Patent Publication Number: US-6659314-B2

Title: Fluid dispenser having a recessed reservoir

Description:
The present invention relates to a fluid dispenser comprising a reservoir containing a fluid, and a dispenser such as a pump or a valve fitted to the reservoir. This is quite a conventional design for a fluid dispenser in the fields of perfumes, of cosmetics, or indeed of pharmaceuticals. This type of dispenser is used in particular for dispensing fluid substances ranging from liquids to semi-liquids. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In general, the reservoir, which can be made of glass, of plastic, or even of metal, is provided with a neck that defines an opening in which the pump or valve is fitted. The neck of the reservoir defines the top portion of the reservoir so that the pump or the valve fitted to the neck projects from the reservoir. 
     Conventionally, it is possible to provide a cover that fits over the pump or the valve to protect it from dust and also from impacts since the pump or the valve is directly exposed because of its position at the top end of the reservoir. If the dispenser is dropped, it might fall on the pump or the valve, which can damage it and make the dispenser unusable. 
     OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to remedy the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art by defining a fluid dispenser that offers increased protection for the pump or for the valve in the event that it is dropped. Another object of the present invention is to make it possible to omit a protective cover for the pump or the valve while retaining or even improving the protection therefor. 
     To this end, the present invention provides a fluid dispenser comprising: 
     a reservoir containing a fluid, said reservoir being provided with an opening and defining a maximum overall size; and 
     a dispenser member such as a pump or a valve, fitted to the opening of the reservoir; 
     wherein the dispenser member lies entirely within the maximum overall size of the reservoir. 
     The term “maximum overall size” is used to mean the maximum overall dimensions of the reservoir that define a total volume which is not necessarily occupied by said reservoir. Advantageously, the reservoir forms a recess in which the opening is situated, said dispenser member being entirely received in said recess, so that the dispenser can be disposed in any position on a substantially plane surface without the dispenser member coming into contact with said surface. Preferably, the reservoir forms a recess whose bottom is provided with the opening. In which case, the width of the recess is greater than or equal to the width of the dispenser member. In addition, the height of the recess is greater than or equal to the height of the portion of the dispenser member that projects from the opening. 
     In another characteristic, the reservoir forms a protuberance on each side of the recess. 
     Given that the pump or the valve is received entirely within the recess formed by the reservoir, it is well protected in the event that it is dropped since there is no risk of it hitting the ground. It is therefore possible to omit fitting the pump or the valve with a protective cover. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     The invention is described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings which show an embodiment of the present invention by way of example. 
     In the figures: 
     FIG. 1 is a vertical section view through a fluid dispenser of the invention; and 
     FIG. 2 is a plan view of the dispenser of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The fluid dispenser shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 represents an embodiment of the invention. It comprises two component parts, namely a reservoir  1  and a dispenser member  2  which may be a valve or a pump. For reasons of clarity and simplicity, we assume that the dispenser member is a pump. 
     The reservoir  1  includes a bottom  10  via which the dispenser normally stands on a surface so as to hold the dispenser upright. The reservoir extends upwards from the bottom  10  to define a reservoir body that may have any of a very wide variety of cross-sectional shapes. In the example used to illustrate the present invention, the reservoir body is of rectangular cross-section and it therefore defines four side walls  11  and  12 . The reservoir body is thus substantially cylindrical but of rectangular section. Naturally, it is possible to consider any sectional shape for the body of the reservoir, even non-cylindrical. 
     In the invention, the top end of the reservoir  1  is provided with a recess  15  which forms respective notches in the side walls  11 . The recess  15  is formed in the top wall  13  and in the side walls  11  of the reservoir. Therefore, the recess  15  forms a depression in the top wall  13 . The recess  15  comprises a bottom  17  and two side flanks  16  that interconnect the top wall  13  and the bottom  17  and that interconnect the two side walls  11 . In this example, the bottom  17  and the side flanks  16  are in the form of rectilinear plane surfaces, but it is also possible to consider a half-cylinder shaped recess. 
     In the invention, the opening  18  in the reservoir  1 , to which opening the pump  2  is fitted, is defined in the bottom  17  of the recess  15 . 
     Since the recess  15  forms a depression in the top wall  13 , the maximum overall size of the reservoir  1  is defined by the bottom  10 , by the side walls  11  and  12 , and by the top wall  13 . 
     The pump  2  comprises a pump body  20  with a dip tube  24  that extends inside the reservoir. The pump  2  further comprises a pusher  21  which is depressed in order to actuate the pump  2  so as to dispense the fluid. The pump  2  further comprises trim  23  in which a spray nozzle  22  is formed, via which the fluid is dispensed in the form of a spray. The trim  23  makes it possible to mask the body  20  and the neck (not shown) of the reservoir. 
     In the invention, the portion of the pump  2  that is situated above the bottom  17  of the recess  15  is fully received inside the recess  15  so that the pump does not project relative to the side walls  11  or relative to the top wall  13 . It can be said that the pump  2  then lies entirely within the maximum overall size of the reservoir. For this purpose, the height of the pump  2  above the bottom  17 , designated by the letter h, is less than the height H of the recess  15 . In addition, the width l, i.e. the diameter of the trim  23  is less than the width L of the recess, which width is the thickness of the reservoir in this example. Thus, the pump cannot come into contact with a substantially plane surface, and this is particularly advantageous in the event that the dispenser falls to the ground. The two protuberances  14  formed on either side of the recess  15  and that define the top wall  13  flank the pump  2  and protect it without it being necessary to add a protective cover. However, it is particularly easy to access the pusher  21  with a finger while holding the reservoir by the side walls  12 . 
     By means of the invention, the dispenser member is protected in the event that it falls, by means of the particular configuration of the reservoir which defines a space that is difficult for a plane surface to access.