentially constant thickness. Also in this case, however, the groove8into which the end of the tubular element fits may be present.

InFIG.11, it can be seen that the groove can feature an inclined surface8A which deforms one end of the sunken area6A, forming an undercut, when the tubular element6is coupled to the collar5.

In this way, the coupling can be even more solid.

It must be said that the presence of the inclined surface can be envisaged in both the solution inFIG.9and in those inFIG.5-7or8.

A collar such as that shown inFIG.5can feature at least one undercut9, for example with a tooth configuration, onto which an element10for locking the pump to the collar5is snap-coupled.

In this case, the pump2can feature (seeFIG.3) a first flange2A and the deformable bag can feature a second flange3A, both of which are placed in a mutual arrangement and sandwiched between the collar5and the locking element10.

A sealing gasket G can be interposed between the pump2and the bag3.

As can be seen inFIG.8, the collar5can feature a thread12.

An intermediate element13can be screwed onto the thread12, as shown inFIG.10.

AlthoughFIG.10shows the collar inFIG.9coupled to the tube, the operation of the thread system is perfectly identical for the collar in bothFIG.8andFIG.9.

Essentially, a flange3A of the deformable bag3can be placed on the element13, and the intermediate element13can feature an undercut9(which in this case is on the free edge thereof) for snap-coupling the element10locking the pump2, in a similar way to that described forFIG.1.

It should be noted that, instead of the thread, the collar inFIG.9may feature a hooking system, like that of the collar inFIG.5. In this case, therefore, the intermediate element13is not necessary.

To end the description, it should be noted that the collar5can feature an air passageway P in communication with the interior of the tubular element2. Furthermore, the end of the collar5and/or of the intermediate element13may feature a cog C that allows the passage of air into the tubular element2.

It is clear how the solution shown is environmentally compatible, as a cellulose-based material is used for the construction of a major, extensive part of the dispensing device.

For the same reasons, the device according to the invention may be produced more cheaply than a conventional plastic bottle, especially in places where an ‘environmental tax’ is applied to the use of plastic.

It should also be noted that by firmly rotating or pulling the collar and the tubular element, the two elements can be separated, for a more effective waste sorting.

It goes without saying that, from the same viewpoint, the presence of a bottom7which is also made of cardboard or a cellulose-based material is very advantageous.

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