Abstract:
Aerosol System comprising at least two aerosol containers for separately keeping different substances, wherein each aerosol container has a valve portion; and a head portion containing a channel system and an exhaust opening, where the channel system provides communication between at least one of the valve portions and the exhaust opening; characterized in that the head portion or parts of the head portion are movable in respect to at least one aerosol container, such that the channel system can take different configurations.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to an aerosol system of two or more aerosol containers including a cleaning function. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Aerosol systems, comprising two or more aerosol containers, are well known and designed to allow two or more fluid components to be mixed when operating the system. These systems are, for example, known as two-component systems which are used for colours or hair tinting lotions or other fluids which need to be separated, until ejection, for avoiding an undesired mixture or a precipitated reaction of the components. 
     For this purpose, there is known a two-component system including two containers which are interleaved, wherein the outer container contains a valve portion operating the valve of the second container and at the same time ejecting the mixed fluid. These container systems have the disadvantage that a design of reusing the inner container is hard to accomplish. 
     DE 23 25 512 discloses an aerosol system containing three aerosol containers of which two aerosol containers include product fluids which are supposed to be mixed when operating the system, and a third container contains a cleaning fluid for cleaning parts of the head portion. The system according to the aforementioned document contains two actuating buttons, one for mixing/ejecting the product fluids and the other for cleaning the channel system being part of the head portion. Such a design does not exclude accidentally operating the wrong and/or both actuators which may have undesired consequences, depending on the field of application. Further, additional components in the form of a second actuator could increase costs and weight. 
     In such known applications for aerosol systems, it is desirable to separately keep different substances in different containers, either for later mixing during usage or for individually ejecting from a desired container. A head portion is designed to guide the fluids to an exhaust opening. Depending on the field of application, such a head portion can carry attachments such as a brush in the case of hair mascara. 
     In such applications, it is hardly avoidable that product fluids adhere to parts of the head portion when being ejected and thereby contaminating the channel system and other components. This might reduce the performance of the aerosol system as well as undesirably pollute other product fluids having the same flow path. It might therefore desirable or necessary to provide an aerosol container containing a cleaning fluid flowing through the channel system and the exhaust opening and thereby cleaning those parts. The cleaning fluid could simply be water, a solvent or something else. Instead of a liquid, the container containing the cleaning fluid could also contain a cleaning gas, where a cleaning is performed by a pressurized propellant. 
     When using aerosol systems with two or more aerosol containers, particular care needs to be taken in order to actuate the desired container and to avoid accidental ejection of unwanted fluids. 
     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
     It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an aerosol system containing two or more aerosol containers which is easy and comfortable to use and provides at the same time a high degree of safety regarding ejection of the desired fluid. 
     This object is achieved by an aerosol system according to claim  1 . Preferred embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims. 
     An aerosol system according to the present invention comprises at least two aerosol containers for separately keeping different substances, wherein each aerosol container has a valve portion; and a head portion containing a channel system and an exhaust opening where the channel system provides communication between at least one of the valve portions and the exhaust openings, characterized in that the head portion or parts of the head portion are movable in respect to at least one aerosol container, such that the channel system can take different configurations. 
     Instead of having different actuators for different product fluids and the cleaning fluid, the present invention preferably provides one actuator and thereby prevents the user from accidentally operating the wrong actuator or more than one actuator at one time. Which one of the aerosol containers is actually operated when pushing the actuator is determined by the structural configuration of at least parts of the head portion. In cosmetic applications such a safety mechanism is particularly desirable. As explained more precisely in the embodiments of the present application, the channel system of the head portion provides communication between at least one valve portion and an exhaust opening of the head portion. If the configuration is such that a flow path between the valve portion of the container providing the cleaning fluid and the exhaust opening is established, pushing the actuator operates the valve portion of the container providing the cleaning fluid and causes the cleaning fluid to pass the channel system and to be ejected by the exhaust opening, possibly flowing through additional attachments of the head portion. 
     After cleaning by operating the actuator, the channel system can be configured such that the exhaust opening communicates with at least one container including a product fluid. Similar as above, operating an actuator causes a product fluid to be ejected. In this way, the aerosol system can be switched between one or more working modes and a cleaning mode. The different configurations are achieved by moving the head portion which results in a rearrangement of the channel system. In this respect it is also conceivable to provide an additional head configuration state where none of the aerosol containers is activated when operating the actuator. Such an additional state provides safety in situations where an accidental operation of the system should be avoided, for instance during transportation. 
     Preferably, the aerosol system according to the present invention contains exactly one button for operating at least one aerosol container. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides exactly one button for operating each aerosol container individually or two or more aerosol containers collectively. Which aerosol container or which aerosol containers are operated is determined by the channel configuration which has a one-to-one correspondence to the actual head position. 
     Preferably, an aerosol system according to the present invention is characterized in that at most one valve portion communicates with the exhaust opening, in each channel configuration. 
     In a preferred embodiment implementing for instance a cleaning operation as described above, it is desired to have a strict one-to-one communication between exactly one valve portion and the exhaust opening. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a mixture between a cleaning fluid and a product fluid, such as mascara, is not desired and, therefore, the head portion together with a channel system is arranged such that at most one valve portion communicates with the exhaust opening. In the case of a cosmetic application containing a single product fluid and a cleaning fluid, an aerosol system according to the present invention preferably provides a head portion that can be switched between two channel configurations, whereas the system contains two aerosol containers. 
     Preferably, an aerosol system according to the present invention provides a channel system that can take different configurations by shifting, rotating, twisting or tilting the head. 
     In order to provide an aerosol system that is well-priced and easy to handle, a channel configuration change is preferably achieved by manually moving parts of the head portion in a mechanical fashion. Although shifting, rotating, twisting and tilting belong to the most common and convenient ways to be implemented, other realisations are imaginable. 
     Preferably, an aerosol system according to the present invention provides a head portion that is removable or can be opened. 
     It might be desirable or necessary to clean parts of the aerosol system others than those being covered by a cleaning fluid. Therefore, a head portion that is removable or can be opened is preferably provided. Such a head, for instance, could be tilted by means of a hinge and could be secured by means of a clip-in or snap-in mechanism. Therefore the mechanism of changing the channel configuration is hidden, such that the head portion needs to be opened before changing the channel configuration. This helps to prevent accidental changing the channel configuration and thereby changing the operating mode. 
     Preferably, an aerosol system according to the present invention has a head portion that includes a cosmetic head, such as a mascara head, and has one aerosol container containing a cosmetic fluid, such as mascara, and another aerosol container containing a cleaning fluid. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1   a  is a side view of a double aerosol system including a slidable mascara head according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1   b  is a perspective view of a slidable mascara head according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2   a  is a perspective view of an opened mascara head including a slider according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2   b  is a side view of a double aerosol system, indicating the channel system therein, according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3   a  is a perspective view of an opened mascara head including a twister according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3   b  is a side view of a double aerosol system, indicating the channel system therein, according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1   a  shows a double aerosol system  10  including a first aerosol container  20  and a second aerosol container  30 .  FIG. 1   b  is a perspective partial view of the head portion  40 . The aerosol container  20  contains a product fluid such as mascara, and the container  30  contains a cleaning fluid which could simply be water, a solvent or some other liquid. Instead of a liquid, the second container  30  could also contain a cleaning gas, where cleaning is performed by a pressurized propellant. Each of the containers  20 ,  30  have valve portions  21 ,  31 , respectively, for ejecting the fluid when operated. The valve portions  21 ,  31  are formed in a conventional way having a valve which is opened by pushing down. 
     The double aerosol system  10  further includes a head portion  40  which has an upper head part  50  being slidably mounted on a lower head part  60  by means of a sliding bar  61 , for guiding the upper part  50 , and an attachment  70 , which is a brush in the present embodiment. The lower head part  60  is fixedly attached to the aerosol containers  20 ,  30 . The upper head part has an actuator  51  for actuating one of the two aerosol containers  20 ,  30 . A channel system  52  (as shown in  FIGS. 1   b ,  2   b  and  3   b ) disposed within the upper head part  50  provides a passage between the valve portions  21  or  31  and an exhaust opening  53  (as shown in  FIGS. 2   b  and  3   b ) of the head portion  40 . For this purpose the lower head part  60  has an extended opening  62  to allow communication between the opening of a valve portion  21  or  31  and the lower opening of the channel system  52 . The upper head part  50  may contain attachments  70  or parts such as tools or brushes. 
     As indicated in  FIG. 1   a  the upper head part  50  can be slidably moved between two end positions P 1  and P 2  by means of the sliding bar  61 , whereby each end position corresponds to an operating mode, i.e. either the working mode or the cleaning mode of the aerosol system  10 . In  FIG. 1   a  the head portion  40  is located in position P 2 , i.e. over container  30  including the cleaning fluid, such that a flow path between the valve portion  31  and the exhaust opening  53  is established. Pushing down the actuator  51  opens the valve portion  31  and causes the pressurized cleaning fluid to be ejected from the exhaust opening  53  and thereby cleaning its flow path, in particular cleaning the channel, the exhaust opening and parts of the attachment  70 . By manually sliding the upper head part to position P 1 , as indicated by dashed lines in  FIG. 1   a , the aerosol system  10  is switched from the cleaning mode into the working mode and communication between container  20  and the exhaust opening via the channel system  52  is provided. 
     It is useful to provide locking means for detachable fixing the upper part  50  in the predetermined positions P 1  or P 2 , in order to provide a guided and secured positioning of the upper part  50  in one of the two states. 
     A second embodiment according to  FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b  is described below. The head portion  40  in  FIG. 2   a  contains a lower part  60  and an upper part  50 . Similar to the previous embodiment, the upper part  50  has an actuator  51  serving for both aerosol containers  20 ,  30 . The upper part  50  is tiltable connected to the lower part  60  which is fixedly attached to the aerosol containers  20 ,  30 . The articulation means  65  allows for opening the head portion  40  by tilting the upper part  50  with respect to the lower part  60 . It is advisable to provide a means for securing the head portion  40  in a closed position (not shown in the Figures). 
     The upper part  50  of the head portion  40  has a slider  56  disposed within an extended rectangular upper opening  58  allowing the slider  56  to be moved along a predetermined path. The slider  56  contains a hole  57  which is part of a flow path between a valve portion  21 ,  31  and the exhaust opening  53 . 
     In contrast to the previous embodiment the operation mode of the head portion  40  is changed by moving the slider  56  instead of the entire upper part  50 . Hence, the mechanism for a configuration change is hidden which prevents the aerosol system  10  from accidentally changed to a different operation mode. 
     In this embodiment, the upper part  50  of the head portion  40  includes two channel openings  59   a ,  59   b  which are the entrances of respective channels. Both channels are combined within the upper part  50  of the head portion  40  to form a single output channel ending at the exhaust opening  53 , refer to  FIG. 2   b . Similar to the previous embodiment the slider  56  can be slidably moved between two end positions P 1  and P 2 , whereby each end position corresponds to either the working mode or the cleaning mode of the aerosol system  10 . In  FIG. 2   b  the slider is located in position P 1 , i.e. over container  20  including the product fluid, such that a flow path between the valve portion  21  and the exhaust opening  53  is established. The channel system  52  is indicated in  FIG. 2   b . Pushing down the actuator  51  opens the valve portion  21  and causes the pressurized product fluid to be ejected from the exhaust opening  53 . Since the slider  56  serves as a transmitter of the pushing-pressure, only the valve portion  21  is opened and the container  30  having the cleaning fluid is not activated. By manually sliding the slider  56  to position P 2 , the aerosol system  10  is switched from the working mode into the cleaning mode and communication between container  30  and the exhaust opening  53  via the channel is provided. 
     It is useful to provide locking means for detachable fixing the slider  56  in predetermined positions P 1  or P 2  in order to provide a guided and secured positioning of the slider  56  in one of the two states. 
     Which aerosol container is actually actuated depends on the position of the slider  56 . For changing the head configuration, i.e. for sliding the slider  56 , the head portion  40  must be opened according to  FIG. 2   a . For this purpose, a side of the lower part  60  of the head portion  40  and a side of the upper part  50  of the head portion  40  are articulately joined with each other in order to allow tilting the upper part  50  with respect to the lower part  60 . Providing a head portion  40  that can be opened also allows for cleaning those parts, which are not covered by the cleaning fluid during cleaning operation. Further, the mechanism of changing the channel configuration after opening the head portion  40 , helps to prevent accidentally changing the channel configuration and thereby changing the operating mode. 
       FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b  show a third embodiment of the present invention using a twister  56   a  instead of the slider  56  for changing the configuration of the aerosol system  10 . Many features and elements are similar to those of the previous embodiment and carry the same reference signs. 
     The communication between a valve portion  21 ,  31  of one of the containers  20 ,  30  and the exhaust opening  53  is achieved via the twister  56   a . The twister  56   a  contains a hole  57   a  and a cavity  58 . Similar to the aforementioned slider  56 , the hole  57   a  provides communication between the channel entrance of the upper part  50  of the head portion  40  and a valve portion  21 ,  31  of an aerosol container  20 ,  30 . 
     Again, the upper part  50  of the head portion  40  includes two openings which are the entrances of respective channels. Both channels are combined within the upper part  50  of the head portion  40  to form a single output channel ending at an exhaust opening  53 . The twister is rotatably mounted to the upper part  50  of the head portion  40  and can either be designed to rotate back and forth between two end positions P 1  and P 2  or continuously rotate. Also in this embodiment the twister  56   a  can take one of the two preferred states P 1  or P 2  whereby each end position corresponds to either the working mode or the cleaning mode of the aerosol system  10 . In  FIG. 2   b  the twister  56   a  is located in position P 1 , i.e. over container  20  including the product fluid, such that a flow path between the valve portion  21  and the exhaust opening  53  is established. The channel system  52  is indicated in  FIG. 2   b . Pushing down the actuator  51  opens the valve portion  21  and causes the pressurized product fluid to be ejected from the exhaust opening  53 . Since the twister  56   a  serves as a transmitter of the pushing-pressure, only the valve portion  21  is opened and the container  30  having the cleaning fluid is not activated, since the cavity prevents the valve portion  31  from being pressed down. By manually rotating the twister to position P 2 , the aerosol system  10  is switched from the working mode to the cleaning mode and communication between container  30  and the exhaust opening  53  via the channel is provided. 
     It is useful to provide locking means for detachable fixing the twister  56   a  in predetermined positions P 1  or P 2  in order to provide a guided and secured positioning of the twister  56   a  in one of the two states. 
     Which aerosol container is actually actuated depends on the position of the twister  56   a . For changing the head configuration, i.e. for twisting the twister  56   a , the head portion  40  must be opened according to  FIG. 2   a . For this purpose, a side of the lower part  60  of the head portion  40  and a side of the upper part  50  of the head portion  40  are articulately joined with each other in order to allow tilting the upper part  50  with respect to the lower part  60 . Providing a head portion  40  that can be opened also allows for cleaning those parts, which are not covered by the cleaning fluid during cleaning operation. Further, a mechanism  48  of changing the channel configuration after opening the head portion  40 , helps to prevent accidentally changing the channel configuration and thereby changing the operating mode.