U.S. patent application number 11/860748 was filed with the patent office on 2008-01-17 for device for packaging and delivering a liquid product.
Invention is credited to Richard Bloc, Herve Lompech.
Application Number | 20080011783 11/860748 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35351949 |
Filed Date | 2008-01-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080011783 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bloc; Richard ; et
al. |
January 17, 2008 |
Device For Packaging And Delivering A Liquid Product
Abstract
The invention concerns a device for packaging and delivering a
liquid product, comprising a container deformable by pressure
applied on its side walls, wherein said liquid to be delivered is
stored, said container being closed by a head for dispensing the
liquid product which is traversed by an outlet for the liquid
product. The device also comprises a liquid drawing tube whereof
one end is fixed proximate the outlet for the liquid, the tube
being of such length that its other end is proximate the base of
the container. The wall of the container comprises cavities partly
delimiting the outline of the dispensing head. The invention is
characterized in that at least one passage is provided proximate
the dispensing head to ensure an air intake into the container
after the liquid is dispensed, so as to allow the container to
recover its initial shape by replacing by volume the dose of liquid
delivered.
Inventors: |
Bloc; Richard;
(Derchigny-Graincourt, FR) ; Lompech; Herve;
(Bouttencourt, FR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ST. ONGE STEWARD JOHNSTON & REENS, LLC
986 BEDFORD STREET
STAMFORD
CT
06905-5619
US
|
Family ID: |
35351949 |
Appl. No.: |
11/860748 |
Filed: |
September 25, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
PCT/FR05/03302 |
Dec 29, 2005 |
|
|
|
11860748 |
Sep 25, 2007 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
222/211 ;
222/215 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 1/32 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
222/211 ;
222/215 |
International
Class: |
B65D 37/00 20060101
B65D037/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 25, 2005 |
FR |
0502998 |
Claims
1. A device for packaging and dispensing a liquid product
comprising a container deformable by compression on its side walls,
wherein said liquid to be dispensed is stored, said container being
closed by a dispensing head through which a product outlet is
provided, said device also comprising a feeder tube one end of
which is attached close to the product outlet, the tube length
being such that its other end is close to the container bottom to
draw the liquid, said device being such that container wall
includes cavities which partially mark the contour of the
dispensing head and that at least one passage is provided close to
the dispensing head to provide an air inlet into the container when
the liquid is dispensed, characterized in that several air inlet
passages are arranged in the dispensing head and uniformly
distributed around the end of the feeder tube, in order to increase
the rate of the air coming into the container and thus to
accelerate the recovery of its initial shape by the container.
2. A device according to claim 1 characterized in that said
cavities radially extend at least partially on the periphery, under
the dispensing head level.
3. A device according to claim 1 characterized in that the
container includes at least two communicating chambers connected by
two deformable zones such that they make it possible to press the
chambers close to one another by pressing on their outer wall, a
channel being provided between the two chambers and forming a
passage for the liquid contained in the container.
4. A device according to claim 3 characterized in that said
deformable zones have grooves arranged in an axial direction
between two chambers so as to facilitate the deformation of the
chambers side walls.
5. A device according to claim 1 characterized in that the
container includes an opening for filling the liquid to be
dispensed and in that said dispensing head has a closure for
closing the filling opening.
6. A device according to claim 7 characterized in that said closure
includes a collar to be fixed on the container opening, said collar
having said liquid outlet and a hinged top closure for closing said
hole and hinged to the collar.
7. A device according to claim 8 characterized in that the collar
includes a seating for accommodating the end of said feeder tube,
at least one air passage going through said seating.
8. A device according to claim 1 characterized in that said head is
built integral with said containers.
9. A device according to claim 2 characterized in that the
container includes at least two communicating chambers connected by
two deformable zones such that they make it possible to press the
chambers close to one another by pressing on their outer wall, a
channel being provided between the two chambers and forming a
passage for the liquid contained in the container.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a continuation of pending
International patent application PCT/FR2005/003302 filed on Dec.
29, 2005 which designates the United States and claims priority
from French patent application 0502998 filed on Mar. 25, 2005, the
content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a device for packaging and
dispensing a liquid contained in a container.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] It more particularly, but not exclusively, concerns a bottle
intended to contain a cosmetic or pharmaceutical product, having
such a viscosity that the product can be delivered by pressing the
bottle walls, and more particularly by compressing the bottle
walls.
[0004] Such liquid product dispensers are known, which comprise a
bottle made of a material resilient enough to be able to recover
its original shape after a deformation.
[0005] The bottle has an opening through which the product is
introduced, as well as a liquid product feeder tube, which is
introduced into the bottle and held at one of its ends close to the
bottle opening.
[0006] The bottle also has a closure for sealingly closing the
opening, so that the liquid will not flow when the bottle is
horizontal for example.
[0007] But such devices have the following disadvantages:
[0008] When the bottle loses its shape because of a manual pressure
on its side wall, the upper part of the bottle (which is located
close to its opening) also loses its shape and the bottle hardly
recovers its original shape;
[0009] The bottle slowly recovers its shape, which implies some
waiting time for the user between two successive utilisations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The aim of the present invention is to overcome such
problems.
[0011] It relates to the packaging and the delivery of a liquid
product, comprising a container deformable by compression, or
manual pressure, on its side walls, wherein said liquid to be
dispensed is stored. The container is closed by a liquid product
dispensing head through which a product outlet is provided. The
device also comprises a liquid feeder tube one end of which is
attached close to the product outlet, the tube length being such
that its other end is close to the container bottom to draw the
liquid. According to the invention, the container wall is provided
with cavities which partially mark the contour of the dispensing
head so as to absorb the deformation stresses when the bottle wall
is compressed, in order to prevent the dispensing head from being
deformed. Besides, at least one air circulation passage is arranged
close to the dispensing head so as to provide air inlet into the
container after the liquid has been dispensed, so that the
container can recover its original shape by replacing or making up
the quantity of delivered liquid in volume.
[0012] To preserve the dispensing head as best as possible when the
bottle is deformed, said cavities are preferably provided so that
they radially extend at least partially on the periphery, under the
dispensing head level.
[0013] When it is built so, the container can recover its initial
shape more rapidly than the known bottles, and the dispensing head
is not deformed.
[0014] According to one embodiment, the container includes at least
two communicating chambers, connected by two deformable zones which
make it possible to press the chambers close to one another by
pressing on their outer walls. A channel is advantageously provided
between the two chambers, forming a passage for the liquid
contained in the container.
[0015] The deformable zones advantageously have grooves which are
arranged in an axial direction between two chambers so as to
facilitate the deformation of the chambers side walls.
[0016] According to a second embodiment, several air inlet passages
provided in the container are arranged in the dispensing head.
[0017] This makes it possible to increase the rate of the air
coming into the container and thus to accelerate the recovery of
its initial shape by the container.
[0018] Passages are preferably distributed uniformly around the
feeder tube end, in order to facilitate a uniform distribution of
the air coming into the container and thus make it possible for the
container to recover its initial shape.
[0019] According to an alternative embodiment, the container
includes an opening for filling the liquid to be dispensed and in
the dispensing head has a closure for closing the filling
opening.
[0020] According to an advantageous embodiment of the device
according to this invention, the closure includes a collar to be
fixed on the container opening, said collar having said liquid
outlet and a hinged top closure for closing said hole and hinged to
the collar.
[0021] The collar preferably includes a seating for accommodating
the end of the feeder tube, at least one air passage going through
the seating.
[0022] According to an alternative embodiment of the device
according to this invention, the head may be made integral with the
container.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will
appear upon reading the following detailed description, reference
being particularly made to the appended figures in which:
[0024] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a device according to a first
embodiment according to the invention;
[0025] FIG. 2 illustrates a front view the device of FIG. 1;
[0026] FIG. 3 shows a lateral view of the device of FIGS. 1 and
2;
[0027] FIG. 4 shows the device of FIG. 3 fitted with a top closure
in open position;
[0028] FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device shown
in FIG. 1;
[0029] FIG. 6 shows a side view (upper view) and a cross sectional
view (lower view) of the shape taken by the device of the preceding
figures when its side wall is pressed;
[0030] FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view of the device shown in
FIG. 8;
[0031] FIG. 8 illustrates a longitudinal sectional view of the
dispensing head of the device according to the invention, when the
liquid is expelled from the container comprised by the device
according to the invention, as well as the displacements of air and
the liquid contained in the container (motions represented by
arrows);
[0032] FIG. 9 illustrates a longitudinal sectional view of the
dispensing head shown in FIG. 8, when the container recovers its
shape after having been deformed by a user, as well as the
displacements of the air coming into the container (motions
represented by arrows).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0033] Within the scope of the exemplary embodiment of the device
according to the invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 9, the device is
intended for the packaging of liquid cosmetic or pharmaceutical
products.
[0034] As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, more particularly, the
device includes a container 1 made of a shape memory elastically
deformable material.
[0035] The container can thus be deformed when its side wall is
compressed and it can elastically return to its initial shape.
[0036] Said liquid to be delivered is stored in container 1. The
liquid is introduced into the container through an opening 10 (FIG.
5).
[0037] The container 1 includes at least two communicating chambers
11 and 12, connected together by two deformable zones 13 and 14
(FIG. 6) which allow to press the chambers close to one another by
pressing on their outer wall, a channel 15 being provided between
the two chambers 11 and 12 and forming a passage for the liquid
contained in the container 1.
[0038] Both deformable zones 13 and 14 have grooves which are,
each, arranged between two chambers 11 and 12 so as to facilitate
the deformation of the chambers side walls.
[0039] The grooves are formed during moulding, using the mould
shape.
[0040] The container 1 is closed by a liquid product dispensing
head 2.
[0041] The dispensing head 2 more particularly has the shape of a
closure 7 for closing the filling opening 10.
[0042] However it should be noted that the invention is not limited
to an embodiment in which the container and the closure are two
distinct parts. According to an alternative embodiment of the
device according to the invention, the dispensing head 2 may be
made integral with the container.
[0043] According to the embodiment presently described and
illustrated, the closure 7 includes a collar 71 to be fixed on the
container opening and a hinged top closure 72 for closing said hole
and hinged to the collar between an open position and a closed
position on the collar 71.
[0044] Therefore the top closure 72 is hinged to the collar 71.
[0045] The collar 71 has two inner cylindrical skirts 73 and 74
(FIGS. 7 and 8) having different diameters and being centered
around the collar axis.
[0046] Both skirts 73 and 74 hold the collar on the container by
being positioned on either side of the container neck, said neck
marking the opening 10 of the container 1.
[0047] To hold the collar 71 in position, the end of the inner
skirt 73 has the shape of a hook 75 engaging under a curl 116
protruding from the neck 10 of the container (FIG. 9).
[0048] A liquid product outlet 3 is provided through the collar 71
(FIGS. 4, 5, 8 and 9).
[0049] Incidentally, the collar 71 has axial grooves 17 positioned
opposite the grooves 13 and 14 of the container when the closure 7
is attached on the container 1. This gives the device a more
aesthetic appearance (FIG. 2).
[0050] Besides, the collar has a depression 18 radially arranged
opposite the hinge which connects it to the top closure and close
to the junction between the collar and the top closure, so that a
user can easily open the top closure by positioning its thumb, for
example, onto the depression 18, and by pushing the top closure to
make it swing open.
[0051] The device also includes a tube 4 for feeding the liquid
contained in the container 1.
[0052] One end 41 of the feeder tube 4 is attached close to the
product outlet 3 of the dispensing head 2. For this purpose, the
dispensing head 2 includes an inner annular skirt 21, the axis of
which is the same as that of the outlet 3, so that the outlet faces
the tube 4 end, to facilitate the discharge of the liquid drawn
from the container 1 (FIGS. 5, 8 and 9).
[0053] The tube 4 length is such that its other end 42, opposite
end 41, is close to the container bottom to draw the liquid (FIG.
5).
[0054] According to the invention and as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to
6, the container wall is provided with cavities 5 which partially
mark the contour of the dispensing head 2 so as to avoid the
deformation of the latter when the bottle wall is compressed, in
order to prevent the risks of malfunction.
[0055] As can be seen more particularly in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6, the
cavities 5 radially extend at least partially on the periphery,
under the feeder tube 2 level.
[0056] As a matter of fact, as more particularly shown in FIG. 6,
when the container side wall is pressed (the pressure is shown by
arrows P), the base of the dispensing head 2 is not deformed.
[0057] It shall be understood that the base of the dispensing head
is the part of the device which defines the limit between the
dispensing head and the container. According to the embodiment
presently described and illustrated, the base of the dispensing
head corresponds to the plane crossing the container and the
cavities 5.
[0058] As a matter of fact, the cavities 5 separate the dispensing
head from the rest of the container 1 body, so that when the
container 1 is deformed because its side wall is compressed, the
cavities 5 absorb the deformation stresses.
[0059] Thus the dispensing 2 is not deformed.
[0060] The base 71 includes a seating for accommodating the end of
said feeder tube 4, at least one air passage going through the
seating.
[0061] As shown in FIG. 7, three passages 60,61 and 62 are arranged
in the dispensing head 2. Passages 60,61 and 62 allow air
circulation between the container inside and outside.
[0062] The passages 60,61 and 62 provide air inlet into the
container after the liquid has been dispensed, so that the
container can recover its original shape by replacing or making up
the quantity of delivered liquid in volume (the air circulation is
shown by arrows on FIG. 9).
[0063] The passages 60,61 and 62 also provide the outlet for the
air contained in the container (FIG. 8), which facilitates the
deformation of the container.
[0064] The passages 60,61 and 62 are uniformly distributed around
the feeder tube 4 end.
[0065] The air coming into the container is thus uniformly
distributed, which makes it possible for the container 1 to recover
its initial shape.
[0066] With this embodiment, the device according to the invention
has the following advantages:
[0067] It can easily be deformed without an important force being
necessary to compress the container side wall;
[0068] It can easily and quickly recover its original shape apres
having been deformed, so that a user can spray two doses of liquid
without having to wait too long between the two sprays for the
container to recover its original shape.
[0069] It is of simple and low price design since no delivery pump
is required, as pumps are currently the most expensive elements in
delivery devices.
* * * * *