Packaging and dispensing device fitted with a dispenser head

The invention relates to a packaging and dispensing device fitted with a dispenser head. The dispenser head is made at least in part out of a filled plastics material containing a filler whose density is not less than that of the plastics material, the nature and/or the content of the filler being selected in such a manner as to diminish and/or modify the operating noise of the dispenser head.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Dispenser heads presently in use for dispensing a substance, e.g. generating aerosol sprays for cosmetic purposes in particular, are usually made out of a plastics material such as polypropylene and generally comprise a fixed body secured to the receptacle, the receptacle being fitted with a valve and with a movable pushbutton for actuating the control rod of the valve.

When the user presses down the pushbutton, the substance contained in the receptacle is dispensed via one or more nozzles secured to the pushbutton, generally in the form of a cloud of fine droplets.

Very many improvements have been made to dispenser heads in order to simplify manufacture and/or improve the properties of the aerosol spray delivered.

Nevertheless, so far as the Applicant company is aware, no such improvement relates to the noise made by the dispenser head in operation.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to make the operating noise of the dispenser head more agreeable for the user.

The invention achieves this by the dispenser head being made at least in part out of a filled plastics material containing a filler whose density is not less than that of the plastics materials, the nature and/or the content of the filler being selected in such a manner as to diminish and/or modify the operating noise of the dispenser head. In a particular embodiment, the filled plastics material contains more than 50% by weight of a filler relative to the total weight of the filled plastics material.

Although proposals have been made in other technical fields, such as the automobile industry, to use filled plastics materials for the purpose of improving the vibrational properties of certain components, the use of a filled plastics material for the purpose of modifying the operating noise of a dispenser head while dispensing a substance, e.g. the noise caused by generating an aerosol spray, has not yet been proposed.

By means of the invention, the operating noise of the dispenser head is attenuated and/or the main peaks in its acoustic spectrum (frequencies that can be heard by humans) is shifted towards frequencies that are more agreeable to the ear.

Preferably, the filler used has density that is at least twice that of the plastics material with which it is mixed, and preferably its density is at least three times that of the plastics material used.

The filler can advantageously be selected from inorganic substances of density greater than or equal to 3 g/cm 3 , such as, for example, metal oxides, sulfides, hydroxides, sulfates, or phosphates, or a mixture thereof.

As a filler that is used in preferred manner, mention can be made for example of magnetite, hematite, and barium sulfate.

Advantageously, the plastics material used is polypropylene and the filler is constituted by magnetite constituting at least 60% relative to the total weight of the filled plastics material.

Preferably, the filler used is electrically conductive so as to reduce the risks of accumulating static electricity.

The invention also provides a pressurized receptacle fitted with a dispenser head as specified above.

MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The packaging device 10 shown in FIG. 1 is of the aerosol can type and comprises a pressurized receptacle 11 fitted with a dispenser head 12 which itself comprise a body 13 fixed on the receptacle 11 and a pushbutton 14 that is movable relative to the body 13 .

The pushbutton 14 serves to actuate the control rod of the valve of the receptacle 11 (not shown in FIG. 1 ).

The dispenser head 12 has a conventional spray nozzle 15 with a single orifice or with swirling channels, serving to dispense the substance contained in the receptacle 11 in the form of a cloud of fine droplets when the user presses on the pushbutton 14 .

The dispenser head 12 has the special feature of being made at least in part out of a filled plastics material containing at least 50% of a filler for attenuating operating noise and/or for displacing the main peaks of its acoustic spectrum towards frequencies that are more agreeable to the ear.

In the example described, the body 13 of the dispenser head 12 , the pushbutton 14 , and the nozzle 15 are all made out of a mixture containing 64% by weight of magnetite and 36% by weight of polypropylene.

Plastics materials other than polypropylene could naturally be used, for example polyacetal or PET, and this list is not limiting.

The use of magnetite presents additional advantages over and above the fact of making the operating noise of the dispenser head more agreeable.

Magnetite makes it possible to add a colored filler to the polypropylene, such as carbon black.

It also confers a surface appearance that is mat, which is preferable from the esthetic point of view.

Finally, magnetite has properties of conducting electricity that make it possible to reduce the risk of accumulating electric charge and to enhance the draining of any such charge.

Naturally, the invention is not limited to the embodiment described above.

In particular, the shape of the dispenser head can be changed and it is possible to use a filler other than magnetite.

The dispenser head can be associated with a pump that is arranged to extract and dispense a substance contained in a receptacle that is not pressurized.