U.S. patent application number 10/571056 was filed with the patent office on 2007-02-08 for fluid product distributor device.
This patent application is currently assigned to VALOIS S.A.S. Invention is credited to Francois Le Maner.
Application Number | 20070029347 10/571056 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34178882 |
Filed Date | 2007-02-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070029347 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Le Maner; Francois |
February 8, 2007 |
FLUID PRODUCT DISTRIBUTOR DEVICE
Abstract
A fluid dispenser pump comprising a pump body (10), a pump
chamber (20) provided with an inlet valve (30) and with an outlet
valve (40), and a piston (50) sliding in said pump body (10) so as
to dispense the fluid contained in the pump chamber (20), said
outlet valve (40) comprising a valve element (41) co-operating with
a valve seat (42), said outlet valve (40) further comprising
deformable sealing means (45, 46) provided between said valve seat
(42) and said valve element (41), said sealing means (45, 46) being
elastically deformed in the closed position of said outlet valve
(40) so as to improve sealing.
Inventors: |
Le Maner; Francois; (La
Vella Marten, FR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SUGHRUE MION, PLLC
2100 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, N.W.
SUITE 800
WASHINGTON
DC
20037
US
|
Assignee: |
VALOIS S.A.S
B.P.G. LE PRIEURE
F-27110 LE NEUBOURG, FRANCE
FR
|
Family ID: |
34178882 |
Appl. No.: |
10/571056 |
Filed: |
September 2, 2004 |
PCT Filed: |
September 2, 2004 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/FR04/02233 |
371 Date: |
March 7, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
222/321.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B05B 11/3018
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
222/321.2 |
International
Class: |
B65D 88/54 20060101
B65D088/54 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 10, 2003 |
FR |
03106553 |
Claims
1. A fluid dispenser pump comprising a pump body (10), a pump
chamber (20) provided with an inlet valve (30) and with an outlet
valve (40), and a piston (50) sliding in said pump body (10) so as
to dispense the fluid contained in the pump chamber (20), said
outlet valve (40) comprising a valve element (41) co-operating with
a valve seat (42), the fluid dispenser pump being characterized in
that said outlet valve (40) further comprises deformable sealing
means (45, 46) provided between said valve seat (42) and said valve
element (41), said sealing means (45, 46) being elastically
deformed when said outlet valve (40) is in the closed position, so
as to improve sealing.
2. A pump according to claim 1, in which said piston (50) is
secured to an actuator rod (5), said actuator rod being hollow and
defining an expulsion channel (4) for the fluid, said valve seat
(42) being formed in said expulsion channel (4).
3. A pump according to claim 1, in which, while the pump is being
actuated, the outlet valve (40) is urged towards its closed
position by a spring (70), said valve (40) being opened by the
pressure of the fluid contained in the pump chamber (20).
4. A pump according to claim 1, in which said deformable sealing
means (45, 46) are formed on the valve element (41).
5. A pump according to claim 1, in which said deformable sealing
means (45, 46) are formed on the valve seat (42).
6. A pump according to claim 4, in which said deformable sealing
means comprise at least one deformable annular lip (45).
7. A pump according to claim 6, in which said annular lip (45) is
flexible and co-operates with a frustoconical surface when the
valve (40) is in the closed position.
8. A pump according to claim 6, in which said annular lip (45) is
made by overmolding.
9. A pump according to claim 1, in which the valve seat (42)
includes a flexible annular lip (45) co-operating with a
frustoconical valve element (41), said valve element (41) being
substantially rigid.
10. A pump according to claim 9, in which the valve seat (42) is
made out of two materials, said annular lip (45) being made out of
a material that is softer than the remainder of the valve seat
(42).
11. A pump according to claim 4, in which said deformable sealing
means comprise a deformable O-ring (46).
12. A pump according to claim 11, in which said O-ring (46)
co-operates with a frustoconical surface when the valve (40) is in
the closed position.
13. A pump according to claim 11, in which said O-ring (46) is
secured by interfitting, snap-fastening, or overmolding.
14. A pump according to claim 1, in which the valve element (41) is
substantially rigid and includes a deformable O-ring (46)
co-operating with a frustoconical valve seat (42), said valve seat
(42) being substantially rigid.
15. A fluid dispenser device, characterized in that it includes a
pump according to claim 1.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a fluid dispenser pump and
to a fluid dispenser device including such a pump.
[0002] Pumps are well known for dispensing powders or fluids, in
particular in the fields of pharmacy, perfumery, or cosmetics. Such
pumps often include a pump body that contains a pump chamber in
which a piston slides in leaktight manner, so as to dispense, in
metered manner, a substance contained in the pump chamber. When the
pump is a metering pump, the pump chamber generally includes an
inlet valve and an outlet valve, which, when they are both closed,
define the volume of the dose to be dispensed. Sealing the outlet
valve in the closed position serves firstly to avoid leakage during
actuation, but also to avoid any contamination of the substance
contained in the pump chamber in the rest position. Particularly in
the field of pharmacy in which a precise and reproducible dose is
often required, any risk of leakage, and thus reduction in dose, is
not desirable. Consequently, the sealing at the outlet valve must
be substantial. However, when the outlet valve is in the closed
position, substantial sealing should not prevent said valve from
functioning properly, e.g. by blocking it in the closed position,
thereby preventing the pump from functioning properly, and thus
preventing a correct dose from being dispensed.
[0003] An object of the present invention is to provide a fluid
dispenser pump that satisfies the above-mentioned requirements in
optimum manner, without reproducing the drawbacks of the prior-art
pumps.
[0004] More particularly, an object of the present invention is to
provide a fluid dispenser pump that provides perfect sealing when
the outlet valve of the pump chamber is in the closed position.
[0005] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
fluid dispenser pump that functions in safe and reliable manner,
and that guarantees precise and reproducible dispensing of a dose
of fluid each time the pump is actuated.
[0006] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
fluid dispenser pump that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture
and to assemble.
[0007] The present invention thus provides a fluid dispenser pump
comprising a pump body, a pump chamber provided with an inlet valve
and with an outlet valve, and a piston sliding in said pump body so
as to dispense the fluid contained in the pump chamber, said outlet
valve comprising a valve element co-operating with a valve seat,
said outlet valve further comprising deformable sealing means
provided between said valve seat and said valve element, said
sealing means being elastically deformed when said outlet valve is
in the closed position, so as to improve sealing.
[0008] Advantageously, said piston is secured to an actuator rod,
said actuator rod being hollow and defining an expulsion channel
for the fluid, said valve seat being formed in said expulsion
channel.
[0009] While the pump is being actuated, the outlet valve is
advantageously, urged towards its closed position by a spring, said
valve being opened by the pressure of the fluid contained in the
pump chamber.
[0010] In a first embodiment of the invention, said deformable
sealing means are formed on the valve element.
[0011] In a second embodiment of the invention, said deformable
sealing means are formed on the valve seat.
[0012] In a first embodiment of the present invention, said
deformable sealing means comprise at least one deformable annular
lip.
[0013] Advantageously, said annular lip is flexible and co-operates
with a frustoconical surface when the valve is in the closed
position.
[0014] Advantageously, said annular lip is made by overmolding.
[0015] The valve seat advantageously includes a flexible annular
lip co-operating with a frustoconical valve element, said valve
element being substantially rigid.
[0016] Advantageously, the valve seat is made out of two materials,
said annular lip being made out of a material that is softer than
the remainder of the valve seat.
[0017] In a second embodiment of the present invention, said
deformable sealing means comprise a deformable O-ring.
[0018] Advantageously, said O-ring co-operates with a frustoconical
surface when the valve is in the closed position.
[0019] Advantageously, said O-ring is secured by interfitting,
snap-fastening, or overmolding.
[0020] Advantageously, the valve element is substantially rigid and
includes a deformable O-ring co-operating with a frustoconical
valve seat, said valve seat being substantially rigid.
[0021] The present invention also provides a fluid dispenser device
including a pump as described above.
[0022] Other characteristics and advantages of the present
invention appear more clearly from the following detailed
description of two embodiments thereof, given by way of
non-limiting example, and with reference to the accompanying
drawings, and in which:
[0023] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic section view of a pump constituting
a first embodiment of the present invention; and
[0024] FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 showing a second
embodiment of the present invention.
[0025] The figures show an example of a pump, but naturally the
present invention applies to any type of pump, with structures that
are different from those shown in the drawings.
[0026] With reference to FIG. 1, the pump includes a pump body 10
in which there slides a piston 50 secured to an actuator rod 5. The
actuator rod 5 is advantageously hollow and defines an expulsion
channel 4 for the fluid. The pump body 10 contains a pump chamber
20 that is defined between an inlet valve 30 and an outlet valve
40. In the example shown, the outlet valve 40 and the inlet valve
30 includes a common valve element 41. When the inlet valve 30 is
in the closed position, the valve element is urged against an inlet
valve seat 32 that is advantageously secured to the pump body 10,
and when the outlet valve 40 is in the closed position 40, the
valve element is urged against an outlet valve seat 42 that is
advantageously secured to the actuator rod 5, and preferably
defined at the expulsion channel 4. Naturally, the present
invention also applies to pumps in which the inlet and outlet valve
elements 30, 40 are different, e.g. completely separate.
[0027] The present invention relates more specifically to the
outlet valve 40 of the pump chamber 20, and all of the other
components of the pump could be modified. The pump is therefore not
described in greater detail below, since the other elements of the
pump do not directly affect the present invention.
[0028] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the invention. In this
first embodiment, the valve seat 42 includes at least one flexible
deformable lip 45 that co-operates with the valve element 41 when
the outlet valve 40 is in the closed position. The valve element 41
is preferably rigid and advantageously includes a frustoconical
surface at its surface which co-operates with the flexible lip 45.
As shown in FIG. 1, when the valve 40 is in the closed position,
the lip 45 is deformed, so as to improve sealing in the closed
position. In a variant, it is possible to envisage two or more lips
co-operating with the valve element 41. The lip 45 can be made
integrally with the remainder of the valve seat 42, and in
particular with the actuator rod 5 and the piston 50, in the
embodiment in FIG. 1. In a variant, the lip 45 could be overmolded
on the valve seat 42, in which event it could be made out of a
material that is softer than the remainder of the valve seat, and
in particular than the remainder of the actuator rod 5. This makes
it possible to improve sealing still further, while maintaining the
rigidity necessary for the other constituent elements of the pump.
The outlet valve 40 is preferably urged towards its closed position
by a spring 70, preferably the return spring of the pump that
returns it to its rest position, and this is also valid for the
embodiment shown in FIG. 2. The outlet valve 40 is advantageously
opened by the pressure of the fluid contained in the pump chamber
20. In a variant, the outlet valve could be urged towards its
closed position by the pressure of the fluid contained in the pump
chamber while the pump is being actuated. The outlet valve could
then be opened at the end of the actuation stroke, e.g.
mechanically. The spring 70 or the pressure of the fluid that urges
the outlet valve 40 towards its closed position improves sealing
still further when the outlet valve is in the closed position, and
particularly while the pump is being actuated, thereby preventing
any fluid from leaking, and thus preventing any dose from being
lost.
[0029] In a variant to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, it is
possible to envisage an inverse embodiment, i.e. in which the valve
element 41 includes a deformable or flexible sealing lip that
co-operates with a valve seat 42 that could be frustoconical, for
example.
[0030] FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.
In this second embodiment, the deformable sealing element is formed
by an O-ring disposed on the valve element. The O-ring can be
secured on the valve element 41 by interfitting, snap-fastening, or
overmolding. The O-ring is advantageously made out of a material
that is softer than the remainder of the valve element, thereby
improving sealing in the closed position. As shown in FIG. 2, the
O-ring 46 advantageously co-operates with a frustoconical surface
of the valve seat 42.
[0031] In a variant to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, it is
possible to envisage securing the O-ring not on the valve element
41, but on the valve seat 42, in which event the valve element
would be frustoconical, as in FIG. 1, and would advantageously be
used to co-operate with the O-ring 46 that would be secured to the
valve seat 42.
[0032] The provision of a frustoconical surface for co-operating
with the deformable sealing element (lip 45 or O-ring 46) serves
not only to center the valve element 41 on the valve seat 42, but
also makes it possible to provide sealing during actuation, even
when the force exerted by the user on the actuator rod 5 is not
completely axial.
[0033] The pump of the present invention is designed for fastening
onto a reservoir (not shown), e.g. by means of a fastener ring 60
which would be a clamping cap in the embodiment shown. Naturally,
other variants can be envisaged. In addition, a dispenser head (not
shown) can also be assembled on the actuator rod 5, so as to
dispense the fluid coming from the pump.
[0034] Although the present invention is described above with
reference to two embodiments thereof, it is clear that it is not
limited by the embodiments shown. On the contrary, any useful
modifications can be applied thereto by the person skilled in the
art, without going beyond the ambit of the present invention, as
defined by the accompanying claims.
* * * * *