High dosage dispensing device or "dispenser", sealed both in the closed position and in the open position

Abstract

 The present invention relates to a high dosage dispensing device or "dispenser", sealed both in the closed and in the open position. It comprises a body (1) connected at the bottom with a suction tube (2) and at the top with a ring nut (3), having internally a ball valve (4) and a spring-loaded stem (5). The stem (5) presents a ferrule (50) with sealing element, a plunger (6) and a dispensing spout (7). The ring nut (3) presents an opening delimited by an upwards-oriented lip, whilst the body (1) presents an upper terminal portion (15) comprising an edge (150) and a diameter disc (151). A check sleeve (9) inserted on the stem (5) is provided with an upper annular cuff (90) retained within an annular cavity (31) formed between the lip (30) and the edge (150).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a high dosage dispensing device or "dispenser", sealed both in the closed and in the open position. The device is applied to bottles containing products for hair and body care, soaps and pastes and food products. Because of the high dosage of the quantities dispensed (3 ÷ 5 cc), the dispensing device according to the present invention is destined to have professional applications, and therefore presents particular characteristics of ruggedness and reliability.

[0002] Dispensing devices of this kind suffer from the drawback whereby, if the dispensing device is forgotten open by the end user, the content of the bottle remains in contact with the atmosphere with the consequence that it oxidises. Moreover, if placed under a jet of water, as may occur for instance in a shower, the water itself may penetrate inside the bottle, compromising the integrity of the product contained therein.

[0003] Further drawbacks are linked to the constructive parts that compose it. The greater their number, the greater the cost of the dispensing device. In particular, the presence of normal gaskets to seal the ring nut, whereon the dispensing device is applied, and the mouth of the bottle, has been an inevitable necessity until now.

[0004] Current dispensing devices require special tools for their assembly, in particular for mounting the spring in proximity to the ball valve, and cause needless wastage of time.

[0005] The object of the present invention therefore is to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks.

[0006] Specifically, one of the main aims of the present invention is to allow the container whereon the dispensing device is applied to be sealed, both in the closed position and in the open position of the dispensing device.

[0007] Another aim of the present invention is to reduce the number of its component parts, in particular of the sealing gaskets.

[0008] A further aim of the present invention is to simplify assembly and avoid needless time wastage.

[0009] Yet another aim of the present invention is to allow a dispensing device to be provided in pre-assembled form, to avoid needless mounting problems to the intermediate user.

[0010] The invention, as it is characterised by the claims that follow, solves the problem of providing a high dosage dispensing device or "dispenser", sealed both in the closed and in the open position, of the type comprising a body connected at the bottom with a suction tube and at the top with a ring nut to be applied to a bottle and having internally a ball valve and a spring-loaded coaxially movable stem, which presents from bottom to top a ferrule, a plunger sliding within said body to define therewith a metering chamber, and externally thereto a dispensing spout inserted at the top of said stem, dispensing device which, from a general point of view, is characterised in that:

• to the ferrule is applied a sealing element having an ogive shape ending at the top with a curved collar with annular cavity oriented towards the ball valve;
• the body is tapered at the bottom towards said ball valve for engagement with said sealing element able to obtain a hermetic closure under said metering chamber;
• the ring nut of the bottle, of the screw-on type, presents at its top a circular opening delimited by an upward-facing lip;
• the body presents at its top a terminal portion with L-shaped cross section comprising an upward-facing edge slightly projecting outward and a diameter disc: said body edge facing said ring nut lip and said diameter disc being set against the top of said ring nut;
• a check sleeve inserted slidingly onto said stem is provided with an upper annular cuff retained in an annular cavity formed between said ring nut lip and said body edge and with a central threaded portion destined for screw-on coupling with a counter-threaded portion of said dispensing spout;
• said plunger is able to slide on said stem and to move therewith on a cylindrical section of the body with an upper limit position wherein it is set against the "skin" shaped bottom end of said check sleeve;
• said ball valve comprises elastically deformable longitudinal appendices to retain the ball within said body in proximity to the connection with said suction tube and the deformation required to retain the ball is effected by the spring upon assembly.

[0011] Further features and advantages of the present invention shall become more readily apparent from the detailed description that follows, of a preferred embodiment shown purely by way of non limiting indication in the accompanying drawings wherein:

• Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section of a dispensing device according to the invention in closed position;
• Figure 2 shows a longitudinal section of the dispensing device of Figure 1 in open position;
• Figure 3 shows a partial enlarged longitudinal section of the dispensing device of Figure 1;
• Figures 4 and 5 show a longitudinal section of a ball valve of the dispensing device according to the invention;
• Figure 6 shows a cross section of the ball valve of the dispensing device according to the invention.

[0012] In accordance with the present invention, in the Figures the number 1 indicates a dispensing device body, the number 2 a related suction tube, 3 a ring nut to be applied to a bottle which is not shown, 4 a ball valve, 5 a spring loaded coaxially movable stem, provided with a plunger 6, and 7 a dispensing spout inserted at the top of the stem 5.

[0013] The body 1 is connected at the bottom with the suction tube 2 through its tubular portion 10 and it further presents from the bottom upwards the ball valve 4. In correspondence with the ball valve 4, the body 1 is shaped in a first very tapered cone trunk portion 11 wherefrom it extends upward in a second, less tapered cone trunk portion 12. The seat of the ball valve 4 is obtained within the body 1 in the junction of the cone trunk portions 11 and 12. In particular, in the cone trunk portion 12 are provided multiple longitudinal appendices 13, at least three, projecting inwards and elastically deformable, particularly in the related edges 131, to receive and retain a ball 40.

[0014] The longitudinal appendices 13 present, at their rear, housings 130 shaped as circular sectors and able to receive a torsion helical spring 51 working in compression positioned between the body 1 and the stem 5 of the dispensing device, as shall be more readily apparent below.

[0015] Above the second cone trunk portion 12 the body 1 presents a cylindrical section 14 for the sliding of the plunger 6 and at the top a terminal portion 15 with L shaped cross section comprising an upward-facing edge 150 projecting slightly outwards and a diameter disc 151.

[0016] In the terminal portion 15 of the body 1 are provided compensation windows such as those indicated with the number 16 and better shown in Figure 3.

[0017] The bottle ring nut 3, of the screw type, presents at its top a circular opening delimited by an upward-oriented lip 30. When the ring nut 3 is mounted on the body 1 of the dispensing device according to the present invention, the edge 150 of the body 1 faces the lip 30 of the ring nut, whilst its diameter disc 151 rests against the top of the ring nut 3, from its inner side.

[0018] Between the lip 30 and the opposite edge 150, an annular cavity 31 (better shown in Figure 3) is formed, whose function is described hereafter.

[0019] The stem 5, which is part of the movable equipment of the dispensing device according to the present invention, presents in its lower end a ferrule 50. To the ferrule 50 is applied a sealing element 8. The sealing element 8 has an ogive shape ending at the top with a curved collar 80.

[0020] The collar 80 forms in the sealing element 8 an annular cavity oriented towards the ball valve 4. In the closed position shown in Figure 1 the collar 80 is set against the inner inclined wall of the second cone trunk portion 12 of the body 1, thereby creating an optimal seal for the fluid product located downstream of the ball valve 4.

[0021] The collar 80 serves as a backstop on the stem 5 for the helical spring 51 and also, as shown in Figure 2, as a lower limit stop for the plunger 6.

[0022] The plunger 6 is mounted slidingly on the stem 5 in a travel limited at the bottom by the collar 80 and at the top by a circumferential projection 52 of the stem 5. The plunger 6, whose transverse semi-section presents a butterfly shape, is also able to slide together with the stem 5 throughout the pumping stroke thereof, along the cylindrical section 14 of the body 1, limited at the top by a check sleeve 9.

[0023] The check sleeve 9 is inserted slidingly onto the stem 5, before the insertion of the dispensing spout 7 on its top portion. The check sleeve 9 is provided with a top annular cuff 90 retained in the aforesaid annular cavity 31 formed between the lip 30 of the ring nut 3 and the edge 150 of the body 1, and with a lower "skirt" 92. This disposition, thanks to the interference between the cuff 90 and the edge 150 of the body, effects the seal between the body 1 and the ring nut 3. The check sleeve 9 also presents a threaded central portion 9 destined to be coupled by screwing onto a counter-threaded portion 70 of the dispensing spout 7. The aforesaid portions 91 and 70, because of the related forced coupling, form two front conical areas which effect the seal between the check sleeve 9 and the dispensing spout 7.

[0024] The sealing disposition described hereafter is destined to seal bottle necks realised according to the FEA 33 and GCMI 33 standards, taking into account the dimensional tolerances thereof.

[0025] The diameter disc 151 of the terminal portion 15 of the body 1 presents in its inner side, oriented towards the bottle mouth, not shown, inner and outer elastic projections 152 and 153, for bottle mouths of corresponding diameter. The adaptation of said elastic projections or lips 152 and 153, which are flexible, on the surface of the bottle mouth, effects an additional sealing function between pump and bottle.

[0026] With reference to Figure 1 which shows the dispensing device according to the present invention in closed position, pressing on the dispensing spout 7 and rotating it to engage the counter-threaded portions 70 and 91 respectively of the spout 7 and of the check sleeve 9 causes the seal element 8 inserted on the ferrule 50 of the stem 5 to be pushed towards the ball valve 4, and the collar 80 interferes in the cone trunk shaped portion 12 of the body 1 thereby preventing the fluid which enters from the suction tube 2 from penetrating within the metering chamber 53. On the other hand, the conical threaded coupling between the aforesaid portions 70 and 91 provides a sufficient load to guarantee the seal between the dispensing spout 7 and the sleeve 9 due to the contact between the front conical surfaces, so that the fluid that enters into the body 1 from the compensation windows 16 cannot flow through outside the sleeve itself.

[0027] With reference now to Figure 2 which shows the dispensing device according to the present invention in open position, the plunger 6 is set against the conical section obtained in the upper part of the sealing element 8, so that the fluid contained in the metering chamber 53 cannot flow beyond the plunger 6, any flow between the body 1 and the plunger 6 being in any case impossible due to the interference between said two elements.

[0028] Moreover, should such a seal not be sufficient because of geometric flaws, the fluid still would not be able to flow beyond the coupling between check sleeve 9 and plunger 6 due to the forced contact of the plunger 6 with the "skirt" shaped portion 92 (Figure 1) of the sleeve 9. The load for both is applied by the helical spring 51.

[0029] In regard to the system whereby the ball 40 is retained in the ball valve 4, as shown in Figures 4 through 6, the appendices 13 of the body 1 serve to limit the motion of the ball 40, and are to be bent during assembly. According to the invention, the appendices 13 are bent by the helical spring 51 when it is set in position, without requiring any specific tool.

[0030] The spring 51 bears down on the top area of the appendices 13; then, when it is fined, it slides on one of the edges 131 (Figure 5) of appendix 13, bending the appendices 13 inwards. The edge 131 is destined to effect an interference that increases as the spring descends, thereby providing for low loads and simplified assembly operations.

[0031] The sealing element 8 positioned on the ferrule 50 of the stem 5 is destined to centre the spring 51 during the fining operations. Moreover, the spring is chosen with a wide diameter in order to contain any misalignments of the stem.

[0032] The assembly formed by the body 1, by the ball valve 4, by the spring 51, by the stem 2, by the plunger 6 and by the check sleeve 9, being internal to the dispensing device, can be assembled beforehand, stored and shipped thereby allowing subsequent customisations linked with the marketing of the fluid product to be treated.

[0033] In practice, modifications and/or improvements are obviously possible, without thereby departing from the scope of the claims that follow.

Claims

1. High dosage dispensing device or "dispenser", sealed both in the closed and in the open position, of the type comprising a body (1) connected at the bottom with a suction tube (2) and at the top with a ring nut (3) to be applied to a bottle and having internally a ball valve (4) and a coaxially movable stem (5) loaded by a spring (51), which presents from the bottom upwards a ferrule (50), a plunger (6) able to slide within said body (1) to define therewith a metering chamber (53), and externally thereto a dispensing spout (7) inserted at the top of said stem (5), characterised in that:

- to the ferrule (50) is applied a sealing element (8) having an ogive shape terminating at the top with a bent collar (80) with annular cavity oriented towards the ball valve (4);

- the body (1) is tapered at the bottom towards said ball valve (4) destined to engage with said sealing element (8) to obtain a hermetic closure at the bottom of said metering chamber (53);

- the body (1) presents at its top a terminal portion (15) with L shaped cross section comprising an upwards oriented edge (150) slightly projecting outwards and a diameter disc (151); said edge (150) of the body (1) facing said lip (30) of the ring nut (3) and said diameter disc (151) being set against the top of said ring nut (3);

- a check sleeve (9) slidingly inserted onto said stem (5) provided with a top annular cuff (90) retained within an annular cavity (31) formed between said ring nut lip (30) and said body edge (150) and with a threaded central portion (91) destined to be coupled by screwing onto a counter-threaded portion (70) of said dispensing spout (7);

- said plunger (6) is able to slide on said stem (5) and is movable therewith on a cylindrical section of the body (1) with an upper limit position wherein it is set against the "skirt" shaped lower end (92) of said check sleeve (9);

- said ball valve (4) comprises longitudinal appendices (13) elastically deformable for retaining the ball (4) within said body (1) in proximity to the connection with said suction tube (2) and the deformation necessary to retain the ball is effected by the spring (51) upon assembly.

2. Dispensing device according to claim 1, characterised in that said diameter disc (150) of the terminal portion (15) of the body is shaped at the bottom with projections (152, 153) in contact with the mouth of the bottle.

Drawing