Abstract:
A device for packaging and distributing a substance, for example, a liquid. The device includes a housing for the substance, a piston movable in the housing, and a piston-driving mechanism. The piston-driving mechanism includes a first element turnable relative to a second element to cause axial displacement of the piston in the housing, after at least one of the elements has turned an amount relative to the other. The device can include a ring for transforming relative rotation of the two elements over a first angular path in a substance-dispensing direction into relative axial displacement of the two elements. The ring can be arranged to turn firstly with the first element over the first angular path and to co-operate with the second element to cause the axial displacement. Secondly, the ring can turn when relative rotation of the two elements is continued beyond the first angular path, relative to the sleeve element by being driven in rotation by the second element.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This document claims priority to French Application No. 0108804 filed Jul. 3, 2001, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to devices for packaging and dispensing a substance. More particularly, the present invention relates to devices for packaging and distributing cosmetic products, including but not limited to, a liquid lipstick. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE BACKGROUND 
     Devices for packaging and distributing liquid lipstick are known. These devices include a housing to contain the substance and a movable piston in the housing to expel the substance. The devices can also include a piston-driving mechanism having a first element that is turnable relative to a second element to cause axial displacement of the piston in the housing. 
     These conventional devices, however, have drawbacks. For example, when the substance is a liquid, a leak can occur under excessive pressure in the housing. For example, excessive pressure can occur due to a rise in temperature. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Consequently, there is a need for an improved packaging and distribution device. For instance, there is a need for a device that can reduce the risks of liquid leakage. There is a further need for such a device to be of relatively simple construction, to be inexpensive to produce, aesthetically pleasing, and to function reliably. An object of the present invention is to provide such a device. 
     The present invention accomplishes these objects and others by providing a novel device for packaging and distributing a substance. The device includes a housing for the substance, a piston movable in the housing to expel the substance, and a piston-driving mechanism including a first element (e.g., a sleeve) turnable relative to a second element (e.g., a body for the device) to cause axial displacement of the piston in the housing. This axial displacement is caused at least once one of the elements has turned a certain amount relative to the other. The device includes a ring for transforming relative rotation of the two elements over a first angular path in a substance-dispensing direction into relative axial displacement of the two elements. The ring is arranged to turn with the first element (e.g., the sleeve) over the first angular path and to co-operate with the second element (e.g., the body) to cause the axial displacement. The ring is also arranged to turn, when the relative rotation of the two elements is continued beyond the first angular path, relative to the first element by being driven in rotation by the second element. 
     During storage, the two above-mentioned elements can displace axially under the excess pressure inside the housing containing the substance. This axial movement causes the volume of the housing containing the substance to increase, and reduces or eliminates the excess pressure. The device thus reduces the risks of liquid leakage when the substance is liquid. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the ring is mounted on the first element, for example, by snap fastening. The ring can rotate relative to the first element if a sufficient driving force is exerted on the ring. In particular, the top portion of the first element can have a mounting skirt and the ring can be snap fastened into the mounting skirt. Such an arrangement allows the ring to turn relative to the mounting skirt if a sufficient torque is exerted. 
     In another preferred embodiment, the device includes a mechanism for automatically producing a relative movement of the two elements, accompanied by an increase in the volume of the housing, when one of the elements driven in displacement by the user in the substance dispensing direction is released and/or when a cap is placed on the device and/or in the event of excess pressure inside the housing. For example, the device can include a spring for producing the automatic return movement. In a particular embodiment, the spring can work in compression, i.e., the spring is in a compressed state. 
     In another preferred embodiment, the first element has a first bearing surface and the device includes a cap which has a second bearing surface configured to co-operate with the first bearing surface so that, when placing the cap on the device, the first element is displaced relative to the second element. For example, this arrangement can be configured to move the first element relative to the second element in the absence of the spring or if for any reason the spring has not exerted sufficient force to cause the displacement in question. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the first element can include a sleeve and the second element can include the body of the device on which the sleeve is mounted. The body and the piston to define the housing containing the substance. The ring can be coupled to the sleeve. 
     In a particular embodiment, the body includes at least one pin and the ring includes at least one ramp against which the pin can bear, so that rotation of the ring relative to the pin is accompanied by axial displacement of the ring relative to the body. Alternatively, the body can have at least one ramp and the ring can have at least one pin. 
     The sleeve can be axially positioned between a body base and the top portion of the body. The piston can be integral with a support co-operating with the sleeve by a rotational or a screwing action. One of the elements can turn relative to the other over a limited angular path without activating the dispensing mechanism. In particular, the support can turn freely relative to the body over a limited angular path relative thereto. This angular path is preferably less than 90°, more preferably less than 45°, and even more preferably between 5° and 25° or between 5° and 20°. In two preferred embodiments, the range is about 10° and about 15°. 
     The body can include at least one longitudinal opening and the support can include at least one extension engaged in the opening. The distance between the two longitudinal edges of the body opening can be greater than the width of the extension, so that the support is free to turn through a limited angular path relative to the body. The lateral extension can include a threaded portion co-operating with a thread on the sleeve, so that rotation of the sleeve relative to the support is accompanied by axial displacement of the support relative to the sleeve. The support can act as a bearing for the end of a spring. The spring can be biased by the axial displacement of the sleeve relative to the body while dispensing the substance. The support can include a bottom portion at least partially engaged through an opening in the base of the body. 
     The sleeve can also be situated at the bottom portion of the device. In this case, the piston can be integral with a part co-operating with an intermediate part, itself co-operating with the sleeve. The support can include at least one longitudinal finger engaged in an opening in the body, so as to be capable of turning through a limited angular path relative to the body. The finger can have two longitudinal edges spaced apart by a distance that differs from the spacing of two portions in relief on the body. The intermediate part can include at least one portion in relief co-operating with the body so as to be capable of turning through a limited angular path. The device can include a compression spring, one end of which bears on the intermediate part and the other end of which bears on a wall of the body. In general, the device can include an applicator tip when the substance is a liquid. When the relative movement of the two elements occurs automatically under excess pressure, the section of the channels in the applicator tip can be selected so that the two elements are displaced before the substance can be dispensed via those channels. In other words, the force required to cause the two elements to move in the event of excess pressure is lower than that required to cause the substance to be dispensed. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic axial section view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic cross-section view that illustrates an angular displacement of the support relative to the device body; 
     FIG. 3 is an analogous view to FIG. 1, after axial displacement of the sleeve relative to the support; 
     FIG. 4 is an analogous view to FIG. 2 after rotation of the support relative to the body; 
     FIG. 5 is an analogous view to FIG. 1, illustrating dispensing of the substance; 
     FIG. 6 is an analogous view to FIG. 1, showing the device after putting on the closing cap; 
     FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic side elevation view of another preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic axial section view of the device of FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 9 is a section view across the line IX—IX of FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 10 shows a portion of the piston-lifting mechanism in isolation; 
     FIG. 11 is a top view along arrow XI of FIG. 10; 
     FIG. 12 is an analogous view to FIG. 8 during dispensing of the substance; 
     FIG. 13 is a section view across the line XIII—XIII of FIG. 12; 
     FIG. 14 is an analogous view to FIG. 8, the piston-raising movement being continued compared with the configuration of FIG. 12; 
     FIG. 15 is a section view across the line XV of FIG. 14; 
     FIG. 16 is a diagrammatic axial section view showing the device at the end of the upward stroke of the piston; 
     FIG. 17 is a section view across the line XVII—XVII of FIG. 16; 
     FIG. 18 shows the device after putting on the cap; and 
     FIG. 19 is a section view across the line XIX—XIX of FIG.  18 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIGS. 1 to  6  show a device  100  including a body  110  and a sleeve  120  that can turn relative to the body. The top portion of the body is provided with an applicator tip  130 . For example, the applicator tip  130  can be formed from an elastomer, which can be flocked. The applicator tip  130  can have channels  131  passing through it for supplying the substance. In the example shown, tip  130  has an applicator surface  132  that extends along a plane that is oblique relative to axis X of body  110 . Other applicator geometries are within the scope of the present invention. The top portion  111  of body  110  defines a housing  140  for receiving a reserve of a substance P. The substance P can be, for example, a liquid lipstick or another cosmetic product. 
     The housing  140  can have an internal cylindrical surface and a surface of revolution about the axis X in this example. The device  100  has a piston  150  movable in the housing  140 . This piston  150  can move to create excess pressure to expel a certain quantity of the substance P through channels  131  onto the applicator surface  132 . 
     The piston  150  can be integral with a support  160 . The support  160  can include a shaft  161  with its top end coupled or fixed to the piston and with its bottom end connected to a skirt  162 . The shaft  161  can be hollow. The skirt  162  can be provided with two externally threaded and diametrically opposed lateral extensions  163 . 
     The shaft  161  and the skirt  162  together form a groove  164  housing the bottom end of a spring  170 . The top end of the spring bears against a transverse wall  112  of body  110 . The transverse wall  112  has a central opening for passing the support shaft  160 . The skirt  162  passes through an opening  113  in the base  114  of device  100 . 
     A ring  180  is coupled to the sleeve  120 . For example, the ring  180  can be snap fastened into a mounting skirt  121  on the top end of the sleeve  120 . The ring  180  can include an annular flange  181  coupled to the mounting skirt  121 . For example, the annular flange  181  can be snap fastened into a corresponding groove  122  in the mounting skirt  121 . The internal radial surface of the ring  180  can have at least one helical groove  183  defining a ramp, shown in FIG. 1 in dotted lines. The top portion  111  of body  110  can have at least one corresponding pin  115  engaged in the groove. The diameter of the pin  115  can substantially correspond to the width of the groove  183 . The device can include two diametrically opposed pins  115 , and the ring  180  can include two corresponding grooves  183 . 
     The present invention is not intended to be limited to this pin-on-body or groove-on-ring configuration. Alternate coupling mechanisms between the ring  180  and the body  110  are within the scope of the invention. For example, the body can define a groove and the ring can include a pin, or other protrusion, engaged in the groove. In a preferred embodiment, the coupling mechanism causes axial displacement of the body relative to the sleeve for rotations over a limited angular range. The coupling mechanism can rotate relative to one of the body or the sleeve over a limited angular range and can rotate relative to the other beyond the angular range. 
     Between the transverse wall  112  and the wall defining the opening  113 , the body  110  has two longitudinal openings  116  in which the lateral extensions  163  of support  160  are engaged, as can be seen in FIG.  2 . Each opening  116  is defined by two longitudinal edges  116   a  and  116   b  spaced apart by more than the width of one extension  163 , to allow a certain angular displacement stroke for the support  160  in the body  110 . This angular displacement stroke can be, for example, through a limited angular range. This angular range is preferably less than 90°, and more preferably less than 45°, for example, between 5° and 25°. In the illustrated example, the angular range is i, about 15°. 
     The base  114  of body  110  can have a bead  117  allowing snap fastening of a cap  190 , as can be seen in FIG.  6 . Other coupling mechanisms between the cap  190  and the body  110  are within the scope of the present invention. The cap  190  can have a shoulder  191  configured to bear against a shoulder  125  on the sleeve, as is described below. The base  114  is closed by an attached end wall  119 . 
     The device  110  can function as follows. Assume that the housing  140  is full of substance P and that the cap  190  has just been removed, as shown in FIG.  1 . The user starts to turn sleeve  120  relative to the body  110  over a first angular path through an angle i as defined above, in the direction of arrow A. The direction of arrow A is also referred to as the “substance-dispensing” direction. During the first angular path, the support  160  turns with the sleeve  120  and the lateral extensions  163  of the support  160  change from bearing on the longitudinal edges  116   a  to bearing on the opposed longitudinal edges  116   b . The spring  170  is initially compressed only slightly. 
     Co-operation between the ring  180  and the body  110  means that rotation of sleeve  120  is accompanied by axial upward displacement thereof relative to the base  114 , the ring  180  turning with the sleeve  120  and the pin  115  being displaced in the helical groove  183 . The assembly constituted by the sleeve  120 , the ring  180 , the support  160  and the piston  150  is then axially displaced by the same distance i. This axial distance can be of the order of 2 millimeters (mm) in the example described. The space  141  above the level of the liquid in the housing  140  fills with liquid as the piston  150  rises in the housing  140 , as can be seen in FIG.  3 . Upward displacement of the sleeve  120  is accompanied by a small amount of compression of the spring  170  since the support  160  has followed the upward movement of the sleeve  120 . 
     When rotation of the sleeve  120  relative to the body  110  is continued in the substance-dispensing direction, i.e., in the direction of arrow A, the support  160  is prevented from turning relative to the body  110  because the lateral extensions  163  come to bear against the longitudinal edges  116   b , as shown in FIG.  4 . The sleeve  120  then turns relative to the support  160 , and because of the co-operating screw threads of the support  160  and the sleeve  120 , this causes an upward displacement of the support  160 , the sleeve  120  then being prevented from moving further upwards by the pin  115  of the body  110 . 
     The upward movement of the support  160 , and thus of the piston  150 , is accompanied by the substance being dispensed via the channels  131  onto the applicator surface  132 , as shown in FIG.  5 . When the user releases the sleeve  120 , the spring  170  tends to return the sleeve  120  downwards until it bears against the base  114 . The ring  180  causes the collar  120  to rotate in the direction of arrow B in FIG.  2 . The support  160  turns with the collar  120  in the longitudinal openings  116  and descends, causing the piston  150  to retract inside the reservoir and generating suction which ensures at least partial evacuation of the substance present in the channels  131 , and again forming an open space  141  above the substance in the housing  140 . 
     In accordance with the invention, the arrangement can be provided without spring  170 . For example, the collar  120  can be caused to return towards the base  114  by putting on the cap  190  and pushing the shoulder  191  against the step  125 , as shown in FIG.  6 . In the absence of the spring  170  and of the cap  190 , and in the event of excess pressure in the housing  140  containing the substance, the piston  150  can also retract from the configuration of FIG. 5 until the collar  120  comes into axial abutment against the base  114  of the body  110 . 
     Reference is now made to FIGS. 7 to  19  to describe a device  200  according to another embodiment of the present invention. The device  200  includes a body  210  with an axis X and a sleeve  220  that can turn relative to the body  210  about the axis X. The top part of body  210  is provided with a tip  230  similar to the tip  130  described above, and defines a housing  240  with an internal cylindrical surface. A piston  250  can slide within the housing  240 . The piston  250  can be integral with a mechanism  260  including two parts  260   a ,  260   b . The first part  260   a  includes a screw  261  with its top end fixed to the piston  250  and two longitudinal fingers  262 , which can be formed integrally with the screw  261 . The fingers  262  can be diametrically opposed. The other part  260   b  includes an internally threaded hollow shaft  263  in which the screw  261  is engaged, and a collar  264  at its bottom end. The collar is connected to the shaft  263  via a wall  266  on which a spring  270  bears. The collar  264  is externally threaded and co-operates with an internal screw thread  229  on the sleeve  220  by a rotational or a screwing action. 
     FIGS. 10 and 11 show the part  260   b  of the mechanism  260  in isolation. Part of the shaft  263  can be seen to be externally provided with two anti-rotation ribs  265 , the function of which is described below. The two anti-rotation ribs  265  can be substantially diametrically opposed. The ribs  265  can extend over only substantially half the height of the shaft  263 , from its top end. Only one of the ribs  265  can be seen in FIG.  10 . 
     The spring  270  can work in compression. Its bottom end can bear on the wall  266  and its other end can bear against a transverse wall  212  having an opening  217  through which the mechanism  260  passes. 
     A ring  280  is snap fastened into a mounting skirt  221  located on the top portion of sleeve  220 . In similar manner to the ring  180  described above, the ring  280  can have a bead  281  snap fastened into an annular groove  222  of the mounting skirt  221 . In this illustrated embodiment, the ring  280  has two diametrically opposed helical grooves  283  in each of which a pin  215  of the body  210  is engaged. The bottom portion of the sleeve  220  is closed by an attached end wall  229 . 
     An examination of FIG. 9 shows that the wall  212  has recesses  216  in which the fingers  262  are engaged. The longitudinal edges  216   a  and  216   b  of these recesses are spaced apart by a distance that is greater than the width of the fingers  262 . This feature allows the mechanism  260  to move through a certain angular range relative to the body  210 . The opening  217  in the transverse wall  212  can also be shaped to allow the anti-rotation ribs  265  to move angularly through an angle of the same amplitude. 
     The device  200  includes a cap  290 , which can be seen in FIG.  8 . The device  200  can function as follows. After removing the cap  290 , the user turns the sleeve  220  relative to body  210  over a first angular path i. The ring  280  does not move relative to the sleeve  220 , so relative movement between the body  210  and the sleeve  220  is accompanied by upward displacement of the sleeve relative to the body  210 , as shown in FIG.  14 . In the example described, relative movement along the first angular path causes the fingers  262  to come into contact with the edges  216   b  of the recesses  216 , as shown in FIG. 13, and one abutment of each of the anti-rotation rib  265  abuts against an edge of the opening  217  in transverse wall  212 . The sleeve  220  is displaced upwardly with the mechanism  260  and the piston  250 . The pins  215  then abut against the sleeve  220 , as can be seen in FIG.  12 . 
     As shown in FIG. 14, continuing rotation in the substance-dispensing direction causes the collar  264  to be displaced upwardly in the screw thread  229  of the sleeve, then secondly, causes the screw  261  to unscrew out of the hollow shaft  263 , as shown in FIG.  16 . The spring  270  is compressed. 
     During the rotational movements of the collar  264  in the sleeve  220  and of the shaft of the screw  261  in the hollow shaft  263 , the ring  280  can turn relative to the sleeve  220 . When the user releases the sleeve  220  or the body  210 , the spring  270  tends to return the sleeve  220  downwards and it can descend while turning. The pins  215  travel along the annular groove  283  until the fingers  262  abut against the edges  216   a  of the recesses  216 , as shown in FIG.  19 . The descending movement of the sleeve is accompanied by a corresponding movement of the mechanism  260 , and thus the piston  250  retracts inside the housing  240 . 
     Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically described therein.