Abstract:
A dispenser ( 1 ) comprises setting means ( 10 ) for varying the discharge stroke ( 9 ) or discharge volume. The setting means ( 10 ) act on a valve ( 20 ). The associated valve face ( 24 ) of valve ( 20 ) can be linearly shifted to thus ensure very safe function.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a dispenser with which media can be stored, delivered or discharged. The media can be liquid, pasty, gaseous, powdery and/or solid. The dispenser is held and actuated single-handedly by the user while discharging. The dispenser is made partly or completely of injection-molded or plastics parts, each of which may be dimensionally rigid, elastic or flexible without strain. The dispenser may be designed for discharging either only once a single dose or for sequentially discharging separate doses of the medium. The discharge stroke to be implemented for this purpose may be provided in a single direction only or may follow a return stroke by which a metering or pump chamber is refilled with the medium after discharge. 
     The actuator provided for controlling the dispenser, such as for opening outlet paths, closing inlet paths, triggering a discharge drive or for manually driving a discharge stroke determines an activation degree which may be the path of the cited opening or closing action or the stroke and also the volume of the medium as conveyed in a single discharge action within the dispenser or as ejected therefrom. This avtivation degree is variable, particularly to satisfy the various conveying properties of the medium or for varying the medium dose. For controlling the flow of the medium through the dispenser a closure is provided which may be capable only for opening or only for closing. The closure may also be a reversibly opening and closing valve. 
     The cited variation in the activation degree may be solely determined for being set within a given range when assembling the dispenser parts to form the dispenser. Instead it may also be provided to be varied by the user after assembly of the dispenser in one direction or in opposing directions. Where the dispenser includes a pump, such as a thrust piston pump the positioning or setting means may variably define the rest position or return stroke position of the pump piston by an abutment. Then the setting means include a stop adjustable in opposing directions parallel to the piston stroke. Against this stop the piston is abutted on the return stroke. In this arrangement the advance stroke of the piston is likewise limited by a stop. The valve may be a destructable closure or an inlet or outlet valve for a chamber such as the pump chamber. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the invention is to provide a dispenser which avoids the disadvantages of known configurations. Another object is that the actuator or setting means act on the valve so that its control can be influenced thereby. A further object is that the dispenser is simple in configuration and handling as well as safe in function. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the invention the setting means may act so that the mutual position of the valve elements remains the same in one or both end positions of the valve irrespective of the setting by the setting means. As a result the functions of the valve remain constant. The valve may be an outlet, inlet or pressurizing valve or a slide respective sled or one such valve whose valve faces are positionally fixed by mutually abutting in one or both end positions. The valve may be controlled purely as a function of the path or as a function of the medium pressure. The valve is translated into the one end position manually or into the other end position by a spring. The communicating or valve passage may be constricted only down to a narrowest degree whilst still being permeable or it may be closed off totally. 
     The configuration in accordance with the invention is also of advantage for dispensers in which the setting means do not effect the valve or which do not include a valve but a sled determining the activation degree. Thereby while setting the sled executes no, or merely a minor, rotating motion and, where necessary, is powered via an intermediate gear or gear chain including a drive member such as a rotating member. This sled is prevented from rotating by a guide which may be shaped linearly or helically or steeply helically. 
     The design in accordance with the invention is also suitable for dispensers in which a setting member of the setting means, particularly a pitched or threaded member, is integral with the base body which in turn is in one part from this setting member up to at least one of a hermetically sealed dry chamber, a vent opening traversing the base body, a piston track, a medium chamber, an inlet valve or a connection for a riser tube. 
     Expediently the housing also directly or integrally mounts a support flange with which the base body can be tensioned against a support such as a finger rest or a medium reservoir. The support flange may be shaped in the form of an annular disk or a cap. The flange is located between and spaced from both ends of the one-part housing. Thus a compact design including few separate components is achieved. 
     The finger rest or handles for actuating the setting means may freely protrude in the flow direction or may be overlappingly or spacedly offset relative to the associated gear member in the setting direction. Thus the handle is always just as accessible in any position of the setting means or changes its position relative to the base body either not at all or to a lesser extent than the setting means when being set. 
     For actuation the dispenser advantageously comprises an actuating or discharge head including a finger rest or a medium outlet. The head engages the setting means and may permanently protrude into the interior of a setting member of the setting means. This setting member may also permanently protrude into the interior of the head so that corresponding coverings are formed to prevent dirt ingress. 
     In another aspect the setting means comprise a separate seal which as a sliding seal seals off a base body, the dry chamber not charged with the medium, or the like. 
     These and further features of the invention as apparent from the description and the drawings may provide sub-combinations in an embodiment of the invention and in other fields and may represent advantageous aspects. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Example embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail in the following and illustrated in the drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a dispenser according to the invention in the initial or rest position in a view which is partly in section, and 
     FIGS. 2 to  6  are partly sectioned views of further example embodiments as shown in FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The dispenser according to FIGS. 1 to  6  includes a stationary unit  2  and a unit  3  movably mounted on unit  2  by a degree of activation, namely a stroke. Unit  2  is rigidly secured to a support or medium reservoir  4  projecting beyond it. Unit  2  comprises an integral base body  5  deeply protruding as a housing  6  into reservoir  4  and closed off outside of reservoir  4  by a hollow cover  7 . Within reservoir  4  the housing  6  bounds a metering or pressure chamber  8  which is volumetrically variable by the stroke  9  of unit  3 . 
     The volume of chamber  8  is additionally variable independent from the discharge actuator by setting means  10 . Substantially all dispenser parts are located in a common center axis  11 . From reservoir  4  or chamber  8  and on discharge the medium flows in direction  12  parallel to axis  11  away from reservoir  4  or outwardly. For this purpose unit  3  needs to be actuated in the opposite direction  13  or shifted relative to unit  2  in shortening the dispenser  1  by a finger rest or handle  14  which is to be manually pressed by a finger. At one end chamber  8  is bounded by a hollow piston  15  which sealingly slides on the inner circumference of single-walled housing  6 . 
     Piston  15  and cover  7  are traversed by a ram  16  which carries at its outer end a discharge and actuating head  17 . Ram  16  is composed of a train of three ram bodies, the outermost of which is made in one part with head  17  while the innermost protrudes via piston  15  into chamber  8 . Piston  15  and the two outer ram bodies are traversed by an outlet duct  19  which ends in a medium outlet  18  at the circumference of head  17 . Outlet  18  may be configured for dispensing droplets or a bundled jet or an atomized aerosol of the medium. A nozzle element including a swirler may be provided for this purpose and inserted in head  17 . 
     The dispenser  1  has several valves  20  to  22 , namely a valve  20  for venting reservoir  4 , an outlet valve  21  for controlling transfer of the medium from chamber  8  into duct  19  and an inlet valve  22  opposite piston  15  for controlling the transfer of medium from reservoir  4  into chamber  8 . Valves  20 ,  21  comprise a common valve body  23  formed by the hollow integral piston sleeve and directly adjoining the piston lip thereof in direction  12 . The movable valve face  25  of valve  20  is located on the outer circumference of piston  15  and opposes a stationary valve face  24 . Movable valve face  26  of outlet valve  21  is located on the inner circumference of piston  15  and nearer to the piston lip than to valve face  24 . 
     On the return stroke of unit  3  in direction  12  the inclined or conical valve face  25  sealingly closes by abutting on face  24 . Thus the rest position of the dispenser as shown in FIGS. 1 to  6  is determined. Face  24  is formed by the free end of a sleeve-shaped limiter  27  which freely protrudes between the shell of housing  6  and ram  16  into housing  6  and guides the outer circumference of ram  16 . Limiter  27  is fixedly or integrally connected to a setting member  28  which covers the outer circumference of the open rim  29  of housing  6  or forms with the limiter  27  an annular groove into which housing rim  29  freely protrudes without any threaded engagement. Coaxial shells  27 ,  28  are components of cover  7  and positively prevented from rotating relative to base body  5  by a guide  31  on the inner circumference of setting member  28  thus forming a sled  30 . 
     Via a gear chain or pitch members, such as threads, the setting member  28  engages cover  7 . Setting member  28  in this arrangement includes the male thread and the sleeve-shaped setting member  32  the female thread. Thus, after all dispenser parts have been assembled and prior to mounting head  17  the cover  7  is to be brought into its mounting position in direction  13  through setting member  32 . 
     The integral setting member  32  comprises an outer shell  33  enveloping the inner shell with a spacing. Shell  33  surrounds the outer circumference of head  17  also in the rest position, freely protrudes in direction  12  beyond the inner shell and has on the outer circumference a knurling to provide the finger rest or handle of the setting means. Shell  35  of head  17  freely protrudes in direction  13  into the annular groove between the inner shell and outer shell  33 . Shell  35  thus can abut on the groove bottom at the stroke end and after valve  21  has opened. Relative to the base body  5  the rotary member  32 ,  34  is positively prevented from moving in direction  12  by an axial mount  36  and from moving in the direction  13  by an axial mount  37 . Axial mount  36  comprises a mounting element  38  which surrounds housing  6  at the outside of reservoir  4  and overengages at one end a slide lip by an annular rim oriented inwardly. The slide lip protrudes beyond the outer circumference of the inner end of shell  33  in the region of an annular end wall which integrally connects shells  32 ,  33 . Mount  37  includes a mounting element  39  annularly protruding beyond the end wall of setting member  32  in direction  13 . Element  39  slides directly on the base body  5 . 
     Base body  5  is fixedly or integrally connected to an annular disk-shaped flange  40  which is spaced from and located between the ends of housing  6 . Flange  40  juts from the outer circumference of housing  6  and is located within element  38  or extends up to the inner circumference thereof. Mounting element  39  slides on the outer end face of flange  40 . A shell  41  integrally adjoins flange  40  and projects only in direction  13 . For tensioning flange  40  against reservoir  4  shell  41  has at its inner circumference positively connecting members  42 , e.g. radially resilent snap cams. The neck  43  of reservoir  4  comprises at its end a bead  44  protruding radially outwardly and which under tension is backwardly engaged by members  42 . Thus flange  40  is tensioned in direction  13  against the end face of neck  43  with an annular seal  46  inserted inbetween. Housing  6  protrudes through neck  43  into reservoir  4  by the majority of its length. 
     On the outer circumference as well as spacely between the ends of limiter  27  the shell of housing  6  is traversed by a venting port  45  porting against the inner circumference of neck  43  as well as being internally covered by limiter  27  and surrounded on the outside by shells  38 ,  41 . Valve  20  opens already on commencement of the stroke in direction  13 . Air is then able to flow through head  17  between ram  16  and limiter  27  in direction  13  against valve face  25  as well as through between valve faces  24 ,  25 . Thereafter the air is deflected in direction  12  onto the outer circumference of limiter  27  and then guided through venting port  45  directly into reservoir  4 . The pressurizing paths and the limiter  27  are thus located in a dry chamber not in contact with the medium. This dry chamber is sealed from chamber  8  only by the piston lip. When an overpressure exists in reservoir  4  the air flows in the opposite direction. 
     The bottom of reservoir  4  forms a further finger rest or handle facing away from handle  14 . Both handles can be squeezed together by the fingers of one hand. Thus in overcoming the force of a spring  48  unit  3  is moved in direction  13  and chamber  8  is constricted by piston  15 . Spring  48  is located in chamber  8 . The end of piston  15  then abuts an inner shoulder  49  of the shell of housing  6  whilst ram  16  is moved further. This results in the neck of piston  15  located behind the piston sleeve being elastically squashed and the valve face  26  being unseated or lifted from the counter face. This face is formed by a core piece of ram  16 . The core piece traverses piston  15  and centers spring  48 . The core piece can urge inlet valve  22  into its closed position at the end of the stroke. Instead of this valve face  26  may be opened in the same way also by a correspondingly high pressure in chamber  8  before the stop or shoulder  49  is attained. 
     The medium then flows from chamber  8  through longitudinal grooves of outlet duct  19 . The grooves are provided in the outer circumference of the core piece. The medium then further flows through the central outlet duct  19  and thus through head  17 , until the medium gains access transversely deflected into the nozzle element of the atomizer nozzle and then emerges into the open from outlet  18 . As soon as this advance stroke commences the stop or valve face  25  is also unseated from counter or valve face  24 . Thus valve  20  is opened to pass air in one of the two directions cited. After the advance stroke the finger rests are released as a result of which spring  48  first closes valve  21  before then returning unit  3  into its rest position until valve faces  24 ,  25  abut on each other. 
     By rotating finger rest  34  the cover  7  or sled  30  is optionally shiftable in direction  12  or direction  13 . Thus the counter stop or valve face  24  is adjusted relative to base body  5 . Shown in FIG. 1 is with regard to direction  13  the frontmost end position of sled  30  corresponding to the shortest-possible stroke  9  of piston  15 . When setting member  32 ,  33  is then rotated in the corresponding direction the sled  30  is moved together with piston  15  or unit  3  in direction  12 . Thus the maximum-possible stroke  9  is correspondingly increased. The discharge volume can thus be increased e.g. from a minimum of 60 to a maximum of 150 μl or vice-versa continuously reduced. At the largest stroke the sled  30  may then protrude upwards out of the setting shell  32  and into head  17 . 
     At the smallest stroke the sled  30  abuts directly on base body  5 , namely against the outer end face of flange  40  by a stop  47  formed by the lower end of setting member  28 . In the other end position the sled  30  is positively stopped correspondingly, namely directly by base body  5  or by rotating piece  32 ,  33  which as a counter stop may comprise a suitable snap ring. Although at the largest stroke the thread  28  may protrude upwardly out of setting member  32 , its female thread still engages by at least a third or half of its length the male thread. Stop  47  is located directly adjacent to and within mounting element  39 . Axial mount  36  is located radially outside of mounting element  39 . 
     Sled  30  is sealed off relative to base body  5  by a slide seal  50 . Seal  50  is an annular sleeve mounted in direction  12  onto the outer circumference of limiter  27  and thereby abutted on a shoulder. Seal  50  is in snug contact with the inner circumference of housing  6  and located downstream of port  45 . At the smallest stroke the seal  50  is located in the plane of flange  40 , from where seal  50  is able to slide along rim  29  in direction  12 . Sleeves  15 ,  50  are made of a resiliently pliant material whilst all other plastics parts are dimensionally rigid in operation. Seal  50  prevents medium from weeping from chamber  8  into guide  31  or into the thread engagement when the dispenser  1  is oriented horizontal. 
     Element  38  surrounds tensioning shell  41  snugly or radially tensioned. Thus these two parts are fixedly interconnected in preventing cam  42  from disengaging due to radial widening of shell  41 . Additionally, shell  41  is covered by mounting element  38  over its full length as with a shield. It is also possible to provide resilient latching means which lock rotating piece  32 ,  33  non-positively in various rotated positions so that each latched position can be overcome by a correspondingly high actuating force exerted on handle  34 . The interengaging latch elements could be provided e.g. on the rotating piece and on base body  5  or flange  40  or on mounting element  38 . Means for indicating the volume set in each case may also be provided. Indicator members thereof are movable relative to each other and are expediently provided on the rotating piece and on mounting element  38 . For example, mounting element  38  then comprises in the region of mount  36  at the outer circumference or at its endface and around axis  11  a scale to which a marking is assigned on the outer circumference of shell  32 . 
     FIG. 2 illustrates shell  33  as a component separate from shell  32  and axially shiftable relative to shell  32  but positively connected to shell  32  in the rotating direction by interengaging members. These members comprise cams  51  protruding from the outer circumference of shell  32  and recesses in the inner circumference of shell  33  engaging the ends of cams  51 . Cams  51  are axially resilient and permanently tensioned so that mounting element  39  is permanently tensioned against flange  40 . Shell  33  surrounds both the tensioning shell  41  full-length and also header shell  35  so that a very smooth outer surface results. Head  17  could also be positively prevented from rotating relative to base body  5  or sled  30 , e.g. by a guide corresponding to guide  31 . In this case the scale or the pointer marking of the indicator device could be provided on the circumference of head  17 . 
     As apparent, flange  40  and tensioning shell  41  are formed by separate components. Tensioning shell  41  is part of a screw cap which radially outside of mounting element  39  tensionally contacts the same end face of flange  40  and which engages a male thread of neck  43  by a female thread. It is with this flange cap that via a resilient snap connector  53  shell  33  is axially positively connected with regard to both directions  12 ,  13  but with a slight clearance. For this purpose interengaging snap members are provided on the outer circumference of shell  41  and on the inner circumference of shell  33  which upon inherent resiliency interengage when shell  33  is mounted in direction  13 . The snap members then still permit shell  33  to rotate relative to shell  41 . Thus the rotating piece is permanently highly reliably mounted but nevertheless easily to be rotated. 
     Like in FIG. 2 also in FIG. 3 shell  33  is cap-shaped so that it simultaneously forms element  38  according to FIG. 1 whilst being permanently axially spaced from head  17  or shell  35 . The tensioning shell  41  is formed by a metallic crimp ring comprising ring ends bent radially inwardly and tensioned in contact with flange  40  and bead  44 . Bearing  36  is located in the space between flange  40  and the end wall of outer shell  33  whereby one of its mounting members is directly formed by base body  5  or flange  40 . The members of the mount  36  are configured as resilient snap members which automatically snap into mutual engagement when setting member  32  is introduced in direction  13 . For this purpose the mounting member of flange  40  freely protrudes as a jacket in direction  12  from the associated end face. Setting member  32  comprises at the outer circumference a toothing  51  positively non-rotatingly engaging shell  33  by its corresponding inner toothing. This inner toothing is located on the inside of the end wall of shell  33 . This end wall directly opposes header shell  35 . 
     Also in the embodiment of FIG. 4, the pump, namely base body  5  including cover  7 , piston  15 , the core element and the thereto connected ram section, can be fixed to reservoir  4  by fastener  41 . Thereafter shell  33  is to be mounted and brought into engagement with rotary connection  51 . In this arrangement shell  33  comprises a shell section protruding beyond its end wall in direction  12 . This shell section is narrower than handle  34  and surrounds shell  35  the same as shown in FIG.  1 . Setting member  32  in this case is directly formed by base body  5 , namely by a male thread on housing rim  29 . The male thread engages setting member  28  by its female thread. Thus cover  7  is rotated relative to base body  5  by handle  34  and is axially shifted during this rotation. At the minimum stroke stop  47  abuts on ribs circumferentially distributed on the end face of flange  40 . At the upper end the male thread or housing rim  29  may comprise a protuberance which limits the extent of unscrewing setting member  28  and which is resiliently overcome by the female thread when screwed in. 
     According to FIG. 5 cover  7  is in one part with outer shell  33  which with setting member  28  forms the groove engaged by shell  35 . Shell  41  protrudes beyond flange  40  in direction  12  and surrounds outer shell  33  up to handle  34 . In this arrangement shell  41  may be in one part with base body  5  or flange  40  or, as indicated dot-dashed, it may be formed by a separate component. In this case base body  5  and shell  41  form coaxially nested ring sections of flange  40  which form common, step-free and smooth end faces. The ring sections contact seal  46  in the region of their interconnection. In the associated end position they also contact the annular end wall of cover  7 . This end wall interconnects shells  28 ,  33 . The flange section of shell  41  positively urges the flange section of base body  5  in direction  13  since the connection comprises corresponding stepped annular surfaces. The dispenser as shown in FIG. 5 requires remarkably few single parts. 
     According to FIG. 6 the handle  34  is formed directly by the outer circumference of setting member  28 . In this case, like handle  34  also member  28  is freely exposed to be accessible over its full-length. Member  28  may protrude up into shell  41 . Handle  34  may also be lockable so that displacement can only be made when this lock has been released. For example, head  17  or its shell  35  may overengage handle  34  and shell  41  at their outer circumferences. Handle  34  is then not accessible for actuation until head  17  has been removed from ram  16 . This feature is intended to prevent the user himself from tampering with the discharge volume as preset by an authorized person. Each embodiment may comprise all features of any other embodiment. Like parts are identified by like reference numerals in all Figures and thus the description applies accordingly to all embodiments. All cited features and properties may be provided precisely as described, or merely substantially or approximately so and may also greatly deviate therefrom, in view of the specific requirements.