Abstract:
Two components ( 2, 3 ) of a medium dispenser are initially injection molded from a plastics material in one part so as to form a stamp die ( 6 ) and a punching ram ( 7 ) while being interconnected only by ultra-fine joints ( 4, 30 ). The component ( 3 ) forming the ram ( 7 ) is then linearly displaced in direction ( 12 ) into the other component ( 2 ) by pressure loading. Thus the joint ( 4, 30 ) is severed analogous to shear cutting. This results in very simple production with precisely the same material quality of both components ( 2, 3 ).

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to media dispensers and to methods for producing a dispenser unit or other workpiece. Such media may be pellets or fluid media, such as gaseous, liquid, pasty, creamy or powdery, i.e. trickling media. The dispenser is held single-handedly and actuated simultaneously by the same hand to discharge the medium. It may be provided merely for a single medium discharge or for any number of repeated discharges, e.g. by it automatically returning to its initial or rest position after each discharge. Most or all components of the dispenser are composed of plastics or as injection-molded parts insensitive to the medium. 
     Usually the cooperating and thus complicated components of the dispenser are produced separately and then assembled, involving corresponding expenditure. This often also applies when the components are produced in one part and then dismembered before being assembled. It is therefore advantageous to produce or cast the components integral as a module, to then avoid dismembering and to directly transfer the components from their mutual production posture or casting position into their mutual operating posture. In this positon the components are either mutually movable, i.e. able to assume numerous operating positions or they may be rigidly interconnected. When so produced, fragments or ridges of the severed joint or nominal severing point may interfere, e.g. by damaging the guiding faces or others with their division faces when transferring the two components. Also the division or fracture faces may have differing, for example, jagged shapes for which a corresponding accommodating space needs to be created in the operating posture. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the invention is to provide a dispenser or a method for producing a module which obviates the disadvantages of prior art constructions or as described. Another object is to achieve the cited advantages. A further object is to achieve precisely definable parting faces when severing the joint. A still further object is to permit simple production. Another object is to make the dispenser functionally reliable. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the invention the severable joint between the two components is separated by shearing or any other equivalent disconnecting procedure. Thereby the cutting force flow in the joint while being severed leads to a crack-free or smooth parting face without release of particles because of slight plastification of the connecting material. This is particularly assured when the maximum transverse strain reaches only the yield point of the connecting material. Contrary thereto the parting face may be grainy and rough in a stress condition in which the higher shear breaking limit is reached. It is particularly simple to achieve this shear cutting when the two components are configured like the punch and die of a stamp. 
     The invention is suitable for numerous components of a dispenser or other workpieces. For example, the components may be two casing parts, such as a main casing and a cover of a pressure cylinder, pump, valve, piston unit, discharge head or the like or two valve elements. Furthermore, the components may be sections of a medium duct. The components may be divided or reciprocally transferable into the operating posture transverse respective parallel to their axis. 
     The invention is particularly useful for an outlet or nozzle unit, the nested components or nozzle bodies of which serve to transversely deflect the medium once or more times. Reference is made to U.S. Ser. No. 794,983 (filed: Feb. 5, 1997) for including the features and effects in the present invention. 
     The connecting member joining the two components in the first position, namely in production, is a projection directly connecting in one part to two smooth and mutually angular faces of the two components. The connecting member extends up to the common corner zone of these faces and connects these faces via an inclined surface which may be planar, concave or convex. Cross-sectionally this projection is thus triangular or isosceleous. The legs of the projection adjoin the cited flange facings of the two components. 
     The connecting member is spaced from one or both remote faces of the individual component, which transversely adjoin the associated flange or connecting face. Thus no ruptured faces occur when severed at these faces. The edges commonly formed by these faces and the connecting face may, however, in the casting state directly adjoin the associated edges of the other component similar to a microthin joint. This joint has, as compared to the connecting member, significantly less strength, such as shear strength, so that it may be parted by shearing or shear cutting practically without additional need of force and may be already parted when the connecting member is not yet entirely severed. Only a single connecting member is or opposing connecting members are provided on two mutually opposing sides. Such connecting members are absent on the sides oriented transverse thereto which may only have the microthin joints. The microthin joint may thus be arcuated or annularly closed. Thereby interconnected edges of the two components extend directly up to each other at a sharp angle. Thus in cross-section the associated internal surface of the one component transits linearly into the associated external surface of the other component at the butt joint of these two edges. 
     The largest cross-section of the connecting member measures less than two, one, half or two-tenths of a millimeter. The length of the cited joining legs may be e.g. a tenth of a millimeter. Over its length the connecting member has constant cross-sections. This length too amounts less than one of the values cited, particularly a third of a millimeter. Thus the latter length is greater than all cross-sectional edge dimensions of the connecting member. A suitable material is polyethene or a material having similar properties. 
     For operationally positionally securing the components catch or snap members are provided. When attaining the operating posture these members resiliently snap back into mutual positive engagement. Prior to attaining this working or operating posture these members mutually resiliently urge each other back. Thereby only one snap member may be resilient whilst the other remains rigidly positioned. 
     In the operating posture the individual component may also be positionally secured by abutting on the other component. This stop can act counter the locking action of the catch member. The stop of the one component comes into engaging contact with the other component only on a very last and small portion of the entire displacement path. 
     The adjoining corner edges of the two components or the associated microjoint may also not be annular, i.e., interrupted along an edge which is non-angled continuous. Correspondingly, the guide opening serving as the cutting socket or die may be cross-sectinally open on this side, i.e. in the casting state thus that the internally received component is not at all guided on this side over a first portion of the displacement path and then enters a guiding part which positively guides the component also on this side. In a transverse view this guiding side may be overlapped on the left and right by guide projections, whilst being freely exposed inbetween. Thus a medium passage is formed between the guide projections. This passage emanates from the opposite guiding face of the receiving component and traverses the received component, namely straight. The medium can flow along between these guiding faces of the two components. 
     In a preferred arrangement the connecting member is left only on a sole of the components, after severing, particularly on the received component. The division face of the other component then serves over the full displacement path firstly as a sliding face and then for positionally holding the counter component by permanently resting on this member in the operating posture. For this and the other effects cited the cold-flow properties of the material used are selected accordingly. The largest and smallest edge or width dimensions, as measured transverse to the shifting direction at the connecting zone of the received component, may be at the most thirty, twenty, ten or five millimeters, and at least five, three, two millimeters or one millimeter. This component may thus form a tab which is non-destructively flexibly or elastically bendable. In the operating posture this component is then stiffened by the other component to be non-bendable. The smallest width of a medium duct traversing each of the components may be less than three, two, one or half a millimeter or may be conical at an angle of less than 5° or 20°. Thus this duct is suitable as an atomizing nozzle which either forms the medium outlet directly porting to the environment or is spaced upstream therefrom. 
     A method according to the invention includes casting or molding the components in one part in an injection mold whereafter they remain continually mutually interconnected but are transferred from the first postion or casting state directly into a second position or operating posture. Instead of being produced in a continuously common mold cavity, the two components may also be produced in separate mold cavities or without direct interconnection, whereafter the components are transferred into the first position and from there into the second position. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Example embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail in the following and illustrated in the drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a module according to the invention in an axial cross-section through a discharge or actuating head when in the casting state, 
     FIG. 2 is the module of FIG. 1 in a partial cross-sectional view from below, 
     FIG. 3 is the module of FIG. 1 in plan view, 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail of FIG. 1 with the operating posture indicated in dot-dashed lines, 
     FIG. 5 is the detail of FIG. 4 in a view from the left, 
     FIG. 6 is a further enlarged detail of FIG.  5 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     All parts of the module shown in FIG. 1 are made in one part, particularly the components  2 ,  3  and namely the cup-shaped discharge or actuating head  2  of the piston unit of a pump of the aforementioned type and the second component  3  to be received by component  2 . What is said for each individual component  2  and  3  may also apply for the other component. In the first position or casting state part  3  protrudes in a way totally free beyond component  2  to which it is immovably connected only by a tacking, nominal severing point or joint  4 . Only after joint  4  has been severed or destroyed part  3  may be displaced relative to part  2  until its outermost faces adjoin the associated outermost faces of part  2  flush and without gaps to form an uninterrupted continuation of these faces. 
     An assembly or shear guide  5  on part  2  directly connects to and partly receives tacking  4 . Assembly reception  5  serves for displacing part  3  and has a first length section forming a die  6  corresponding to a stamp tool. The leading end of part  3  directly and solely adjoining die  6  is the associated slide or punching ram  7 . Thus tacking  4  is smoothly sheared off with the start of the mutual motion. Guide  5  is directly juxtaposed with the inside of outermost shell  8  of part  2 . An inner shell  9  freely and codirectionally protrudes within shell  8  while being radially spaced from shell  8 . Shell  9  is shorter or set back relative to shell  8  and serves to firmly seat the shaft of a piston unit which is traversed by an outlet duct porting into shell  9 . The center axis  10  of part  2  is then the center axis of the pump. The medium emerges out of part  2  to the open in an axis  11  oriented at right angles transverse to axis  10 . 
     For being transferred into the second position or operating posture part  3  is linearly shifted parallel to axis  10  in direction  12 , namely counter the flow direction in shell  9 , until the outlet axis attains second position  11  from first position  11 ′. In the first position as well as in the second and all other positions located inbetween part  3  is guided on part  2  with zero transverse clearance as referred to direction  12 , though a transverse clearance of maximally two or one tenth of a millimeter may be included. Thus the mutual positions of parts  2 ,  3  are precisely defined over the full travel or displacement path  15 . In the casting position parts  2 ,  3  interconnect in a plane  16  oriented at right angles transverse to direction  12 . Joint  4  extends beyond plane  16  in direction  12  only by the cited edge dimension of connecting members. Middle plane  17  is oriented at right angles transverse to plane  16  or parallel to axis  11 ,  11 ′ which is parallel to plane  16 . Plane  16  is an axial plane of axes  10 ,  11  or a plane of symmetry of part  2  or  3 . In FIG. 4 a part of the tool  18 ,  19  respective injection mold or of the tool pulls is shown in dash-dotted lines. In FIG. 4 is likewise shown the second postion of part  3  in which parts  2 ,  3  are mutually postionally secured by securing or locking means  20 . 
     Guide  5  is in cross-section flat and rectangular. Thus guide  5  is bounded by four guide faces  21  to  24  interconnecting at right angles and each located in a single plane. With each of these faces a corresponding slide or guide face  25  to  28  of flat plate  7  is associated to serve as a counter face. Each of faces  25  to  28  is likewise uninterruptedly located in a single plane. Two remote faces are entirely parallel edge faces  25 ,  26 . The two other faces are the large plate surfaces  27 ,  28 . All faces  25  to  28  connect to a leading front or breast face  29  facing in direction  12 . Face  29  is the frontmost edge face of the punch  7 . 
     The edges formed by faces  21  to  24  in plane  16  form a continuous and uninterrupted sharp edge. This shearing edge is connected in one part and in plane  16  to the sharp edges formed by faces  25  to  29  via a microjoint  30  belonging to the nominal severing point. Joint  30  has a thickness of less than one or half of a tenth of a millimeter. Additionally to tacking  30  the joint  4  has only two connections opposing each other. These connections or members  31  protrude maximally 1 ½ tenth of a millimeter beyond the inner face  21 ,  22  or face  29  and connect to each of faces  21 ,  22 ,  29  in one part. From the cited edges of punch  7  the faces  25  to  28  form edges  32  to  35  commonly with face  29 . Each member  31  forms a continuation of one of edges  25 ,  26  and in direction  12  decreasingly protrudes beyond the associated face  21  or  22 . Member  31  connects in one part to this face  21  or  22  continuously with a joining face  36 . Member  31  connects to face  29  with a likewise continuous face  37 . Thus joining legs of equal lengths  36 ,  37  are formed. Member  31  is rectangularly triangular in cross-section and forms a planar base edge  38  directly connecting faces  21 ,  29  respective  22 ,  29 . Faces  32  to  34 ,  36  provide connecting zones. 
     Face  24  faces axis  10  and is U-shaped when seen in direction  13 . For that face  24  is formed by a corresponding projection  39  of part  2 . Thus part  3  is guided with face  28  only along marginal strips which connect to faces  25 ,  26  and  29 . These strips also hold face  28  in the operating posture. For translation into the operating posture part  2  has a pressure face  40  which faces away from face  29 . Face  40  is formed by the trailing end remotest from joint  4 . Except for penetrations and a thickening  41  the part  7  has continuously constant peripheral cross-sections. Thickening  41  is a protrusion  42  facing away from axis  10  toward the outer circumference of part  2 . Protrusion  42  forms the significantly shorter leg of angular plate  3 . Protrusion  42  juts only beyond face  28  and forms by its inside a stop  43  which faces joint  4 . Part  2  forms between faces  21 ,  22  a recessed pocket  44  which connects to plane  16  in direction  12 . Pocket  44  completely receives projection  42 . For this purpose the side legs of protuberance  39  are spacedly set back from plane  16  in direction  12  so that their free ends form the pocket bottom or a counterstop  45  for stop  43 . In the operating posture face  40  is located in plane  16 . The sides  25 ,  26  of the projection  42  then smoothly adjoin the side faces  21 ,  22  of pocket  44  without gaps. 
     Locking means  20  include snap members  46 ,  47  which while attaining the operating posture are countersunk within part  2  and resiliently snap back into interengagement to then positively backclasp each other. Locking member  46  of part  2  is located at the inside of shell  8 , at the end of guide  5  and in junction to face  24  which is farer spaced from axis  10 . Member  46  is formed by an internal or shoulder face oriented transverse to direction  12 . Locking member  47  of part  3  protrudes counter direction  12  increasingly beyond face  28 , adjoins face  29  or edge  35  but not joint  30  and forms by its thickest zone a securing edge for contacting catch shoulder  46 . A corresponding member  47  could also protrude beyond face  27 . The ends of member  31  are laterally spaced from the respective opposing face  23  or  24  by at least one tenth of a millimeter. The length of member  31  between faces  23 ,  24  is at least twice as large as the length of legs  36 ,  37 . 
     Plane  16  is defined by the outside of an end wall  48  from which shells  8 ,  9  freely project in one part only in direction  12 . This outside is the pressure handle for actuating the dispenser. The outside of shell  9 , the inside of shell  8  and the inside of end wall  48  are interconnected via a projection  49  which is traversed by guide  5  closer to shell  8  than to shell  9  and entirely receives part  3  in the operating position. Then part  3  protrudes according FIG. 4 with members  31 ,  47  over the transverse web  46 ,  49  in direction  12 . Projection  49  also forms member  46 . Member  49  forms the longer part of guide  5  in junction to opening  6  which traverses wall  48 . This longer part is then bounded only by faces  23 ,  24  but not by faces  21 ,  22 , since projection  49  has in this portion a width which is equal to the spacing between faces  25 ,  26 . Thus faces  25 ,  26  are freely exposed in this portion when in the operating posture. Member  47  is located between faces  25 ,  26  and can pass without contact between the side legs of protrusion  39 . Projection  49  is T-shaped in axial view of FIG.  2 . The cross web of this T is traversed by guide  5  and the T-foot adjoins shell  9 . 
     Part  3  forms the dispenser&#39;s medium outlet  50  directly issuing into the environment. Outlet  50  is spaced from and located between the side legs of the protrusion  39 . The interior of shell  9  forms a medium duct  51  of circular cross-section. Duct  51  transits at the bottom or at the inside of wall  48  into a constricted transverse groove  52  and is to be connected to the outlet duct of the piston shaft. The radially acting guide groove  52  adjoins a transverse duct  53  oriented radially to axis  10 . Duct  53  traverses projection  49  up to face  23 . In the operating position duct  53  sealingly adjoins face  27  or opening  50 . Duct  53  is then eccentric to axis  11  in being closer to plane  16 . 
     Plate  7  is traversed by a duct  54  with a spacing from and at a location between faces  25 ,  26  and faces  29 ,  43 . Duct  54  is conically flared in or counter flow direction and has a diameter of less than one or half a micrometer. Duct  54  is bounded in one part by plate  7  and forms in plane  17  the nozzle duct of an atomizer nozzle by having sharp end edges. A shallow spherical cup recess  55  is provided in face  27 . In face  28  a corresponding spherical cup recess  56  is provided, which has the same depth but significantly greater width. Duct  54  is two to four times longer than this depth or twice thereof. The ends of duct  54  connect to the centers of dishes  55 ,  56 . 
     Guide means for the medium are associated with outlet  50  and connect to the upstream end of duct  54  to provide a swirler which urges the medium into a rotational flow about axis  11  while guiding the medium with this rotation directly into duct  54 . For this purpose guide recesses  57  to  59  are provided only in face  23  or, where necessary, also only in face  27  or in both faces. The width or depth of recesses  57  to  59  are less than two, one or half a millimeter. In axis  11  a circularly annular recess  57  is included. Within chamber  57  a central circular cup recess  58  is provided. Plural, particularly at least three, transverse or tangential ducts  59  are uniformly distributed about axis  11  and connect recess  57  tangentially to swirl chamber  58 . All recesses  57  to  59  have a common planar bottom face. The width of ducts  59  is smaller than the width or breadth of recesses  57 ,  58 . The breadth of recess  57  is smaller than the width of chamber  58 . Duct  53  issues directly only into duct  57 , namely circumferentially spaced from and between two ducts  59 . The width of chamber  58  is the same as the width of recess  50  so that they are operationally coincident. The medium thus flows out of duct  53  between faces  23 ,  27  initially only in opposite circumferential directions into duct  57  before then flowing via ducts  59  radially inwards into chamber  58 . 
     In production the unit  1  is injection molded in die  18 ,  19 . Then, a die segment  18  molding face  43  and an adjoining portion of face  28  is retracted whilst the remaining die segments which mold faces  25  to  28  remain in place or are lifted only briefly for loosening before then being returned to their casting position. Simultaneously the die segment which molds guide  5 , face  29  and members  31  is retracted to free guide  5 . With a tool punch, for example the die segment molding face  40 , the face  40  is then urged in direction  12  until joint  30  and legs  36  are sheared off in the plane of faces  21 ,  22  analogous to shear-cutting. Thereby the cutting edges are formed by the U-shaped edge  32  to  34  and the corresponding U-shaped edge of opening  6 . This edge is located in plane  16 . The die segment molding member  47 , pocket  44  and the gap between the side legs of the protrusion  39  may thereby also be slightly retracted to allow member  47  to pass without damage. The sheared-off members  31  remain totally on face  29  whilst the associated parting or division faces  36  serve to guide faces  25 ,  26  which do not form a free angle but define throughout a cutting clearance tending to zero. 
     With increasing displacement along path  15  also die segment  19  is retracted as a whole or progressively in portions to allow projection  42  to pass while segment  19  still maintains support and guidance on face  28  before immersing into guide  5 . When reaching the cross web of protrusion  39  the member  47  urges this cross web back against its inherent resiliency. Thus member  47  passes by and snaps behind face  46  at the end of path  15 . The convexly curved edge of projection  42  then forms, as viewed axially in FIG. 3, an uninterrupted continuation of the outer circumference of part  2 . Over path  15  the duct  54  runs past the port of duct  53  and past duct  57  until it has attained the position coincidental with chamber  58 . The workpiece  1  may then be totally demolded, i.e. released from the die. 
     Each of faces  23 ,  27  may exclusively have a protuberance or bead for contacting the counter face with increased pressure. The bead may be annular about axis  11 . Thus ducts  53  and  57  to  59  or their openings in face  23  are located within this bead. If beads are provided on both faces  23 ,  27  they should be radially juxtaposed and support on each other with their side flanks under pressure. Thus an even better seal is achieved between faces  23 ,  27 . 
     Shell  8  has at its inner circumference protruding catch or snap members  61  of withdrawal preventing means, which positively prevent unit  1  from being pulled off after having been axially plug-connected with the pump. While being plug mounted the members  61  are urged outwardly by inclined faces which run against counter-members and move radially due to the inherent resiliency of unit  1 . Thereafter members  61  snap back with their stop faces behind corresponding counter faces of the pump&#39;s base body. Members  61  are provided only in an axial plane of axis  10 , which plane is perpendicular to plane  17 . The outside of wall  48  may be provided with a recess which does not reach up to guide  5  and provides the actuating handle. 
     It will be appreciated that the cited features and effects may be provided precisely as described, or merely substantially or approximately so and may also greatly deviate therefrom, depending on the particular requirements. On the basis of an outer diameter of part 2 of maximally 30 mm or 20 mm and a, as compared thereto, greater length of maximally 40 mm or 30 mm the dimensional relationships as shown are particularly favorable.