Abstract:
Disclosed is a dispenser for flowable agents, comprising a main body ( 1 ) to which at least two stores can be secured for receiving said agents. The main body ( 1 ) has a first channel ( 16 ) and at least one second channel for releasing said agents out of the stores and is fitted with a first closing device ( 21 ) which can be actuated to sealingly close at least one of the channels. In order to enable said agents to be released out of the various stores, it is suggested that the main body ( 1 ) be provided with at least one additional closing device ( 22 ) desgined to selaingly close at least the second channel, independantly of the others.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention concerns a dispenser for flowable media with a main body, to which at least two stores can be attached to accommodate said media, where the main body has a first channel and at least one second channel to permit separate dispensing of the media from the stores, and is equipped with a first, manipulable closing device with which at least one of the channels can be sealed tight. 
     A dispenser of this kind, preferably made of injection-moulded plastic, is available on the market as a so-called “double tube” and is manufactured by Messrs. Yoschida, Japan. This dispenser has two concentric stores designed as tubes, the inner tube being positioned inside the outer tube. The outer tube has a substantially larger diameter than the inner tube. The two tubes contain different flowable media, which are hereinafter referred to as “products”. Each of the tubes has its own outlet port, with which it can be attached to the separate channels of the main body, which are designed as product ports. The main body has a cover plate, with which the product ports can be jointly sealed. The channels can be sealed by a cap. 
     Although this dispenser enables two different products to be stored in a very small space, it is only possible to dispense both products from the dispenser simultaneously. Separate dispensing of the two products is impossible. Furthermore, the dispenser requires special bottles with specially designed bottlenecks. As the bottlenecks are positioned next to one another, they must be of particularly narrow design. In order to keep the dispenser down to a reasonable size, the bottles must also be designed in such a way that they can be positioned very close to one another. Special bottles of this kind are relatively expensive. 
     Consequently, the object of the present invention is to further develop a generic dispenser in such a way that each product can be dispensed separately from the other products without resulting in mixing of the products. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the invention, the object is solved in that the main body has at least one additional closing device, with which one of the channels can be sealed tight, independently of the other channels. 
     Based on the configuration of the dispenser according to the invention, two or more products can be stored completely separately in a small space and dispensed individually, without contaminating one another during dispensing. For example, a daytime and night-time face cream, foundation and makeup remover or a shampoo and matching conditioner, can be stored together but dispensed separately. 
     A dispenser with a first and second channel for dispensing two different media preferably has a first closing device, where the first closing device is designed as a cover plate which can be connected to the main body in rotating fashion, and a second closing device. The second closing device likewise has a cover plate which can be connected to the main body or the first cover plate in rotating fashion. 
     In a particularly advantageous configuration of the dispenser according to the invention, the second channel is positioned at roughly 90 degrees to the first channel, and the axes of rotation of the cover plates are offset in the same way as the channels. 
     In a dispenser according to the invention, in which a first and second connector are provided on the main body, to which the stores can be separately attached, the stores and the connectors are positioned concentrically and the first connector has a smaller diameter than the second connector, so that one of the stores is positioned inside the other. In this context, there is a space between the connectors, through which one of the media can flow out of the store. 
     In a preferred configuration, the stores are tubes. The filling of the tubes is considerably simplified by the design according to the invention. The open ends of the tubes which have not yet been welded, are screwed into the connectors, filled with the different products and then welded together in a common welding step. The inner and outer tubes then have a common welded seam. The connectors of the main body can be adapted to the diameters of the outlet ports of the tubes as required. Standard tubes can be used, meaning that the special tubes required by the prior art can be dispensed with. This simplifies manufacturing, reduces inventory costs and simultaneously offers greater flexibility in the manufacturing of different dispensers. 
     In a preferred configuration of the dispenser according to the invention, at least one of the cover plates has U-shaped guide elements, which engage guide grooves provided on the main body. The guide elements are mounted in the guide grooves in rotating fashion and guide the cover plate. This design ensures particularly stable mounting of the cover plate. Alternatively, mounting pins can be provided on the cover plate—preferably integrally moulded—which engage corresponding holes provided in the main body which serve to accommodate the mounting pins. The respective design of the mounting method for the cover plates depends on the nature of the application. 
     It is also possible for at least one of the cover plates to have mounting pins which can be connected in rotating fashion to supports provided on the main body or the other cover plate. Of course, all the cover plates can also be mounted on supports of this kind in rotating fashion, so that the arrangement described previously, comprising guide elements and guide grooves, can be dispensed with. 
     In a dispenser according to the invention, which is preferably designed for the use of stores designed as bottles, the bottles can be mounted parallel to one another on the main body using corresponding connectors. 
     In order to ensure the unequivocal assignment of the products to the respective cover plates, the cover plates can be designed in different colours. In this way, the danger of switching the products is substantially reduced. Numerous other options for assignment would also be conceivable in this context. 
     An example of the invention is illustrated in the drawing and described in detail based on the figures. The figures show the following: 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 A cross-sectional side view of a first configuration of the dispenser, 
     FIG. 2 A cross-sectional front view of the dispenser in FIG. 1 in the direction of Arrow II, 
     FIG. 3 A top view of the dispenser in FIG. 1, 
     FIG. 4 An enlarged view of Section IV in FIG. 1, 
     FIG. 5 The dispenser in FIG. 1 in the open position, 
     FIG. 6 The dispenser in FIG. 2 in the open position, 
     FIG. 7 A top view of an alternative design of the cover plates, 
     FIG. 8 A side view of an alternative configuration of the dispenser according to the invention, which is used for bottles mounted parallel and adjacent to one another on the dispenser, 
     FIG. 9 A top view of the dispenser in FIG. 8, 
     FIG. 10 A side view of the dispenser in FIG. 9 along Line X—X, 
     FIG. 11 An enlarged perspective view of a guide element and guide groove provided on the cover plates and the main body, 
     FIG. 12 A front view—partially cut away—of the guide element and the guide groove in FIG. 11, and 
     FIG. 13 A side view—partially cut away—of the guide element and the guide groove in FIG.  11 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     According to the drawing, the dispenser in a configuration designed for tubes, consists of a main body  1  and two stores  2  and  3  designed as tubes, which are mounted on the bottom of the main body. Outer tube  2  contains a first product and inner tube  3  contains a second product. All parts of the dispenser are preferably made of injection-moulded plastic. 
     In the description, the terms “upwards” and “downwards” are based on the illustration of the dispenser in the figures. In the description of the main body, the term “downwards” refers to the direction facing towards the tubes, “upwards” refers to the direction facing away from the tubes, “outwards” refers to the direction facing away from centre axis  4  of the dispenser and “inwards” refers to the direction facing towards centre axis  4 . 
     FIGS. 1 to  7  show a dispenser in which the stores are designed as concentric double tubes  2  and  3 . 
     Main body  1  consists of an outer wall  5  essentially in the shape of a hollow cylinder, the inside of which has an integrally moulded base plate  6  roughly in the middle which extends radially inwards. Base plate  6  has an essentially cylindrical recess  7  roughly in the centre and extending downwards, which has an essentially vertical wall  8  and a base wall  9  running essentially parallel to base plate  6 . 
     A first connector  10  is integrally moulded on the bottom of base wall  9 . The inside of this first connector  10  has a female thread into which a first tube neck  11  is screwed, the tube neck  11  having a male thread corresponding to the female thread of first connector  10 . Inner tube  3  is mounted such that base wall  9  is in tight contact with the rim of first tube neck  11 . In order to increase the effect of the seal, a ring seal  12  is integrally moulded on the bottom of base wall  9 . 
     A second connector  13  is integrally moulded on the bottom of base plate  6  such that it is concentric to first tube neck  11 . Second connector  13  has a larger diameter than first tube neck  11 . Outer tube  2  is also connected to main body  1  via a female thread which is integrally moulded on the inside of second connector  13  and engaged by a second tube neck  14  provided on outer tube  2  and having a male thread corresponding to the female thread. In order to increase the effect of the seal in this case, a ring seal  15  is again integrally moulded on the bottom of base plate  6 . 
     At least one region of recess  7  is designed in such a way that a channel  16  is formed between the outside of vertical wall  8  and the inside of second tube neck  14 . 
     A cylindrical first product port  17  is integrally moulded on the top of base plate  6 . First product port  17  has a base plate hole  18  on its bottom end bordered by base plate  6 . After flowing through channel  16 , the product contained in outer tube  2  can flow through this base plate hole  18  into first product port  17 . 
     As is shown particularly clearly in FIG. 2, main body  1  also has a second, likewise cylindrical, product port  19 , which is integrally moulded on the top of base plate  6  and base wall  9 . Second product port  19  is positioned roughly at right angles to first product port  17 . Base wall  9  has a base wall hole  20  inside second product port  19 , through which the product contained in inner tube  3  can pass out of the tube opening and into second product port  19 . 
     The dispenser is closed by two cover plates  21  and  22  mounted on main body  1  in rotating fashion. First cover plate  21  is designed in such a way that it tightly seals first product port  17 , whereas second cover plate  22  is designed in such a way that it tightly seals second product port  19 . For this purpose, the bottom of first cover plate  21  has an integrally moulded sealing lip  23 , whose outside diameter is slightly smaller than the inside diameter of first product port  17  in the region bordering on first cover plate  21 . In the closed position, sealing lip  23  tightly engages first product port  17 . Second cover plate  22  is designed with a similar sealing lip  24 , which tightly engages second product port  19  in the closed position. 
     As is shown particularly clearly in FIG. 3, cover plates  21  and  22  are offset by 90 degrees in rotating fashion on main body  1 . Together, cover plates  21  and  22  form the geometrical shape of a circle. First cover plate  21  has a recess  21   a  roughly in the middle, which is designed to accommodate second cover plate  22 . Thus, second cover plate  22  is inserted in first cover plate  21  such that they are flush on top. The geometrical design of cover plates  21  and  22  is variable. In the top view shown in FIG. 3, the conical design of cover plates  21  and  22 , which taper to narrow sections  21   b  and  22   b  towards the centre, represents an advantageous configuration. The shape of the two cover plates  21  and  22  need not result in a circle, but rather can also form other shapes, such as a rectangle or triangle. 
     Both cover plates  21  and  22  are mounted in rotating fashion. For this purpose, first cover plate  21  has two U-shaped, semi-circular guide elements  25  and  26 , which engage two guide grooves  27  and  28  integrally moulded on main body  1 . Guide elements  25  and  26  are guided in sliding fashion in guide grooves  27  and  28 . 
     Second cover plate  22  is mounted in rotating fashion on two supports  29  and  30  integrally moulded on the top of base wall  9  by way of two pins  31  and  32  integrally moulded on second cover plate  22 . Pins  31  and  32  snap into corresponding recesses  33  and  34  on the upper ends of supports  29  and  30  and are thus mounted in rotating fashion therein. 
     The first cover plate has two openings  35  and  36 , which enable supports  29  and  30 , when assembled, to pass through first cover plate  21 , in order to accommodate pins  31  and  32 . Second cover plate  22  also has a hole  59 , through which second product port  19  passes. 
     FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional enlargement of the mounting of pins  31  and  32  of second cover plate  22  in supports  29  and  30  of main body  1 . In the configuration illustrated here, second cover plate  22  is mounted in supports  29  and  30 , which are integrally moulded on base wall  9 . However, it is also possible to integrally mould supports  29  and  30 , or other similar mounting elements, directly on first cover plate  21 . Second cover plate  22  is then directly mounted in rotating fashion in first cover plate  21 . This simplifies the design and recesses  33  and  34  need not be provided. 
     FIG. 5 shows the dispenser when first cover plate  21  is depressed. By exerting a force on recess  37  integrally moulded in first cover plate  21 , guide elements  25  and  26  are rotated in guide grooves  27  and  28  about their centre point of rotation  38 . The side of first cover plate  21  on which the force is exerted is lowered, while the side of the cover plate opposite point of rotation  38  is raised, so that the upper edge of first cover plate  21  rises above the upper edge of outer wall  5  of main body  1 . In this position, the first medium can flow out of outer tube  2 , through channel  16  and base plate hole  18  into first product port  17 , through first outlet aperture  39  of first cover plate  21  and out of the dispenser. During this process, second cover plate  22  remains sealed. Openings  35  and  36  and hole  59  in first cover plate  21  ensure that the motion of first cover plate  21  is not hindered in any way by second cover plate  22 . 
     FIG. 6 shows the dispenser when second cover plate  22  is depressed. By exerting a force on recess  40  integrally moulded in second cover plate  22 , the second cover plate is rotated about the point of rotation in the axis of pins  31  and  32 . The side of second cover plate  22  on which the force is exerted is lowered, while the side of the cover plate opposite the point of rotation is raised, so that the upper edge of second cover plate  22  rises above the upper edge of outer wall  5  of main body  1 . In this position, the second medium can flow out of inner tube  3 , through base wall hole  20  into second product port  19 , through second outlet aperture  41  of second cover plate  22  and out of the dispenser. During this process, first cover plate  21  remains sealed. 
     The bottom of second cover plate  22  has a recess  22   c  on the side intended to be pressed down, which makes it possible to lower second cover plate  22  relative to first cover plate  21 . During depression, the edge of recess  22   c  comes to rest on first cover plate  21 . FIG. 7 shows an alternative geometric design for cover plates  42  and  43 . The essentially round first cover plate  42  has a strip-shaped recess  42   a  in the middle which is designed to accommodate second cover plate  43 . Strip-shaped second cover plate  43  lies inside it, so that the cover plates are flush on top. The closing of the two product ports and the pivotable mounting of cover plates  42  and  43  on main body  44  are the same as in the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 to  6 . 
     FIGS. 8 to  10  show another configuration of the dispenser according to the invention, which is designed to be used on two parallel, adjacent stores designed as bottles  45  and  46 , which are filled with different products. 
     Main body  47  is connected to bottles  45  and  46  by way of tabs  49  and  50  integrally moulded on the bottom of base plate  48 , which snap over corresponding collars  51  and  52  provided on the bottlenecks. 
     Cover plates  53  and  54 —seen in a top view in FIG.  9 —are each designed in the shape of a semi-circle and, when assembled, form a full circle. Roughly in the middle of the downward-pointing edges on the side, saucer-shaped (in the cross-section) cover plates  53  and  54  have integrally moulded pins  55  and  56 , which engage corresponding recesses provided on main body  57  and, in this way, are mounted in rotating fashion in main body  57 . 
     As is shown particularly clearly in the cross-section in FIG. 10, the product ports (of which only product port  58  is shown in the figure) are offset laterally from the centre axes of bottles  45  and  46 , which run through the points of rotation of pins  55  and  56 . When pressure is applied to cover plates  53  and  54 , the product ports open due to the tilting motion of cover plates  53  and  54 , so that the products can then flow through the open outlet apertures (of which only outlet aperture  58  is shown) and out of the dispenser. 
     The structural design of guide element  25  and guide groove  27  is illustrated in an enlarged detail view in FIGS. 11 to  13 . As can be seen here, curved guide element  25 , which is integrally moulded on first cover plate  21 , engages corresponding U-shaped guide groove  27 . The guide groove runs between a Z-shaped end  60  of base plate  6 , where top haunch  60   a  is provided with a concave section, which corresponds to the curve of guide element  25 , and an L-shaped end, whose bottom haunch  60   b  has a recess which also corresponds to the curve of guide element  25 . Thus, guide groove  27  is formed between haunch  60   a  and haunch  60   b.  Guide element  25  can be snapped into guide groove  27 . 
     In another configuration of the dispenser (not shown in the figures) without supports or guide elements and grooves, the edges of the cover plates are of convex design. These outwardly curved edges rest in corresponding concave recesses provided on the main body or the other cover plates, and are thus mounted in rotating fashion therein. 
     The configurations described above all referred to dispensers for two different products. The scope of the invention also includes designing dispensers for more than two products. For example, three parallel, adjacent bottles mounted on the main body can be closed by three strip-shaped, adjacent cover plates mounted on the main body in rotating fashion. 
     Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been specifically illustrated and described herein, it is to be understood that minor variations may be made in the apparatus without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined the appended claims.