DISPENSER FOR FLUID PRODUCTS

Abstract: Dispenser for fluid products such as perfumes, soaps, deodorizers, insecticides, varnishes, enamels, etc., comprising a recessing (2), containing fluid to be dispensed and provided with a dispensing valve (10); a seal sliding piston (4) in said recessing (2), and a propellant medium (17) acting on said piston (4) and positioned in a conduit (3) or a chamber coaxial with recessing (2). Propellant medium may be a spiral spring or compressed air, pre-charging of which is proportional to quantity of fluid to be dispensed. When propellant medium is compressed air, it is contained in a coaxial recessing, annular and external to that of fluid to be dispensed; said external recessing is connected to bottom of piston (4) by means of radial holes made on surface of inner recessing.

Description: This invention refers to a dispenser for fluid products. More particularly, this invention refers to a dispenser for fluid products of the type comprising a chamber for the containing of a fluid and a propellant medium which thrusts the fluid out of said chamber through a valve. As is known, most part of fluid products in general, such as for instance perfumes, soaps, deodorizers, creams, lacquers, bonding agents, foodstuffs, insecticides, tanning agents, varnishes, enamels, oils, fats, and so on, are preferably packaged in so-called "spray aerosols". These, as is known, consist of a container, into which the fluid product to be dispensed is inserted through a filling inlet which is then sealed by means of a seal cover provided with a small valve. Next, by means of this valve, a preset quantity of inert gas under pressure is injected which mixes to amount of fluid constituting actual charge of container. For the discharge of product contained in said aerosols, it is sufficient to open the valve: the difference in pressure inside the aerosols and the atmosphere thus causes the gas to expand which, on exiting, carries with it particles of fluid products to it mixed, serving as propellant agent. Said packagings of aerosols, although having been extremely developed for multivarious applications, they being easy and economic to make and use, present some considerable shortcomings. Firstly, because of presence of gas under pressure in their inside, in case of prolonged exposure to heat sources or fall, they may burst owing to gas expansion thus causing harm to nearby users. Such phenomenon may in particular occur, for instance, with tanning products being used on sunny beaches, with foodstuffs utilised in the kitchen near the stoves, or with any cylinders being virtually empty of product, yet containing an amount of gas under pressure, which are left in trashes or at disposal of boys who may play with striking on them with stones, nails and others. Another shortcoming is the sensible increase in air pollution due to the excessive employ of inert gases, such as, for instance, Freon and the like, released into the atmosphere. Such gases, in fact, although "per se" not causing immediate harm to users, yet, it seems, do form, by accumulating in the atmosphere, screens preventing coming through of ultraviolet rays. A further shortcoming is the fact that continual spray of products containing said inert gases, such as are Freon and the like, causes harm to dermis. Besides, the inert gases utilised, they being mixed with the product to be dispensed and remaining in contact with said product for a rather long period of time, may cause alteration in the characteristics of the very product. Purpose of this invention is to overcome above-said shortcomings. By this invention, a dispenser, that does not present the above-said shortcomings, consists of a chamber containing the fluid to be dispensed, provided with a dispensing valve and a propellant medium to thrust the fluid through said valve, in which fluid to be dispensed and the propellant medium are housed into two distinct, coaxial chambers separated by a seal sliding piston. The propellant medium may be compressed air of which pressure is sufficient to enable total dispensing of all the fluid. Compressed air is preferably contained in a separate chamber annularly and coaxially externally positioned to that containing fluid to be dispensed; said chamber communicating with lower part of chamber containing fluid to be dispensed, below seal piston, through radial holes. Alternatively, the propellant medium may be of mechanical type, such as, for instance, a spiral spring, positioned in a chamber coaxial with that containing fluid to be dispensed and below this latter, separation between the two chambers being ensured by the seal sliding piston. Diameter of chamber into which spring is positioned may be equal to or less than that of chamber containing the fluid to be dispensed. The dispenser of this invention presents following advantages over dispensers known: - the fluids to be dispensed are separated from the propellant media and in no way polluted by these latter; - the propellant media are not "per se" pollutant, they being of mechanical type or compressed air; - the chambers constituting the dispensers are of simple and economic construction, easy to assemble and of use exactly as that of current aerosols; - the dispensers are thoroughly harmless as fluid or liquid products are not mixed with gas under pressure; - atomization of liquid products or dispensing of those fluid in general happens in the same way as that being used at present, but with the appreciable difference that they are not polluted by propellant gases; - dispensing propulsion occurs by means of a mechanical member, such as, for instance, a simple calibrated spiral spring, preferably conical having decreasing wire section, or by means of a compressed air charge, separated from the fluid or liquid products to be dispensed. The dispenser of this invention may be better understood through the detailed description which follows, in which reference is made to enclosed figures representing some preferred, illustrative but not restrictive constructions, of this invention, in which: - fig. 1 represents the schematic view of the longitudinal section of a preferred but not restrictive form of construction of this dispenser; - fig. 2 represents the schematic view of the longitudinal section of a second form of construction of this dispenser and fig. 3 the schematic view of the longitudinal section of a third form of construction of this dispenser in which the propellant medium is compressed air. As regards fig. 1, the dispenser for fluid and liquid products usually comprises an outer envelope 16 and an inner hollow body 1, in upper part of which a recessing 2 and in lower part of which a coaxial conduit 3 are obtained. On bottom of upper recessing 2 a sliding piston 4 is positioned, provided with additional seals 5, of which outer part tights on inner surface 6 of said recessing 2. Recessing 2, with bottom closed by seal piston 4, is filled with fluid or liquid to be dispensed. Its upper part is then closed by a pressure inner cover 7 outer edge of which 8 couples to projection 9 of recessing 2 upper edge. Piston 4 is preferably constructed of sufficiently flexible and elastic material such as to ensure its smooth sliding along said inner surface 6, and a thorough seal of fluid or liquid contained in recessing 2. On pressure inner cover 7 a dispensing valve 10 is fitted, of substantially conventional type, which constrains to it by means of its lower discharge conduit 11 which goes through it and couples it elastically thanks to its oversize edge 12 which engages with said cover 7. To cover dispensing valve 10, an upper cover 13 is placed which rests and presses on below inner cover 7, which is equipped with seal 14. Analogously, a seal 15 is fitted also between dispensing valve 10 and said inner cover 7, matching and around lower discharge conduit 11. In these conditions, hollow body 1 is inserted into outer envelope 16, after that a spiral spring 17 has been inserted into coaxial lower conduit 3, at complete relaxation, and having a height at least equal to that of envelope 16. Preferably, spiral spring is conical having decreasing wire section. During insertion of hollow body 1 into envelope 16, spring 17 is compressed between inner surface of bottom 18 of said outer envelope and bottom 19 of piston 4. When all the hollow body 1 has been inserted, outer edge of upper opening of outer envelope 16 enters engagement with analogous outer edge of upper cover 13, and together they are constrained. Upper discharge conduit 20 of dispensing valve 10, protrudes from upper cover 13. Hollow body 1, as may be observed from figure, may present a continual outer surface, or a lowered section in the part corresponding to lower conduit 3. Besides, piston 4 may be provided with a lower pin 22 in order to constitute a possible guide for spring 17. Features of spring 17, such as wire diameter, wire-winding diameter, number of turns, constant of elasticity, etc., may be varied at will according to quantity and type of fluid or liquid product contained in upper recessing 2. As may be gathered from what has been illustrated and described above, the pressure, necessary in order that liquid or fluid contained in upper recessing 2 may exit from valve 10 each time this is pressed is exercised by spring 17 which tries to release, to return to its natural state not charged. Pre-compressed spring 17 thus thrusts upwards piston 4 each time that, by opening upper dispensing valve 10, recessing 2 is put into communication with the outer environment. Thus, liquid or fluid present in recessing 2 is propelled outwards. Each time dispensing stops, strokes of spring 17 and piston 4 are arrested as well owing to opposition exercised by liquid or fluid still imprisoned inside recessing 2. Pre-charge of spring 17 therefore must be sufficient to enable total expelling of quantity of liquid or fluid inserted into recessing 2. Therefore, sliding of piston 4 inside recessing 2 and relaxing of spring 17 are according to quantity of fluid or liquid dispensed at each opening of valve 10. When liquid or fluid contained in recessing 2 is totally discharged by thrust produced by piston 4, through spring 17, this latter shall be almost entirely relaxed and piston entirely thrust against inner cover 7. Fig. 2 represents a second preferred construction of dispenser of this invention, in which hollow body 1 presents the upper recessing 2 and the lower coaxial conduit 3, substantially of equal diameter and separated by piston 4 only, equipped with additional seals 5. Upper part of hollow body 1 is provided with a seat 23 in which dispensing valve 10 is fitted, which is kept in position by means of a closing cover 24 equipped with seals 25. On its outer surface 19, piston 4 is equipped with a pin 22 which, during filling of recessing 2, rests on surface of bottom 26. When filling of recessing 2, with liquid or fluid to be dispensed, is completed and valve 10 and closing cover 24 are locally sealed, propellant medium is inserted into lower coaxial conduit 3 from lower section of hollow body 1. Such medium may be constituted by a spiral spring 17, as already illustrated and described in previous construction of fig. 1, kept in position by bottom cover 26 suitably sealed to outline with hollow body 1 itself. Alternatively, spring 17 may instead be replaced by an adequate compressed air charge, injected into coaxial conduit 3 through valve 27, after that said bottom 26 has been tight-sealed with outer wall of hollow body 1. Pressure spring 17, in addition to a form cylindrical spiral with round wire, may be of other configuration, such as, for instance, of quadrangular winding, into a conduit 3 of same type, of quadrangular wire section, or with spring of superposed cup type or however with other known mechanical means. Fig. 3 shows a further form of construction of dispenser for fluid and liquid products in general of this invention. It comprises two tubular containers 31 and 32, concentrically and coaxially placed such as to form an inner recessing 33, substantially cylindrical, and an outer annular recessing 34. In their upper part containers 31 and 32 are constrained each other by means of hermetic seal 35, on which supporting and constraining cover 36 of dispensing valve 37 is sealed. In their lower part containers 31 and 32 are instead embedded by a bottom 38, preferably convex towards centre so as to withstand inner pressure better. Lower outer edge of outer tubular container 31 is hermetically constrained to bottom 38 by means of an outer riveting 29, whereas lower outer edge 28 of inner tubular container 32 may simply be rested on inner surface of bottom 38. In its lower part, inner tubular container 32 presents several radial holes 39, and in its inner part a sliding piston 40 is positioned, equipped with outer seals 41 and lower guiding fins 42. At its lower dead center, piston 40 places in such a position that radial holes 39, of inner tubular container 32, are below its bottom 43 and substantially aligned with lower guiding fins 42. These latter, in their central area 44, are V-cut so as to form a free space in which inner end of a filling valve 30 applied to bottom 38 extends. Dispenser charge envisages filling of central recessing 33 with fluid or liquid product to be dispensed. Filling imposes sliding of piston 40 up to its lower dead center, with ends of guiding fins 42 rested on surface of bottom 38. Next, through filling valve 30, compressed air is injected which, through radial holes 39, provides filling of annular recessing 34. During this stage piston 40 remains in its position as central recessing 33 is filled with fluid or liquid product to be dispensed which cannot be compressed. Total filling having been fulfilled, inner recessing 33 results full of fluid or liquid product to be dispensed, whereas annular recessing 34 and the lower secondary one 45, which is present below piston 40 and delimited by its very fins 42, result full of compressed air. Volume proportions of recessings 33 and 34 are such that air volume and charging pressure are proportional to volume of fluid or liquid product to be dispensed. Ratio of said volumes is therefore such that total expansion of compressed air allows total evacuation of fluid contained in recessing 33. For dispensing, it is sufficient that user operates the usual way used for "spray" aerosols. On pressing valve 37, inner recessing 33 is put into communication with the atmosphere and liquid in it contained is thrust outwards by means of the action of piston 40, thrust upwards by pressure exercised on its bottom 43 by compressed air which tends to expand. As pressures on valve 37 follow, the fluid or liquid is expelled outwards, in atomized or non atomized form thanks to continual thrust that expansion of compressed air contained in annular 34 and lower recessings 45 exercises on bottom 43 of piston 40 which, in turn, moves progressively upwards exercising a continual thrust on the liquid contained in recessing 33. Whereas preferred construction envisages the employ of compressed air as simpler to carry, easier to use for charging, cheaper and non polluting, it is however clear that with same principle other types of gas may be used. Whatever the type used, expansion of gas or air or spring inside the dispenser is such that at the end, that is, when dispenser is substantially empty of fluid or liquid product, remaining inner pressure is substantially negligible and absolutely harmless. The constructions above illustrated and described are given for purely illustrative purposes and do not have restrictive character. Of course several variations and modifications may be brought both as regards dispensing system and dispenser configuration which may be either parallepipedal, polygonal, ovoid or other, although simplest and cheapest one is obviously that cylindrical.

Claims: 1. Dispenser for fluid products comprising a recessing containing fluid to be dispensed and provided with a dispensing valve and a propellant medium which thrusts fluid out through said valve, characterized by the fact that the fluid to be dispensed and the propellant medium are housed in two coaxial recessings, which are separated by a seal sliding piston, and that pre-charging of propellant medium is proportional to quantity of fluid to be dispensed. 2. Dispenser by claim 1, in which piston is of flexible and elastic material and equipped with additional seals. 3. Dispenser by claim 1 or 2, in which propellant medium is a spiral spring, preferably conical having decreasing wire section. 4. Dispenser by claim 1 or 2, in which propellant medium is compressed air. 5. Dispenser by claim 3 or 4, in which propellant medium is placed in a conduit below recessing containing fluid to be dispensed and coaxial to this latter; said conduit having a diameter equal to or less than that of recessing. 6. Dispenser by claim 2 or 5, in which the piston is provided, on its lower surface, with a guiding pin into which thrust spring is fitted. 7. Dispenser by any of previously-mentioned claims, in which recessing containing fluid to be dispensed with relating piston in it sliding and conduit of propellant medium are housed in an outer envelope provided, in its upper part, with a dispensing valve and, in its lower part, with a filling valve, if so desired. 8. Dispenser by claim 4, comprising 2 concentric and coaxial tubular containers, making up a single structure consisting of an inner recessing containing the fluid to be dispensed and an outer annular recessing containing the propellant medium, in their upper and lower parts sealed, and a seal sliding piston in said inner recessing and delimiting in it a secondary recessing between bottom of said piston and closing bottom, said secondary recessing being coupled to the annular outer one by means of radial holes made on lower part of outer surface of inner recessing. 9. Dispenser by claim 7, in which a filling valve of propellant medium is applied to bottom of tubular containers. 10. Dispenser by claim 7, in which volumes of inner annular and secondary recessings, are regulated according to volume of liquid to be dispensed and pressure volume of propellant medium necessary to total dispensing. 11. Dispenser by any of claims from 7 through 9, in which seal sliding piston is provided, on its bottom surface, with guiding fins which extend into secondary recessing.

Inventors: SAULLE, LORENZO
Applicants: SAULLE L & PONTAROLLO L STACOS
Application year: 1987
Main classification: B65D83
IPC codes: B65D83