DEVICE OF THE MANUAL SYRINGE TYPE FOR PROPORTIONING AND DISPENSING FLUID OR PASTY PRODUCTS

Abstract: A device of the manual syringe type (10) for proportioning and dispensing fluid or pasty products comprises a main body (12) provided with seizing means (20) and with guide means (19) between which a cartridge member (23), having a substantially uniform, preferably cylindrical section is inserted and guided along a straight path. The device also comprises an at least partially elastic piston (24), adapted to exert a sealing action against the inner walls of the cartridge (23). The main body (12) also comprises a plunger member (21) whereon a needle (11) is fitted. After a displacement of the main body (12) relative to the cartridge (23) the plunger member (21) causes the piston (24) to slide inside the cartridge (23) for drawing a fluid or pasty product therefrom and dispensing it through the needle (11).

Description: DEVICE OF THE MANUAL SYRINGE TYPE FOR PROPORTIONING AND DISPENSING FLUID OR PASTY PRODUCTS Description The present invention relates to a device of the manual syringe type for proportioning and dispensing fluid or pasty products . The invention has the object to provide a device of the aforesaid type, involving a simple and economical production, and a simple and quick use. The invention also has the object to provide a device consisting of a reduced number of components, made from a small quantity of material, so that the total cost of the device may be reduced. Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the so-called "throwaway" type, in which the amount of material to be disposed is very little, resulting in a reduced environmental impact. A non-minor object of the present invention is to provide a device as described hereinbefore, also comprising some reusable elements. A further object of the invention is to provide a device wherein the fluid or pasty product may be filled or refilled in a simple manner, and which is immediately ready-to-use with no need for transferring fluid from one container to the other or from one container to the device. In order to achieve the above objects, the invention relates to a device as described hereinbefore, having the characteristics as defined in claim 1 below. Further characteristics and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description of a few embodiments of the invention, referring to the accompanying figures, provided only by way of a non-restricting example, in which: figure 1 is a perspective exploded view of a first embodiment of the invention, - figure 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention, showing two possible variations, figure 3 is a top view of a further variant of the embodiment of figure 2, figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a third embodiment of the invention, - figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a fourth embodiment of the invention, - figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of a variant of a construction detail of the invention, - figure 7 is a side schematic view of a fifth embodiment, - figure 8 is a schematic view of a pair of fluid containers which may be possibly used in connection with the present invention, - figures 9 to 11 are side schematic views of variants of the embodiment as shown in figure 7, figure 12 is a longitudinal sectional view of another variant of the embodiment as shown in figure 2, figure 13 is a longitudinal sectional view of a sixth embodiment of the invention, - figure 14 is a side view of a variant of the embodiment as shown in figure 7, - figure 15 is a schematic view of a seventh embodiment, - figure 16 is a schematic view of an optional characteristic which may be adopted in the present invention, to allow a used needle to disappear inside the syringe body, - figure 17 is a schematic view of a further embodiment of the invention, figure 18 shows an application example of the present invention, in the form of a toothpaste dispensing device integrated in a toothbrush, and - figure 19 shows a variant of a body for supporting a needle and a cartridge according to the present invention. With reference now to figure 1, a proportioning and dispensing device of the manual syringe type, generally indicated with numeral 10, comprises a needle 11, which is mounted on a bearing structure 12, preferably, but not limited to, made of plastic. The bearing structure comprises a front crossbar 17 from which two stringers 18 extend to support a tubular lead-in guide 19, externally provided with two wings 20. A major portion of the needle 11 extends out of the bearing structure 12 and ends at one end with a point 13a, normally protected by a needle-cover, which may be snap- , clutch- or pressure-fitted on the bearing structure 12. Preferably, near the mouth of the needle-cover 14 a rather wide protection 15 is formed to protect the fingers of a user, during the needle covering operations. The other end 13b of the needle, also ending with a point, projects out of a cylindrical sleeve 16 fastened on the bearing structure 12, at the middle of the crossbar 17. The cylindrical sleeve 16 extends parallel to the stringers 18 and ends with a pressure disc 21, substantially concentric with the tubular lead-in guide 19. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a mushroom head stake 22, whose function will appear more clearly hereafter, projects out of the pressure disc 21. A cartridge, or carpule 23, containing the fluid to be injected or dispensed, has a substantially cylindrical shape, plugged at the rear end 23a. The outside diameter of the cartridge 23 substantially corresponds to the inside diameter of the lead-in guide 19. A cylindrical piston 24, preferably made of rubber, is slidably mounted at the front portion of the cartridge 23, so as to exert a sealing action thereon. In using the device 10, the cartridge 23 is inserted in the lead-in guide 19 and pushed against the pressure disc 21, while holding the device 10 as is conventionally done with prior art syringes, i.e. by grasping by the index and middle fingers the wings 20 of the bearing structure 12, and by pushing the bottom 23a of the cartridge 23 by the thumb. The pressure of the cartridge 23 on the pressure disc 21 causes the needle point 13b to penetrate the piston 24, thereby perforating it. In subsequent operations, the fluid contained in the cartridge 23 is free to be discharged therefrom through the point 13a of the needle 11, wherefrom the needle- covering 14 has been previously removed. As is easily remarkable, the structure of the device 10 is much lighter than that of a traditional syringe and uses a smaller number of components. Further, the structure 10 does not include the plastic barrel of traditional syringes, thereby involving apparent material savings, since the cartridge itself holds the fluid and acts, at the same time, as a plunger. Therefore, the device 10 is clearly shown to have a lower cost, when compared with traditional syringes, and to imply a considerable reduction in the material to be disposed, also when it is used once. The mushroom head stake 22, if there is any, is designed to be engaged in a corresponding cavity formed on the piston 24, elastically enveloping it, so that the device 10 may be also used to suck in fluid through the needle 11, by pulling the cartridge 23 back. Here, in the rear part of the cartridge 23, a thicker collar may be formed, to assist the removal of the cartridge 23 from the bearing structure 12, and the consequent suction of fluid through the needle 11. Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of the invention, intended to be used with a cartridge 23 similar in all respects to that described with reference to figure 1. Particularly, a device 10a comprises a body 25, consisting in a tubular shell 25a, provided with a longitudinal aperture 26. At the rear end of the body 25, two wings 20a are formed, whereas the front end is closed by a transverse wall 28, wherein a housing notch 27 is formed. The longitudinal aperture 26 has two transverse widened parts 26a, 26b, near the wings 20a and the wall 28 respectively. Different types of dispensing members may be provided in the body 25, two of which are shown by way of example in figure 2, indicated with numerals 29a, 29b respectively. A first type of dispensing member 29a, the simpler one, comprises a tubular element 30, wherein a needle 11 is fitted, and which is provided, at its rear end, with a pressure disc 21 and, possibly, with a mushroom head stake 22, identical in all respects to those described with reference to figure 1. Near the front end of the tubular element 30, two spaced abutments 31 are formed, the distance therebetween substantially corresponding to the thickness of the wall 28 of the body 25. Thanks to this configuration, the dispensing member 29a may be inserted in the body 25 to obtain a dispensing device which is functionally similar to that shown in figure 1 and previously described. Another type of dispensing member, indicated with numeral 29b in figure 2, comprises an elongated element 32, wherein a portion of the needle 11 is housed, and whereon there is provided a sequence of lateral notches 33, separated by baffles 34, and designed to be selectively inserted in the housing notch 27 formed in the front wall 28 of the body 25. Naturally, the shape of the elongated element 32 is given purely by way of example and may obviously be modified, for example taking a configuration similar to that of the tubular body 30 of the dispensing member 29a, whereon a plurality of abutments 31, having the same functions as the baffles 34, may be formed . The dispensing member 29b provides the device 10a with an additional characteristic, not mentioned herebefore, that is the possibility to predetermine the quantity of fluid to be dispensed by simply selecting the insertion position of the dispensing member 29b on the body 25, and particularly in the housing notch 27. Based on the position of the dispensing member 29b on the body 25, the rubber piston 24 of a cartridge 23 inserted in the body 25 will be accordingly compressed in different pullout positions of the cartridge 23, thereby causing the quantity of fluid discharged through the needle 11 to change, before the front edge 23b of the cartridge abuts against the wall 28 of the body 25. Naturally, reference marks may be provided on the elongated element 32 and/or on the cartridge 23, for example silk screen printed indications, intending to offer the user an indication about the quantity of liquid available for dispensing, according to the position taken by the elongated element 32 on the body 25. The illustrated device, with reference to both dispensing members 29a and 29b exemplified in figure 2, allows to dispose the dispensing member only, whereas the body 25 may be reused an unlimited number of times. Hence, the material needing to be disposed is very little, with apparent advantages in terms both of inexpensiveness and of environmental protection. It is also important to remark that the dispensing member 29a, 29b may be removed without touching it, since, once the used up cartridge 23 is removed, the dispensing member can be simply extracted from the body 25, by gripping the latter and beating the dispensing member or pushing it against a hard surface, for example against the edge of a rubbish bin, to disengage it from the housing notch 27. This reduces the risks for the user, particularly the risk that he may get pricked by the no longer sterile needle 11. A variant of the dispensing member is illustrated in figure 12, wherein the same reference numerals indicate the same elements as shown in figure 2. Here, the body 25 may house a dispensing member 29c, composed of a tubular element 30a, for example provided with abutments 31 or ridges like in figure 2, wherein a stem 30b, which bears the needle 11 and which is provided, at its rear end, with the pressure disc 21, may be moved axially. In the pre-utilization position, the dispensing member 29c keeps the needle 11 protected, enclosing it in the tubular element 30a. When the cartridge 23 is inserted, a first length of its axial displacement causes, thanks to the thrust of the piston 24, the stem 30b to be axially displaced and the needle 11 to come out. This axial displacement stops when the rear portion of the tubular element 30a abuts against the pressure disc 21, on the side opposite to the piston 24, which is then perforated by the rear point of the needle 11, to allow the product contained in the cartridge 23 to be dispensed. The sequential abutments 31 allow to preset the quantity of dispensable fluid, in the same manner as described above with reference to the dispensing member 29b. At the end of the operation, the tubular element 30a acting as a cap, may be irreversibly locked. All the apparatus illustrated hereinbefore, using a dispensing member which can be separated from the body 25, may be provided with a system to assist the removal of the member for separating it from the body after the dispensing operation. In its simplest form, said system comprises a flexible tongue formed on the body 25, on the side opposite to the longitudinal notch 26, whose compression helps the dispensing member, and thus the needle 11, to come out. Figure 3 shows a variant 10b of the dispensing device described above. A tubular body 25b, provided with wings 20b at its rear, has an upper aperture 35 wherein a dispensing member 29d with an externally threaded cylindrical body 36, through which the needle 11 is fitted, may be inserted. The front wall 28a of the dispensing device 10b has a housing notch 27a with a semicircular thread at its bottom 27b. A stop open ring 37, which may be rotated to close the upper part of the housing notch 27a when the dispensing member 29d is inserted in the notch 27a, thereby locking it, is rotatably mounted around the body 25b, at the wall 28a. This configuration of the dispensing device 10b allows a fine adjustment of the quantity of dispensable fluid, by simply screwing the threaded body 36 in the housing notch 27a. Also, the operations to dispose the dispensing member 29d are as simple, quick and safe as those described with reference to the dispensing members 29a and 29b of figure 2 and 29c of figure 12: the stop open ring 37 need only be rotated to disengage the member 36 from the notch 27a. Also in this case, reference marks may be provided on the dispensing member 29d, on the body 25b and/or on the cartridge 23, to indicate the dispensable quantities of fluid, corresponding to a certain rotation of the threaded body 36. The above examples of dispensing members 29a, 29b and 29d may be naturally provided with a needle-cover similar to that shown and described with reference to figure 1, or anyway of any other well-known type. On the other hand, figure 4 shows an automatic-release needle-covering system. A needle 11 is partially housed inside a tubular element 38 and fastened thereto near its rear end 13b. The tubular element 38, provided with the above-mentioned pressure disc 21, is fastened at its front part to the front transverse wall 39 which closes a tubular lead-in body 25c. A small slidable tube 40 is slidably fitted on the needle and covers, in the pulled out position, the portion of the needle 11 projecting out of the body 25c, including the front point 13a, whereas, in a retracted position, it is housed inside the tubular element 38. The front end of the tube 40 is fastened to a bracket 41, provided with a retaining ring 42, which externally encircles the body 25c, and is allowed to axially slide thereon. An annular ridge 43, formed on the outer shell of the body 25c prevents the bracket 41, and thus the tube 40, from being slipped off. A manually controllable appendix 44 projects on the upper part of the bracket. A longitudinal notch 45 is formed on the upper part of the body 25c, to allow the bracket 41 to slide, by controlling the appendix 44. In the needle-covering position, as shown in figure 4, the bracket 41 is locked in position by a locking tooth 46, placed at the front end of a flexible blade 47, which is coupled to the tubular element 38 near the pressure disc 21 and provided, in this position, with a slanted tooth 48. When a cartridge 23 is inserted in the body 25c, its front edge 23b interacts with the slanted tooth 48, thereby causing the flexible blade 47 to be bent down and, consequently, the locking tooth 48 to be disengaged from the bracket 41. Then, the bracket 41 can be pulled back, by controlling the appendix 44, and the front end 13a of the needle 11 can be uncovered only when the cartridge 23 is inserted and the dispensing device is ready for use. After use, when the cartridge 23 has been pulled off, the bracket 41 can be brought back to the lock position as shown in figure 4, by controlling the appendix 44, to cover the needle 11. Naturally, the dispensing device 10c as shown in figure 4 may be modified in such a way that the assembly of elements composed of the needle 11, of the tubular element 38, of the bracket 41 and of the tube 40, may be pulled off and removed from the body 25c, according to the principles described and illustrated above with reference to figure 2. Figure 5 shows a further variant of the invention, relating to a dispensing device lOd, provided with an automatic mechanism for covering the needle 11, at the end of the dispensing operation. Particularly, the device lOd comprises a tubular body 25d for leading in a cartridge (not shown) , identical in all respects to the body 25 of figure 2. Under said body 25d, in a diametrically opposite position with respect to the notch 26, a sleeve 49 is fastened, inside which a piston 50 is slidably mounted, under the pressure of an elastic member 51, particularly a helical spring, compressed against a bottom 52 of the sleeve 49. An upper portion of the piston 50 is conformed like a flexible blade 53, with an end slanted tooth 54 projecting inside the body 25d near the bottom wall 56, through a cavity 55 adjacent thereto. A fork-like support 57, whereon the front end of a needle-covering tube 58, provided with a pair of abutments 59a, 59b, is inserted, extends from the piston 50. The needle-covering tube 58 is slidably fitted inside a tubular element 60, which is inserted, in the same manner as described above, in a housing notch 61, formed in the front wall 56 of the body 25d. On the tubular element 60, a longitudinal notch is made, which has, in its front part, a stop baffle or another element designed to retain and lock a safety tooth 64, placed at the end of a flexible blade 65 formed on the tube 58. In using the dispensing device lOd, when a cartridge inserted in the body 25d - reaches its front wall 56, it causes the slanted tooth 54 to come out of the aperture 55 and consequently determines the release of the piston 50 which, under the action of the spring 51, drags the tube 58 forwards, until the latter totally covers the needle 11. The safety tooth 64, by interfering with the baffle 63, prevents any subsequent attempt to uncover the needle 11, which may be removed safely, together with the tubular element 60, from the body 25d, through the housing notch 61. In the examples described and illustrated hereinabove, the rear point 13b of the needle 11 projects out of the central support tubular element. An alternative thereto, which allows to protect the rear point 13b of the needle 11, reducing the risks that a user may get pricked therewith, is shown in figure 6. A general tubular central support 66 houses a needle 11, whose rear point 13b, designed to perforate a general rubber piston 67, is protected by a cap 68, provided with internal hook-like teeth 69, designed to retain a deformable annular crown 70 formed on the rubber piston 67. Figure 19 shows a variant of the body which bears the needles and guides the cartridge 23, as described above. Particularly, the body 125 is divided into two portions 125a, 125b, mutually articulated about a transverse axis 126 placed near the area in which the cartridge 23 is introduced. Two gripping rings 127, 128 are fastened to the two portions 125a, 125b, which extend behind the transverse axis 126 in two respective tails 129a, 129b. A safety appendix 130, controlled by a slider 131, is preferably mounted on the body 125, aiming at selectively uncover one of the needles described and illustrated above, for example that shown in figure 5, which may be inserted in the notch 27. Naturally, the safety appendix 130 is wholly optional and, if there is one, it may be of the manual or automatic type, as previously described. In using the body 125, a needle may be easily grasped by acting on the gripping rings 127, 128 to open the portions 125a, 125b apart in the area of the notch 27. When the portions 125a, 125 are closed again, once the needle has been placed in the notch 27, the tails 129a, 129b are brought back to the configuration as shown in figure 19, thereby defining a substantially circular aperture, allowing the cartridge 23 to be inserted therein. Once the cartridge 23 has been inserted, the portions 125a, 125b are prevented from opening apart by the interference of the tails 129a, 129b with the outer wall of the cartridge 23. A further variant lOe of the invention is shown in figure 7 and comprises an elongated central body 71, which may have a circular or, more preferably, cross-shaped section, wherein a needle 11a is housed and whereto a deformable piston 72, preferably made of rubber is attached, at the rear part thereof. Here, it is not necessary to provide the needle 11a with a rear point. A finger-bearing structure 73 completes the device lOe. A cartridge 74, of the simple, cylindrical glass-type is inserted on the device lOe, and has the function of a plunger. The cartridge 74 may consist, as shown in figure 8, of a vial 75a, 75b, for example having a stress raising nick, outlined by the dashed line 76a, 76b, annularly encircling the cylindrical portion under the neck 77a, 77b. Figure 9 shows a variant of the device of figure 7, wherein, besides the piston 72, a further disc 78, for centering the cartridge 74 is placed on the central elongated body 71. Figure 10 shows a variant of the dispensing device, wherein instead of a needle, a dispenser 79 is provided, possibly, but not necessarily articulated in 80, for example for dispensing foodstuff, creams, toothpaste and similar. Advantageously, the articulation 80 may be made in the form of a stop valve, preventing the product to come out when it is partially used and when a further use thereof is foreseen. Such a stop valve may be made in any other manner, which will be apparent, to those skilled in the art, from the present description and from the drawings annexed thereto. As an alternative, or as a spare accessory, the dispensing device may be provided with a dispensing spatula 81, as shown in figure 11. A specific application example in the form of a brush 109 is also illustrated in figure 18, which shows a dispensing device whose elongated central body 71a, provided at one end with the piston 72, extends on the opposite side by an appendix 71b, to whose end bristles 110 are fixed. The central body 71a is wholly or partly enveloped by a covering structure 111, having the function of a handgrip for the brush. The cartridge 74 containing the product to be dispensed is slidably fitted on the piston 72 and communicates with an axial duct 112 formed in the central body 71a and in the appendix 71b, which opens out at the base of the bristles 110. By pressing the bottom 113 of the cartridge 74 , the product contained therein may be forced to allow the desired quantity thereof to come out at the bristles 110. As a variant, if the internal cavity Ilia of the covering structure 111 has a substantially cylindrical shape, a thread may be formed thereon, to be engaged on a corresponding thread formed on the outer shell of the cartridge 74. So, the product may be supplied to the bristles 110 by screwing the cartridge 74 in the cavity Ilia, for a desired number of turns; the latter variant is particularly advantageous to prevent the product to come out unintentionally in case of accidental shocks. Naturally, the specific embodiment illustrated above may be particularly but not exclusively used in the field of toothbrushes, particularly travel toothbrushes, as well as in the field of brushes for shoes or clothes, for cars, for personal hygiene, only to mention a few application examples. The cartridges 74, besides being obtained by breaking the vials 75a, 75b, may be also provided as cylindrical containers, covered by a plug, or by a film, possibly - but not exclusively - provided with a tear-off opening. Particular advantages may be obtained by providing that the cartridges 74, having simple and smooth shapes, may be easily made from materials other than glass, such as paper, or similar, especially, in cases of use with foodstuff. Figure 13 shows a dispensing device in which the only discarded part, at the end of the dispensing operation, is the needle 11. This device comprises a lead-in body 82, for receiving a cartridge as shown in figure 1, whereto a perforated central stem 83 terminating by a pressure disc 21 and being able to receive a needle 11, is integrally fastened. The central stem 83 has, in a front area, a longitudinal hollow 84, which may be penetrated by a portion of a cam 85, articulated to the body 82. In the position shown in the figure, the cam 85 locks the needle 11 in order to allow a product contained in a cartridge (not shown) to be dispensed. A the end of the dispensing operations, a rotation of the cam 85 in the direction of arrow A allows the needle 11 to be pulled off (possibly by gravity) and consequently removed. Naturally, instead of the cam 85 any other retaining device may be provided, for example button-, spring-, and piston- or otherwise operated. Figure 14 shows a variant of the solution illustrated in more general terms in figure 7 above. Here, the bearing structure 73 for the fingers of the operator comprises a pair of opposed foils 86, which are plastically hinged in the areas 88, and terminate in two wings 20, provided with hook- like teeth 87a, 87b respectively. When all the product contained in the cartridge or vial 74 has been dispensed, the foils 86 are rotated 180° towards the needle 11a, in the direction of arrows B, until the two hook-like teeth 87a, 87b mutually engage, in such a way that the foils and the wings 20 form a protection for the needle 11a, preventing accidental pricks. Since the diameter of the mouth 74a of the cartridge 74 is greater than the distance between the two foils 86 in the area of the plastic hinge 88, when the cartridge 74 reaches the end-of-stroke at the end of the dispensing operation, the rotation of the two foils 86 in the direction of arrows B is facilitated. Figure 15 schematically shows a further embodiment of the present invention, particularly - but not exclusively intended for packaging sterile syringes in blisters or similar, wherein, for the sake of illustration simplicity, the needle-cover has been omitted. In this solution, a needle 11a, or more generally a discharge duct, is fastened to an internally perforated pusher body 90, provided with a finger- bearing structure 89. The needle 11a and the internal hole 91 are at a radial distance from the axis of symmetry of the pusher body 90, which is supplied, at its rear part 90b, with a sealing member 92, particularly, but not exclusively, a ring, for example an O-ring. The rear part 90b and the sealing member 92 are inserted, during the manufacturing process, in a flexible piston 93 movable in a cartridge 94 containing a product to be dispensed or injected. In detail, the piston 93 has a cavity 95, corresponding as a negative to the rear part 90b of the body 90. A hole 96 allowing communication with the inside of the cartridge 94, is formed on the bottom of the cavity 95 in a diametrically opposite position with respect to the through hole 91. Before use, the dispensing device, or syringe of figure 15 is assembled is such a way that the product contained in the cartridge 94 is not allowed to come out of the needle 11a, because the hole 94, formed in the piston 93, is plugged at the bottom 90b of the body 90. In order to use the product and dispense or inject it through the needle 11a, the body 90 need only be rotated about a longitudinal axis, for example over 180°, until the holes 96 and 91 are coaxial. Figure 17 schematically shows an alternative example of a needle or discharge duct lib, fitted during the manufacturing process on a piston 97, which may slide within a cartridge 98. Particularly, the needle lib is inserted in a rotating member 99, which is housed inside the piston 97, having a hole 100 which, when the needle lib is in the position as shown in a continuous line in figure 17, is plugged by the rotating member 99. On the contrary, when the needle lib is brought to the operating position, as shown is a dashed line in the figure, aligned with the sliding direction of the piston 97 in the cartridge 98, the product contained therein is free to flow down through the hole 100, the rotating member 99 and the needle lib after pressure is exerted at the bottom 98b of the cartridge. Figure 16 shows a possible assembled configuration of a needle 11a in a tubular body 101 comprising an internal axial cavity 102, which tapers in the end portion closest to the needle 11a. The needle 11a, in turn, has at its base a conical thicker part 103, which is forced in the taper of the axial cavity 102 and keeps its position during the use of the needle thanks to the friction forces mutually exerted by the walls. Once the needle 11a has been used, a force greater than the friction between the cones is simply exerted on the needle point to have the needle 11a retracted in the cavity 102, protecting the operator from accidental pricks. Particularly, the retraction of the needle 11a may be obtained by beating, for example, the needle point on a hard surface, such as a table, a shelf, etc. The solution described herein may be used advantageously in most of the dispensing apparatus illustrated and described hereinbefore, as embodiments of the present invention. Then, the dispensing device in accordance with the present invention may be used both in the medical field, for injecting pharmaceutical substances and in all fields where the dispensing of creams, pastes, oils or other fluid or pasty products is necessary or useful. Naturally, notwithstanding the principle of the invention, the embodiments and the implementation details may be greatly varied with respect to the above description and illustrations, without departure from the scope of the present invention.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A device of the manual syringe type for proportioning and dispensing fluid or pasty products, comprising a cartridge body and an at least partially elastic piston slidably mounted on the cartridge body and adapted to exert a sealing action on the inner walls thereof, characterized in that the device further comprises a discharge duct with a nozzle, the duct being mounted selectively movable with respect to the at least partially elastic piston, the duct being movable from a closing position in which the passage of the product from the cartridge body to the nozzle is prevented, to an opening position, in which the product contained in the cartridge body may be dispensed. 2. A dispensing device as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a main body provided with seizing means and with guide means, the cartridge body being able to be guided in the guide means along a straight path, the main body also comprising a plunger member provided with a through aperture which opens out in the nozzle, the plunger member causing the piston element to slide inside the cartridge body, after a displacement of the main body relative to the cartridge body aimed at drawing a fluid or pasty product therefrom and at dispensing it through the nozzle. 3. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the elastic piston element is fastened to one end of the plunger member. 4. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that a needle which comprises a rear point designed to perforate the piston element on inserting the cartridge body on the main body, is fitted on the main body. 5. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the needle is fitted on the plunger member, near the rear point of the needle, said plunger member comprising a pressure plate, designed to push the piston element in order to cause it to slide inside the cartridge body. 6. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the pressure plate comprises locking means to lock the piston element to the end of the plunger member. 7. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the plunger member comprises a front portion, which is fastened to the main body, and a rear portion, which may slide axially with respect to the front portion and move from a position in which the needle is housed inside the front portion, to a position in which the needle is at least partially pulled out, due to a thrust exerted on the pressure plate by the piston element in a first length of the displacement stroke of the main body relative to the cartridge body. 8. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the plunger member removably mounted with respect to the main body. 9. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the plunger member comprises adjusting and locating means for selective adjustment of the position of the plunger member with respect to the main body. 10. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the adjusting and locating means allow a discrete adjustment of the quantity of product to be drawn from the cartridge body and dispensed in a complete stroke by displacing the main body relative to said cartridge body. 11. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the adjusting and locating means allow a continuous adjustment of the quantity of product to be drawn from the cartridge body and dispensed in a complete stroke by displacing the main body relative to said cartridge body. 12. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that brushes are fixed near the nozzle, for the utilization of the device as a brush. 13. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a needle which is selectively removably fitted on the plunger member to form the exit nozzle for the fluid or pasty product and at least a part of the through aperture opening out in said nozzle. 14. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that the needle comprises a rear cone-shaped end, jointed in a corresponding cavity formed in the plunger member, an axial pressure force on the needle point towards the plunger member causing the needle to be released and to retract inside the plunger member. 15. A device as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that it comprises a needle-covering element. 16. A device as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that the needle-covering element is fitted on the main body in such a way as to be axially movable thereon. 17. A device as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that the needle-covering element can be moved from a locked covering position to a released position, in which the front point of the needle is exposed, the insertion of the cartridge body in the main body causing the automatic release of the needle-covering element. 18. A device as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that the needle-covering element may be moved from a released position in which the front point of the needle is exposed, to a locked needle-covering position, the attainment of the end of the displacement stroke of the cartridge body with respect to the main body causing the automatic release of the needle-covering element. 19. A device as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the main body comprises a pair of blade-like elements which are designed to support the fingers of an operator, upon utilization of the syringe proportioning device, and may be refolded, after use, to a position in which they cover a needle, fitted on the main body. 20. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, characterized in that the main body comprises two portions, articulated about an axis transverse to the direction of insertion of the cartridge body.

Inventors: APOLLONI GIAMBATTISTA, BRUN GIANCARLO, APOLLONI, GIAMBATTISTA, BRUN, GIANCARLO
Applicants: APOLLONI GIAMBATTISTA, BRUN GIANCARLO, TECNOLOGIA S A S DI VALENTINO, APOLLONI, GIAMBATTISTA, BRUN, GIANCARLO, TECNOLOGIA S.A.S. DI VALENTINO BRAZZALE & C.
Application year: 1999
Main classification: A61M5
IPC codes: A46B11, A61M5, B05C17, B65D83