Patent Publication Number: US-6669060-B2

Title: Air intake valve arrangement

Description:
The present invention relates to the packaging and dispensing of fluid products, for example cosmetic products. The invention is aimed in particular at packaging and dispensing methods whereby the product is pumped from a container by means of a pump arranged outside of the container. More generally, the invention is aimed at any type of packaging entailing, for dispensing the product it contains, an air intake which does not deteriorate the overall sealing of the container. 
     In the field of perfumery for example, it is commonplace for product sale outlets to offer testers for products being sold, which allow the customers to test out the product before purchasing it. Usually, these testers consist of the same models as those intended for sale. The limited volume of these testers means often requires them to be renewed. Furthermore, the customers&#39; assessment of the scents may be corrupted by the atmosphere laden with a mixture of vapors that may come from the various bottles of scent present at the test point. In addition, it is quite frequent for the testers to be removed or stolen from these test points. Finally, designers of such sales outlets are restricted in their creativity by the need to provide a very specific front location for the tester or testers. 
     It has been proposed that the pump be unattached and located away from the containers containing the scents. Thus, the pump, associated with its actuating member, can be mounted fixedly on a display counter and connected via a duct of some length to the container containing the scent, which container is located in a unit to which the customers do not have access. Thus, the risk of theft or breakage of scent bottles is minimized. The saving of space on display counters is substantial. The containers containing the scents can be of larger capacity. The vapors from the bottles may be confined inside a closed unit. 
     In conventional manually-operated pumps, the pump is sealed and air is taken in at the bottom of the stroke of the pump. Such an air intake is needed to compensate for the volume of product dispensed, without which the reduced pressure occurring inside the container could prevent the pump from operating. Thus, when the pump is mounted in the container, the intake of air into the container occurs without a problem each time the pump is operated. Such an air intake prevents the volatile components of the scent from evaporating in excessive proportion, thus preserving all the sensory qualities of the scent. 
     When the pump is delocalized from the container, the air intake, which is located at the bottom of the stroke of the pump, is no longer in communication with the container. Pump operation is soon blocked because of the excessive vacuum pressure inside the container. With such products containing highly volatile components, it is desirable to have a perfect seal. Thus, it is not possible to design the air intake in the form of a regulated air leakage used, for example, in devices for packaging less volatile products such as shampoos. 
     According to one aspect of the invention, a valve element configured to be mounted in an air intake passage of a container may be at least partially elastically deformable. The valve element includes a valving member configured such that, when vacuum pressure inside the container is less than a predetermined threshold differential from atmospheric pressure, the valving member is in sealed contact with a seat formed on the container. Further, the valving member may be configured such that the valving member moves away from the seat when the predetermined threshold differential is reached, so as to allow air to be taken into the container. By its elasticity, the valving member returns to a position in sealed contact with the seat when the vacuum pressure inside the container drops back to less than the predetermined threshold differential. The valve element may be placed in a functional configuration via an elastically irreversible modification thereof during mounting. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, a valve element for use with an air intake passage of a container may include a base portion, a skirt extending from the base portion, and a valving member on the skirt. The valving member may also include a free end. The valving member may be configured to be modified from an initial configuration, in which the free end extends in a first direction away from the base portion, to a second configuration, in which the free end extends in a second direction toward the base portion. 
     When the valve element is modified to the second configuration, the valve element may be configured so that it does not normally return to its initial configuration by its own elasticity. Such a configuration may be referred to as “elastically irreversible.” It should be appreciated, however, that the valve element can be forcibly returned to its initial configuration, for example, to remove the valve element from the air intake passage. 
     In one embodiment, as long as the vacuum pressure generated in the container in response to the pumping of the product is not too great, the valving member bears elastically against the seat formed around the air intake passage, thus providing a good seal, for example, against the volatile components contained in the container. When the vacuum pressure reaches a certain threshold, it may become great enough to overcome the elasticity of the element and to force the part which makes the seal to detach from the seat so as to allow air to enter the container. When the vacuum pressure drops back below the threshold, the valving member may return automatically, by elastic return, into sealed contact with the seat, thus re-establishing a perfect seal of the container equipped with such an air intake. Thus, the inside of the container may be placed selectively in communication with the outside only at times when an ingress of air is desired. 
     The functional configuration of the valve element may be obtained by an elastic modification during mounting to make producing and mounting of the valve element easier, particularly when it is obtained by molding. Furthermore, this sequence may avoid potential problems associated with the manufacturing of the valve element and the container for which it may be intended. 
     The intake of air into the container may be via a continuous annular passage formed all around the element between an outer edge thereof and an inner edge of the passage in which the element is inserted. Alternatively, it may be formed of a plurality of discontinuous passages spaced uniformly at the periphery of the element. 
     In one embodiment, the valving member comprises a skirt. The valve element may be placed in functional configuration by at least partially turning the skirt back. 
     According to one embodiment of the invention, the skirt may be formed as a continuation of a foot portion of the element. When the valve element is in an air intake passage, the foot portion may be at least partially located inside the container. The valve element may be placed in functional configuration by turning the skirt back towards the seat onto the foot portion. A zone of the skirt turned back in this way may be in sealed contact with the seat when the vacuum pressure inside the container is less than the predetermined value. 
     The skirt may be shaped so that it has a flexibility such that it may be made from a wide choice of elastically deformable material. It is possible to use rubbers, such as nitriles or butyls, whose compatibility with products such as scents poses no problems. Further, by giving the skirt portion intended to be turned back a length which is slightly longer than necessary, a few variations around the turning-back zone will be allowed. The skirt may be shaped as a cylinder and may have various cross-sectional shapes, for example, circular, oval, square, rectangular, triangular, and the like. These variations may affect the bearing of the valving member on the seat without, however, preventing it from fulfilling its role satisfactorily. 
     According to one embodiment, the zone designed to provide sealing may be a zone of the skirt located away from the free edge of the skirt. The seat may be equipped with a rim with which the sealing zone of the skirt comes into sealed contact. For example, the sealing zone may be located a distance from the free edge of the skirt of between 0.5 and 3 mm. Thus, even more variation is allowed around the turning-back zone, which variation will affect which zone of the skirt will be in contact with the rim without, however, preventing it from fulfilling its role satisfactorily. The seat then comprises a rim formed by the container near the air intake passage and on which the sealing zone of the skirt presses in a sealed manner. 
     According to another embodiment, the sealing zone comprises of a lip formed by a free edge of the skirt. 
     According to another embodiment, the skirt may be turned back about a folding zone defined by an annular groove formed on the interior surface of the skirt. The groove encourages folding back. Furthermore, it may make it possible to prevent the folded-back portion from partially unfolding as a result of the elasticity of the material, as this may be prejudicial to the seal obtained. The annular groove may have a profile substantially in the shape of a V or U. It should be appreciated that still other profiles may be used for the annular groove. 
     The valve element may be formed entirely of elastomeric material. Alternatively, only the skirt intended to be turned back is made of elastomer. The rest, particularly the retaining means and the foot portion onto which the skirt is turned back, may be made of a nonelastomeric material. It may be possible for the entire valve element to be obtained by two-shot injection molding or by over molding. 
     The valve element according to the invention may be made, in full or in part, of an elastomeric material chosen from thermoplastic or crosslinked elastomers. By way of example, the elastomeric material may be made of nitriles, butyls, silicones, natural or synthetic latices, EPDMs, polyurethanes, blends of polypropylene and SBS, SEBS or EPDM, very low density polyethylene, blends based on polyester glycols (TPUs) or polyether glycols (PEBA and COPE), and flexible polyvinyl chlorides (PVCs). Depending on the embodiment adopted, such a material may be a hardness of from 20 Shore A to 40 Shore D and possibly from 40 Shore A to 75 Shore A. Its elasticity may range from 0.5 to 5 MPa and possibly from 0.8 to 2 MPa (tensile stress at 100% elongation). 
     The materials and the configuration of the valve element may be chosen according to the threshold value at which it is desirable to allow air to be taken into the container. Purely by way of example, in the case of a valve element intended to equip a container, the contents of which are withdrawn by means of a manually operated pump located outside the container, the predetermined threshold value for the vacuum pressure may be approximately 200 mbar (pressure with respect to atmospheric pressure). For certain applications, for example, in the case of a flexible-walled container from which the product it contains is expelled by pressurising the walls of the container, the sealing of the sealing zone of the valve element may be broken for lower vacuum pressure differentials. 
     The valve element may be held inside the air intake passage by retaining means which may include of a portion of the valve element having a diameter larger than the smallest diameter of the air intake passage inside which it is intended to be mounted. Within the meaning of the present invention, the term “diameter” is to be understood as meaning the diameter of the circle circumscribed by the cross-section of the element or the air intake passage. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, there is also produced a cap intended to equip a container designed in particular for packaging a cosmetic product. The cap may include means for mounting it on the container. The cap may further include at least one passage for outletting the product and a passage for air intake. The cap may also include a valve element, according to one of the above embodiments of the invention, mounted inside the air intake passage. 
     The air intake passage may be formed of a first portion and a second portion. The first portion, when the cap is in the position mounted on the container, may be turned towards the outside of the container and extend over part of the thickness of a wall of the cap in which the passage is made. The first portion has a first diameter. The second portion, when the cap is in the position mounted on the container, may be turned towards the inside of the container and extend over the remainder of the thickness of the wall. The second portion has a second diameter smaller than the first. Each of the portions extends respectively over about half the thickness of the wall in which the air intake passage is made. 
     The valve element may be held inside the air intake passage by retaining means which may include part of the valve element. The diameter of the valve element may be approximately equal to or smaller than the diameter of the first portion of the air intake passage and larger than the second diameter. The valving member, in its functional configuration, may have a minimal diameter greater than the second diameter. The difference in diameter between the retaining means and the first portion of the air intake passage makes it possible to make an annular space allowing air to pass when the valving member is not in sealed contact with the seat. However, in the case of roughly identical diameters, the passage for air may be produced by one or more channels. 
     The first portion of the air intake passage is separated from the second portion by a shoulder intended to be engaged with a corresponding shoulder formed by the valve element. One or more channels may be formed at least on the surface of one of the shoulders so as to form at least one passage for air towards the container when the valving member is not in sealed engagement with the seat. 
     According to one embodiment, the second portion of the air intake passage is extended by a rim towards the inside of the container. A sealing zone of the valving member may be capable of pressing in a sealed manner on the rim. 
     According to another embodiment, the part of the valve element facing the second portion of the air intake passage may be dimensioned so as to allow air to pass through the second portion when the valving member is not in sealed engagement with the seat. According to yet another embodiment, the part of the valve element located facing the second portion of the air intake passage occupies practically the entire passage when the valving member is in sealed contact with the seat. The elongation of this part in response to a vacuum pressure inside the container causes enough reduction in the cross section thereof to allow the passage for air as the vacuum pressure drops back below the predetermined value. Alternatively, the channels formed on the shoulder separating the first and second portions of the air intake passage are continued axially onto the lateral edge of the first and/or second portion of the air intake passage. 
     In particular, for aesthetic reasons, the thickness of the retaining member may be at most equal to the depth of the first portion of the air intake passage. Thus, the retaining member may not have excess thickness with respect to the surface of the cap. 
     The cap may be capable of placing the container in communication with a pump arranged outside the container via at least one duct arranged between the container and the pump. The cap may be configured to mount, particularly by force, and to communicate with the duct via the outlet passage. The duct may be arranged outside the container and connected to a pump. A dip tube may be arranged inside the container with a free end intended to be arranged approximately at the bottom of the container. 
     The duct and the dip tube may be forcibly mounted on appropriate adapter elements provided on each side of the cap. It should be appreciated that other mounting mechanisms may, however, be employed. Alternatively, the duct feeding the pump may pass in a sealed manner through an appropriate orifice made in the cap, and continue so as to have a free end arranged more or less at the bottom of the reservoir. As another alternative, the container may be intended to be used head down, which makes it possible to dispense with the use of a duct acting as a dip tube. 
     The cap mounting mechanism may be capable of allowing the cap to be connected or fixed, for example by screw-fastening or snap-fastening, on a neck of the container, a free edge of which delimits an opening. Such a cap may be obtained by molding a thermoplastic material, for example, a polyethylene or a polypropylene. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, a container may be configured to dispense a product, for example a cosmetic product, and equipped with an air intake element according to one of the aforementioned embodiments of the invention. 
     According to yet another aspect of the invention, a container may be configured to dispense a product, for example a cosmetic product, and equipped with a cap according to one of the aforementioned embodiments of the invention. 
     The container may comprise a rigid material, for example, thermoplastic, metal, glass, or ceramic. In the case of a container whose contents may be dispensed by pumping, the body of the container may comprise a rigid material, such as glass, for example for a scent. Alternatively, the contents of the container may be dispensed through an orifice equipped with a valve-type closure element capable of opening under the pressure of the product and of returning to its closed position when the pressure ceases. In this case, the product may be pressurized by exerting pressure on the elastically deformable walls of the container. Such a dispensing method may be suited for the dispensing of shampoos, sun creams, or personal hygiene products. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, a dispenser comprises a container and a valve arrangement on the container. The dispenser may further include a pump in flow communication with the container via at least one duct. Also, the dispenser may include an actuator configured to operate the pump and cause dispensing of product through at least one dispensing orifice. 
     According to yet another aspect of the invention, a method of dispensing a product includes providing a dispenser, actuating a pump to dispense product through a dispensing orifice, and directing the dispensed product to a surface region. The surface region may be an external body portion, and the product may be chosen from a hair product, a sun-protection product, a personal hygiene product, a scent product, and a care product. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, a method for assembling a valve arrangement for use with a container may include providing a stopper, where a portion of the stopper may be a hollow skirt. The method may also include inserting the stopper through a passage in a wall of a container and folding a portion of the hollow skirt outward and back on the stopper. In one embodiment, the method may also include forming the stopper, for example, by molding. 
     According to yet another aspect of the invention, a dispensing system may comprise a container containing a cosmetic product and a cap on the container. The cap may include an air intake passage separate from a fluid outlet. The dispensing system may also include a valve arrangement associated with the air intake passage to selectively allow air into the chamber, a surface spaced from the container, and a pump on the surface. The pump may be in fluid communication with the container. 
     In the dispensing system according to one embodiment, the valve arrangement may include a base portion, a skirt extending from the base portion, and a valving member on the skirt. The valving member may include a free end. The valving member may be configured to be modified from an initial configuration, in which the free end extends in a first direction away from the base portion, to a second configuration, in which the free end extends in a second direction toward the base portion. The valve arrangement may also include a valve seat formed on a surface associated with at least part of the air intake passage. The valving member may be configured to move toward and away from the valve seat. 
     According to another embodiment, the dispensing system may include a duct providing fluid communication between a pump and the container. The system may also include an actuator configured to operate the pump and dispense product through at least one orifice. 
     Such a system may be particularly suited for the packaging and dispensing of a cosmetic product, particularly a hair, personal hygiene, care, or make-up product or a scent. 
    
    
     The invention comprises, apart from the provisions set out hereinabove, a certain number of other provisions which will be explained hereinafter with regard to some nonlimiting exemplary embodiments described with reference to the appended Figures among which: 
     FIG. 1 schematically depicts one embodiment of a dispenser equipped with an air intake element according to the invention; 
     FIGS. 2A-2B schematically depict a cap equipped with one embodiment of an air intake element according to this embodiment; 
     FIGS. 2C-2D give a detailed depiction of one embodiment of the air intake element according to this embodiment fitted into an air intake passage according to a first arrangement; 
     FIG. 2E gives a detailed depiction of one embodiment of the air intake element prior to mounting in the air intake passage; 
     FIGS. 3A-B illustrate a container equipped with a cap according to FIGS. 2A-2E; and 
     FIGS. 4A-4B depict the air intake element according to FIGS. 2A-2E, fitted into an air intake passage according to a second arrangement. 
    
    
     The unit  100  depicted in FIG. 1 comprises a container  300 , for example a glass bottle containing scent, on which a cap  200  may be mounted. A transverse wall  201  of the cap has a sleeve tube  203  passing through it, into which tube a first end of a duct  102  in communication with the container is forcibly inserted. The other end of the duct  102  is force-fitted onto an inlet sleeve tube  103  of a pump  104  mounted on a surface  105 . The surface may comprise, for example, a cosmetic counter or a perfumery display counter, for example, at a retail store or showroom. The pump  104  has an actuator  106  including a movable actuating member  107  configured in the form of a pushbutton, for example, to operate the pump  104  and to dispense the product through an outlet  108 , such as a spray nozzle. 
     The wall  201  of the cap has, passing through it, an air intake passage (not depicted) in which an element (not depicted) is mounted. The element and passage will be described by a detailed description with reference to the embodiments described in the figures which follow. 
     The container  300  depicted in FIG. 3A comprises a body  301 , for example a glass body, one end of which is closed by an end wall  302 . At the opposite end to the end wall  302 , the body  301  forms a neck  303 , a free edge of which delimits an opening  304 . The outer surface of the neck has a connector  305 , for example a screw thread, designed to cooperate with a corresponding connector  206 , for example a screw thread, provided on the interior surface of a cap  200 , for example, a thermoplastic cap. 
     The cap  200  may be formed of an open cylinder, one end of which is closed by a transverse wall  201 . The transverse wall  201  has a skirt  202  on its interior surface. The skirt  202  is capable of making a seal around the opening  304  of the container  300 . The wall  201  has a sleeve tube  203 , for example a cylindrical sleeve tube, passing through it. The sleeve tube delimits an outlet passage  205  for the product, one end of which is on the outside of the container  300 . The other end of the sleeve tube  203  is inside the body of the container  300 . Inside the sleeve tube  203 , at a level slightly below the transverse wall  201  there is an annular flange  204 . The annular flange  204  is intended to form an abutment for an end of a dip tube  307  forcibly inserted into the sleeve tube from inside the container. The dip tube  307  has a free end  308  arranged substantially at the bottom of the container. The annular flange  204  also forms an abutment for one end of a duct  102  intended to be connected to a pump (not depicted) arranged outside the container  300 . The end of the duct  102  is forcibly inserted into the sleeve tube  203  from outside the container  300 . 
     The wall  201  of the cap  200  has an air intake passage  210  passing through it, inside which passage is a valve element  10  made, for example, of elastomeric material, for example, one based on silicone. The valve element  10  is described below with reference to the detailed views of FIGS. 2C and 2D. 
     Over approximately half the thickness of the wall  201 , the air intake passage  210  comprises a first (outer) portion  211  continuing, over the remainder of the thickness of the wall, in a second (inner) portion  212  of smaller diameter than the first portion  211 . The two portions  211 ,  212  are separated by a shoulder  213 , on the surface of which there are formed a number of radial channels  214  which continue vertically along the lateral edge of the first portion  211  of the air intake passage. The channels  214  may also be continued vertically along the lateral edge of the portion  212  of the air intake passage. By way of indication, the first portion  211  may have a maximum diameter of about 10 mm. The second, inner portion  212  may have a diameter of about 8 mm. The depth of the channels  214  may be on the order of ¼ to ½ mm. 
     The valve element  10  intended to be inserted in the air intake passage  210  is depicted before mounting in FIGS. 2A and 2E. The element comprises a base  12  having a larger-diameter portion. The base  12  is intended to allow the valve element  10  to be retained inside the air intake passage  210 . The maximum diameter of the base  12  is approximately equal to the inside diameter of the portion  211  of the air intake passage (at the tops of the channels  214 ). The base  12  is continued by foot portion  13 , for example a solid cylindrical part, providing the connection between the base  12  and a skirt  15  which has a free edge. The foot portion  13  has a diameter slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the second, inner portion  212  of the air intake passage so as to leave an annular passage to allow the passage of air. A shoulder  16  is formed between the base  12  and the foot portion  13  and is designed to come into engagement with the shoulder  213  of the air intake passage  210 . The axial height of the foot  13  is such that when the shoulder  16  is resting against the shoulder  213 , the foot  13  protrudes significantly into the container. 
     According to the arrangement of the air intake passage depicted in FIGS. 2A to  2 E, a sealing lip  14  is formed by the free edge of the skirt  15 , the walls of which are thin, for example, on the order of 1 mm thick or less. The skirt  15  is itself formed in the continuation of a skirt  18  of greater thickness than the thickness of the walls of the skirt  15 . The outer surface of the skirt  18  extends in the continuation of the outer surface of the foot portion  13 . Where the skirts  15  and  18  meet, a groove  17 , for example a V-shaped groove, is formed and, as will be seen in greater detail hereinafter, is intended to encourage the skirt  15  to be turned back onto the foot  13 . 
     The mounting of the valve element  10  in the air intake passage  210  is illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B. In FIG. 2A, the valve element  10  in the as-molded condition, is introduced into the passage  210 , the skirts  15  and  18  being in the continuation of the foot. The valve element  10  is pushed into the air intake passage  210  until the shoulder  16  is in engagement with the shoulder  213 . After it has been fully pushed in, the skirt  15  is turned back towards the outside of the valve element  10  (see arrows  20 ,  21  in FIG. 2B) so that it finds itself resting on the foot  13 , the turning-back being at the groove  17 . The length of the skirt  15  is chosen so that in the turned-back position illustrated in FIG. 2B, the lip  14  is more or less elastically compressed between the turning-back groove  17  and the interior surface  216  of the cap, delimiting the passage  210 . This interior surface  216  therefore forms a seat on which the sealing lip  14  elastically rests. 
     In FIGS. 3A and 3B, the container  300  is equipped with a valve element  10  according to the embodiment discussed with reference to FIGS. 2A-2E. Each time the pump is operated, a vacuum pressure is created inside the container  300 . As long as the vacuum pressure inside the container  300  is below the threshold differential value allowing air intake, the lip  14  of the valve element  10  is in sealed contact with the seat  216  (FIGS.  2 C and  3 A). Thus, the container  300  is perfectly sealed. 
     As is apparent in FIG. 2D, when the vacuum pressure reaches a predetermined value, the skirt  15  moves radially away from the foot portion  13  onto which it is turned back. In so doing, the lip  14  is no longer in sealed contact with the seat  216 . Air is therefore drawn into the container  300  via the channels  214  and via the annular passage around the foot portion  13 . This circulation of air is illustrated by the arrows  220  and  221  in FIG.  3 B. When the vacuum pressure inside the container drops back below the predetermined differential value, the sealing lip  14  returns, by elastic return exerted by the skirt  15 , to bear elastically on the seat  216 . The sealing of the container  300  is then reestablished. 
     According to one alternative variation depicted in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the second portion  212  of the air intake passage is extended by a rim  226  near the air intake passage  210  and towards the inside of the container. By using such an arrangement, the zone of the skirt  15  designed to be in sealed contact with the seat  216  is, in this case, a zone  19  of the skirt  15  located away from the free edge of the skirt  15 . The skirt  15  is turned back towards the outside of the valve element  10  so that it rests, in this arrangement, on the rim  226 . The length of the skirt is chosen so that in the turned-back position illustrated in FIG. 4B, the zone  19  of the skirt comes into sealed contact with part of the rim  226 . 
     In the foregoing detailed description, reference was made to some preferred embodiments of the invention. It is obvious that variations can be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention.