Source: http://www.allindianpatents.com/patents/223559-a-pump-action-nozzle-device
Timestamp: 2017-11-25 07:20:49
Document Index: 199799866

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 102', 'art 101', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 101', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 101', 'art 102', 'art 101', 'art 102', 'art 101', 'art 102', 'art 101', 'art 101', 'art 101', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 101', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art.\n13', 'art.\n20']

Indian Patents. 223559:"A PUMP-ACTION NOZZLE DEVICE"
"A PUMP-ACTION NOZZLE DEVICE"
A pump-action nozzle device having a body defining an internal chamber having inlet with inlet valve and outlet with outlet valve, wherein portion of body is configured to deform from initial configuration to distended configuration on application of pressure, causing pressure to increase and fluid to be ejected; and subsequently return to initial configuration on removal of pressure such that fluid is drawn into chamber; the nozzle device comprising an actuator member extending over portion of said deformable portion of body and configured to engage said portion of body and cause it to deform when a pressure is applied to actuator member; characterized in that the body comprises two parts connected together to define the chamber, one of parts comprising said resiliently deformable portion and a rigid framework, the framework defining an abutment surface which contacts a corresponding rigid abutment surface on the other of the parts of the body.
The present invention relates to a pump-action nozzle device.
Conventional pump-action nozzle devices tend to be extremely complex in design and typically comprise numerous component parts (usually between 8 and 10 individual components in pump nozzle devices and between 10 and 14 individual components in trigger-actuated nozzle devices). As a consequence, these devices can be costly to manufacture due to the amount of material required to form the individual components and the assembly processes involved. In addition, many of the conventional devices tend to be bulky (which again increases the raw material costs) and a proportion of this bulk is invariably disposed inside the container to which the device is attached. This is a further drawback because the nozzle takes up a proportion of the internal volume of the container, which can be a particular problem in smaU containers where the available space inside the container is limited.
Examples of dispenser nozzle devices of simpler construction are disclosed in EP 0 442 858 A2 and US 3,820,689 and EP 0 649 684. The nozzle arrangements disclosed in these citations comprise at least two separate component parts, including a base part and an upper part. The upper part is fitted to the upper surface of the base to define an internal chamber having an inlet equipped with an inlet valve and an outlet equipped with an outlet valve. The upper part is formed from a resiliently deformable material, whereas the base part is formed from a rigid plastic material. The upper part forms a generally dome-shaped protrusion on the upper surface of the device, which can
be pressed and deformed by an operator to compress the internal chamber and
facilitate the dispensing of any fluid present therein.
A problem with the aforementioned devices is that an operator is
required to press the resiliency deformable dome-shaped portion inwards using
their thumb or finger in order to dispense fluid from the internal chamber. This
requires a certain amount of co-ordination on the part of the operator as well as
a reasonable amount of pressure, which makes such devices generally less
suitable for certain individuals. Furthermore, such devices are difficult to
actuate using portions of the body other than a finger, such as the palm of the
hand, wrist or elbow.
(i) simple in design;
(ii) utilises less components; and
(iii) easy to actuate.
The present invention provides a solution to the problems associated
with conventional nozzle devices by providing, in a first aspect, a pump-action
nozzle device configured to enable fluid to be dispensed from a container, said
nozzle having a body which defines an internal chamber having an inlet
through which fluid may be drawn into said chamber and an outlet through
which fluid present in the chamber may be expelled from the nozzle, said inlet
comprising an inlet valve adapted to only permit fluid to flow into the chamber
through the inlet when the pressure within the chamber falls below the pressure
within the interior of the container to which the device is attached by at least a
predetermined minimum threshold amount and said outlet comprising an outlet
valve configured to only permit fluid to flow out of the chamber and be
expelled from the nozzle when the pressure within, the chamber exceeds the
external pressure at the outlet by at least a predetermined threshold amount,
wherein at least a portion of the body which defines said chamber is configured
(i) resiliently deform from an initial resiliency biased configuration to a
distended or deformed configuration in response to the application of a
pressure, whereby the volume of said chamber defined by said portion of the
body is reduced as said portion of the body is deformed from said initial
configuration to said distended or deformed configuration, said reduction in
volume causing the pressure within the chamber to increase and fluid to be
ejected through the outlet valve; and
(ii) subsequently return to its initial resiliency biased configuration
when the applied pressure is removed, thereby causing the volume of the
chamber to increase and the pressure therein to fall such that fluid is drawn into
the chamber through the inlet valve;
characterised in that said nozzle device further comprises an actuator
member which extends over at least a portion of said portion of the body and is
configured to engage said portion of the body and cause it to deform from its
resilientiy biased configuration when a pressure is applied to the actuator
The nozzle device of the present invention solves the aforementioned
problems associated with many conventional pump-action spray nozzle devices
by providing a device which is extremely simple in design and which will
typically comprise no more than six separate component parts that are fitted
together to form the assembled nozzle device. In preferred embodiments the
device will comprise no more than three component parts or, more preferably,
two separate component parts or, even more preferably, the device is formed
from a single, integrally formed component part. By "separate component
parts" we mean that the parts are not linked together in any way, i.e. they are
not integrally formed with one another (but each separate component part may
comprise one or more integral parts or portions). The key to reducing the
number of components lies in the formation of the necessary features integrally
within the body of the device. For instance, the chamber, inlet, inlet valve,
outlet, and outlet valve can all be defined by the body, thereby reducing the
need to include separate components with all the consequential increases in
component and assembly costs.
The nozzle device of the present invention is further adapted to solve the
problems associated with pump-action nozzle devices of simple construction
whereby the resiliency deformable portion of the body can, in practice, be
extremely difficult to press directly.
The actuator member may be an arm that an operator pushes to cause the
said portion of the body to deform. Preferably, however, the actuator member
is a over cap that extends over the resiliency deformable portion of the body to
form a surface (known as an actuator surface) which can be depressed by an
operator in order to cause the resiliency deformable portion of the body
defining the chamber to deform and thereby actuate the dispensing of fluid
from the chamber of the device. Preferably the surface formed by the cap is a
The actuator member may be configured to flex or otherwise deform
when a pressure is applied to its external surface so as to enable the resih'ently
deformable portion of the body defining the chamber to be deformed from its
resih'ently biased configuration. Preferably, however, the actuator member is
rigid or substantially rigid and does not deform or flex.
In certain preferred embodiments of the invention, the actuator member
is sh'dably mounted to the body of the nozzle device, i.e. it is configured so that
it can slide relative to the body of the nozzle device when a pressure is applied,
thereby enabling the resiliency deformable portion of the body to be selectively
engaged and displaced from its resiliently biased position in response to the
application of a pressure to the actuator. In other preferred embodiments of the
invention., the handle is pivotally mounted to the body of the device.
Preferably, the actuator is integrally formed with the body. Most
preferably, the actuator is linked to the body by a foldable connection element
and is configured to pivot about the connection element to enable the said
portion of the body to be deformed.
In certain embodiments of the invention the outlet of the nozzle device
may be adapted to generate a spray of the fluid ejected from the chamber of the
nozzle device. The outlet of the nozzle device may be adapted to perform this
function by any suitable means known in the art. For instance, the outlet orifice
of the outlet may be a fine hole configured such mat fluid flowing through it
under pressure is caused to break up into numerous droplets. In such
embodiments, however, it is preferable that the outlet comprises an outlet
orifice and an outlet passageway that connects the chamber to the outlet orifice.
The outlet valve is preferably disposed within the outlet passageway. It is
especially preferred that the outlet passageway comprises one or more internal
spray-modifying features that are adapted to reduce the size of liquid droplets
dispensed through the outlet orifice of the nozzle device during use. Examples
of internal spray modifying features that may be present in the outlet
passageway include one or more expansion chambers, one or more swirl
chambers, one or more internal spray orifices (adapted to generate a spray of
fluid flowing through within the outlet passageway), and one or more venturi
chambers. The inclusion of one or more of the aforementioned features is
known to affect the size of the spray droplets dispensed from the device during
use. Specifically, it is known that these features, when present alone or in
combination, contribute to the atomisation of the droplets generated. These
spray-modifying features, and the effect that they impart on the properties of
the spray produced, are known in the art and are described in, for example,
International Patent Publication Number WO 01/89958, the entire contents of
which are incorporated herein by reference. It shall be appreciated that the
provision of the outlet valve upstream from the outlet passageway and the
outlet orifice ensures that the fluid enters the outlet passageway with sufficient
force for the liquid to be broken up into droplets and form a spray.
In certain embodiments of the invention, the outlet passageway and
outlet orifice may be in the form of a separate unit or insert, which can be
connected to the outlet of the chamber to form the outlet of the nozzle device.
The unit or insert may also be connected to the body of the device by a hinge so
as to enable it to be optionally swung into the required position for use and
swing out of position when it is not required.
In alternative embodiments of the invention, the liquid present in the
chamber may be dispensed as a stream of liquid which is not broken up into
droplets. Examples of such liquids dispensed in this form include soaps,
shampoos, creams and the like.
Alternatively, the fluid dispensed may be a gas or mixture of gasses,
such as air, for example.
The chamber defined by the body may be defined between two or more
interconnected parts of the body. It is especially preferred that the chamber of
the nozzle device is defined between two interconnected parts, which may be
separately formed component parts that fit together to define the chamber or,
more preferably, the two parts will be integrally formed with one another as a
single component. In the latter case, it is preferred that the two parts are
connected together by hinge or foldable connection element which enables the
two parts to be moulded together in the same mould and then brought into
contact with one another to define the chamber.
In preferred embodiments of the invention in which the outlet comprises
the outlet valve, an outlet orifice and an outlet passageway that connects the
outlet valve to the outlet orifice, it is also preferred that the at least two
interconnected parts that define the chamber also define at least a portion of the
outlet passageway. Most preferably, the two interconnected parts also form the
outlet valve between them and also define the entire outlet passageway,
together with the outlet orifice.
The outlet passageway is preferably defined between an abutment
surface of one of said parts and an opposing abutment surface of another of said
parts. One or more of the abutment surfaces preferably comprises one or more
grooves and/or recesses formed thereon which define the outlet passageway
when the abutment surfaces are contacted together. Most preferably, each of
said abutment surfaces comprises a groove and/or recesses formed thereon
which align to define the outlet passageway when the abutment surfaces are
contacted together. The grooves and/or recesses preferably extend from the
chamber to an opposing edge of the abutment surfaces where, when the
abutment surfaces are contacted together, an outlet orifice is defined at the end
of trie outlet passageway. In preferred embodiments where one or more spray
modifying features are present in the outlet passageway, the features may be
formed by aligning recesses or other formation formed on the abutment
surfaces, as illustrated and described in International Patent Publication
Number WO 01/89958.
The two parts of the body may be permanently fixed together by, for
example, ultrasonically welding or heat welding. If the base and upper part are
to be moulded or welded together, then it is preferable that they are made from
compatible materials. As previously indicated above, however, it is preferable
that the body if formed from a single material.
Alternatively, the two parts may be configured to fit tightly/resistively to
one another to form the nozzle (e.g. by the provision of a snap-fit connection)
in the absence of any welding. For instance, the edges of one part may be
configured to fit into a retaining groove of the other part to form the nozzle
As a further alternative, a compatible plastic material may be moulded
over the join of the two parts to secure them together. This can be achieved by
moulding the two components simultaneously in a tool, joining them together in
the tool to form the dispenser nozzle device and then moulding a suitable
plastic material around them to hold the two parts together.
In certain embodiments, the two parts may remain releasably attached to
one another so that they can be separated during use to enable the chamber
and/or the outlet to be cleaned.
It is most preferred that the two parts of the body of the nozzle device
that define the chamber are a base part and an upper part. The base part is
preferably adapted to be fitted to the opening of a container by a suitable
means, such as, for example, a screw thread or snap fit connection.
Furthermore, in addition to forming a portion of the body that defines the
chamber, the base part also preferably defines the inlet as well as a portion of
the outlet passageway leading from the chamber to the outlet orifice in
The upper part is adapted to be fitted to the base so that between them
they define the chamber and, in preferred embodiments, the outlet valve, outlet
passageway and/or outlet orifice, hi certain preferred embodiments of the
invention, the base and upper part also define the outlet orifice. It is also
preferred that the upper part forms the resiliency deformable portion of the
body defining the chamber.
As previously mentioned above, the actuator member may be a separate
component part that is fitted to the body of the nozzle device, but it is preferred
that it is integrally formed with one of the component parts of the body.
The body of the nozzle arrangement may be made from any suitable
In preferred embodiments where the body comprises two interconnected
parts which fit together to define the chamber, the two parts may be made from
either the same or different materials. For instance, one of the parts may be
made from a flexible/resiliently deformable material, such as a resiliently
deformable plastic or rubber material, and the other of said parts maybe made
from a rigid material, such as a rigid plastic. Such embodiments are preferred
for some applications because the flexible/resiliently deformable material forms
the resiliently deformable portion of the body defining the chamber and can
readily be depressed by an operator to actuate the ejection of fluid present in the
chamber in the form of a spray. The flexible/resiliently deformable material
can also provide a soft touch feel for the operator. Preferably, the base part will
be formed from a rigid plastic and the upper part will be formed from a
resiliently deformable material. Such embodiments can be made by either
moulding the two parts separately and then connecting them together to form
the assembled nozzle arrangement, or moulding the two parts in the same tool
using a bi-injection moulding process. In the latter case, the two parts could be
moulded simultaneously and then fitted together within the moulding tool or,
alternatively, one part could be moulded first from a first material and the
second part made from a second material could be moulded directly onto the
Alternatively, the two parts may both be made from either a rigid or a
flexible material. The rigid and flexible material may be any suitable material
from which the nozzle device may be formed. For instance, it may be formed
from metallic material such as aluminium foil or a flexible material such as
rubber. Preferably, however, the body of the device is formed entirely from a
rigid plastic material or a flexible plastic material.
The actuator member may be formed from any suitable material.
Preferably it is formed from a rigid plastic material and, most preferably, it is
integrally formed with the base of the device.
The entire pump-action nozzle device (i.e. the body and the actuator) is
preferably formed from a single rigid or flexible plastic material.
The expression "rigid plastic material" is used herein to refer to a plastic
material that possesses a high degree of rigidity and strength once moulded into
the desired form, but which can also be rendered more flexible or resiliently
deformable in portions by reducing the thickness of the plastic. Thus, a thinned
section of plastic can be provided to form the at least a portion of the body that
defines the chamber and which is configured to resiliently deform.
The term "flexible plastic" is used herein to denote plastics materials
which are inherently flexible/resiliently deformable so as to enable the resilient
displacement of at least a portion of the body to facilitate the compression of
the chamber. The extent of the flexibility of the plastic may be dependent on
the thickness of the plastic in any given area or region. Such "flexible plastic"
materials are used, for example, in the preparation of shampoo bottles or
shower gel containers. In the fabrication of a nozzle device of the present
invention, portions of the body may be formed from thicker sections of plastic
to provide the required rigidity to the structure, whereas other portions may be
composed of thinner sections of plastic to provide the necessary deformability
characteristics. If necessary, a framework of thicker sections, generally known
as support ribs, may be present if extra rigidity is required in certain areas.
Forming the entire nozzle device from a single plastic material means
that it can be moulded in a single tool in a single moulding operation, as
The formation of the nozzle device from a single material, particularly in
preferred embodiments where the two parts are integrally formed and
connected to one another by a foldable connection element or a hinged joint so
that the upper part can be swung into contact with the base part to form the
assembled nozzle device, avoids the requirement for the assembly of multiple,
separate component parts. Furthermore, forming the nozzle device from a
single material provides the possibility of welding the two parts together (e.g.
by heat or ultrasonic welding) or, if the plastic material is a rigid plastic
material, then a snap-fit connection can be formed between the upper part and
the base. The latter option also enables the upper part and base to be
disconnected periodically for cleaning.
For most applications the nozzle device would need to be made from a
rigid material to provide the necessary strength and enable the two-parts to be
either snap fitted or welded together. In such cases, the deformable portion of
the body tends to deform only when a certain minimum threshold pressure is
applied and this makes the pump action more like the on/off action associated
conventional pump-action nozzle devices. However, in certain applications, a
flexible material may be preferred.
The portion of the body configured to resiliently deform could be a
relatively thin section of a rigid plastic material which elasticaUy deforms to
compress the chamber when a pressure is applied and then subsequently returns
to its initial resiliently biased configuration when the applied pressure is
removed. Alternatively, the portion of the body concerned may comprise a
substantially rigid portion surrounded by a deformable portion such that
pressure applied to the rigid portion causes the surrounding resiliently
deformable portion to deform and thereby enables the rigid portion to be
displaced to compress the chamber. For example, the surrounding resiliently
deformable portion could resemble a bellows, i.e. a rigid portion is surrounded
by a deformable side wall that comprises a number of folded segments of rigid
plastic which is configured such that applying a pressure to the rigid portion
causes the folds of the sidewall to resiliently compress together to reduce the
volume of the chamber. Once the applied pressure is removed, the side walls
return to their original configuration.
In most cases, however, it is preferable that the abutment surfaces that
define the outlet passageway of the outlet are formed from a rigid plastic
material. Although fiexible/resiliently defonnable materials could be used for
this purpose they are generally less preferred because any spray-modifying
features present will typically need to be precisely formed from a rigid material.
Thus, in some embodiments of the invention, one of the two parts that defines
the outlet and the chamber may be formed from two materials, namely a rigid
material that forms the abutment surface that defines the outlet passageway and
the outlet orifice, and a resiliently defonnable material that defines the
hi order to function optimally, it is necessary that the outlet of the
chamber is provided with, or is adapted to function as, a one-way valve.
Any suitable pressure-sensitive one-way valve assembly that is capable
of forming an airtight seal may be provided in the outlet
However, it is preferable that the valve is formed by the component parts
of the body of the nozzle device. Most preferably, the valve is formed between
the abutment surfaces that define outlet passageway.
In certain preferred embodiments of the invention, the outlet valve may
comprise a valve member which is received within a valve seat to close off the
outlet of the nozzle device. The valve member may be configured such that the
actuation of the device causes the valve member to be physically or
mechanically removed from the valve seat when the device is actuated. For
instance, the resiliently defonnable portion could be configured in such a way
that when it deforms from its resiliently biased configuration the valve member
becomes displaced form the valve seat. The valve will closed at all other time
to prevent air being drawn back into the chamber through the outlet.
In alternative preferred embodiments of the device, the one-way valve is
configured to only permit fluid present in the chamber to be dispensed through
the outlet only when a predetermined minimum threshold pressure is achieved
within the chamber (as a consequence of the reduction in the volume of the
internal chamber caused by the displacement of the resiliency deformable wall
from its initial resiliency biased configuration), and closes the outlet at all other
times to form an airtight seal. The closure of the valve when the pressure in the
chamber is below a predetermined minimum threshold pressure again prevents
air being sucked back through the outlet into the chamber when the applied
pressure to the resiliency deformable portion of the body is released and the
volume of the chamber increases as the resiliency deformable wall re-assumes
its initial resiliency biased configuration.
In certain embodiments of the invention, the outlet valve is formed by
one of the abutment surfaces being resiliency biased against the opposing
abutment surface to close off a portion of the length of the outlet passageway,
hi this regard, the valve will only open to permit fluid to be dispensed from the
chamber when the pressure within the chamber is sufficient to cause the
resiliency biased abutment surface to deform away from the opposing abutment
surface and thereby form an open channel through which fluid from the
chamber can flow. Once the pressure falls below a predetermined minimum
threshold value, the resiliency biased surface will return to its resiliency biased
configuration and close off the passageway.
hi certain embodiments of the invention, it is especially preferred that
the resiliently biased abutment surface is integrally formed with the resiliency
deformable portion of the body, which defines the chamber.
hi embodiments where the body is made entirely from a rigid plastic
material, the resistance provided by the resiliency biased surface, which will be
a thin section of rigid plastic) may not be sufficiently resilient to achieve the
required rninimum pressure threshold for the optimal functioning of the device.
In such cases, a thickened rib of plastic, which extends across the passageway,
may be formed to provide the necessary strength and resistance in the ouCet
passageway/valve. Alternatively, a rigid reinforcing rib could be provided
above part of the outlet passageway/valve.
In an alternative preferred embodiment, the outlet/pre-compression valve
is formed by a resiliency deformable member formed on one of said abutment
surfaces which extends across the outlet passageway to close off and seal the
passageway. The member is mounted to the device along one of its edges and
has another of its edges (preferably the opposing edge) free, the free end being
configured to displace when the pressure within the chamber exceeds a
predetermined minimum threshold value. The free end abuts a surface of the
outlet channel to form a seal therewith when the pressure is below the
predetermined minimum threshold value. However, when the pressure exceeds
the predetermined minimum threshold value, the free end of the member is
displaced from the abutment surface of the channel to form an opening through
which the fluid present in the chamber can flow to the outlet. Preferably, the
resiliently deformable member is positioned within a chamber formed along the
length of the outlet channel or passageway. Most preferably, the abutment
surface, which forms the seal with the free end of the member at pressures
below the minimum threshold, is tapered or sloped at the point of contact with
the free end of the member. This provides a point seal contact and provides a
much more efficient seal. It will of course be appreciated that the slope or taper
of the abutment surface must be arranged so that the free end of the resiliently
deformable member contacts the slope when the pressure within the chamber is
below the predetermined minimum threshold, but distends away from it when
the predetermined minimum threshold is exceeded.
Alternatively, the valve may be a post or plug formed on the abutment
surface of one of the base or upper parts and which contacts the opposing
abutment surface to close off and seal the passageway. The post or plug will be
mounted to a deformable area of the base or upper part so that when the
pressure within the chamber exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the post
or plug can be deformed to define an opening through which fluid can flow
through the outlet.
The predetermined minimum pressure that must be achieved within the
chamber in order to open the outlet valve will depend on the application
concerned. A person skilled in the art will appreciate how to modify the
properties of the resiliently deformable surface by, for example, the selection of
an appropriate resiliently deformable material or varying the manner in which
the surface is fabricated (e.g. by the inclusion of strengthening ridges).
To ensure that fluid is only ejected through outlet when the chamber is
compressed by displacing the resiliently deformable portion of the body into the
chamber from its initial resiliently biased configuration, it is necessary to
provide a one-way inlet valve disposed at or in the inlet of the nozzle device.
The inlet valve may be adapted to only open and permit fluid to flow
into the chamber when the pressure within the chamber falls below a
predetermined minimum threshold pressure (as is the case when the pressure
applied to the resiliently deformable portion of the chamber to compress the
chamber is released and the volume of the chamber increases as the resiliently
deformable portion reassumes it's initial resiliently biased configuration). In
such cases, the inlet valve may be a flap valve which consists of a resiliently
deformable flap positioned over the inlet opening. The flap is preferably
resiliently biased against the inlet opening and adapted to deform so as to allow
fluid to be drawn into the chamber through the inlet when the pressure within
the chamber falls below a predetermined mrnimum threshold pressure. At all
other times, however^ the inlet will be closed, thereby preventing fluid flowing
back from the chamber into the inlet. It is especially preferred that the
resiliently deformable flap is formed as an integral extension of the resiliently
deformable portion of the body which defines the chamber. It is also especially
preferred that the base defines the inlet and the resiliently deformable portion of
the body is formed by the upper part. It is therefore the preferred that the upper
part comprises the resiliently deformable flap that extends within said chamber
to cover the inlet opening to the chamber and form the inlet valve.
Alternatively, the flap may not be resiliently biased against the inlet
opening and may instead be disposed over the inlet opening and configured
such that it is pressed against the inlet only when the chamber is compressed
and the pressure therein increases.
Problems can arise, however, with the simple provision of a flap valve
that is resiliently biased over the inlet opening. Specifically, over time the
elastic limit of the material from which the flap is formed may be exceeded,
which may cause it to not function properly. This problem applies particularly
to embodiments of the invention in which the flap is formed from a thin section
of a rigid material, although it also applies to a lesser extent to flexible
materials and can occur due to deformation of the flap when the chamber is
compressed, as well as when the flap deforms to open the valve. As a
consequence, fluid could leak from the chamber back into the container through
For these reasons it is preferable that flap valve comprises a number of
adaptations. In particular, it is preferred that the inlet has a raised lip extending
around the inlet orifice that the resiliently deformable flap abuts to create a tight
seal around the inlet. The provision of a lip ensures a good contact is obtained
with the flap. In embodiments where the lip is very small it may be necessary
to provide one or more additional support ribs at either side of the inlet opening
to ensure that a proper seal is formed and to also prevent the lip from damage.
A further preferred feature is that the flap possesses a protrusion or plug
formed on its surface. The protrusion or plug extends a short way into the inlet
opening and abuts the side edges to further enhance the seal formed.
It is also preferred that the inlet opening to the chamber is disposed at an
elevated position within the chamber so that fluid flows into the chamber
through the inlet and drops down into a holding or reservoir area. This prevents
fluid resting on the top of the inlet valve over prolonged periods by effectively
distancing the inlet opening from the main fluid holding/reservoir area of the
chamber and thereby reduces the likelihood of any leaks occurring over time.
It is also preferred that a second reinforcing flap or member contacts the
opposing surface of the resiliently deformable flap to urge it into tight abutment
with the inlet opening. It is also preferred mat the second reinforcing flap
contact the opposing surface of the resiliently deformable flap at or close to the
portion of the opposing surface that covers the inlet orifice to maximise the
vertical pressure of the main flap over the hole. Again this helps to maintain
the integrity of the seal.
The nozzle device may also be provided with a locking means to prevent
the fluid being dispensed accidentally.
In such embodiments the lock will be integral part of the body and will
not be a separate component connected to the body. For instance, the locking
means may be hinged bar or member that is integrally connected to a part of the
body (e.g. either the base or upper part) and which can be swung into a position
whereby the bar or member prevents the outlet valve from opening.
The locking means may be provided between the actuator member and '
the body of the nozzle device. In embodiments where the actuator member is
an over cap slidably mounted to the body, locking detents may be provided on
the body and the over cap which can be selectively engaged to lock the position
of the over cap relative to the body. The detents could be selectively engaged
by, for example, twisting the over cap into a locked position.
hi embodiments where the actuator member is pivotally mounted to the
body of the device, the locking means may be a hinged member fitted to the
actuator member or the body of the device which can be moved into a position
whereby it engages the body of the device of the actuator member respectively,
to prevent the actuator member pivoting when a pressure is applied and, hence,
compressing the internal chamber.
The device may further comprise an air leak through which air can flow
to equalise any pressure differential between the interior of the container and
the external environment In some cases, the air leak may simply occur through
gaps in the fitting between the dispenser nozzle and the container, but this is not
preferred because leakage may occur if the container is inverted or shaken. In
preferred embodiments, the dispenser nozzle further comprises an air leak
valve, i.e. a one-way valve that is adapted to permit air to flow into the
container, but prevents any fluid leaking out of the container if it is inverted.
Any suitable one-way valve system would suffice. It is preferred, however, that
the air leak valve is integrally formed within the body of the dispenser or, more
preferably, between two component parts of the body of the dispenser.
Most preferably, the air leak valve is formed between the upper part and
base which define the chamber of the dispenser nozzle.
Preferably, the air leak valve comprises a valve member disposed within
a channel that is defined by the body of the device and connects the interior of
the fluid supply to the external environment. Most preferably, the valve
member is resiliently biased so as to contact the sides of the channel and forms
a sealing engagement therewith to prevent any liquid from leaking out of the
container, the valve member being further adapted to either resiliently deform
or displace from the sealing engagement with the sides of the channel to define
an opening through which air can flow into the container when pressure within
the container falls below the external pressure by at least a ininimum threshold
amount. Once the pressure differential between the interior and the exterior of
the container has been reduced to below the minimum threshold pressure, the
valve member returns to it position in which the channel is closed.
Preferably, the valve member is in the form of a plunger that extends
into the channel and comprises an outwardly extending wall that abuts the sides
of the channel to form a seal. Preferably, the outwardly extending wall is
additionally angled towards the interior of the container. This configuration
means that a high pressure within the container and exerted on the wall of the
valve member will cause the wall to remain in abutment with the sides of the
channel. Thus, the integrity of the seal is maintained thereby preventing liquid
from leaking out through the valve. Conversely, when pressure within the
container falls below the external pressure by at least a minimum threshold
amount, the wall is deflected away from the sides of the container to permit air
to flow into the container to equalise or reduce the pressure differential.
It is especially preferred that the plunger is mounted on to a deformable
base or flap which is capable of some movement when the dome is pressed to
displace any residue that may have accumulated in the air leak valve. In
addition, the provision of a moveable (e.g. resiliently deformable) element
within the air leak valve is preferred because it helps to prevent the valve
becoming clogged during use.
In certain embodiments of the invention it is also preferred that a
protective cover is provided over the opening of the female tube on the internal
surface of the device to prevent liquid present in the interior of the container
from contacting the valve member with a high or excessive force when the
container is inverted or shaken aggressively. The cover will allow air and some
fluid to flow past, but will prevent fluid impacting on the seal formed by the
flared end of the plunger directly, and thus will prevent the seal being exposed
to excessive forces.
In an alternative embodiment, the channel of the air leak valve may be
resiliently deformable instead of the male part. This arrangement can be
configured so that the side walls of the channel distort to permit air to flow into
The valve member and channel could be made from the same material or
different materials. For instance, they may both be made from a semi-flexible
plastic or the female element may be made from a rigid plastic and the male
part made from a resiliently deformable material.
With certain products stored hi containers over time there is a problem
associated with gas building up inside the bottle over time. To release the build
up of pressure, which can inevitably occur, a release valve is required. The air
leak valve described above can be modified to additionally perform this
function by providing one or more fine grooves in the side of the channel.
These fine groove(s) will permit gas to slowly seep out of the container, bypassing
the seal formed by the contact of the valve member with the sides of the
channel, but prevent or minimise the volume of liquid that may seep out.
Preferably, the groove or grooves formed hi the side walls of the channel is/are
formed on the external side of the point of contact between the valve member
and the sides of the channel so that it/they are only exposed when the pressure
inside the container increases and acts on the plunger to cause it to deform
outwards (relative to the container). The plunger will return to its resiliently
biased position hi which the grooves are not exposed once any excess gas has
been emitted. No liquid product should be lost during this process.
Alternatively, the gas pressure within the container could urge the valve
member outwards so that it is displaced from the channel and defines an
opening through which the gas could flow.
In preferred embodiments of the invention comprising at least two
component parts, it is preferred that a seal is disposed at the join between the at
least two interconnected parts to prevent any fluid leaking out of the dispenser
nozzle. Any suitable seal would suffice. For instance, the two parts could be
welded to one another or one part could be configured to snap fit into a sealing
engagement with the other part or have possess a flange around its perimeter
that fits tightly around the upper surface of the other part to form a seal
Preferably, the seal comprises a male protrusion formed on the abutment
surface of one of the at least two parts that is received in a sealing engagement
with a corresponding groove formed on the opposing abutment surface of the
other part when the two parts are connected together.
The seal preferably extends around the entire chamber and the sides of
the outlet passageway so that fluid leaking from any position within the
chamber and or outlet passageway is prevented from seeping between the join
between the two component parts. In certain embodiments where the outlet
orifice is not defined between the two component parts of the body, it is
preferred that the seal extends around the entire chamber and any portion of the
outlet that is defined between the two interconnected parts of the body.
In certain embodiments that comprise an outlet passageway the
protrusion member may extend across the passageway and form the resiliently
deformable valve member of the outlet valve. This portion of the protrusion
will usually be thinner to provide the necessary resilience in the valve member
to permit it to perform its function.
In certain embodiments of the invention, the male protrusion may be
configured to snap fit into the groove or, alternatively, the male protrusion may
be configured to resistively fit into the groove in a similar manner to the way in
which, a plug fits into the hole of a sink.
In most cases., a dip tube maybe integrally formed with the dispenser, or
alternatively the body of the dispenser may comprise a recess into which a
separate dip tube can be fitted. The dip tube enables fluid to be drawn from
deep inside the container during use and thus, will be present in virtually all
Alternatively, it may be desirable with some containers, particularly
small volume containers, such as glues, perfume bottles and nasal sprays, to
omit the dip tube, because the device itself could extend into the container to
draw the product into the dispenser nozzle during use, or the container could be
inverted to facilitate the priming of the dispenser with fluid. Alternatively, the
device may further comprise a fluid compartment formed as an integral part of
device from which fluid can be drawn directly into the inlet of the nozzle
without the need for a dip tube.
The chamber of the nozzle device may be of any form and it shall of
course be appreciated that the dimensions and shape of the chamber will be
selected to suit the particular device and application concerned. Similarly, all
the fluid in the chamber may be expelled when the chamber is compressed or,
alternatively, only a proportion of the fluid present in the chamber may be
dispensed, again depending on the application concerned.
In certain preferred embodiments of the invention, the chamber is
defined by a generally dome-shaped resiliency deformable region of the body.
Preferably, the dome-shaped region is formed on the upper surface of the body
so that it is accessible for engagement by an engagement portion of the actuator
member that is fitted to the body.
One problem with dome-shaped chambers can be that a certain amount
of dead space exists within the chamber when it is compressed, and for some
applications it will be preferable that the dead space is rninimised or virtually
negligible. To achieve this, it has been found that flattened domes or other
shaped chambers whereby the resiliency deformable wall of chamber can be
depressed such that it contacts an opposing wall of the chamber and thereby
expels all of the contents present therein are generally preferred. For this
reason, a flattened dome is especially preferred because it reduces the extent
with which the dome needs to be pressed inwards in order to compress the
chamber and actuate the dispensing of fluid stored therein. It also reduces the
number of presses required to prime the chamber ready for the first use.
In some cases, the resiliently deformable portion of the body may not be
sufficiently resilient to retain its original resiliency biased configuration
following deformation. This may be the case where the fluid has a high
viscosity and hence tends to resist being drawn into the chamber through the
inlet. In such cases, extra resilience can be provided by the positioning of one
or more resiliently deformable posts within the chamber, which bend when the
chamber is compressed and urge the deformed portion of the body back to its
original resiliently biased configuration when the applied pressure is removed.
Alternatively, one or more thickened ribs of plastic could extend from the edge
of the resiliently deformable area towards the middle of this portion. These ribs
will increase the resilience of the resiliently deformable area by effectively
functioning as a leaf spring which compresses when a pressure is applied to the
resiliently deformable portion of the body, and urges this portion back to its
initial resiliently biased configuration when the applied pressure is removed.
Yet another alternative is that a spring or another form of resilient means
is disposed in the chamber. As above, the spring will compress when the wall
is deformed and, when the applied pressure is removed, will urge the deformed
portion of the body to return to its original resiliently biased configuration and,
in doing so, urges the compressed chamber back into its original "noncompressed
The nozzle device of the invention may comprise two or more separate
internal chambers.
Each individual chamber may draw fluid into the nozzle device through
a separate inlet from different fluid sources, e.g. separate fluid-filled
compartments within the same container.
Alternatively, one or more of the additional chambers may not comprise
an inlet. Instead a reservoir of the second fluid may be stored in the chamber
itself and the additional chamber or its outlet may be configured to only permit
a predetermined amount of the second fluid to be dispensed with each
As a further alternative, one or more chambers of the additional
chambers may draw air in from outside the nozzle device. Whether the
additional chamber or chambers contain air or some other fluid drawn from a
separate compartment within the container, the contents of the two or more
chambers can be ejected simultaneously through the outlet by simultaneously
compressing both chambers together. The contents of the respective chambers
will then be mixed within the outlet, either on, after or prior to, ejection from
the nozzle device. It shall be appreciated that varying the relative volumes of
the separate chambers and/or the dimensions of the outlet can be used to
influence the relative proportions of constituents present in the final mixture
expelled through the outlet. Furthermore, the outlet passageway may be
divided into two or more separate channels, each channel extending from a
separate chamber, and each separate channel may feed fluid into a spray nozzle
passageway as discussed above where it is mixed prior to ejection.
Where an additional chamber for the expulsion of air is present, it shall
be appreciated that, once the expulsion of air is complete and the applied
pressure is removed thereby allowing the chamber to deform back to its original
expanded configuration, more air needs to be drawn into the chamber to
replenish that expelled. This can be achieved by either sucking air back in
through the outlet (i.e. not providing this additional chamber with an airtight
outlet valve) or, more preferably, drawing air in though an inlet hole in the body
defining the chamber. In the latter case, the inlet hole is preferably provided
with a one-way valve similar to the inlet valve discussed above. This valve will
only permit air to be drawn into the chamber and will prevent air being expelled
back through the hole when the chamber is compressed.
In most cases, it is desirable to co-eject the air and fluid from the
container at approximately the same pressure. This will require the air chamber
to be compressed more (e.g. 3-200 tunes more - depending on the application
concerned) than the fluid/liquid-containing chamber. This may be achieved by
positioning the chambers so that, when a pressure is applied, the compression
of the ak-containing chamber occurs preferentially, thereby enabling the air and
liquid to be ejected at the same or substantially the same pressure. For
example, the air-containing chamber may be positioned behind the liquidcontaining
chamber so that, when a pressure is applied, the air chamber is
compressed first until a stage is reached when both chambers are compressed
As an alternative, the nozzle device may also be adapted hi such a way
that the air pressure may be higher or lower than the liquid pressure, which may
be beneficial for certain applications.
The chambers may be arranged side by side or one chamber may be on
top of another, hi a preferred embodiment where one of the additional
chambers contains air, the additional air chamber is positioned relative to the
chamber of the nozzle device so that the compression of the air chamber causes
the resiliently deformable portion of the body to deform and compress the
chamber of the nozzle device.
Preferably, the fluid present in each chamber are ejected simultaneously.
However, it shall be appreciated that one chamber may eject its fluid before or
after another chamber in certain applications.
In alternative embodiments, air and fluid from the container may be
present in a single chamber, rather than separate chambers. In such cases, fluid
and air is co-ejected and may be mixed as it flows through the outlet. For
example, where the outlet comprises an expansion chamber, i.e. a widened
chamber positioned in the outlet passageway, the contents ejected from the
chamber could be split into separate branches of the channel and enter the
expansion chamber at different locations to encourage mixing.
In most cases it is preferable that the nozzle device is adapted to be fitted
to container by some suitable means, e.g. a snap fit or a screw thread
connection. In certain cases, however, the nozzle device could be incorporated
into a container as an integral part. For instance, the nozzle device could be
integrally moulded with various forms of plastic container, such as rigid
containers or bags. This is possible because the device is preferably moulded
as a single material and, therefore, can be integrally moulded with containers
made from the same or a similar compatible material.
a container having a pump-action nozzle device as hereinbefore defined fitted
to an opening thereof so as to enable the fluid stored in the container to be
dispensed from the container through said nozzle device during use.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
container having a pump-action nozzle device as hereinbefore defined
integrally formed therewith so as to enable the fluid stored in the container to
be dispensed from the container through said nozzle device during use.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
pump-action nozzle device configured to enable fluid to be dispensed from a
container, said nozzle having a body which defines an internal chamber having
an inlet through which fluid may be drawn into said chamber and an outlet
through which fluid present in the chamber may be expelled from the nozzle,
said inlet comprising an inlet valve adapted to only permit fluid to flow into the
chamber through the inlet when the pressure within the chamber falls below the
pressure within the interior of the container to which the device is attached by
at least a predetermined niinimum threshold amount and said outlet comprising
an outlet valve configured to only permit fluid to flow out of the chamber and
be expelled from the nozzle when the pressure within the chamber exceeds the
(i) be displaceable from an initial resiliently biased configuration to a
(ii) subsequently return to its initial position when the applied pressure
is removed, thereby causing the volume of the chamber to increase and the
pressure therein to fall such that fluid is drawn into the chamber through the
inlet valve;
In addition, it is also preferable, the part of the body that can be
displaced inwards to reduce the volume of the chamber and thereby cause fluid
present in said chamber to be ejected through the outlet is a piston mounted
within a piston channel. The piston channel may form the entire chamber or,
alternatively, just a portion thereof.
Preferably, the nozzle device comprises a means for displacing the
piston inwards from its initial position and then subsequently returning it is
initial position. This may be achieved by any suitable means, such as, for
example, a trigger or over cap connected to the piston which can be operated to
displace the piston, when desired. Preferably, the actuator member is resiliency
biased to retain said portion of the body in its initial position in the absence of
any applied pressure.
The nozzle devices of the present invention may be made by any suitable
methodology know in the art.
As previously described, preferred embodiments of the invention
comprise a body having two parts (a base and upper part) which fit together to
define at least the chamber of the device and, more preferably, the chamber and
at least a portion of the outlet. In addition, the device comprises an actuator
a method of manufacturing a nozzle device as hereinbefore defined, said nozzle
device having a body composed of at least two interconnected parts and having
an actuator member fitted thereto, said method comprising the steps of:
(i) moulding said parts of the body and said actuator member;
(ii) connecting said parts of the body together to form the body of the
nozzle device; and
(iii) fitting the actuator member to the body of the nozzle device.
Each part of the body and the actuator member may be a separate
component part, in which case the component parts are initially formed and
then assembled together to form the nozzle device. Each component part may
be made from the same or a different material.
Alternatively, and more preferably, the two parts of the body or one of
the parts of the body and the actuator member may be integrally formed with
one another and connected by a bendable/foldable connection element. In such
cases the connected parts are formed in a single moulding step and then
assembled together with the remaining part to form the nozzle device. For
instance, the base and upper part of the preferred embodiments of the device
may be integrally formed and connected to one another by a foldable/bendable
connection element. Once formed, the upper part can be folded over and
connected to the base to form the assembled nozzle device. The actuator
member may then be fitted to the body of the nozzle device as a separate
In especially preferred embodiments of the invention, the device is
formed from a single component part, which comprises the two parts of the
body and the actuator member, all integrally formed with one another and
connected to one another by foldable/bendable connection elements. Thus, the
entire device is formed in a single moulding step from a single material. Once
formed, the two parts forming the chamber of the device can be connected
together and the actuator member can then be connected into a position
whereby it extends across the resiliency deformable portion of the body.
It shall be appreciated that integrally formed component parts are
preferably formed from the same material in single moulding step.
As an alternative, the nozzle device may be formed as a bi-injection
moulding whereby a first component part of the body is formed from a first
material and a second part of the body formed from the same or a different
material is moulded onto the first part. Again, the actuator member may be a
separate component part that is then fitted to the body of the nozzle device, or it
may be integrally formed with one of the part of the body
(i) moulding a first of said parts of the body in a first processing
(ii) over-moulding the second of said parts onto the first of said parts
in a second processing step to form the body of the nozzle device;
(iii) connecting the actuator member to the body of the nozzle device.
The at least two parts are preferably moulded within the same moulding
tool. Usually the first part will be the base part of the nozzle device and the
second part will be the upper part.
(i) moulding a first of said parts of the body in a first processing step
together with a framework or base for a second of said parts; and
(ii) over-moulding a second plastic material onto the framework or
base to form the second of said parts of the assembled nozzle
It is especially preferred that the base is moulded first from a rigid
plastic material together with the framework support for the upper part. The
framework for the upper part is preferably connected to the base by a hinged or
foldable connection member, which enables the framework to be folded over
and fitted to the base during the assembly of the final product The framework
is over moulded with a compatible flexible, resiliency deformable plastic
material which forms the resiliently deformable portion of the body that defines
the chamber. The resiliently deformable plastic material may also form
resiliently deformable valve members for the outlet valve and the inlet valve. It
may also extend over other parts of the nozzle surface to provide a soft-touch
feel to the device when an operator grips it. The rigid framework of the upper
part may form an outer edge of the upper part, which forms the point of
connection with the base and, in embodiments where a spray nozzle
passageway is present, the framework may also form an upper abutment surface
which contacts a lower abutment surface formed the base to define the spray
passageway and outlet orifice.
a method of manufacturing a, nozzle device as hereinbefore defined, said nozzle
device having a body composed of at least two interconnected parts having an
actuator member fitted thereto, wherein said parts and said actuator member are
connected to one another by a connection element such that said parts are
moveable relative to one another, said method comprising the steps of:
(i) moulding the parts of the body and the actuator member together
with said connection elements in a single moulding step;
(ii) moving said part of the body into engagement with one another to
form the body of the nozzle device; and
(iii) moving the actuator member into engagement with the body to
form the nozzle device.
Preferably, a blowing agent is incorporated into the mould together with
the plastic material. The blowing agent produces bubbles of gas within the
moulded plastic that prevent the occurrence of a phenomenon known as sinkage
from occurring. The problem of sinkage and the use of blowing agents in the
manufacture of blowing agents to address this problem is described further in
the applicant's co-pending International Patent Publication No. WO03/049916,
How the invention may be put into practice will now be described by
way of example only, in reference to the following drawings, in which:
Figure 1A is a perspective view of an example of a nozzle device
adapted to dispense fluid in the form of a spray and which comprises a body
formed of two component parts;
Figure IB is a further perspective of the device shown in Figure 1A;
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional diagrammatic view of an example of a
further nozzle device adapted to dispense fluid in the of a spray and which
comprises a body formed of two component parts;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the upper part 102 shown in Figure 1;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of an example of a nozzle device adapted
to dispense a bolus of fluid (i.e. the fluid is not broken up into droplets);
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the base part 101 shown in Figure 4,
without the upper part 102 present;
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the upper part 102 shown in Figure 4;
Figure 7A is a cross-sectional view of the nozzle device shown in Figure
Figure 7B is a further cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of
Figure 8A is a perspective view of a further example of a nozzle device
adapted to dispense a bolus of fluid;
Figure 8B is a cross-sectional view taken through the embodiment
shown in Figure 8A;
Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view taken through another an example of a
nozzle device adapted to dispense a bolus of fluid;
Figures- lOa, lOb, lOc and lOd show various illustrations of an
embodiment according of the invention;
Figures 11 a, lib and lie show various illustrations of another
Figures 12a, 12b, 12c and 12d show various views of further
Figures 13a and 13b show cross-sectional and perspective views,
respectively, of a further embodiment of the invention;
Figures 14a and 14b show cross-sectional and perspective views,
respectively, of a further embodiment of the invention; and
Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view of a nozzle device of the invention
comprising a piston assembly for compressing the chamber.
In the following description of the figures, like reference numerals are
used to denote like or corresponding parts in different figures, where
The nozzle device shown in Figures 1A and IB comprises a body 100
formed of two parts, namely a base part 101 and an upper part 102, which are
connected to one another by a foldable connection element 103.
The body 100 is formed from a single rigid plastic material in a single
moulding operation. The device will be moulded in the configuration shown in
Figures 1A and IB and then the upper part 102 will be folded over about the
connection element 103 and fitted to the upper surface of the base 101 to form
the assembled nozzle arrangement. Once the base 101 and the upper part 102
are fitted together, the portion 102a of the under surface of the upper part 102
abuts the abutment portion/surface 1 Ola of the upper surface of the base 101.
The elevated portion lOlb of the upper surface of the base 101 is received
within recess 102b formed in the under surface of the upper part 102 to define
A groove 104 formed in the elevated portion of the base lOlb forms an
initial portion of an outlet passageway in the assembled nozzle arrangement that
leads from the internal chamber to an outlet valve. The outlet valve is formed
by a resiliently deformable flap 105 formed on the under surface of the upper
part 102 which is received within a recess 106 formed in the opposing abutment
surface 1 Ola of the base. The flap 105 extends over the end of the groove 104
when the base and upper parts are connected together to close the outlet
passageway. The flap 105 is configured to resiliently deform away from the
end of the groove 104 when the pressure within the internal chamber exceeds a
predetermined minimum threshold to define an open passageway, as described
further below. The flap 105 is also formed as a continuation of the ridge
protrusion 112 discussed further below.
The remainder of the fluid flow passageway is defined by the alignment
of grooves and or recesses 104a, 104b and 104c formed hi the abutment surface
lOla of the base 101 with corresponding grooves and/or recesses 107a, 107b
and 107c, respectively. The portions 104c and 107c are semicircular recesses
which align to form a circular swirl chamber which induces rotational flow into
liquid passing through the outlet passageway during use. Liquid is ejected from
this chamber during use through an outlet formed by the alignment of grooves
104d and 107d respectively.
The base 101 also defines an inlet orifice 108, which is positioned within
a recess 108a formed in the elevated portion lOlb. A resiliently deformable
flap 109 formed on the under surface of the upper part 102 is received within
the recess 108a in the assembled nozzle arrangement and is resiliently biased
against the inlet opening to close off the inlet. The flap 109 is configured to
resiliently deform away from the inlet opening to permit fluid to be drawn into
the chamber when the pressure therein falls below the pressure in the attached
container by at least a predetermined minimum threshold amount. The opening
of the inlet 108 is provided with a lip against which the flap 109 abuts to form a
seal. Supporting ribs 108b and 108c prevent the flap 109 exerting too much
force on the lip.
Locating posts HOa and 11 Ob formed on the under surface of the upper
part 102 are received within holes Ilia and 11 Ib formed in the base and assist
in holding the base and the upper part in tight abutment with one another. In
addition, a ridge protrusion 112, which extends around the recess 102b is
received within, and forms a sealing engagement with, a correspondingly
shaped groove 113, which is formed in the upper surface of the base 101 and
extends around the elevated portion lOlb. The ridge 112 and groove fit tightly
together to assist in holding the base 101 and the upper part 102 in tight
abutment with one another. The ridge and groove also form a seal that prevents
any fluid leaking out of the chamber and seeping between the upper part and
the base. This seal also extends to encompass the outlet passageway and the
outlet orifice by virtue of portions 112a and 113a.
The body also comprises an air leak valve which consists of a resiliency
deformable member 115 formed on the under surface of the upper part 102,
which is received within an opening 116 formed on the abutment surface 101 a
of the base when the nozzle arrangement is assembled. The opening 116,
together with the groove 115 defines a passageway through which air may flow
into the container from the outside in the assembled nozzle arrangement. The
tip of the resiliency deformable member 115 is provided with a flared rim, the
edges of which abut the internal walls of the opening 116 to form an airtight
seal. If a reduced pressure exists in the container as a consequence of expelling
fluid through the nozzle arrangement, the pressure differential between the
interior of the container and the external environment causes the flared rim of
the member 115 to deform inwards, thereby permitting air to flow into the
container from the external environment. Once the pressure differential has
been equalised, the flared run returns to its original configuration resiliency
biased configuration to prevent any further flow through the opening 116. It
shall also be appreciated that if the container is inverted, the product cannot
leak past the rim of the resiliently deformable member 115 and any pressure
that is applied, by squeezing the container for example, simply pushes the flared
rim into tighter abutment with the walls of the opening 116.
In an alternative embodiment, the air leak valve may be a post or flap
positioned within a hole which can resiliently deform to open the passageway
when a pressure differential exists, thereby allowing air to flow into the
container from the external environment.
As a further alternative, the resiliently deformable upper part 102 could
comprise a fine slit above an opening similar to opening 1102. This slit could
be configured to open when a pressure differential exists.
As yet another alternative, the air release may be positioned closer to the
resiliently deformable upper part 102 and configured such that, when toe upper
part is pressed downwards to expel the contents present in the chamber 201, the
resiliently deformable member deforms in such a way that the air valve is
opened, and air may flow into or out of the chamber to equalise any pressure
differential that may exist.
During use, an operator will press the outer surface of the portion 102b
of the upper part inwards, which is the resiliently deformable portion of the
body defining the chamber. This portion of the upper part can be easily pressed
into abutment with the upper surface of the portion lOlb of the base and
thereby compresses the internal chamber defined there between and causes the
pressure therein to increase. When the pressure exceeds a predetermined
ffibumurn threshold value, the flap 105 will be displaced from its resiliently
biased position to define an opening through which liquid can flow through the
remainder of the outlet passageway to the outlet orifice where it is ejected in the
form of a spray. As soon as the pressure within the chamber falls back below
the predetermined minimum threshold value, the flap 105 will return to its
resiliently biased configuration to close of the outlet passageway. When the
applied pressure is removed from portion 102b of the upper part 102 it will
return to its resiliency biased position and trie volume of the chamber will
increase. This causes the pressure within the chamber to decrease and the flap
109 of the inlet valve to be displaced to permit more liquid to be drawn into the
chamber through the inlet valve.
A further example of a nozzle device adapted to dispense fluid in the
form of a spray is shown in Figure 2. In this example, only the internal
chamber 201 and outlet passageway 202 are shown for the purpose of
illustration. An inlet, although not shown, would usually be present in practice.
The example shown in Figure 2 comprises a base made from a rigid
plastic and an upper part 102 which comprises an abutment surface portion
102a formed from a rigid plastic, and a resiliently deformable portion 102b,
which defines the chamber 201 together with portion lOlb of the base 101 is
made from a resiliently deformable material. This embodiment of the nozzle
device may be formed by a bi-injection moulding process whereby the base and
the portion 102a of the upper part 102 are moulded from a rigid plastic and the
portion 102b, which is formed from a resiliently deformable plastic is then
moulded onto the portion 102a. The base 101 and upper part 102 are then fitted
together to form the assembled nozzle device. Optionally, the portion 102a and
the base may be moulded from the same material and connected to one another
by a foldable connection element.
In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the outlet valve again comprises
flap 105 received within a recess 106 formed on the opposing abutment surface
of the upper part. The side 106a of the recess is angled so that the flap 105 is
resiliently biased to abut the edge to form a tight seal at its lower end.
The flap is deflected from, the side 106a to define an opening through
which fluid can flow when the required pressure is achieved in the chamber
201. Fluid then flows along the outlet passageway to the outlet orifice (not
shown) and on its way passes through an expansion chamber 204 formed by
aligned recesses formed on the opposing abutment surfaces 102a and 101 a.
Figure 3 shows the upper part 102 and base 101 of the embodiment
shown in Figure 2. Again, although not shown, the upper part also comprises a
flap projection 109 which covers an inlet 108 formed in the base 101 to form
the inlet valve, as discussed above. In this embodiment, the upper part 102
comprises a frame of rigid plastic material, which forms portion 102a of the
upper part and which surrounds a region of resiliency deformable material,
which forms portion 102b of the upper part 102, as previously described. The
rigid plastic portion 102a abuts the portion 10 la of the base (as shown in Figure
2) to define the outlet passageway. As can bee seen from Figure 3, outlet
passageway 202 comprises a first expansion chamber 204 formed by the
alignment of recesses 301 and 302, and a second outlet chamber formed by the
alignment of recesses 303 and 304.
To ensure a tight abutment between the upper part 102 and the base 101,
various clip features 305 are provided on the abutment surface of the upper
part. The clip 305 formed on the abutment surface of the upper part 102
engages with recesses/cavities formed in the abutment surface 101 a of the base
to locate and secure the upper part and the base together.
The embodiment shown in Figure 4 is an example of a device adapted to
dispense fluids as a bolus of liquid rather than as a spray. The comprises a
body 400 formed of two parts, namely a base part 101 and an upper part 102,
which is fitted to the upper surface of the base part 101. The body 400 is
formed from a rigid plastic material, but the upper part 102 could be formed
from a resiliency deformable material.
The base part 101 comprises a screw-threaded recess in its underside to
enable the body to be secured to a screw-threaded neck of a container,
effectively forming a screw-threaded cap. The upper part 102 is fitted to the
upper surface base part 101 as shown in Figure 4, and forms a substantially
dome-shaped protrusion on the upper surface of the body 400. This dome
shaped protrusion is the resiliently deformable portion of the body, which can
be pressed by an operator to course it to deform inwards to reduce the volume
of the internal chamber. This causes fluid to be ejected from the chamber
through the outlet orifice 403.
A perspective view of the base part 101 is shown in Figure 5. Referring
to Figure 5, the base part 101 comprises a downwardly extending portion 501,
tiie under surface of which is provided with the screw threaded recess
previously mentioned. The upper surface of the base 101 has a perimeter edge
504, which encircles a central recessed portion 502. The recessed portion 502
consists of a deeper portion 10Ib shaped substantially like an inverted dome,
which extends to form the lower part of a generally spout-like outlet having an
edge 505 that defines a portion of the outlet orifice. In the region of the outlet
edge 505 of the base 101, the recessed portion 502 forms an abutment surface
101 a, which, together with the upper part 102, defines an outlet passage/valve
of the nozzle device leading to the outlet orifice formed by edge 505 and a
corresponding edge of the upper portion.
Positioned within recess 502, and just inside the edge 504, is a channel
113, the significance of which will be come apparent in the discussion of
Figures 6 below. Also positioned in the region 10 Ib of the recess 502 is an
inlet opening 108, through which fluid may be drawn into the nozzle device
from the associated container during use. The opening of the inlet 108 is
positioned within a further recess 108a, the significance of which will again
become apparent in the discussion of Figure 6 below.
The under surface of the upper part 102 is shown in more detail in
Figure 6 (for the purpose of illustration, the upper part shown in Figure 6 is
inverted). The under surface of the upper part 102 is surrounded by a lip/ridge
protrusion 112, which, when the upper part 102 is fitted to the base 101, is
received within the channel 113 to form a tight seal between the base and the
upper part, thereby preventing any fluid leakage occurring at the join between
the base 101 and the upper part 102. The under surface of the upper part
extends between the lip 112 and assumes the configuration a substantially
dome-shaped recess at 102b, which aligns with the recessed portion lOlb when
the base and upper part are connected together, and extends to form an
abutment surface at region 102a, which contacts the opposing abutment surface
101 a of the base 101 in the assembled nozzle device to define the outlet
passageway. The upper part additionally comprises a flap projection 109
which, when the upper surface is fitted to the base 101, sits within the recess
108a and is resiliency biased against the inlet opening 108. The flap projection
109 forms the resiliently deformable valve member of the inlet valve.
The internal structure and operation of the nozzle device 400 shown in
Figure 4 will be better understood by referring to the cross-sectional views
shown in Figures 7A and 7B. Referring to Figure 7A, the base 101 comprises
recesses 701 and 702 on it's under surface. The recess 701 comprises a screwthread
(not shown) and is circular in profile so that it can be fitted to a circular
screw-threaded neck opening of a container. The recess 702 on the other hand
is adapted to receive a dip tube 704 and also extends to form the inlet opening
108 of the dispenser valve. The portion lOlb of the upper surface 502 of the
base 101, together with the portion 102b under surface of the upper part 102,
defines an internal chamber 201. The portion 101 a of the upper surface,
together with the portion 102a of the under surface of the upper part 102
defines an outlet passage which leads to an outlet orifice 403 defined by the
edge 505 of the base and edge 605 of the upper part. Thus, the portion 102b of
the upper part 102 is made from a thin section of rigid plastic capable of
undergoing a resilient deformation. This portion of the body 400 is therefore
the resiliently deformable portion of the body that defines the chamber. The
abutment surface formed by portion 102a of the upper part 102 is also
configured to resiliently deform from the resiliently biased configuration
whereby tne outlet passageway is closed, as shown in Figures 7A and 7B, to a
position in which the passageway is open. Thus, the resiliently deformable
outlet passageway effectively forms the outlet valve of the device.
Furthermore, the flap projection 109 of the upper part is received within the
recess 108a surrounding the inlet 108 of the chamber to form an inlet flap
valve, as previously discussed.
Therefore, during use, the resiliently deformable portion of the upper
part 102, in the region 102b can be deformed downwards by the application of
a pressure by, for example, an operator's finger pressing this region. The
application of a pressure causes the volume of the chamber 201 to reduce and
the pressure therein to increase. When the pressure within the chamber exceeds
a predetermined minimum threshold value, the abutment surface 102a of the
upper part will be caused to deform away from the opposing surface 1 Ola of the
base to define an open outlet passageway through which the fluid present in the
chamber may pass through and be expelled through the outlet 403 of the nozzle
device. It will be appreciated that fluid is prevented from flowing out of the
chamber through the inlet by the flap 109. As fluid is ejected, the pressure
within the chamber 201 will gradually fall as the fluid present within the
chamber is dispensed and when it falls below the minimum threshold value the
resiliently deformable abutment surface of the outlet passageway 102a will
deform back to position whereby it abuts the surface 101 a and the and the outlet
passageway is closed.
If the pressure applied to the chamber in the region of 102b is then
removed, the pressure within the chamber will decrease as the chamber deforms
back to the expanded configuration by virtue of its inherent resilience. This
reduction is pressure causes fluid to be drawn into the chamber through the
inlet because the pressure differential between the inlet 108 and the chamber
201 causes the flap projection 109 to be deflected away from the inlet orifice.
Once the portion 102b of the upper part of the body assumes its initial
resiliently biased configuration, the flap projection 109 deforms back to the
position shown in Figure 7A whereby the inlet is closed.
As an alternative, the body of the embodiment shown in Figures 4 to 7
could be manufactured from a flexible plastic material. The dispenser could be
made by any suitable moulding procedure. For example, the base 101 and
upper part 102 could be moulded separately and then connected together either
in the same mould or in separate moulds or, alternatively, one of the parts could
be moulded first and the other part can be moulded onto the first part.
Figures 8A and 8B show a further example of a nozzle device adapted to
dispense fluids as a bolus of liquid rather than as a spray. The embodiment
shown in Figures 8A and 8B are virtually identical to the example shown in
Figures 4 to 7 apart from the fact that this embodiment additionally comprises
an air leak valve adapted to permit air to flow into the container from the
outside to equalise any pressure differential between the container and the
external environment that may exist (but prevent fluid flowing the other way if
the container is inverted, for example) and the upper part and the base are
integrally formed with one another and connected via a foldable connection
element 801.
The air leak valve comprises a valve member 115 disposed with an
opening 116, as previously described in reference to Figure 1.
La this embodiment, the upper part is formed entirely from a rigid plastic
material, but, in alternative embodiments, the upper part may comprise a
framework of a rigid plastic (the same as that of the base) to which a flexible
plastic material is over-moulded (i.e. the device is a bi-injection moulding).
The main advantage of the embodiment shown in Figures 8A and 8B is
that the base 101 and the upper part 102 are integrally formed, which means
that the entire body of the dispenser can be moulded in a single step from a
single material, with all the consequential advantages of reduced costs due to
minimal assembly and processing times. For instance, the dispenser could be
moulded in the open configuration shown in Figure 8A, and the upper part
could then be folded over about the connection element 801 to form the
assembled nozzle device.
A further example of a nozzle device adapted to dispense fluids as a
bolus of liquid rather than as a spray is shown in Figure 9. The dispensing
device shown in Figure 9 comprises many features of the embodiments
previously described, as shown by the like referenced numerals. However,
there are also a number of modifications.
Specifically, the outlet 403 of the device 1401 has been modified so that
the product is dispensed downwards in the direction of arrow 1405.. Of course
it shall be appreciated that the outlet may be configured to dispense the product
at any angle (e.g. at 30-45° to the vertical).
The outlet passageway has also been further adapted to incorporate a
locking means. The locking means comprises a plug 1406 formed on the upper
part 102. The plug extends to form a button 1407 on the upper surface of the
upper part 102, which can be pressed to urge the plug 1406 into a sealing
engagement with the outlet orifice 403, as shown in Figure 9. In this
configuration, the plug 1406 seals the outlet 403 and prevents fluid being
dispensed from the chamber. To release the seal and permit fluid to be
dispensed through the outlet 403, an operator must pull the button 1407
upwards to remove the plug 1406 from the outlet. Once released, the portion
102a of the upper part can resiliency deform away from the abutment surface of
the base 101 a to define an open outlet passageway when the chamber is
compressed. This deformation of portion 102a of the upper part when fluid is
flowing towards the outlet 403 also removes the plug from the vicinity of the
outlet 403 to define a passageway that fluid can flow through. As soon as the
contents of the chamber have been dispensed, the portion 102a and the plug
1406 of the upper part will deform back to close the outlet passageway. In this
regard, the plug 1406 sits over the outlet 403 to effectively form a non-return
valve, which prevents any air or product being drawn back into the chamber.
After use, an operator can press the button 1407 to plug the outlet and prevent
any accidental actuation of the device.
A generally L-shaped member 1408 having a lip 1408a hangs down
from the base of the plug 1406 and protrudes through the outlet 403. When the
plug is in. a sealing engagement with the outlet 403, as shown in Figure 9, the
lip 1408a is displaced from the underside of the base. However, when the
button 1407 is pulled to remove the plug 1407, the lip 1408a of the member
1408 abuts the underside of the base and prevents the button 1407 being pulled
too far. Any other means of preventing the button 1407 from being pulled too
far can be used.
The seal formed by the ridge 112 being received within a corresponding
groove 113 has also been modified in two respects. Firstly, the seal extends
around the entire perimeter of the chamber 201 and additionally, encompasses
the outlet passageway defined between the abutment surfaces of portion lOla
of the base and 102a of the upper part. Therefore, a complete seal is formed to
prevent fluid seeping between the upper part 102 and the base part 101 and
leaking out of the nozzle. Secondly, the thickness of the ridge protrusion tapes
towards its base and the width of the groove 113 tapers correspondingly
towards its opening. Hence, the ridge 112 can be pushed, or snap fitted, into
the groove 113 to form a tight sealing engagement, which also functions to hold
the upper part 102 the base 101 together.
The flap valve member 109 at the inlet has also been provided with a
support arm 1420. The support arm 1420 is configured to resiliently bias the
flap 109 over the inlet orifice and thereby increases the strength of the seal
formed there between, as well as the pressure required to cause the flap 109 to deform away and open the inlet 108 during use.
The pump dispensers shown in Figures 1 to 9 comprise a generally
dome-shaped protrusion on the upper surface, which must be pressed by an
operator to compress the chamber and cause the contents stored therein to be
expelled through the outlet. One potential problem with such designs is that the
operator needs to press the dome using their finger, which requires the operator
to position their finger in the correct location to ensure that the chamber is
compressed and fluid is ejected through the outlet. It has also been found that a
relatively high pressure is required to press the dome to a sufficient extent,
which can be a further disadvantage, especially as it is commonplace for people
to actuate conventional pump dispensers by applying pressure with a different
portion of the their hand, such as using their palm, or even using their elbow or
forearm. In these instances, it would be much more problematical to adequately
compress the dome using, for example, the palm of the hand in order actuate
the ejection of fluid from the device.
The embodiment of the present invention shown in Figures lOa-d
provides a solution to these problems. Figures lOa and lOb show crosssectional
and perspective views, respectively, of a nozzle device according to
the present invention. The nozzle device shown hi these Figures is virtually the
same as that shown hi Figure 9, except mat the nozzle device additionally
comprises an actuator member in the form of an over cap 2001, which is folded
over from the front edge of the upper surface of the base, about a hinged
connection 2002 to cover the base 101 and the upper part 102 of the body, as
shown in Figure lOa. The leading edge 2001a of the cap 2001 extends right
over the upper surface of the upper part and is received on an abutment ledge
2003 formed on the rear side of the base. The ledge 2003 prevents the cover
being pushed downwards to prevent the accidental actuation of the device. To
release the lock, the sides of the over cap can be squeezed inwards, as shown by
arrows 2005 in Figure lOc, to displace the edge of the over cap 2001 from the
ledge. The over cap 2001 may then be pressed so that the protrusions 2004
formed on the under surface of the upper part 102 deform the resiliency
deformable portion 102b of the upper part 102 to compress the chamber 201.
The increase in pressure causes the resiliently mounted plug 1406 to be
displaced from the outlet orifice 403 so that fluid can be dispensed.
The provision of the over cap 2001 provides a surface which can be
depressed by an operator to actuate the dispensing of the fluid present in the
chamber. Although the sides of the over cap need to be squeezed to actuate the
device shown in Figures lOa-d, the abutment ledge 2003 could be configured to
swing into and out of place in alternative embodiments, or may not be present
at all, so that the device can be conveniently operated by a pressing the over cap
2001 with any part of the body. Thus, the requirement to use a finger to actuate
the device is obviated.
A further alternative embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures
1 la to lie. This embodiment is the same as that shown in Figures lOa to lOd,
except mat the outlet of the device is adapted to generate a spray, rather than
dispense a bolus of liquid. Thus, the outlet comprises an outlet valve formed by
valve member 2610 being resiliently biased against the recess 2611 formed in
the abutment surface lOla of the base 101. The valve member 2610 is
configured to be resiliently displaced form the recess 2611 when the pressure
within the chamber exceeds a predetermined minimum threshold to define an
opening through which fluid from the chamber can flow. Downstream from the
outlet valve is an outlet passageway formed by the alignment of grooves and
recesses 2700 formed on the abutment surface 102a of the upper part with
corresponding grooves/recesses 2701 formed on the opposing abutment surface
1 Ola of the base 101. This provides and outlet passageway with two chambers
2602 and 2603 positioned along it length. The chambers are expansion
chambers which contribute to the break up of fluid droplets passing through the
A preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figures
12a-d. The embodiment shown in these Figures is a dispenser nozzle
configured to dispense fluids in the form of a spray. Referring to Figures 12a47
d, it can be seen this embodiment of the invention is composed of three parts,
namely a base 101, an upper part 102 and an actuator member in the form of an
over cap or pan handle 2001. All three parts can be integrally formed as a
single component, as shown in Figures 12a and 12b, and subsequently
assembled to form the functional device, as shown in Figures 12c and 12d.
In this regard, the upper part 102 fits onto the upper surface of the base
101 to define an internal chamber 201, as previously described. During use,
fluid is drawn into the chamber 201 through the inlet 108 when the chamber
expands, and is expelled through the outlet 403 when the chamber is
compressed. To reach the outlet, the fluid in the chamber must firstly reach a
pressure that is sufficient to displace the valve member 2610 to from the valve
seat/recess 2611 so that fluid can flow along the outlet passageway defined
between the upper part 102 and the base 101. Various spray modifying features
shown by chambers 2602, 2603 and 2604 are formed in the passageway to
atomise the fluid flowing through during use into small droplets.
The over cap or pan handle 2001 is fitted over the upper part 102 to
define an air chamber 2600 there between. The over cap is pivotally mounted
to the upper part 102 about the connection element 2605. The over cap 2001 is
also rigid so that it provides a firm surface for an operator to press.
Pressing the over cap 2001 downwards in the direction of arrow 2505
causes the over cap to be urged towards the upper surface of the upper part 102,
thereby causing the side wall 2606 of the chamber 2600 formed by the upper
part 102 to resiliency deform, as shown in Figure 12d. This movement
compresses the air chamber 2600 thereby causing air to be expelled into the
chamber 2602 through the outlet channel 2607. In addition, the protrusion
2608 engages portion 102b of the upper part and causes it to distend inwards,
thereby comprising the chamber 201 to cause fluid therein to be ejected. The
fluid ejected from chamber 201 mixes with the air stream ejected from the air
chamber 2600 in the chamber 2602, which results in the further atomisation of
the droplets of fluid ejected through the outlet 403. When the applied pressure
is released, the over cap 2001 is urged away from the upper part 102 as the side
wall 2606 deforms back to its initial resiliently biased configuration, as shown
in Figure 12c. This increases the volume of both of the chambers 201 and
2600, and thereby causes the pressure therein to reduce. This reduction in
pressure results in more fluid being drawn into the chamber 201 through the
inlet 108 and more air to be drawn into the air chamber 2600, either through the
outlet 403 and passageway 2607, or through a separate one-way air inlet valve
A pre-compression valve (not shown) is provided in the outlet channel to
ensure an air stream is only ejected from the chamber 2600 when the pressure
therein exceeds a predetermined minimum value. This valve can be configured
to open at the same time as the valve formed by the valve member 2602 and
valve seat 2603 so that fluid from the chamber 201 and an air stream from the
chamber 2600 are both released into the outlet passageway at the same time.
Although not shown, the embodiment shown in Figures 12a-d would
usually have a lock to prevent the accidental actuation of the device. Any
suitable lock could be used.
Although the device shown in Figures 12a-d is adapted to generate a
spray, it could equally be a dispenser adapted to eject a volume of liquid at a
lower pressure, and not in the form of a spray. The air from the chamber 2600
would still mix with the fluid ejected from the chamber and the respective precompression
valves for each chamber would preferably also be present.
The main difference between the embodiments of the invention and
those previously described is that the actuator member provides a solid surface
for the operator to press. This surface does not deform in the same manner as
the deformable surfaces pressed hi the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 9
and also does not require the coordinated finger press. Thus, the devices
equipped with actuator members are much more user friendly and easier to
operate. Furthermore, an operator can use any part of their hand, or even arm,
to actuate the dispensing of fluid from the container.
A further advantage of the embodiments shown in Figures 10, 11 and
12a-d is that the over cap 2001 provides an increased mechanical efficiency due
to the leverage provided about the pivot point of the actuator member.
The air chamber may also be used in embodiments of the invention that
comprise two liquid-containing chambers and are adapted to simultaneously
eject two liquids at the same time. An example of such an embodiment is
shown in Figure 10. The air from the air chamber 2600 could be mixed with
one or both of the liquids dispensed from these chambers prior to ejection
through the outlet of the device.
As a further alternative,, a second liquid may be provided in the air
chamber 2600 instead of air. The chamber 2600 could be a self-contained
reservoir of liquid and the amount of liquid dispensed with each actuation could
be limited by the dimensions of the outlet channel 2607. Alternatively, the
chamber 2600 may draw fluid a compartment in the container to which it is
attached, in a similar manner to the way the chamber 201 is replenished after
each actuation.
The embodiments shown in Figures 12a-d could be made from a single,
integrally formed component part, as shown, or could be formed from several
separate component parts that are assembled together to form the device. The
device would usually be moulded from a rigid plastic. The necessary
deformability for certain parts of the structure can be provided by making these
required sections of a reduced thickness, which imparts the necessary
deformabiliry characteristics into the design.
The embodiments shown in the Figures will usually be fitted to a
container, which provides a reservoir of liquid to be drawn into the chamber
201. However, in some cases, a liquid reservoir may be integrally formed with
Figures 13a and 13b show a further alternative embodiment of the
present invention provided with an alternative form actuator member in the
form of a modified over cap 2001. The over cap 2001 shown in Figures 13a
and 13b is fitted over the upper part 102 of the nozzle arrangement and is
slidably mounted to the body of the nozzle device. Thus, the nozzle device is
configured to slide downwards from its uppermost the upper position shown in
Figure 13a so that the protrusion 2004 formed on the under surface of the over
cap 2001 engages and deforms the resiliently deformable portion 102b of the
upper part 102, thereby compressing the chamber 201 and causing any fluid
present therein to be ejected as a spray through the orifice 2102 formed in over
cap (which aligns with the outlet 403 when the over cap is pressed downwards).
The over cap 2001 can then be slid back to its initial position, either by the
operator lifting the cap or by a resilient means which urges the cap upwards
once any downward pressure is removed. An annular lip 2105 abuts the
annular detent 2107 formed on the base to limit the upward movement of the
over cap. The cap 2001 may also be twisted (as shown by arrow 2108 in Figure
13b) so that the ridges are further engaged to prevent any downward movement,
thereby locking the over cap 2001 to prevent accidental actuation of the nozzle
A further modified version of the spray-dispenser shown in Figures 13a
and 13b is illustrated in Figure 14a. This embodiment additionally incorporates
a compressible air chamber 2201 defined between the over cap 2001 and the
upper part 102 of the body. Thus, when the over cap 2001 is depressed, the air
within the chamber is expelled through the air chamber outlet 2202 so that it
mixes with fluid expelled from the chamber 201.
In an alternative embodiment, the air chamber outlet 2202 may be
provided with a one way outlet valve 312, as shown in Figure 14B. When the
pressure within the air chamber 2201 exceeds a predeterrnined threshold value
the arms of the valve member 2202 will deform apart from one another to
define an opening through which the air can flow into the outlet passageway.
In this case, air will not be able to flow back into the air chamber through the
valve 2202 so a separate air inlet must be provided. Such an inlet will comprise
a one way inlet valve adapted to permit air to flow through the air inlet when
the pressure within the chamber 2201 falls below the external pressure by at
least a minimuiii threshold amount
Figure 15 shows a further alternative embodiment of the invention that,
instead of utilising a resiliency defonnable portion of the body to enable the
chamber to be compressed, incorporates a piston cylinder 2301 as an integral
portion of the body defining the chamber. A piston 2302 is slidably mounted
within the piston cylinder 2301. Movement of the piston to compress the
chamber 201, and thereby expel the contents stored therein, is facilitated in the
embodiment shown in Figure 15 by depressing actuator member 2303, to which
the piston 2302 is mounted., in the direction of arrow 2310. The actuator
member is connected to the base 101 by a resilient defonnable hinge 2304.
When the pressure applied to the arm portion 2303 is subsequently released, it
will return to the position shown in Figure 15 due to the inherent resilience of
the hinge 2304.
It shall be appreciated that the description of the embodiments of the
invention described in reference to the figures is intended to be by way of
example only and should not construed as limiting the scope of the invention.
1. A pump-action nozzle device configured to enable fluid to be dispensed from a container, said nozzle having a body (100) which defines an internal chamber having an inlet (108) through which fluid may be drawn into said chamber and an outlet (403) through which fluid present in the chamber may be expelled from the nozzle, said inlet comprising an inlet valve adapted to only permit fluid to flow into the chamber through the inlet when the pressure within the chamber falls below the pressure within the interior of the container to which the device is attached by at least a predetermined minimum threshold amount and said outlet (403) comprising an outlet valve configured to only permit fluid to flow out of the chamber and be expelled from the nozzle when the pressure within the chamber exceeds the external pressure at the outlet by at least a predetermined threshold amount, wherein at least a portion (102 b) of the body which defines said chamber is configured to:
the nozzle device further comprising an actuator member (2001) which extends over at least a portion of said resiliently deformable portion of the body and is configured to engage said portion of the body and cause it to deform from its resiliently biased configuration when a pressure is applied to the actuator member(2001);
characterised in that the body comprises two parts (101, 102) connected together to define the chamber, one of the parts (102) of the body comprising said resiliency deformable portion and a rigid framework, the framework defining an abutment surface which contacts a corresponding rigid abutment surface on the other of the parts of the body.
2.	A pump-action nozzle device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said actuator is an arm.
3.	A pump-action nozzle device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said actuator is a cap that extends over the resiliently deformable portion of the body.
4.	A pump-action nozzle device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said surface formed by the cap is a rigid or substantially rigid non-deformable surface.
5.	A pump-action nozzle device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said surface is a continuous surface.
6.	A pump-action nozzle device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said actuator is slidably mounted to the body of the nozzle device such that, when a pressure is applied to the actuator member (2001), it slides relative to the body of the nozzle device and urges said resiliently deformable portion of the body to deform from its resiliently biased configuration.
7.	A pump-action nozzle device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said actuator is pivotally mounted to the body of the device such that the application of a pressure to said actuator member causes it to pivot about its pivotal mounting and cause said resiliently deformable portion of the body to deform from its resiliently biased configuration.
8.	A pump-action nozzle device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said actuator member (2001) is integrally formed with the body.
9.	A pump-action nozzle device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said actuator is connected to the body of the device by a foldable connection element and is configured to pivot about the connection element to enable the said portion of the body to be deformed.
10.	A pump-action nozzle device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said nozzle is adapted to be fitted to an opening of a container.
11.	A pump-action nozzle device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein said nozzle is integrally formed with a container.
12.	A pump-action nozzle device as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of said parts of the body is a base part and other of said parts is an upper part.
13.	A nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 12, wherein the upper part
comprises said resiliently deformable portion of the body that defines the
14.	A pump-action nozzle device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the outlet of the device comprises the outlet valve, an outlet orifice and an outlet passageway that connects the chamber to the outlet orifice.
15.	A pump-action nozzle device as claimed in claim 14, wherein said two parts of the body that define the chamber also define at least a portion of the outlet passageway.
16.	A pump-action nozzle device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the inlet, inlet valve, outlet, outlet valve, and chamber are all defined by the body.
17.	A pump-action nozzle device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the device comprises a maximum of three component parts.
18.	A pump-action nozzle device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the device comprises a maximum of two separate component parts.
19.	A pump-action nozzle device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the said device comprises consists of a single component part.
20.	A pump-action nozzle device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the nozzle device comprises a locking means configured to prevent fluid being dispensed accidentally.
21.	A pump-action nozzle device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the lock is integrally formed with the body.
22.	A pump-action nozzle device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the device further comprises an air leak valve through which air can flow to equalise any pressure differential between the interior of the container and the external environment, but prevents any fluid leaking out of the container if it is inverted.
23.	A pump-action nozzle device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the outlet passageway comprises one or more internal spray-modifying features configured to reduce the size of the liquid droplets dispensed through the outlet orifice of the nozzle device during use.
24.	A pump-action nozzle device as claimed in claim 23, wherein the internal spray-modifying features are selected from the group consisting of one or more expansion chambers, one or more swirl chambers, one or more internal spray orifices (adapted to generate a spray of fluid flowing through within the outlet passageway), and one or more venturi chambers.
25.	A container having a pump-action nozzle device as defined in claims 1 to 24 fitted to an opening thereof so as to enable the fluid stored in the container to be dispensed from the container through said nozzle device during use.
26.	A container having a pump-action nozzle device as defined in claims 1 to 24 integrally formed therewith so as to enable the fluid stored in the container to be dispensed from the container through said nozzle device during use.
27.	A method of manufacturing a pump-action nozzle device as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 24, said nozzle device having a body composed of at least two interconnected parts and an actuator member, wherein said parts and said actuator member are connected to one another by a connection element such that said parts are moveable relative to one another, said method comprising the steps of:
(i) moulding the parts of the body and the actuator member together with said connection elements in a single moulding step;
(ii) moving said part of the body into engagement with one another to form the body of the nozzle device; and
(iii) moving the actuator member into engagement with the body to form the nozzle device.
28.	A method as claimed in any one of claims 26 and 27, wherein a blowing
agent is incorporated into the mould together with the plastic material.
3272-DELNP-2005-Abstract-(01-09-2008).pdf
3272-DELNP-2005-Abstract-(04-07-2008).pdf
3272-delnp-2005-abstract.pdf
3272-DELNP-2005-Claims-(01-09-2008).pdf
3272-DELNP-2005-Claims-(03-09-2008).pdf
3272-DELNP-2005-Claims-(04-07-2008).pdf
3272-DELNP-2005-Claims-(11-09-2008).pdf
3272-delnp-2005-claims.pdf
3272-delnp-2005-complete specification (granted).pdf
3272-DELNP-2005-Correspondence-Others-(01-09-2008).pdf
3272-DELNP-2005-Correspondence-Others-(03-09-2008).pdf
3272-DELNP-2005-Correspondence-Others-(04-07-2008).pdf
3272-delnp-2005-correspondence-others.pdf
3272-delnp-2005-description (complete)-01-09-2008.pdf
3272-delnp-2005-description (complete)-03-09-2008.pdf
3272-delnp-2005-description (complete)-04-07-2008.pdf
3272-delnp-2005-description (complete).pdf
3272-DELNP-2005-Drawings-(04-07-2008).pdf
3272-delnp-2005-drawings.pdf
3272-DELNP-2005-Form-1-(01-09-2008).pdf
3272-DELNP-2005-Form-1-(04-07-2008).pdf
3272-delnp-2005-form-1.pdf
3272-delnp-2005-form-18.pdf
3272-DELNP-2005-Form-2-(01-09-2008).pdf
3272-DELNP-2005-Form-2-(04-07-2008).pdf
3272-delnp-2005-form-2.pdf
3272-DELNP-2005-Form-3-(01-09-2008).pdf
3272-delnp-2005-form-3.pdf
3272-delnp-2005-form-5.pdf
3272-DELNP-2005-GPA-(01-09-2008).pdf
3272-DELNP-2005-GPA-(04-07-2008).pdf
3272-delnp-2005-gpa.pdf
3272-DELNP-2005-Others-Document-(01-09-2008).pdf
3272-delnp-2005-pct-101.pdf
3272-delnp-2005-pct-105.pdf
3272-delnp-2005-pct-304.pdf
3272-delnp-2005-pct-332.pdf
3272-delnp-2005-pct-409.pdf
3272-delnp-2005-pct-416.pdf
3272-DELNP-2005-Petition-137-(04-07-2008).pdf
3272/DELNP/2005
INCRO LIMITED
35 FAIRFIELD RISE, WOLLASTON, STOURBRIDGE, WEST MIDLANDS DY8 3PQ, GREAT BRITAIN.
1 KEITH LAIDLER 35 FAIRFIELD RISE,WOLLASTON,STOURBRIDGE,WEST MIDLANDS DY8 3PQ,GREAT BRITAIN.
2 TIMOTHY RODD CHART HOUSE,SANDY LANE,LYNDHURST,HANTS SO43 7DN,GREAT BRITAIN.
PCT/GB2004/000614
1 0310244.9 2003-05-03 U.K.
2 0303698.5 2003-02-18 U.K.
3 0320720.6 2003-09-04 U.K.
4 0305597.7 2003-03-12 U.K.
5 0308909.1 2003-04-17 U.K.