U.S. patent application number 13/256495 was filed with the patent office on 2012-02-02 for device for dispensing a liquid-to-pasty product using a metering pump having a low dead volume.
This patent application is currently assigned to PROMENS SA. Invention is credited to Gwenael Doulin, Pascal Hennemann.
Application Number | 20120024904 13/256495 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40942338 |
Filed Date | 2012-02-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120024904 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Doulin; Gwenael ; et
al. |
February 2, 2012 |
DEVICE FOR DISPENSING A LIQUID-TO-PASTY PRODUCT USING A METERING
PUMP HAVING A LOW DEAD VOLUME
Abstract
A device for dispensing a liquid-to-pasty product to be placed
at the open end of a rigid container and consisting of a manual
metering pump for dispensing a predetermined amount of the product
to be dispensed, includes a base member to be placed on the
container, a push button provided with a dispensing spout capable
of acting, when pumped, against an intermediate bellows comprising
an opening/closing device provided at the upper end of the bellows,
characterized in that the push button is combined with a
cylindrical chamber directed towards the inside of the bellows and
extending inside the bellows so as to form a dead volume with a
predetermined value inside same and to accordingly reduce the
available air volume, thereby improving the compression rate when
pumped.
Inventors: |
Doulin; Gwenael; (Beynost,
FR) ; Hennemann; Pascal; (Vaux Les Saint Claude,
FR) |
Assignee: |
PROMENS SA
Villefranche sur Saone
FR
|
Family ID: |
40942338 |
Appl. No.: |
13/256495 |
Filed: |
February 2, 2010 |
PCT Filed: |
February 2, 2010 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/FR10/50168 |
371 Date: |
September 14, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
222/207 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B05B 11/3035 20130101;
B05B 11/3061 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
222/207 |
International
Class: |
B65D 37/00 20060101
B65D037/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 18, 2009 |
FR |
0951737 |
Claims
1-5. (canceled)
6. Device for dispensing a liquid-to-pasty product intended to be
installed at an open end of a rigid container and constituted by a
manual metering pump allowing for the dispensing of a predetermined
quantity of the product comprising: a base member intended to be
installed on the rigid container by a lower end via at least one of
hooking, adhesion, clipping, and screwing, a push button provided
with a dispensing spout mounted in a telescopic manner at an upper
portion of the base member and able to act in pumping in relation
to the base member, counter to a retaining member constituted by an
elastically deformable bellows providing a sealed link between an
internal chamber of the base member, opened towards the rigid
container in order to allow the passage of the product through an
opening, and at an upper end, an internal chamber of the push
button wherein exits a hole of the dispensing spout, associated
with opening/closing means, made at the upper end of said bellows,
the push button is associated with a cylindrical chamber, directed
towards the interior of the bellows with which cooperates, in a
sealed manner, a peripheral wall delimiting said cylindrical
chamber, and the cylindrical chamber being hermetically sealed at a
lower internal end and extending to the interior of the bellows in
order to constitute a solid volume of predetermined value inside
the bellows and reduce by as much useless dead volume, improving as
such a compression rate when pumped and the effectiveness of the
pump.
7. Device according to claim 6, wherein the cylindrical chamber
constituting the solid volume inside the bellows is carried out in
two members, of which one is constituted by an internal extension
of the push button, open at a lower end, and the other is
constituted by a globally cylindrical insert, closed at a lower end
portion and open at an upper end portion, with the insert being
added on the lower open portion of the first member in order to
comprise the solid volume.
8. Device according to claim 7, wherein the insert has an upper
portion of which an external shape and dimension correspond, to a
nearby assembly clearance, to the internal shape and dimension of
the lower portion of the extension of the push button whereon is
added the insert.
9. Device according to claim 8, wherein the upper end portion of
the insert is delimited, on an external wall, by a peripheral
shoulder whereon abuts an end edge of the lower portion of the
extension.
10. Device according to claim 6, wherein evacuation of the product
is carried out by transiting in a concentric crown-shaped volume
formed by the exterior wall of the cylindrical chamber and the
bellows.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] This invention relates to a device for dispensing a
liquid-to-pasty product intended to be installed at the open end of
a rigid container, and constituted by a manual metering pump making
it possible to dispense a predetermined quantity of the product to
be dispensed.
[0002] Such pumps are in particular intended for the dispensing of
all liquid-to-pasty products, whether pertaining for example to
food, cosmetic products, hygiene, health, and beauty products or
sun products.
[0003] But from the moment the pumps were positioned on markets
with lower value added, such as food or cosmetics, hygiene, health
and beauty, the complexity and the price of the pumps have
constituted a hindrance.
[0004] Most of these new products that use these pumps are
disposable products, with a reduced service life. In addition,
their requirements in terms of dose precision and repeatability are
more reduced.
[0005] This problem with simplification has appeared very recently
with the democratization of products, initially high-end, to be
adapted for mass distribution.
[0006] It is as such that the creation of a pump dispensing system
having few parts has already been sought, in any case with the
least amount of part possible, in such a way as to make it
economical.
[0007] A device aiming to achieve this objective was described in
French patent application Ser. No. 07/02965 filed by the applicant,
which in addition, resolved a safety problem on the dispensing of
the product, with the latter no longer able to occur
accidentally.
[0008] The results obtained, even if they are satisfactory, can be
further improved concerning the priming of the pump.
[0009] In fact, the main disadvantage of this pump is its
substantial dead volume associated with a low compression rate.
Indeed, tests have shown that only 37% of its metering chamber is
compressed when the push button is pressed. In the priming phase,
the air contained in the metering chamber and the dip tube must be
evacuated, by compressing the air of the metering chamber and to
force it to pass through a high valve.
[0010] With such a low compression rate of the air in the metering
chamber, the air has difficulty reaching the pressure required to
pass through a top valve of the device and the operation is not
effective. This results in priming that is too long due to the
requirement of having to exert several presses on the push
button.
[0011] This can be explained by the fact that the volume of air,
which corresponds to the volume of the bellows, generates the
priming phase of the pump when the air is compressed, during the
actuating of the push button.
[0012] Recall that the priming is carried out in the following
manner:
[0013] The push button is pressed in order to compress the air
inside the bellows, and this air will escape via the top valve,
until a stabilizing pressure is reached.
[0014] During the release of the bellows, the push button rises up
and creates a vacuum in the metering chamber corresponding to the
volume of escaped air.
[0015] This vacuum generates a suction of the product via the
bottom valve of the same device.
[0016] This operation is currently repeated too many times given
the substantial volume of air to be actuated in relation to useful
volume (dose) of the product dispensed, several times higher than
this dose.
[0017] For example, for a chamber volume of the bellows equal to
4.07 ml, a compression of 37% of this volume is obtained, allowing
for the dispensing of a dose of 1.5 ml.
[0018] In this case, the initial compression of the air is 600
mbars, and the vacuum generated is 370 mbars.
[0019] All of this results in a dead volume equal to 4.07 ml-1.5
ml.apprxeq.2.5 ml, therefore 63% of the non-effective initial
volume during the priming.
[0020] This therefore generates a substantial loss of
effectiveness, resulting in a substantial number of pumpings: about
twelve priming strokes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0021] It is as such that according to a first phase of the
inventive approach, it was established that it is required to
reduce the dead volume in the bellows.
[0022] For this, and according to the invention, a dead volume
reducer called solid volume is installed inside the bellows, in an
integral manner with the push button, occupying a determined volume
inside the bellows, allowing a useful volume of air to subsist
corresponding to at least the volume of one dose of the
product.
[0023] As such, a gain is made in the effectiveness in the priming
phase in order to evacuate the air. The quantity of air that passes
through the top valve is higher, and therefore a volume of product
that is higher is sucked to replace the air evacuated via the top
valve, and therefore have faster priming.
[0024] This invention has for purpose to achieve this objective and
relates to this effect to a device for dispensing a liquid-to-pasty
product intended to be installed at the open end of a rigid
container and constituted by a manual metering pump allowing for
the dispensing of a predetermined quantity of the product to be
dispensed, comprising:
[0025] a base member intended to be installed on the container by
its lower end via a means of hooking or of adhesion such as
clipping or screwing,
[0026] a push button provided with a dispensing spout mounted in a
telescopic manner at the upper portion of the base member and able
to act in pumping in relation to the latter, counter to a retaining
member constituted by
[0027] an elastically deformable bellows providing the sealed link
between on the one hand an internal chamber of the base member,
opened towards the container in order to allow for the passage of
the product through an opening, and on the other hand, at its upper
end, an internal chamber of the push button wherein exits a hole of
the dispensing spout, associated with opening/closing means, made
at the upper end of said bellows,
[0028] characterized in that the push button is associated with a
cylindrical chamber, directed towards the interior of the bellows
with which cooperates, in a sealed manner, a peripheral wall
delimiting said chamber, the latter being hermetically sealed at
its lower internal end and extending to the interior of the
bellows, in order to constitute a solid volume of predetermined
value inside the latter and reduce by as much its useless dead
volume, improving as such the compression rate when pumped and the
effectiveness of the pump.
[0029] Thanks to the invention, the results obtained, compared to
the previous results, are as follows, for the same bellows with a
dead volume reducer arranged inside the latter.
[0030] For a new chamber volume of the bellows reduced to 2.56 ml,
a new compression of 62% of this volume is obtained, making it
possible to dispense an identical dose of 1.5 ml.
[0031] In this case, the initial compression of the air is now 1350
mbars and the vacuum generated is 570 mbars. According to the
effect sought, this changes from twelve priming strokes, according
to prior art, to six priming strokes, which is half less.
[0032] In addition, the invention allows for the use of products
with a higher viscosity due to the fact that the pressure and the
suction are also higher.
[0033] The invention also relates to the characteristics that will
appear when reading the following description, and which must be
considered separately or according to all of their possible
technical combinations.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0034] This description provided by way of a non-restricted
example, shall allow for a better understanding of how the
invention can be carried out in reference to the annexed drawings
wherein:
[0035] FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal cross-section view of a
dispensing pump according to the invention, arranged on a
containing of a product to be dispensed, the push button being in
the "before use" position.
[0036] FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal cross-section view of a
dispensing pump of FIG. 1, in a first priming phase of the pump,
i.e. with the push button being pressed.
[0037] FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal cross-section view of a
dispensing pump according to FIG. 2, in a second priming phase of
the pump, i.e. during the rising of the push button, having for
effect to raise the liquid in the chamber constituted by the
bellows.
[0038] FIG. 4 shows a longitudinal cross-section view of a
dispensing pump according to FIGS. 1 and 3, during a dispensing of
the product, by pressing once again the push button downwards.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)
[0039] The device 1 globally designated in the figures is intended
for the dispensing of a liquid-to-pasty product 2, installed at the
open end 3 of a rigid container 4, and is constituted by a manual
metering pump 5, allowing for the dispensing of a predetermined
quantity of the product 2 to be dispensed.
[0040] In a known manner, the device 1 comprises:
[0041] a base member 6 intended to be installed by a means of
hooking or of adhesion such as clipping or screwing on the
container 4 by its lower end 7,
[0042] a push button 8 provided with a dispensing spout 9 mounted
in a telescopic manner at the upper portion 10 of the base member 6
and able to act in pumping in relation to the latter, counter to a
retaining member constituted by
[0043] an elastically deformable bellows 11 providing the sealed
link between on the one hand an internal chamber 12 of the base
member 6, opened towards the container 4 in order to allow for the
passage of the product 2 through an opening 13, and on the other
hand, at its upper end, an internal chamber 14 of the push button 8
wherein exits a hole 15 of the dispensing spout 9, associated with
opening/closing means, made at the upper end of said bellows
11.
[0044] These means are comprised of:
[0045] a first internal peripheral collar 16 made at the upper end
of the bellows 11, being housed in an internal annular groove 14 of
the push button 8 forming a chamber, and pressing against one of
its internal walls 17 that it tightens elastically according to a
predetermined force, in such a way as to provide the seal or to be
deformed radially under a certain pressure of the product 2 when it
is pumped, and as such allow it to be transferred into the annular
groove 14, said first flange 16 being associated with
[0046] a second collar 18 of the bellows 11, concentric to the
first 16, being housed in the same groove 14 of the push button 8,
but pressing against the external wall 19 of the latter wherein
groove 14 exits from the orifice 15 of the dispensing spout 9, said
second collar 18 being of a height such that it does not obstruct
said orifice 15, the opening or the closing of the latter being
carried out by the intermediary of a locking tab (not shown),
coming from the flange 18, of height and of width at least such as
to obstruct the orifice 15 by thrusting against, or to release it
during an action in rotation, in one direction or in the other, on
said push button 8, in relation to the base member 6, and
consequently to the bellows 11, and to its tab, remaining
fixed.
[0047] According to the invention, the push button 8 is associated
with a cylindrical chamber 8A, directed towards the inside of the
bellows 11 with which cooperates, in a sealed manner, a peripheral
wall 17 delimiting said chamber 8A, the latter being hermetically
sealed at its lower internal end and extending into the interior of
the bellows 11, in order to constitute a solid volume of
predetermined value inside the latter and reduce by as much its
useless dead volume, as such improving the compression rate when
pumped and the effectiveness of the pump.
[0048] According to a preferred embodiment, the chamber 8A
constituting the solid volume inside the bellows 11 is carried out
in two members, of which one is constituted by an internal
extension 8B of the push button 8, open at its lower end "b", and
the other is constituted by an insert 8C which is globally
cylindrical, closed at its lower end portion "a" and open at its
upper end portion "c", with the latter being added on the lower
open portion "b" of the first member 8B in order to constitute the
solid volume 8A.
[0049] This indeed entails a dead volume reducer according to the
effect sought by the invention.
[0050] According to a particular embodiment, the insert 8C has an
upper portion "d" of which the external shape and dimension
correspond, to the nearby assembly clearance, to the internal shape
and dimension of the lower portion "e" of the extension 8B of the
push button 8 whereon is added the insert 8C.
[0051] The effective connection between the insert 8C and the
extension 8B of the push button 8, in their respective end zones,
is carried out by gluing, by force fitting or by ultrasonic
welding.
[0052] Indeed, the dimensions of the chamber 8A are calculated
according to the reduction in volume of the bellows 11 to be
obtained, and consequently, of the compression rate sought. For
this, action is preferentially taken on the dimensions of the
insert 8A which is in fact a removable member.
[0053] As can be understood, the bellows 11 and the insert 8C, both
of globally cylindrical shape, delimit between them a concentric
crown-shaped volume 20, and the product 2 transits via this
crown.
[0054] As can be seen in the figures, the upper end portion "c" of
the insert 8C is delimited, on its external wall, by a peripheral
shoulder 21 whereon abuts the end edge "b" of the lower portion of
the extension 8B.
[0055] Advantageously, the various parts of the system are made
from plastic materials.
[0056] Advantageously, the bellows is made of a plastic material,
more preferably elastically deformable.
[0057] Advantageously, the material comprising the bellows has a
high elasticity and is at the same time able to provide, between
the two case members, the retaining forces required for the
pumping. It is as such that the choice was directed towards a
plastic material that is sufficiently flexible in order to provide
a good seal on flanges, sufficiently responsive in order to provide
a return to the initial position and provide a vacuum, and
sufficiently resistant to creeping in order to make it possible to
retain the initial tightening as well as retain a repeatability of
compression travel and therefore of the dose.
[0058] Preferentially, the bellows is made from an injection
molding of low-density polyethylene.
[0059] Also, SANTOPRENE (Polypropylene-modified Ethylene Propylene
Diene Rubber), or HYTREL (Thermoplastic Elastomer-Ether-Ester,
DRYFLEX (Styrene-Ethylene-Butylene-Styrene Styrenic Thermoplastic)
could be used, materials that did not exist about twenty years ago,
as well as certain references for polyethylenes that are created or
modified in order to guarantee responsiveness and acceptable
resistance to creeping.
[0060] These names are commercial names, the chemical names are in
parentheses.
[0061] These materials have all of the aforementioned
characteristics.
[0062] As can be easily seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the operation of
the device is as follows:
[0063] During the first use, a press is exerted on the push button
8 according to the direction F1, i.e. downwards, having for effect
to flush, via the spout 15, the air which is located in the bellows
11.
[0064] By releasing the pressure F1 on the push button 8, that
latter rises naturally according to the direction F2, drawing the
product 2 upwards, partially filling the internal volume of the
bellows 11.
[0065] During a another press in the direction F3, i.e. downwards,
exerted on the push button 8, a pressure will be exerted no longer
on the air located in the bellows 11, which has already been
evacuated, but on the product 2 which will be flushed by the
concentric space 20 created between the insert 8A and said bellows
11, for a faster evacuation of the product via the spout 15 of the
push button 8, and this with a number of presses on the latter also
reduced, for an improved effectiveness in the dispensing of the
product.
[0066] More precisely, the evacuation of the product is carried out
by transiting in a concentric crown-shaped volume 20 formed by the
exterior wall of the cylindrical chamber 8A and the bellows 11.
* * * * *