PUSH-BUTTON APPLICATOR DEVICE FOR DISPENSING LIQUIDS

Abstract: Push-button applicator device for dispensing liquids intended to be mounted on a dosing pump or aerosol valve on the mouth of liquid containers, and to provide for the dispensing of liquids in a uniform and controlled way on a surface through the use of a spongy material part, and wherein the inadvertent operation of the dosing pump is impeded during storage. The device is comprised of a first fixed part (7) which is mounted, together with a dosing pump (8) on the neck of the liquid container (10). The free end of the fixed part surrounds the whole periphery of the discharge tube (17) emerging from the pump. A second movable part (4) is adapted both to the discharge tube of the pump and to the upper end of the fixed part (7). Said movable part is moved towards the container in order to actuate the dosing pump of the container from which liquid is discharged vertically towards a sponge (2) which is covered by a closure cap (1) not in contact with the sponge and adjusted to the fixed part (7).

Description: TECHNICAL SECTOR The invention refers to a push-button applicator device for dispensing liquids to be mounted with a dosing pump or aerosol valve on the mouth of a liquid container, that allows dispensing of liquids in a uniform and controlled way on a surface through the use of a spongy material part adhered to it, the whole device being a safe system against spilling of liquid during transport and storage. PRIOR ART Applicators with sponges are normally used with liquid products mainly used for cleaning and preserving footwear and eyeglasses, whose use requires a uniform dispensing of the same on the surface in question. FR-A-2 571 312 discloses a push-button applicator device as per the preamble of claim 1 of the present patent. US-A-3 387-911 discloses an applicator cap for a pressurized vessel, comprising a fixed part and a movable part arranged such that relative rotation of the parts will actuate the container valve. The movable part of the cap comprises a tube-shaped axial extension, a wall and a flange or skirt. A cavity is defined between the wall and the skirt. The fixed part has a distal portion which can be inserted into said cavity and move axially along said cavity. In the wall there are some channels or slots which define a camming surface and locking detents. The inner wall of the distal portion of the fixed part has some lugs which are housed withing said slots of the movable part, such that when rotating the movable part with regard to the fixed part, this rotation is translated to a longitudinal movement of the movable part. A further prior art push-button applicator device is disclosed in EP-B-0 374 339. The push-button applicator put forth there is mounted on the discharge tube of a dosing pump and comprises a spongy material part fixed to the top surface of the push button, a peripheral skirt that starting from the top surface extends towards the container in such a way that during operation it slides perimetrically over the neck of the pump-container unit to which it is coupled and from which it does not become detached due to a ring-shaped widening that it has inside it. The spongy material part of the push button is protected by a closure cap that adjusts directly on the push button itself. The push button described there moves toward the container upon being pressed on, whether or not the closure cap is in place, thus actuating the tube emerging from the dosing pump, whose liquid discharge impregnates the top applicator sponge. In this type of push-button applicator, any accidental pressure exerted on the closure cap during transport or storage of the whole device in a bag is passed on to the discharge tube of the dosing pump and causes inadvertent operation of the same, with the subsequent risk of losses of product and damage to places where the uncontrolled spilling takes place. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The push-button applicator device according to claim 1 comprises a coupling between the movable part and the fixed part which prevents the lateral inclination of the movable part during use due to the fact that any force exerted on the movable part in a non-axial direction and tending to produce the inclination of the same, is absorbed by the fixed part that clasps the mouth of the container, which prevents it from being passed on to the discharge tube of the pump, which would hamper the normal operation of the pump and, in an extreme case, DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a raised view of a container to which a dosing pump and the push-button applicator device for dispensing liquids in accordance with the invention have been coupled, the device being sectioned diametrically in a vertical direction and the dosing pump and mouth of the container appearing partially sectioned. Figure 2 is the same view as Figure 1, in which only the closure cap of the push-button applicator device for dispensing liquids is sectioned in this representation. PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION The preferred embodiment of the invention is described in detail hereinafter, with reference to the drawings that only illustrate this specific embodiment. In this embodiment, a movable part (4) has in its top or distal part a flat surface (3) with a spongy material part (2) adhered to it and with a center channel (11) that extends downward through a tube-shaped axial extension (6) of the top or distal surface. The tube-shaped axial extension (6) has a double wall, both walls being connected to the bottom tube-shaped end, where it adjusts outside to the discharge tube (17) of a dosing pump (8). The top surface (3) also has a peripheral skirt (5) that extends downward. A fixed part (7) is mounted, fastening inside it a dosing pump (8), on the mouth of a container (10) and it remains fixed on the mouth of the same by means of a ring-shaped widening (9) that it has inside it, which prevents detachment after mounting. The fixed part perimetrically surrounds the closure of the container (10) made by the dosing pump. The fastening of the pump (8) done by the fixed part (7) on the mouth of the container (10) can be complemented, if necessary, by the outside shape of the pump, by means of inside vertical ribs (not shown) placed radially on the periphery of the oblique part of the fixed part (7). The distal portion of the fixed part, that is, the end of the fixed part (7) opposite the one that clasps the mouth of the container surrounds sideways the entire length of the discharge tube (17) emerging from the dosing pump (8). The movable part (4) has an inside cavity (12), with a cylindrical ring shape and delimited axially between the perimetric skirt (5) and the outermost wall of the tube-shaped axial extension (6). The top or distal end of the fixed part (7) is coupled in this cavity (12), which forms a guide path for movement of the movable part (4) towards and from the fixed part (7), that prevents the lateral inclination of the movable part (4) due to the fact that said part permanently overlaps in its inside the fixed part (7) according to an appreciable cylindrical surface that prevents the lateral inclination of the movable part. The assembly that is produced in the cavity (12) between the movable part (4) and the distal portion of the fixed part (7) also prevents the detachment of the movable part (4) by means of a perimetric edge (14) of the fixed part and another perimetric edge (15) of the movable part. The perimetric skirt (5) of the movable part (3) has in its base a diametric widening that defines a projecting oblique outside surface, which facilitates placement of the thumb and index finger during axial displacement of the movable part (4) towards the container (10); which Simultaneously press on the discharge tube (17) that actuates the dosing pump (8). Then, the liquid discharge that is led through the channel (11) towards the top sponge (2) is produced. The movable part (4) remains totally protected when not being used by a closure cap (1) that can have different shapes, as represented in Figure 1 and Figure 2, and that adjusts vertically on the outside surface of the fixed part (7). Therefore, after putting on the closure cap, the operation of the dosing pump cannot be activated. The tube-shaped axial extension (6) has in the bottom or proximal part a slight inside conicity to facilitate entry during coupling of the discharge tube (17) of the dosing pump, which penetrates until an area with a smaller diameter is reached.

Claims: Push-button applicator device for dispensing liquids intended to be mounted on a dosing pump or aerosol valve (8) on the mouth of a liquid container (10) in order to be used to dispense a liquid in a uniform and controlled way on a surface; the device comprising at least a fixed part (7) that is non-movable with regard to the liquid container and a movable part (4) that is axially movable with regard to said fixed part (7) in such a way that the movable part (4) actuates as the push button of the dosing pump or aerosol valve (8) by acting upon a discharge tube (17) of said dosing pump or aerosol valve (8); wherein the movable part (4) is axially displacable from a distal position which corresponds to a closed position of the dosing pump or aerosol valve (8) to a proximal position which corresponds to an open position of the dosing pump or aerosol valve (8) for dispensing liquid, the movable part (4) having a distal portion including a flat surface (3) with a spongy material part (2) adhered to it, said movable part (4) further including a center channel (11) that extends axially from said flat surface (3) in a proximal direction through a tube-shaped axial extension (6) extending in the proximal direction from said flat surface (3), whereby said axial extension (6) adjusts on the end of the discharge tube (17), said axial extension (6) having an outer surface (13); the fixed part (7) being non-movable upon being fixed with the dosing pump or aerosol valve (8), on the mouth of the container (10), and in such a way that said fixed part (7) horizontally clasps the closure of the mouth of the container (10); wherein the distal portion of the fixed part (7) surrounds perimetrically the entire length of the discharge tube (17) that emerges from the mechanism of the dosing tube or aerosol valve (8) when the movable part (4) is in said distal position, the movable part (4) remaining totally isolated from the outside upon placing a closure cap (1), that adjusts on the proximal portion of the fixed part (7), the movable part (4) having an outside diameter smaller than the outside diameter of the proximal portion of the fixed part (7); characterized in that the movable part (4) further comprises a perimetric skirt (5) extending in the proximal direction from said flat surface (3) such that an inside cavity (12) is defined, said inside cavity (12) being delimited between said perimetric skirt (5) and the contiguous outside surface (13) of the axial extension (6), the distal portion of the fixed part (7) being inserted in said inside cavity (12) such that said distal portion of the fixed part (7) at least partially directly surrounds the proximal portion of the tube-shaped axial extension (6) when the movable part (4) is in its distal position; wherein the perimetric skirt (5) has an inside diameter greater than the outside diameter of the distal portion of the fixed part (7), and wherein the movable part (4) is assembled directly on the fixed part (7) by introducing the distal portion of the fixed part (7) in said inside cavity (12), this cavity (12) guiding the axial movement of the movable part (4). Push-button applicator device according to claim 1, characterized in that the movable part (4) is assembled directly and irreversibly on the fixed part (7), by means of a perimetric edge (14) of the fixed part (7) and another perimetric edge (15) of the movable part (4). Push-button applicator device according to claim 1, characterized in that the proximal portion of the fixed part (7) has inside it a perimetric rib (9) for fastening by pressure to the mouth of the liquid container (10).

Inventors: SCHATTAUER SCHWARZBERG RENATE, SCHATTAUER SCHWARZBERG, RENATE
Applicants: ARTEBEL SL, ARTEBEL, S.L.
Application year: 1995
Main classification: B65D83
IPC codes: B05B11, B05C17, B65D83, A47L23