Abstract:
The invention concerns a dispenser of doses of pasty or gel-type product comprising a body and means for delivering the product without air intake, the delivery means including an elastic return compression element and a closing sliding element mounted in the body to delimit a chamber for compressing the product, the body including a tubular outer side wall forming a sheath and enclosing a generally cylindrical inner side wall forming a reservoir, the sheath and the reservoir being arranged along a common axis, the reservoir having a circular envelope about the axis, the compression element and the closure element being mounted at least partly inside the reservoir, the dispenser comprising means for assembling the reservoir and the sheath and means for radially locking the reservoir inside the sheath.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     The present application is a continuation of pending International patent application PCT/FR2006/000790 filed on Apr. 10, 2006 which designates the United States and claims priority from French patent application 0504083 filed on Apr. 22, 2005, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The invention relates to a dispenser of pasty or gel product doses comprising a generally cylindrical body and product delivering means without air vents.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Dispensers of this type are known, which are used, for example, to dispense toothpaste, in which the delivery means without air vents comprise a spring-return compression element and a sliding shutter tightly mounted in the cylindrical body in order to define an intermediary product compression chamber.  
         [0004]     In this type of dispenser, the product is directly packed in the cylindrical body which has properties adapted to its function as a container. More particularly, the body material used and impermeable to the product placed in the dispenser and does not interact with the product.  
         [0005]     Besides, in order to tightly assemble the compression element and the shutter and thus to avoid leakages of the product under pressure while it is dispensed, the body has a circular cross-section which is matching the cross-section of the compression element and shutter.  
         [0006]     However, this type of dispensers has disadvantages as regards the adaptability to various products. As a matter of fact, the properties of the body are defined for a particular product and thus it is not possible to use the same body for pasty or gel products having hydraulic properties and, in particular, different viscosities.  
         [0007]     Incidentally, the lack of adaptability of the dispenser is a problem as regards the environment, because of the increase in the quantity of dispensers used and disposed off without being recycled.  
         [0008]     In addition, environmental problems are also related to the fact that the dispenser does not make it possible to use separate product recharges intended to be placed in the dispenser without losses of the pasty or gel product.  
         [0009]     The circular cross-section of the body is also a problem as regards transportation and storage of the dispensers. As a matter of fact, the circular cross-section entails an increase in clearance volumes between the dispensers, and the handling and the storage of such dispensers require the use of wedging means to avoid their deterioration and/or the dislocation of transportation pallets.  
         [0010]     Besides, the dispenser bodies all have a circular cross-section, which does not make it possible to simply and easily distinguish between the products on the retail display spaces. Now, restricting the freedom of choosing dispensers having original formulas makes the communication more difficult.  
         [0011]     This communication issue is all the more important since the function as a container is sometimes incompatible with the industrial marking processes by printing, engraving, or sticking, of writings, logos, labels, distinctive signs, instructions or legal information.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]     The invention aims at solving all these problems by providing a dispenser the body of which comprises a case of any shape, which an inner vessel in contact with the pasty product is assembled with.  
         [0013]     Therefore, the invention provides a dispenser of pasty or gel product doses comprising a generally cylindrical body including an upper end and a lower end which are at least partially opened, and product delivery means without air vents, said delivery means comprising a spring-return compression element and a sliding shutter tightly mounted in the vicinity of the respective upper and lower ends of said body, in order to define an intermediary product compression chamber, said body comprising a tubular outer side wall forming a case and surrounding a generally cylindrical inner side wall forming a vessel, said case and said vessel being placed along a common axis, the vessel having a revolution enclosure around said axis, the compression element and the sliding shutter being mounted at least partially inside the vessel, the dispenser comprising means for assembling the vessel with the case and means for radially wedging a vessel in said case.  
         [0014]     Thus, the container has a geometry and is made of a material adapted to the making of a tight intermediary compression chamber with the compression element and the sliding shutter. Such embodiment makes it possible to place different vessels which may contain different pasty or gel products in the same case. Then, it is possible to adapt the dispenser to different products and independent recharges can be used which comprise, for example, a new vessel to be placed in the case of a previous dispenser, with the previous dispenser delivery means.  
         [0015]     As for the case, its geometry and its material are adapted to communication, to the differentiation of the dispenser, to the transportation and/or to the storage, while securing the positioning and the holding of the vessel.  
         [0016]     According to one embodiment, the vessel has an elliptic or circular cross-section. As for the case, it can have a polygonal cross-section.  
         [0017]     The radial wedging means can comprise equally distributed flexible wings which extend from the inner face of the case, and the free ends of which come into contact with the outer face of the vessel.  
         [0018]     More particularly the flexible wings can be inclined with respect to a direction perpendicular to the case axis.  
         [0019]     Besides, the case can have angular regions which the flexible wings extend from.  
         [0020]     In an exemplary embodiment, the mounting means comprise an extension which radially extends inwards from a lower part of the case and which the vessel is associated with.  
         [0021]     The extension can have a crown protruding towards the upper end of case which the vessel is introduced on.  
         [0022]     According to one embodiment, the extension extends to form a bottom wall provided with an air hole opening opposite the shutter.  
         [0023]     The dispenser may have a band for fastening the delivery means to the upper part of the case, the assembling and the radial wedging means comprising an axial journal which extends from a radial band wall, the outer face of the axial journal being in contact with the periphery of the vessel.  
         [0024]     Besides, a groove can be formed in the radial side of the band in order to receive the upper edge of the vessel.  
         [0025]     The shutter may comprise a cylindrical guiding sleeve which slides on the inner face of the vessel, said sleeve being connected to a shutter wall which extends towards the inside of the container from the sleeve edge.  
         [0026]     In particular, the compression element can be placed in a shell made integral with the upper part of the case, said shell comprising a cylindrical-conical wall the convergence of which is oriented towards the lower end of the case, the closing wall having a cylindrico-conical shape which is matching that of the shell.  
         [0027]     And the compression element can be mounted in a pump casing accommodated in the shell.  
         [0028]     It can be provided for the lower end of the pump casing to be introduced into the cylindrical bore provided in the lower end of the shell. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0029]     Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear evident when reading the following description, reference being made to the appended drawings, wherein:  
         [0030]      FIG. 1   a  is an exploded perspective top view of a dispenser body according to one embodiment of the invention, the body comprising a case having a polygonal cross-section and a vessel having a circular cross-section inside which a shutter can be mounted, the dispenser having equally distributed flexible wings for radially wedging the vessel in the case;  
         [0031]      FIG. 1   b  is an exploded perspective view of the dispenser delivery means according to one embodiment of the invention, said delivery means being intended to be mounted on an upper part of the case using a fastening band comprising a pump which can be partially accommodated in a shell intended to be placed inside the vessel;  
         [0032]      FIG. 2  is a partially exploded perspective top view of a dispenser comprising the delivery means of  FIG. 1   b  intended to be mounted, using the fastening band, on the upper part of the body of  FIG. 1   a,  the wings being inclined with respect to a direction perpendicular to the body axis and extending from angular regions of the inner face of the case to come into contact with the outer face of the vessel;  
         [0033]      FIG. 3  is a partial lengthwise cross-section of the dispenser of  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0034]     Referring to FIGS.  1  to  3 , a particular embodiment of a pasty or a gel product doses dispenser is described. Pasty or gel product means viscous products i.e. thick products capable of flowing.  
         [0035]     An exemplary product can be a cosmetic, a pharmaceutical or any other product such as toothpaste.  
         [0036]     The dispenser comprises a generally cylindrical body  1 , having an axis D and product delivery means without air vents.  
         [0037]     The body  1  defines a pocket for the product and includes two opposite ends, at least partially open. In the embodiment shown, one of the ends is open and the other end comprises a bottom wall  2  provided with a vent hole  23  which the dispenser can rest on.  
         [0038]     In the following description, the words “axial”, “longitudinal” or “side” and “radial” or “transversal” refer to plans which are respectively parallel and perpendicular to axis D. Besides, the words “lower” and “upper” should be understood with respect to the orientation of the dispenser resting on its bottom wall  2 . Thus, the words “lower” and “upper” refer to transversal plans located respectively close to and away from the bottom wall  2 . Eventually, the words “inner” and “outer” refer to longitudinal plans respectively located close to and far from the pocket of the body  1 .  
         [0039]     In the Figures, the body comprises a tubular outer side wall forming a case  3  and surrounding a generally cylindrical inner side wall forming a vessel  4 . The case  3  and the vessel  4  are positioned coaxially around the common axis D.  
         [0040]     In the embodiment shown, the delivery means comprise a spring-return compression element  5  and a sliding shutter  6  tightly mounted in the vicinity of the respective upper and lower ends of body  1 , in order to define an intermediary product compression chamber  7 .  
         [0041]     Such a dispenser is generally operated as follows. An outer pressure causes the compression element  5  to go down into the intermediary product compression chamber  7  towards the sliding shutter. This motion entails a compression of the product in chamber  7  and a delivery of a dose, the volume of which is defined by the cross-section and the travel of the compression element  5 .  
         [0042]     When the compression element is at the end of its down travel and when the pressure is relieved, the spring-return causes the compression element  5  to travel up again. Because of the vent hole  23  and of the tightness of the intermediary product compression chamber  7 , the up travel of the compression element  5  entails a suction which causes the sliding shutter  6  to travel up again together with the compression element  5 .  
         [0043]     The compression element  5  and the sliding shutter  6  are mounted at least partially inside the vessel  4  so that the compression chamber  7  is formed in the vessel  4 .  
         [0044]     To attain tightness and sliding without leakages of the pasty or gel product, the compression element  5  and the sliding shutter  6  have a revolution enclosure around axis D, i.e. an enclosure having no plane region, no angular region and no point of inflection. The vessel  4  also has a revolution envelope around axis D. More particularly, the vessel  4  has an elliptic or circular cross-section.  
         [0045]     Thus, by using vessel  4  exclusively as a container, only the vessel  4  of the dispenser has to be adapted to the pasty or gel product, to its composition and to its hydraulic proprieties, more particular its viscosity. The same case  3  provided with the same delivery means can be designed for different pasty or gel products. The capacity of the dispenser to adapt to various pasty or gel products, is thus enhanced.  
         [0046]     The vessel  4  can also be sold separately as an independent recharge to be placed in the case  3 , together with the delivery means.  
         [0047]     As for the case  3 , it can have any cross-section more particularly to be able to fulfill a packaging function, by improving the protection of vessel  4  and by facilitating the transportation and the storage of the dispenser and/or a communication function.  
         [0048]     As a matter of fact, the case  3  can enable a user to quickly and easily distinguish the pasty or gel product contained in a dispenser thanks to its original and distinctive outer shape. Besides, in the Figures, the case  3  can have a polygonal cross-section, for example a rectangular cross-section, adapted to the packaging of dispensers.  
         [0049]     Because the functions fulfilled by the sleeve  3  and the vessel  4  are disassociated as mentioned above, the material of the case  3  can be different from that of the vessel  4 . For example, the material of the case  3  may have a better stiffness or may allow the gluing, the printing, the engraving of writings, of logos, of labels, of distinctive signs, of instructions or legal information.  
         [0050]     It should be possible to satisfactorily position and hold the vessel  4  in the case  3 . The dispenser thus comprises means for assembling the vessel  4  and the case  3  and means for the radial wedging of the vessel  4  in the case  3 .  
         [0051]     In the embodiment shown, the assembling means comprise an extension  28  which radially extends inwards from a lower part of the case  3  for example its lower edge, which the vessel  4  is associates with. In  FIG. 3 , the extension  28  extends to form the bottom wall  2  provided with the air vent  23  opening opposite the sliding shutter  6  so as to allow its travel upwards.  
         [0052]     The extension  28  can, for example, have a crown  29  protruding towards the upper end of the sleeve  3  which the vessel  4  is introduced on.  
         [0053]     Besides, the radial wedging means comprise equally distributed flexible wings  30  which extend from the inner face of the case  3  and the free ends of which come into contact with the outer face of the vessel  4 .  
         [0054]     The flexible wings  30  can be inclined with respect to a direction perpendicular to axis D of the sleeve  3 . As a matter of fact, the inclination makes it possible to improve the capacity of adaptation of the case  3  to a vessel  4  having different shapes or dimensions or to a vessel  4  having varying dimensions. Besides, this inclination allows an elastic deformation of the wings  30  to secure a better wedging of the vessel  4 .  
         [0055]     In the Figures, the case  3  has angular regions which the flexible wings  30  extend from. Besides, the wings  30  are continuous and extend along the whole axial dimension of the case  3 . However, other locations can be provided for these wings and/or wings which extend only on a part of the axial dimension of the case  3  can be provided for.  
         [0056]     As regards the delivery means, the compression element  5  is a pump piston which a manual operation head  8  is made integral with for example by press fitting.  
         [0057]     In other embodiments, not shown, the compression element can be a single piston in contact with the inner face of the vessel  4  or a diaphragm conformed so as to be elastically deformed when an external pressure is exerted on the manual operation head  8 .  
         [0058]     The pump comprises a generally cylindrical pump case  9  which has two open ends. The pump casing  9  defines, in its lower part, a secondary compression chamber in the intermediary product compression chamber  7 . Besides, the piston  5  is mounted so as to be able to slide tightly in the pump casing  9 , and cooperates with an inlet valve to fill the secondary compression chamber with the product, or to empty it when it comes down or up, respectively.  
         [0059]     The piston  5  comprises a through axial channel  10  making it possible to have a fluid communication between the secondary compression chamber and a draining channel  11  opening to the outside through a hole  12  provided on the manual operation head  8 .  
         [0060]     The upper end of the pump casing  9  is closed by an extensor  13  which is integral with the body  9  and has an axial bore to guide the piston  5  when it slides.  
         [0061]     The pump casing  9  is associated with the upper part of the case  3  using a fastening band  14  placed on the case  3 . The band  14  also secures the trim of the upper part of the dispenser and the guiding of the operation head  8  motions.  
         [0062]     The band  14  comprises a radial wall  15  provided with a central opening defined by an axial skirt  16 . The pump casing  9  is introduced into the central opening, and its outer face is introduced onto the inner face of the axial skirt  16 .  
         [0063]     In the Figures, the pump casing  9  is accommodated in a shell  17  made integral with the upper end of the case  3  and comprising a cylindrico-conical wall, the convergence of which is oriented towards the lower end of the case  3 .  
         [0064]     The band  14  comprises an axial journal  18  which is continuous or formed with at least two opposite axial portions which extend outwards of the axial skirt  16  from the radial wall  15 .  
         [0065]     Besides, the axial journal  18  is positioned so as to extend inside the vessel  4 , its outer face being in contact with the periphery of the inner face of the vessel  4 . A groove  31  is then formed into the radial wall  15  of the band  14  to receive the upper edge of the vessel  4 . The band  14  thus secures the assembling and the wedging on the upper part of the vessel  4  in the case  3 .  
         [0066]     The free end of the axial journal  18  comprises a shoulder  19  which can be inserted into a groove  20  provided in the cylindrical upper part on the shell  17 .  
         [0067]     In the embodiment shown, the shell  17  is thus associated with the band  14  by press fitting. However, another embodiment can be provided, in which the shell  17  and the band  14  are made integral, the shell  17  then being an extension of the axial journal  18 .  
         [0068]     The shell  17  is thus made integral with the case  3  through the band  14  and placed inside the vessel  4 . To guarantee the tightness between the shell  17  and the vessel  4 , a boss  21  which is axially shifted downwards with respect to the groove  20  is formed on the cylindrical part to come into tight contact with the inner face of the vessel  4 .  
         [0069]     Combined with the positioning of the pump casing  9  on the axial skirt  16 , a lower positioning of the pump is obtained by introducing the lower end of the pump casing  9  into a cylindrical through hole  22  which is provided in the lower end of the shell  17 .  
         [0070]     The sliding shutter  6  comprises a cylindrical guiding sleeve  24  which can slide on the inner face of the vessel  4 . The sleeve  24  is connected to a shutter wall  25  which extends inwards the vessel  4  from the upper edge of the sleeve  24 .  
         [0071]     The shutter wall  25  has a cylindrico-conical shape matching the shell  17  in order to allow for the complete delivery of the product when the sliding shutter  6  abuts the shell  17 . More particularly, the central part of the shutter wall  25  is flattened to match the lower end of the shell  17  which is truncated because of the through bore  22 .  
         [0072]     To guarantee the guiding of the shutter element  6  while avoiding its abutment in the vessel  4 , the cylindrical sleeve  24  comprises an upper boss  26  and lower boss  27  on its upper and lower ends, respectively. The upper boss  26  is conformed with a beveled edge which can scrape the inner face of the vessel  4  to guarantee the total collection of the product when the shutter element  6  goes up.  
         [0073]     The thus embodied delivery means and the use of the shell  17  make the disassembling of the dispenser easier in order to enhance the adaptability of the dispenser and the exchange of the vessel  4 .