US-12616987-B2 - Head for dispensing a fluid product and associated fluid product bottle

US12616987B2US 12616987 B2US12616987 B2US 12616987B2US-12616987-B2

Abstract

Dispensing head ( 2 ) of a fluid product comprising: a manually actuable pusher ( 5 ) in relation to an insert, an elastic dispensing nozzle ( 10 ). When the pusher ( 5 ) is moved, the nozzle ( 10 ) switches from a closed position to an open position by deformation of the nozzle ( 10 ) under the effect of a release of a stress exerted by the pusher ( 5 ). The pusher ( 5 ) comprises a stop ( 54 ) and the insert ( 6 ) is provided with two deformable lugs ( 60 ) which cause a force on the pusher ( 5 ) such that the insert ( 6 ) exerts on the nozzle ( 10 ) a stress in the opposite direction to a stress exerted by the stop ( 54 ) on the nozzle ( 10 ), each lug ( 60 ) extending from a body ( 6 a ) of the insert ( 6 ) and having a distal end ( 60 a ) of the body, the said ends being surmounted and connected to each other by a connecting element 70.

Inventors

Emir EZZINA
Richard Bloc
Thomas Pruvost

Assignees

SILGAN DISPENSING SYSTEMS LE TRÉPORT

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20221124
Priority Date: 20211129

Claims (17)

1 . A dispensing head comprising: a manually actuable pusher configured to move between a high position (HP) and a low position (LP) relative to an insert, a product dispensing nozzle comprising an elastic material, wherein, when moving the pusher from the high position (HP) to the low position (LP), the product dispensing nozzle switches from a closed position in which said product dispensing nozzle is sealed to an open position allowing the dispensing of a product by deformation of said product dispensing nozzle because of a release of a stress exerted by the pusher, said insert configured to exert a stress in an opposite direction of the stress exerted by the pusher on the product dispensing nozzle to keep the product dispensing nozzle closed at rest, said pusher comprising a stop and said insert comprising at least two deformable lugs, wherein said at least two lugs exert a force on the pusher such that the insert exerts a stress on the product dispensing nozzle in an opposite direction to a stress exerted by the stop on the product dispensing nozzle, each of said at least two lugs extending from a body of the insert and each having a distal end surmounted and connected to each other by a connecting element.
2 . The dispensing head of claim 1 , wherein the lugs deform when pressure is exerted on said pusher.
3 . The dispensing head of claim 1 , wherein said at least two deformable lugs comprise: at least one rear lug; and at least one front lug, wherein the at least one front lug is closer to the nozzle than the at least one rear lug.
4 . The dispensing head of claim 3 , wherein the at least one front lug has a length at rest that is greater than a length at rest of the at least one rear lug.
5 . The dispensing head of claim 3 , wherein the at least one front lug has a stiffness constant that is greater than a stiffness constant of the at least one rear lug.
6 . The dispensing head of claim 1 , wherein the connecting element is integral with said at least two lugs.
7 . The dispensing head of claim 1 , wherein the connecting element rests on the pusher.
8 . The dispensing head of claim 1 , wherein the connecting element comprises a portion of a ring extending about an axis (X) over an angular range greater than 30°.
9 . The dispensing head of claim 1 , wherein the connecting element is a disk.
10 . The dispensing head of claim 1 , wherein the at least two lugs and the connecting element form an assembly having a plane of symmetry (P).
11 . The dispensing head of claim 10 , wherein the at least two lugs are included in a cylinder.
12 . The dispensing head of claim 1 , wherein the at least two lugs are connected a a peripheral shoulder of said insert.
13 . The dispensing head of claim 1 , wherein the insert includes at least one groove and the pusher includes at least one rib, wherein the at least one rib is positioned in the at least one groove to guide the displacement of the pusher with respect to the insert.
14 . The dispensing head of claim 1 , wherein the pusher includes a secondary rib extending along an inner face of the pusher and which cooperates with an axially oriented secondary groove in an external face of the insert.
15 . The dispensing head of claim 1 , wherein the pusher further comprises an angular stop preventing a tilting of the insert.
16 . The dispensing head of claim 1 , wherein said nozzle comprises a slot configured to deform between an open position and a closed position.
17 . The dispensing head of claim 16 , wherein the slot extends in a direction substantially transverse to a direction of travel of the pusher.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a dispensing head for fluid product. The invention further relates to a fluid product bottle equipped with such a dispensing head. In the context of the invention, the fluid product can be any cosmetic product, any pharmaceutical lotion or any other product. TECHNICAL BACKGROUND Fluid product bottles typically include a fluid product tank topped at the top by a rigid neck delimiting an opening into which the fluid product delivery system is inserted. The dispensing system includes a pump that can be operated by a user by means of a pusher. When the user applies pressure to the pusher, a dose of the product is dispensed through a nozzle dispensing port provided in the pusher. Traditionally, the distribution port is permanently open. The product that remains in a communication channel between the pusher and the pump between two uses, i.e. when the pump is at rest, is therefore in contact with the external environment even before it is dispensed. It can therefore dry out or be contaminated with microbial agents. More recently, nozzles have been proposed with a slot as a product distribution port, the opening of which depends on the pressure exerted by the product coming out of the pump. In such a configuration, the slot cannot be perfectly sealed because it would not be possible, during the first use, to prime the pump and expel the air contained in the pump and the top from the tank. In the presence of air, the increase in air pressure resulting from the actuation of the pump is too small to open the slot so that the air could never be able to escape and the pump to be primed. Because of this watertightness, which is deliberately imperfect, such a configuration delays drying out but does not completely eliminate it. Nozzles have also been proposed whose opening is mechanically controlled during actuation. Such nozzles are, for example, equipped with a linkage mechanism with a needle configured to obstruct the product dispensing port when the device is at rest and to perform a retracting movement when the pusher is actuated, thus allowing the fluid to be distributed through the orifice. However, this type of nozzle is more complex in design with a large number of components and therefore more expensive. In addition, this severely limits the design possibilities for the pusher. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention overcomes the above disadvantages and provides a fluid product dispensing head in which the nozzle opening does not depend on the pressure exerted by the product from the pump and the tank, which is simple in design, requires a limited number of components and is inexpensive. In this regard, the invention provides a fluid dispensing head, a manually operable pusher, said pusher being configured to move between a high and a low position relative to an insert, a product dispensing nozzle made of an elastic material. The dispensing head is configured so that, when moving the pusher between the high and low position relative to the insert, the nozzle switches from a closed position in which said nozzle is sealed to an open position allowing the dispensing of said product by deformation of said nozzle under the effect of a release of a stress exerted by the pusher. Thus, the opening of the nozzle of the invention does not depend on the pressure exerted by the product to be dispensed but on a release of a stress exerted by the pusher when moving the said pusher between the high and the low position. The nozzle can therefore be closed completely sealed, without preventing the priming. In addition, the nozzle can remain closed in a completely sealed manner, especially between two uses of the device, since the elastic material of which it is made allows it to return to its initial configuration, i.e. the rest position, after the product has been dispensed. The inside of the nozzle, as well as the product contained in the bottle, are thus protected from contamination. In addition, the nozzle according to the invention is of simple manufacture since its opening is “activated” by a simple release of a stress exerted by the pusher. The insert is configured to exert a stress in the opposite direction of the stress exerted by the pusher to keep the nozzle closed at rest. The pusher comprises a stop, and the insert is provided with at least two deformable lugs which cause a force on the pusher so that the insert exerts a stress on the nozzle in the direction opposite to a stress exerted by the stop on the nozzle. Thus, in the resting position, the insert pushes the pusher back to the upper position thanks to the force exerted by its deformable lugs. The pusher exerts a stress on the nozzle and the insert through its stop, and on the other hand exerts a stress on the nozzle in the opposite direction. Under the effect of these two opposing stresses, the nozzle is forced into its closed position. This design reliably closes the nozzle, preventing contamination