Patent Publication Number: US-8978932-B2

Title: System and bottle for dispensing a fluid product

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims priority of French patent application No. 10 04301 filed on Nov. 2, 2010, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a system for dispensing a fluid product comprising a device for sampling said product under pressure. The invention also relates to a bottle for dispensing comprising such a system for dispensing which is mounted on a reservoir for conditioning the product, said reservoir being formed inside a rigid wall. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In a particular application, the system for dispensing is intended to be provided on bottles used in perfumery, in cosmetics or for pharmaceutical treatments. Indeed, this type of bottle conventionally comprises a reservoir for conditioning the product which is returned under pressure by a device for sampling with manual actuation by means of a push-button which is arranged in order to allow for the spraying of the product. 
     To do this, the device for sampling has a body mounted on the reservoir, said body incorporating means for dispensing which are supplied with the conditioned product by the intermediary of a plunger tube arranged in said reservoir. Moreover, the body is provided with a vent hole which is arranged in order to make it possible to offset the volume of product distributed with air. As such, by allowing air to enter into the rigid reservoir, the vent hole prevents a vacuum from establishing inside said reservoir as dispensing takes place. 
     Plunger tubes are conventionally made from a thermoplastic material of the polyolefin type, i.e. they are not very transparent and retain the curvature of the storage reels. There are also plunger tubes made from fluoro-polymers which have the advantage of being practically invisible once immersed into a product, but remain visible when they are not immersed into a product. 
     In certain applications, in particular cosmetics, the visibility of the plunger tube through the wall of the bottle is deemed to be unsightly. In order to overcome this aesthetic problem, it has been proposed to use a tube cover surrounding the plunger tube over at least one portion of its length, said tube cover then able to be selected in order to have advantageous aesthetics in the reservoir, in particular through the use of a particular and/or decorative material on said tube cover, or in order to maintain the initially curved plunger tube in a precise position, for example in order to sample the last drop in a hollow made at the bottom of the bottle. 
     In particular, the tube cover can be associated to the body of the device for sampling by means of a bushing which has an exterior surface around which the upper end of the tube cover is arranged and an interior surface wherein said body is mounted. However, in such an assembly, the air return path between the vent hole and the reservoir passes through the product, which can cause problems with the product leaking as well as problems with the reliability of the air return function expected. 
     In order to attempt to resolve this problem, it has been proposed to make a hole in the tube cover. However, in addition to the cost for realising it in particular through the use of transformation in a metal tube, this hole can emerge into the product, in particular according to the length of the body and of the filling level of the reservoir. 
     Another solution proposes to create grooves on the exterior surface, said grooves forming an air return path between the vent hole and the lower end of the bushing which is arranged in the tube cover. However, the presence of grooves reduces the mechanical resistance of the bushing as well as the reliability of the maintaining of the tube cover on the body. Therefore, the grooves must be narrow and shallow which results in their filling at least partially with the product via the phenomenon of capillarity. 
     However, when there is an increase in temperature, the volume of the conditioned product increases via dilatation and even more so if it contains alcohol. This then results in a pressure inside the reservoir which, according to the rise in temperature, can commonly reach 5 or 6 bars according to the product volume/air volume ratio above the product. Furthermore, a pressure differential between the interior of the container and the exterior is also formed at altitude. 
     Before the use users such a bottle under pressure, the air contained in the space V1 located above the product outside of the tube cover is at the same pressure as the air contained in the space V2 located above the product in the tube cover. 
     When the user uses the bottle, he presses the push-button, and therefore the path towards the vent hole is open. Through the balancing of the pressures with the outside air, air contained in the volume V2 escapes through the vent hole, the pressure in V2 falls, but as the grooves are partially filled with the product, the air flow through the grooves is very low. The air pressure in V1 is applied over the surface of the product, the level of liquid rises in the space V2 and passes through the air return path to the exterior. This phenomenon takes place is a few tenths of a second and causes the product to leak. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention aims to perfect the prior art by proposing in particular a system for dispensing wherein a cover of the plunger tube is maintained in a reliable manner on the body of a device for sampling with air return, and this without the risk of a product leak or hindering the air return function. 
     To this effect, and according to a first aspect, the invention proposes a system for dispensing a fluid product comprising a device for sampling said product under pressure, said device having a body incorporating means for dispensing which are in communication with a plunger tube, said body being provided with a vent hole which is arranged in order to make it possible to offset the volume of product distributed with air, said system further comprising a tube cover surrounding the plunger tube over at least one portion of its length, said tube cover being associated to the body by means of a bushing which has an exterior surface around which the upper end of the tube cover is arranged and an interior surface wherein said body is mounted, the interior surface having an orifice which is in communication with the vent hole, said orifice emerging into the interior surface above the exterior surface. 
     According to a second aspect, the invention proposes a bottle for dispensing a fluid product comprising a reservoir for conditioning said product which is formed inside a rigid wall and transparent or at least translucent, said bottle further comprising such a system for dispensing which is mounted on the reservoir with the plunger tube arranged in said reservoir, an air return path being formed between the vent hole and said reservoir by the intermediary of the communication orifice. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other purposes and advantages of the invention shall appear in the following description, which is provided in reference to the annexed figures, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a longitudinal section view of a bottle for dispensing according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b  are enlarged views of  FIG. 1  showing more particularly the system for dispensing with the push-button pushed; 
         FIG. 3  are views of the bushing of association of the tube cover of the bottle for dispensing according to  FIG. 1 , respectively in perspective from below ( FIG. 3   a ) and as a longitudinal section ( FIG. 3   b ). 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In the description, the terms of positioning in space are taken in reference to the position of the bottle shown in  FIG. 1 . Moreover, for reasons of clarity, the product is not shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     In relation to the figures, described hereinbelow is a bottle intended to contain a fluid product for the purposes of dispensing it, as well as a system for dispensing such a product. In particular examples, the product can be liquid, in particular a cosmetic care, make-up or perfuming product, or a pharmaceutical product. 
     The bottle comprises a body  1  having a rigid wall  2  wherein a reservoir  3  for conditioning the product is formed, said body further having a neck  4  which overmounts said reservoir. In particular, the body  1  has a rigidity that is sufficient for the volume of the reservoir  3  to remain substantially constant. Furthermore, the wall  2  can be transparent or at least translucent in order to allow for the visualisation of the conditioned product through it. 
     The body  1  can be made in a one-piece manner, for example made through injection-blow moulding or extrusion-blow moulding, or in several parts that are injected and then assembled, for example via ultrasonic sealing, made of rigid plastic material that is at least translucent or of glass. 
     The bottle further comprises a system for dispensing which is mounted on the reservoir  3 , said system comprising a device for sampling the conditioned product under pressure. In the embodiment shown, the device for sampling comprises a pump for dispensing that is actuated manually by means of a push-button  5  which is supplied with the product under pressure for the purposes of dispensing it. 
     The device for sampling has a body  6  incorporating means for dispensing which are in communication with a plunger tube  7  by the intermediary of a valve  8 , said plunger tube being arranged in the reservoir  3  in order to make possible the supplying of the means for dispensing with conditioned product. The body  6  is provided with a vent hole  9  which is arranged in order to make it possible to offset the volume of product distributed with air, in order to prevent a vacuum from being established inside the rigid reservoir  3  as the dispensing progresses. 
     In the embodiment shown, the body  6  has a cylindro-conical geometry comprising a central zone  6   a  connected to an upper zone  6   b  by the intermediary of a divergent fillet  6   c . Moreover, the body  6  has a tubing  6   d  wherein the plunger tube  7  is press-fitted, said tubing being connected below the central zone  6   a  by the intermediary of a seat  6   e  wherein a ball  8  forming a valve is arranged. Moreover, the vent hole  9  is formed in the upper end of the central zone  6   a.    
     In relation with  FIG. 2   b , the means for dispensing include a piston  29  which is mounted in sealed translation in the central zone  6   a  by delimiting a metering chamber in communication with the plunger tube  7  by the intermediary of the valve  8 . The piston  29  is arranged on a nozzle  10  that is integral with the push-button  5  in order to be actuated in reversible translation in relation to body  6 , over a stroke respectively for dispensing and for sucking the product. 
     The nozzle  10  has a path for dispensing comprising at least one upstream orifice  11  and a channel  12  of which the downstream end is in communication with the push-button  5 , the piston  29  being arranged in order to have a state for sealing of the upstream orifice  11  and a state for putting into communication of said upstream orifice with the metering chamber. In particular, the piston  29  can be deformed and/or displaced under the effect of the compression of the product in the metering chamber. 
     The push-button  5  comprises an upper zone making it possible for the user to press with their finger on said push-button in order to axially displace the nozzle  10 , the return of said push-button on the suction stroke being conventionally carried out by a spring  30 . In  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the nozzle  10  is shown at the end of the dispensing stroke. 
     The push-button  5  is provided with a spray nozzle  13  which is arranged in order to radially distribute an aerosol of the product. However, the invention is not limited to a particular embodiment of dispensing of the product. In particular, especially for a nose spray tip, the push-button  5  can make possible an axial dispensing of the product and another type of device for sampling can be considered. 
     The system for dispensing further comprises a tube cover  14  surrounding the plunger tube  7  over at least one portion of its length. In particular, the tube cover  14  makes it possible to conceal the plunger tube  7  inside the reservoir  3 , said tube cover then being selected in order to have an advantageous aesthetics in said reservoir, for example through the use of a particular material, in particular metal, and/or by the realisation of decorations or visual effects on said tube cover. 
     In relation with  FIG. 1 , the plunger tube  7  extends substantially to the bottom of the reservoir  3  and the tube cover  14  surrounds said plunger tube over substantially its entire length allowing the lower end of said plunger tube to protrude via which the product is sucked. Moreover, the tube cover  14  has a cylindrical geometry of revolution with an inside diameter that is adapted for the arrangement of the plunger tube  7  inside. Alternatively, the tube cover  14  can have any extended geometry wherein the plunger tube  7  can be arranged for the purposes of concealing it at least partially or maintaining it in a precise position. 
     The tube cover  14  is associated to the body  6  by means of a bushing  15  which has an exterior surface  15   a  around which the upper end of the tube cover  14  is arranged and an interior surface  15   b  wherein said body is mounted. The bushing  15  can be carried out in a one-piece manner made of ductile material, in particular through moulding of a plastic material of the polyolefin type. 
     In the embodiment shown, the bushing  15  has a lower annular groove  16  wherein a ring  17  formed inside the tube cover  14  is engaged in order to provide the axial maintaining of said tube cover on said bushing. Moreover, the ring  17  delimits the upper end of the tube cover  14  which is arranged around the exterior surface  15   a , said upper end having an inside diameter which is greater than the inside diameter of the tube cover  14  which extends below said ring. 
     In relation with  FIG. 3 , the bushing  15  has an upper ring  18  which overmounts a sleeve  19 , said upper ring being connected to said sleeve by a converging fillet  20 . The exterior surface  15   a  is then formed around the sleeve  19  and the interior surface  15   b  extends inside the ring  18  and said sleeve. In particular, the tube cover  14  and the central zone  6   a  extend radially facing a portion that is respectively exterior and interior of the sleeve  19 . 
     In the embodiment shown, the central zone  6   a  is arranged in the sleeve  19  and the upper zone  6   b  is arranged in the upper ring  18  in such a way that the vent hole  9  is arranged radially facing the fillet  20 . More precisely, the upper zone  6   b  has an upper flange  6   f  which is in axial engagement on the upper end of the ring  18  with the push-button  5  arranged above the bushing  15 . Furthermore, the geometries of the peripheries respectively exterior of the body  6  and interior of the bushing  15  are arranged in order to form an annular clearance  21  between the vent hole  9  and the fillet  20 . 
     Moreover, the bushing  15  has a outer skirt  22  which surrounds the upper ring  18 , said outer skirt comprising means of fastening of said bushing on the reservoir  3 . In the embodiment shown, the system of dispensing is mounted on the reservoir  3  by the intermediary of the bushing  15  by placing the upper end of the neck  4  between the outer skirt  22  and the upper ring  18 . Furthermore, a sealing joint  23  is inserted between the upper surface of the neck  4  and the lower surface of the connection surface  24  of the outer skirt  22  to the upper ring  18 . 
     In the embodiment shown, the skirt  22  is provided with an edge  25  for fastening under the neck  4  which is arranged radially facing the fillet  20 . In a known manner, the edge  25  is protruding from the outer skirt  22  in order to allow for the positioning of the bushing  15  on the neck  4  then, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , folded back to the position of fastening under said neck via the sliding of a hoop  26  around said skirt. Alternatively, the skirt  22  can be positioned via snap-fitting on the neck  4 , said snap fitting being made reliable via a hoop  26 . 
     The interior surface  15   b  has an orifice  27  which is in communication with the vent hole  9 , said orifice emerging in the interior surface  15   b  above the exterior surface  15   a  and therefore above the tube cover  14 . In particular, the orifice  27  is formed in the fillet  20  in order to be in communication with the vent hole  9  by the intermediary of the annular clearance  21 . Alternatively, several communication orifices  27  can be distributed over the interior surface  15   b.    
     As such, an air return path is formed between the vent hole  9  and the reservoir  3  by the intermediary of the communication orifice  27 , said path not passing through the inside of the tube cover  14  in such a way as to prevent product leaks while still making reliable the air return function. In particular, the communication orifice  27  is arranged in the neck  4 , well above the product, in such a way as to prevent any risk of invasion by the product. 
     In the embodiment shown, the bushing  15  has a groove  28  which extends axially over the exterior surface  15   a , said groove having an upper extension which is formed above said exterior surface, the communication orifice  27  being realised in said extension. Furthermore, the axial groove  28  emerges axially at the lower portion of the bushing  15  in order to be in communication with the space located above the product in the tube cover  14 . Alternatively, several grooves  28  can be provided on the bushing  15 , a communication orifice  27  being formed in an upper extension of each of said grooves. 
     As such, even if the groove is filled at least partially with the product via the phenomenon of capillarity, the balancing of the pressure during the actuation of the push-button  5  is carried out through the communication orifice  27  with a sufficient amount of air flow to prevent the product from leaking. 
     In a manner that is advantageous for the carrying out of the communication orifice  27  during the manufacture via moulding of the bushing  15 , the upper ring  18  has an inside diameter D 2  and the groove  28  has a bottom which is inscribed in a diameter D 1 . As such, when the diameter D 1  is less than or equal to the diameter D 2 , the communication orifice  27  is formed through interference of said diameters in the zone of the bottom of the groove  28  which extends over the fillet  20 .