Patent Publication Number: US-9409761-B2

Title: Refillable bottle for dispensing a fluid product

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a refillable bottle for dispensing a fluid product, and an assembly comprising such a bottle and a product source from which said bottle will be filled. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In particular, the refillable bottle can be used to dispense a liquid product, for example a cosmetic skincare, makeup or perfume product, or a pharmaceutical product. 
     The refillable bottle comprises a body inside which a product conditioning reservoir is formed, and a device for dispensing the conditioned product mounted sealed on said body. In particular, the dispensing device may include drawing off means in the form of a manually actuated pump supplied with said conditioned product, said pump being designed to dispense the product under pressure, for example in the form of an aerosol. As a variant, the dispensing device may comprise product application means, for example in the form of a ball. 
     In one example application, the refillable bottles according to the invention can be used for the distribution of product samples, particularly for a product volume of between 1 and 10 ml contained in the reservoir. In particular, the samples thus distributed should enable a customer to test the product, the bottles then being qualified as tester sample bottles. As a variant, the bottles may be called “handbag bottles” in that they can be used to easily transport a small volume of product, unlike larger volume bottles that are usually heavy and cumbersome because they are more luxurious. 
     In these applications, for example for logistic reasons, or because it is more practical or for environmental recycling purposes, it may be desirable to be able to refill the reservoir with product from a source of said product. Indeed, it is not very practical for a user to have to use a small funnel to refill the reservoir and it is not very ecological to discard an empty bottle to replace it with a new bottle acting as a refill. 
     Refillable bottles are already available for sale, in which the body is fitted with a reservoir filling valve that is arranged to enable communication between a product source and said reservoir so that said reservoir can be refilled. In particular, the valve includes a communication passage between the source and the reservoir, said passage having a seating fitted with a check valve that is free to move relative to said seating between a sealed closed position and a position in which said passage is open. 
     In prior art, filling is done by using a source bottle comprising a distribution pump, the check valve being moved by the jet of said pump. In particular, the check valve is elastically held in the closed position and the sealed bearing contact of the jet on the check valve reversibly opens said check valve and actuates the pump to inject the source product into the reservoir through the valve. 
     However, this embodiment introduces sealing problems when filling, particularly because it is difficult to position the jet correctly with a sealed bearing contact on the check valve by applying sufficient force to open the check valve and actuate the pump at the same time, especially because the pump has to be actuated several times to inject a sufficient volume of product. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is intended to improve prior art particularly by disclosing a refillable bottle that has a filling valve that, when actuated, creates a reliable seal during filling, with a particularly easy and intuitive manipulation. 
     To achieve this, according to a first aspect, of the invention discloses a refillable bottle for dispensing a fluid product comprising a body in which a reservoir designed for conditioning said product is formed, said bottle comprising a dispensing device of said conditioned product that is mounted sealed on said body, said bottle being fitted with a reservoir filling valve arranged to enable communication of a product source with said reservoir to refill it, said valve comprising a communication passage between said source and said reservoir, said passage having a seating fitted with a check valve free to move relative to said seating between a sealed closed position and an open position of said passage, said bottle comprising a device for locking the check valve in the closed position, said device being arranged to be deactivated by leaving said check valve in the closed position in order to release subsequent displacement of said check valve into the open position. 
     According to a second aspect, the invention discloses an assembly comprising such a refillable bottle and a product source designed to fill said refillable bottle, said source comprising a product reservoir fitted with a socket designed to enable the sealed connection of the filling valve on the source reservoir by putting the passage in communication with said reservoir. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description, made with reference to the appended figures, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows an exploded perspective view of a refillable bottle according to one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of the assembly formed by a refillable bottle and a source bottle, each being assembled and ready to be connected; 
         FIGS. 3 a -3 b    show the bottle in  FIG. 1  respectively in a longitudinal section ( FIG. 3 a   ) and in a partial view showing the bottom of the bottle in  FIG. 3 a    ( FIG. 3 b   ); 
         FIGS. 4 a -4 b    show the bottom of a dispensing bottle according to another embodiment of the invention, respectively with the cap installed on the valve in the locked state of the check valve ( FIG. 4 a   ) and with the cap removed ( FIG. 4 b   ) to deactivate locking, respectively; 
         FIGS. 5 a -5 b    are partial views showing the communication passage in the filling valve of the refillable bottle according to  FIG. 1 , respectively in perspective views with the stem removed ( FIG. 5 a   ) and with the stem in position in the locked state ( FIG. 5 b   ) respectively; 
         FIGS. 6 a -6 c    are partial views showing the connection socket of the source bottle according to  FIG. 2 , respectively in a top view ( FIG. 6 a   ), side view ( FIG. 6 b   ) and perspective view ( FIG. 6 c   ); 
         FIGS. 7 a -7 b  and 8 a -8 b    show the filling bottle mounted on the source bottle ( FIG. 7 a   ) and the connection between them made by unlocking the check valve in the closed position ( FIG. 8 a   ),  FIGS. 7 b  and 8 b    being cross sections of  FIGS. 7 a  and 8 a    respectively showing the layout of the stem in the socket; 
         FIGS. 9 a -9 b    are partial and longitudinal sectional views of the connection of the refillable bottle on the source bottle, respectively in the upright closed and sealed position ( FIG. 9 a   ) and in the upside-down position in which the passage is open ready for refilling ( FIG. 9 b   ). 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In the description, positioning terms in space are referenced relative to the upright position of the refillable bottle as shown in particular in  FIGS. 3, 4 and 9   a.    
     The following description given with reference to the figures discloses a refillable bottle designed to contain a fluid product for distribution. In specific examples, the product may be liquid, particularly a cosmetic skincare, makeup or perfume product, or a pharmaceutical product. 
     The refillable bottle comprises a body  1  in which a product conditioning reservoir  2  is formed. According to one particular application, the capacity of the reservoir  2  may be between 1 and 10 ml for the distribution of product samples. 
     In the embodiments shown, the body  1  is rigid, and in particular is sufficiently stiff so that the volume of the reservoir  2  remains substantially constant, even if the internal pressure varies. The body  1  may be made from a single-piece and may for example be made by injection blow moulding or extrusion blow moulding, or in several injected parts subsequently assembled for example by ultrasound welding, or by laser, or by rotary friction, made of a rigid plastic material or metallic, for example aluminium, or glass. 
     The bottle comprises a conditioned product dispensing device mounted sealed in the body  1 . In the embodiment shown, the dispensing device comprises a pump  3  actuated manually by means of a push button  4 , said pump being supplied with product through a dip tube  5  located in the reservoir  2 . 
     However, the invention is not limited to one particular method of dispensing the product. In particular, other means for drawing off the product from the reservoir  2  may be envisaged. The dispensing device may also comprise product application means, for example in the form of a ball. 
     The push button  4  comprises a dispensing orifice  6  and an upper zone on which the user can press his (her) finger so as to move the jet of the pump  3  along its path to supply said orifice with product under pressure. In the embodiment shown, the push button  4  is fitted with a spray nozzle that is arranged to radially dispense an aerosol of the product through the dispensing orifice  6 . However, particularly for a nasal spray end piece, the push button  4  can enable axial dispensing of the product. As a variant, the product may be delivered in the form of a dab or a ribbon. 
     The bottle is fitted with a filling valve  7  of the reservoir  2  that is arranged to enable communication between a product source  8  and said reservoir so that said reservoir can be refilled. In relation with the figures, the body  1  has an upper opening  1   a  in which the pump  3  is installed through a collar ring nut assembly  9 , and a lower opening  1   b  fitted with the filling valve  7 . 
     The lower opening  1   b  is formed in the bottom of the body  1  and the filling valve  7  comprises a skirt  10  that extends in the axial direction peripherally under said opening. Thus, a communication passage  11  is formed between the product source  8  and the reservoir  2 , said passage extending in the skirt  10 . 
     In the figures, the skirt  10  is shown as fitted under the body  1 , but it could also be formed in a single piece with said body. More precisely, the filling valve  7  comprises a hollow housing  10   a  of which the upper wall  10   b  is force fitted in the lower opening  1   b , the skirt  10  being formed under said upper wall to extend outside the body  1 . 
     The communication passage  11  has a seating  12  fitted with a check valve  13  free to move relative to said seating between a sealed closed position and a position in which said passage is open. In particular, the seating  12  may be formed on the inner periphery of the skirt  10 . 
     The bottle comprises a device to lock the check valve  13  in the closed position, so that said check valve can be prevented from moving into the open position, particularly between two fillings, to prevent the product from leaking through the valve  7 . Furthermore, the locking device is arranged so that it is deactivated by leaving the check valve  13  is left in the closed position to release subsequent displacement of said check valve into the open position. 
     Thus, the manipulation to unlock the check valve  13  is dissociated from the manipulation to open it for filling, particularly to eliminate unlocking constraints to improve the seal during filling. In particular, in the unlocked state, the displacement of the check valve  13  between its closed and open positions is unhindered, in other words in particular it is not hindered by an add-on means so as to limit the force necessary to open the check valve  13 . 
     In the embodiments shown, the check valve  13  is arranged so that it is free to move between its closed and open positions under the effect of gravity induced by positioning the refillable bottle in an upright position ( FIG. 9 a   ) and an upside-down position ( FIG. 9 b   ) respectively. Thus, after unlocking check valve  13 , filling is done simply by the product flowing under gravity and an air transfer in the opposite direction through the passage  11  between the product source  8  and the reservoir  2  to be filled, filling being possible simply by fitting the refillable bottle in the upright position on the product source  8  and then turning the refillable bottle-product source  8  assembly into the upside-down position. 
     In particular, the upright position corresponds to the normal usage position of the refillable bottle in which the push button  4  is at the top. As a variant, the refillable bottle in the upright position may be oriented differently, provided that the check valve  13  is in the closed position under the effect of gravity. 
     The refillable bottle in the upright position may be mounted and connected on the product source  8  without inducing any product transfer, particularly because said product is not pressurised. The upside-down position is then reached by rotating the refillable bottle-product source  8  assembly so that said source is above the reservoir  2  so as to induce filling by flow. In  FIG. 9 , the rotation is 180° but the angle could be different, provided that it is large enough to open the check valve  13  under the effect of gravity. 
     After refilling, the refillable bottle-product source  8  assembly is put back into the initial position before said bottle is disconnected so that it can be used later. In particular, turning over causes closing of the check valve  13  under the effect of gravity. 
     According to another embodiment, after the check valve  13  is unlocked, the bottle may be filled by suction, for example by planning that the reservoir  2  has a sufficient negative air pressure to actuate opening of the check valve  13  and the product transfer from the product source  8 . 
     According to another embodiment, when the check valve  13  has been unlocked, the bottle may be filled by injection, for example by opening the check valve  13  by a source bottle jet pressing on it, the force necessary for said press being low because the unlocked check valve  13  is free to move between its open and closed positions. 
     With reference to the figures, the check valve  13  comprises an annular contact surface  14  that, when in the closed position, is in sealed contact with the seating  12  that has a complementary contact surface ( FIG. 9 a   ), said contact surface in the open position being arranged at a distance from said complementary contact surface ( FIG. 9 b   ). To improve the seal in the closed position, the contact surface  14  and the complementary contact surface of the seating  12  may be tapered. 
     Moreover, the check valve  13  is provided with a ballast  16  heavy enough to move said check valve between its open and closed positions. In particular, the ballast  16  induces a sealing contact force between the annular contact surface  14  and the seating  12  and assures that said contact surface separates when turned upside-down. 
     In the embodiment shown, the check valve  13  is free to move in axial translation between its closed and open positions. As a possibly complementary variant, the check valve  13  may be free to move between its closed and open positions by deformation induced by gravity, and particularly by deformation of the annular contact surface  14  on the seating  12 . 
     In the figures, the check valve  13  comprises an upper cage  17  with a lower rim on which the annular contact surface  14  is formed, an add-on ballast  16 , for example made of metal, being fixed in said cage. As a variant, the ballast  16  may form part of the check valve  13 , particularly by making said check valve made from a high density material, for example a polymer filled with metallic particles or directly from a metallic material. 
     The check valve  13  comprises a lower stem  18  that extends under the cage  17 , said stem being fitted free to slide in a tube  19  fixed to the skirt  10 , said stem and said tube being arranged to define the limit of movement of the check valve  13  in the open position. In the embodiment shown, the upper end of the stem  18  is click fitted into a lower orifice of the cage  17 , but said stem can be formed in a single piece with said cage. 
     Moreover, the cage  17  has a cover  20  that isolates the ballast  16  from contact with the conditioned product in the reservoir  2 . The cover  20  also forms a bell  21  fixed to the check valve  13  while being located in the reservoir  2 , said bell being arranged such that it will be in communication with said reservoir when in the upright position ( FIG. 9 a   ), and it will be isolated from said reservoir when in the upside-down position ( FIG. 9 b   ) so that it will not be filled by the product from the source  8 . 
     To achieve this, the cover  20  has an axial peripheral wall  20   a  that extends on a radial lower wall, the bell  21  being formed inside said walls to form a retention volume open in the upper part. In particular, the walls  20   a  are laid out such that the retention volume when in the upside-down position is not in flow communication with the passage  11 . 
     Thus, when the reservoir  2  is emptied, an air volume is formed that is retained in the bell  21  when turned upside-down and is then released in said reservoir when returning to the upright position, guaranteeing that there is an air blanket in said reservoir after refilling. In particular, the air blanket allows the product to expand when the temperature rises without exceeding the allowable pressure in the reservoir  2 , for example of the order of 5 bars. This embodiment is particularly advantageous when the product contains alcohol, for example by allowing a retention volume in the bell  21  of the order of 5 to 7% of the conditioning volume of the reservoir  2 . 
     The tube  19  is installed in the skirt  10  through at least one rib  22 . With reference to  FIG. 5 , three ribs  22  are provided to form three openings in the communication passage  11 . The ribs  22  are arranged to facilitate parietal flow of the product in the communication passage  11 , particularly by being connected to the inside of the skirt  10  over substantially its entire dimension in the axial direction, and by presenting each a free edge converging towards a radial base connected to the periphery of the tube  19 . 
     Thus, flow of the product contained in the communication passage  11  into the source  8  is facilitated when the refillable bottle is put back into its upright position at the end of the refill operation so that the product does not leak under the refillable bottle when it is disconnected. 
     Similarly, the filling valve  7  may have hydrophobic surfaces which is arranged to facilitate product flow in the communication passage  11 . In particular, the inside of the housing  10   a  may be made hydrophobic, for example by fluorinated plasma treatment, by dipping in a silicone bath or by making said housing from a hydrophobic material such as PTFE. 
     The product source  8  comprises a product reservoir  23 , particularly formed inside a bottle with a higher capacity than the refillable bottle. In another embodiment, the source reservoir  23  is formed inside a flexible pouch that can be filled with product without air or gas to assure good conservation of said product. 
     The source reservoir  23  is fitted with a socket  24  designed to enable a sealed connection of the filling valve  7  on said source reservoir by connecting it to the communication passage  11 . Furthermore, the filling valve  7  is fitted with a device for making a sealed connection of the bottle onto the product source  8 , the socket  24  being fitted with a connection device complementary to the connection device of the filling valve  7 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 to 3 and 5 to 9 , the locking device of the check valve  13  is designed to be deactivated when sealed connection between the bottle and the product source  8  is made. In particular, the socket  24  comprises means of deactivating the locking device of the check valve  13  by the sealed connection of the bottle onto the product source  8 . The locking device is also designed so that it is reactivated when the refillable bottle is disconnected. 
     With reference to  FIG. 6 , the socket  24  comprises a collar  25  for assembly onto the neck of the source bottle  8 , said collar being fixed to said neck by means of a ring nut  27 . The collar  25  has an upper opening above which there is a sleeve  28  extending in the axial direction around the periphery. Advantageously, the socket  24  has no means of pressuring the filling product. Thus, the bottle  8  cannot be used for any purpose other than as the source because it has no propulsion gas and no internal pressure. 
     The skirt  10  of the filling valve  7  is designed to slide in the axial direction relative to the sleeve  28  of the socket  24 . In particular, the skirt  10  and the sleeve  28  are annular, the outside diameter of the skirt  10  being slightly less than the inside diameter of the sleeve  28  to allow clearance-free axial assembly of the refillable bottle onto the product source  8 . The skirt  10  may also be slightly tapered and have a lower chamfer to enable radial gripping when said skirt slides in the axial direction in the sleeve  28 . 
     In the embodiment shown, the connection devices comprise studs  30  fixed to the skirt  10  or to the sleeve  28 , designed to cooperate with grooves  31  fixed to the sleeve  28  or to the skirt  10  so that the refillable bottle can be fixed and immobilised in the connected position onto the source reservoir  23 . In the figures, a set of two diametrically opposite studs  30  is formed around the skirt  10  to cooperate with a set of two grooves  31  formed in the sleeve  28 , said studs having a lower chamfer to facilitate their entry into the grooves  31 . 
     The grooves  31  comprise an axial portion  31   a  in which the studs  30  slide and a peripheral portion  31   b  in which said studs rotate. Thus, a bayonet type manipulation is required to make a sealed connection of the refillable bottle onto the product source  8 , specifically an axial assembly of the filling valve  7  into the socket  24  followed by a relative rotation to fix the refillable bottle in the connected position on the product source  8 , the check valve  13  thus being released by relative rotation between said bottle and the product source  8 . 
     In the figures, the peripheral portions  31   b  comprise a projection  32  for locking the studs  30  in the connected position. The sleeve  28  also comprises slots  33  located under the projections  32  to facilitate their deformation during locking. 
     An annular seal  34   a  is inserted between a radial contact surface  28   a  of the sleeve  28  and the neck of the product source  8  and, when the refillable bottle is mounted on the product source  8 , the lower end of the skirt  10  bears axially on another annular seal  34   b  located on said radial contact surface. Thus, the connection of the passage  11  through which the product flows during filling is made leaktight by compression of the seals  34   a ,  34   b.    
     To make a locking device that is deactivated when the refillable bottle is connected onto the product source  8 , the stem  18  comprises a profile in relief and the tube  19  comprises a bottom contact surface  19   a  and  a  top contact surface  19   b . In the figures, the profile is formed by two pins  35  on each side of the stem  18 , the lower surface of the tube  19  comprising two diametrical notches angularly offset by 90° to form respectively the bottom and top contact surfaces  19   a  and  19   b.    
     The stem  18  and the tube  19  can be displaced relative to each other between a locked position in which the profile  35  is located on the bottom contact surface  19   a  to hold the check valve  13  in the closed position ( FIG. 7 ) and a released position in which the profile  35  can slide towards the top contact surface  19   b  to enable displacement of the check valve  13  into the open position ( FIG. 8 ). Furthermore, this embodiment defines the displacement limit stop of the check valve  13  in the open position by axial bearing of the pins  35  on the top contact surface  19   b.    
     To make the unlocking displacement during the connection, the socket  24  comprises a cavity  36  inside which a rib  37  of the stem  18  is located in the assembly position of the valve  7  in the socket  24  ( FIG. 7 ), said rib and said cavity being arranged so that the stem  18  is fixed to the socket  24  in rotation so that the connection rotation displaces the tube  19  relative to the stem  18  between their locked and released positions. 
     Similarly, after refilling, returning the refillable bottle product source  8  assembly into the upright position brings the pins  35  below the top contact surface  19   b , in other words to the closed released position of the check valve  13 , such that the disconnection rotation of the bottle induces displacement of the tube  19  relative to the stem  18  into their locked position. 
     In particular, the connection rotation angle is equal to the release rotation angle corresponding to the angular offset between the bottom and top contact surfaces  19   a  and  19   b . Consequently, in function of the required manipulation for the connection the angular offset of the bottom and top contact surfaces  19   a  and  19   b  must be adapted, for example more or less a quarter turn. 
     In the figures, the socket  24  comprises a central pad  38  located in the sleeve  28  through arms  39 , the cavity  36  being formed in said pad, for example in the form of a cross-shaped orifice in which there are four ribs  37  formed under the pins  35 . As a variant, the cavity  36  may be arranged to enable engagement of the pins  35  so to fix in rotation the stem  18  with the socket  24  during the connection. 
     Advantageously, the filling valve  7  and/or the socket  24  are fitted with a cap  40  arranged to maintain the seal of the reservoirs  2 ,  23  between two fillings. Each cap  40  comprises a connection device that is complementary to the connection device of the filling valve  7  or of the socket  24 . Thus, the caps  40  may be removed before filling and put back into place after filling by means of a manipulation similar to the manipulation respectively for the disconnection and connection of the refillable bottle on the product source  8 . 
     As can be seen in  FIG. 4 , the bottle cap comprises means of locking the check valve  13  in the closed position in order to deactivate said locking by removing said cap before filling. 
     In particular, the locking means may comprise a magnet  41  fixed to the cap  40 , the stem  18  having magnetic properties such that it can be fixed magnetically when said cap is installed. Thus, once the cap  40  has been removed, if there is no magnetic force, the check valve  13  is free to move between its closed and open positions to enable filling, particular by turning upside-down.