Lockable dispensing head

The present invention relates to a product distribution head for actuating a dispensing member mounted on a container, in particular a valve mounted on a pressurized container, and the dispensing of a product contained in the container. In particular, the invention relates to a head distribution movable between a dispensing position and a storage position.

Generally, the dispensing heads are protected by covers to prevent unintentional distribution of product. However, the covers can easily removed by accident which is not desirable, especially when the dispensing head is provided on a type of distributor aerosol and the risk of leakage of the product, including the propellant the aerosol must be avoided.

To avoid unintentional dispensing of product, it is known to produce dispensing heads movable between a dispensing position to a position storage in which the product may not be distributed. The document US 2,887,273 describes an example dispensing head of this type which comprises a diffuser fixed to a container and a valve stem associated with the container, and a pushbutton adapted to actuate the valve stem. To pass a dispensing position to a storage position, the push-button is rotatable relative to the diffuser. The diffuser comprises a hollow tube fixed on the valve stem, the tube comprising two spray orifices diametrically opposite side. The pushbutton includes a skirt fitted on the tube, the skirt defining an opening intended to be placed facing one or other of the spray orifices in the position of distribution. In the storage position, the opening formed in the skirt of the push-button is positioned facing the tube wall located between the two orifices. No product can thus be distributed. However, in this position, nothing prevents depression of the push button so that the product can build up inside the tube and spray orifices diffuser. The product may therefore over time to dry and clog orifices.

Also, is it an object of the invention to provide a dispensing head which does not have the drawbacks of the prior art.

It is still an object of the invention to provide a new head distribution which prevents accidental dispensing of product.

This is particularly an object of the invention to provide such a head that is simple to perform and inexpensive.

According to the invention, these objects can be attained by providing a head distribution intended for actuating a dispensing member mounted on a container and dispensing a product contained in the container, said head comprising:<sl><li>a) means for fixing the head on the container;</li><li>b) a dispensing conduit capable of communicating with the product to inside the container, the conduit being obtained by molding from a single piece with the fixing means with which it is integral via means deformable connection;</li><li>c) means for actuating the dispensing member, the means actuation being provided with a dispensing orifice and being movable relative to the duct between a first position in which the product can be distributed and a second position in which the product can not be distributed and wherein the dispensing member can not be actuated, the means actuator being adapted to abut, in the second position, against an integral portion of said fastening means which stops movement of actuating means from the first to the second position.</li></sl>

Such dispensing head can be placed in a safety position in which the product can not be distributed, this position can hardly be changed accidentally contrast to only protected heads by covers that can be easily removed accidentally. is avoided also the risk of bacteriological pollution outside of the head being given that storage position the head is not covered with side and maintains thus in air.

In addition, the dispenser member being actuatable when the opening the duct is closed, the product can not leave the container in this position and accumulate in the conduit. This avoids the risk of clogging the duct.

In addition, the presence of the elastically deformable connecting means allows to provide a conduit by a molding process from a single piece with fixing means, which can move relative to the means of fixation. This piece is simple to perform and inexpensive.

Advantageously, the dispensing head may be configured to authorize actuation of the dispensing member only when the means actuator is in the first position. The dispensing member may thus not be operated in an intermediate position between the first and the second position in order to avoid that the product can happen in the duct while the opening of the conduit is closed.

The dispensing head may include an axial stop against which the actuating means are able to bear axially at least when they are not in the first position so as to prevent actuation of the dispensing member. The axial stop may be further configured such that the actuating means are adapted to come in stop axially against it between the first and second position, namely in any position other than the first position.

The dispensing orifice may be formed at the end of a channel and the conduit opens onto at least one opening adapted to be opposite the channel in the first position and can be sealed in the second position. The opening the duct being closed when the head is not in the dispensing position, the duct is sealed in the storage position.

The conduit may lead to a single opening able to be placed facing the channel.

The opening may be a slit extending parallel to a longitudinal axis X of the head. It is obvious that any other form of opening can be used.

The channel to the end of which is formed the dispensing orifice may have a length greater than the diameter of the dispensing orifice. By diameter the dispensing orifice is defined as the diameter of the circle when the orifice is circular, or the diameter of the circle circumscribed on the section of the orifice when thereof has a different shape of a circle.

Advantageously, the fastening means are fixedly mounted axially on the container so that the head is correctly maintained on the container.

Advantageously, the connection means are elastically deformable, from so that they resume their initial position when the stress which deforms the ceases.

The linking means allow a displacement of the conduit in response to the actuation of the actuating means.

According to a preferred embodiment, the connecting means are constituted by a wall transverse to a longitudinal axis X of the head, which may be corrugated. This configuration of the wall enables it to easily deform and easily return to its original position.

The duct is formed along a longitudinal axis X of the head and includes a first end adapted to cooperate with the dispensing member and a second end on which are fitted the actuating means. Thus, the led directly transmits the pressure on resources actuating the dispensing member.

A tip can be disposed within the conduit so as to define a annular passage for the product over at least part of the conduit.

The actuating means may be rotatable about the axis X between the first and second positions.

Advantageously, the dispensing head may include at least two radial stops limiting the rotation movement of the actuating means.

Advantageously, the dispensing head may include means audible identification signal for the positioning in one or the other of first and second positions. The sound identification may be constituted by the cooperation of a first relief formed on means and actuating a second relief, the first relief being capable, upon displacement of the actuating means relative to the duct, come to contacting the second terrain and cross the elastically deforming of the to produce a sound signal. The user can ensure that the head is placed in one or other of the positions, and in particular in position storage.

The dispensing head may also include means of identification visually to identify the first and second positions.

The dispensing orifice may be defined by a nozzle insert or a grid reported to distribute a product as a foam.

The invention also relates to a packaging and dispensing a product comprising:<ul><li>a container containing the product and equipped with a dispensing member;</li><li>a dispensing head as just described set for enable the dispenser to dispense the product.</li></ul>

The container may be pressurized and the dispensing member may be a valve comprising a male valve stem on which the duct is fitted, or well a female valve, that is to say without valve stem, wherein is fitted line. Alternatively, the container is pressure atmospheric and is equipped with a pump.

The invention is particularly useful for packaging and dispensing a cosmetic or care product, particularly a deodorant product.

The invention also relates, independently or in combination with above, a packaging and dispensing a product deodorant comprising:<sl><li>a) a container;</li><li>b) a deodorant product contained within the container; and</li><li>c) a dispensing head intended for actuating a member of distribution mounted on the container and the distribution of said product, said head comprising:<sl><li>i) means for attaching the head on the container;</li><li>ii) a delivery conduit, adapted to communicate with the product within the container, the conduit being obtained by molding from a single piece with the fixing means with which it is integral via deformable connecting means;</li><li>iii) means for actuating the dispensing member, the actuating means being provided with a dispensing orifice formed at the end of a channel and being movable relative to the conduit between a first position in which the product can be dispensed and a second position in which the product can not be distributed and wherein the dispensing member can not be actuated;</li></sl>the duct opening on at least one opening adapted to be placed opposite the channel in the first position and can be sealed in the second position.</li></sl>

For the purposes of the present invention, the term "deodorant" any product containing a composition capable of reducing the flow of sweat, hide, absorb, improve and / or reducing the unpleasant odor resulting from the decomposition of human sweat by bacteria.

The invention consists, apart from the arrangements explained above, in a number of other provisions which will be explained below, about of nonlimiting exemplary embodiments described with reference to Figures accompanying drawings wherein:<ul><li>1 illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of a packaging and distribution provided with a dispensing head according to the invention;</li><li>2 illustrates an exploded view of the embodiment of Figure 1;</li><li>3 shows a top view along arrow 3 of part of the dispensing head shown in Figure 2;</li><li>4 shows in axial section the dispensing head in position closure;</li><li>5 shows in axial section the dispensing head in a dispensing position, the valve is not actuated;</li><li>Figure 6 shows a detail of the dispensing head during the passage from the closed position to the dispensing position; and</li><li>7 shows in axial section the dispensing head in position distribution, the valve is actuated.</li></ul>

The packaging and distribution illustrated in Figures 1 to 7 is formed from a pressurized container 30 to which is fixed a head distribution 1 of the invention.

The container 30 is formed by a pressurized can of axis X formed by a body cylindrical of revolution 31, whose upper end is closed by a cup 32 crimped onto a rolled edge 33 of the container. The cup 32 is provided a valve 34 which comprises a hollow valve stem 35 and which can be actuated for example by depressing the valve stem. Obviously which may alternatively use a valve which can be actuated by tilting of the valve stem.

The container 30 may contain a product to be sprayed, for example a product cosmetics, and a propellant gas, which may or may not be stored as a liquefied form in the container 30 to be issued or not with the product. The product then comes in spray form, that is to say in the form of fine particles in suspension or in the gas or in the air.

1 the dispensing head is also of axis X and is formed of two parts movable with respect to each other between two positions, a first position allowing dispensing of the product and a second storage position in which the product may not be distributed. The first part of the head is consists of a hoop 10 to protect the valve stem and for be attached to the container. The second part consists of a push button 20, for actuating the valve and which is rotatable with relative to the collar. Each of the two parts is obtained by molding a thermoplastic material from a single piece.

The hoop 10 includes a fastener skirt 11 to secure the head on the container. The attachment skirt 11 is provided with an annular bead 110 on its wall Interior to secure it to the container snap under the edge rolled 33 of the container and the cup 32. The mounting skirt 11 has a radial recess 111 inwardly from the skirt and extends axially above the recess to an upper end from which is formed a transverse wall 12. Radial fins 13 angularly spaced along the periphery of the inner surface of the fixing skirt, extend parallel to the axis X from the shoulder 111 to an edge free bottom 130. The free edge 130 is provided to abut against the container hoop of the mounted position on the container, as seen in Figures 4, 5 and 7. The fins 13 thus make it possible to limit the sinking axial of the hoop at its latching on the container.

The transverse wall 12 is a thin wall which has a corrugation so it is elastically deformable allowing it to deform when solicits axially. The wall 12 is crossed in its center by a conduit 14 formed in the axis X.

The conduit 14 extends from either side of the transverse wall 12 from a open lower end 14a that fits over the valve stem 35, to an upper end 14b, also open, onto which be fitted an axial skirt 23 of the push button. An annular groove 14c is provided on the outer surface of the duct 14 for receiving a cord ring 23a provided on the inner surface of the axial skirt 23 of the push button to ensure the axial holding of the push button on the hoop. In Furthermore, cooperation of the annular rim 23a with the annular groove 14c provides a seal between the conduit and the interior of the push button.

The duct 14 is of circular cylindrical shape and defines in its part less than a stepped recess in which can engage so substantially seal the upper portion of the valve stem 35 whose end upper 35a abuts against the shoulder of the housing. The end bottom 14a of the duct is slightly flared to facilitate the introduction the conduit on the valve stem. The upper end 14b has a slot axial 15a defining a passage to get out the product.

The attachment skirt 11 is connected to at the step 111, by a annular transverse wall 16, to an outer skirt 17, concentric with the attachment skirt 11. The outer skirt 17 is intended to form the extension the wall of the container when the dispensing head is mounted on the container. Two marks M are provided on the outer surface of this skirt 17 which visually indicate the angular positions of the slit 15a and the shutter position. A first mark M is for example the word "ON" which corresponds to the position of the slot 15a and thus enabling a distribution of product, and a second mark M is for example the word "OFF" which corresponds to the storage position.

As shown in more detail in Figure 3, the annular transverse wall 16 of the shell is crossed by two openings in arc of circle 18 and 19, diametrically opposite to the annular transverse wall formed near the outer skirt 17, and which are intended to move two legs of the push button, as will be seen in detail after. The first opening 18 is formed on the side of the axial slot 15a of the conduit and the second opening 19 is formed at the rear of the axial slot 15a.

The second opening 19 of circular arc ends, close to one of its ends, with an opening portion 19a which extends radially towards inside the opening 19. The opening portion 19a is formed in the diameter through the axial slot 15a. The portion 160 of the transverse wall ring 16 located near the second opening 19, inside of the arc circle, serves as an axial abutment for the push-button as discussed in detail later.

Two vertical stops 190a and 190b respectively bordering each end the second opening in an arc 19. The stops 190a and 190b extend axially from the annular transverse wall 16 to an edge free top, and extend radially from the outer surface of the skirt fixing 11 to the slot 19. 190a and 190b stops are relatively rigid because they are secured to both of the transverse annular wall 16 and the mounting skirt 11, and thus make it possible to limit the movement of rotation of the push button.

Two radial tongues 191a and 191b extend axially from the wall annular cross 16 to a top free edge 191a 'and 191b'. Moon is formed on the side of the inner edge 19a of the opening portion and the other is formed at a distance from the abutment 190b. The tabs 191a and 191b extend over an axial height less than that of the stops 190a and 190b and are also narrower than the abutments 190a and 190b. The tabs 191 and 191b do not extend up to the opening in a circular arc 19 and are formed at a distance from the attachment skirt 11 so that they are elastically deformable. The 191a and 191b cooperate with the tabs push button so as to constitute a means of identification for sound indicate the change in the use position and storage position.

Preferably, the dispensing position is angularly remote enough to the storage position so as to completely separate these two positions. This prevents the user masquerading pushbutton in the position distribution without wish. The two positions being relatively remote, the push button can then assume different positions intermediates in which it is not desirable that the body distribution can be operated. Therefore, it is preferable that the portion 160 serve as axial abutment for the push-button between the two positions. However, it may alternatively be provided that the portion 160 of the wall annular cross 16 located near the second opening 19, to Inside the circular arc, can not serve as axial abutment for the push-button that in the storage position. The portion 160 between the two 191a and 191b radial tabs then extends radially at the same level the portion 160 of the wall located between the tab 191a and the vertical stop 190a.

For actuating the valve, the dispensing head comprises a push button 20 which includes a top wall 21, intended to serve as support for a finger the user. The top wall 21 is connected at periphery with a first skirt 22, of smaller diameter than the diameter of the outer skirt 17 of the hoop.

The push button 20 comprises, inside the first skirt 22, a second skirt 23, cylindrical of revolution. The skirt 23 has an axis X and has fit over the upper end 14b of the pipe 14 around which it is rotatable. In the upper part of the skirt 23 opens, by a first end 24a, a channel 24, substantially radial, the second End 24b opens into a nozzle holder. The nozzle holder comprises a pin 25, or "centerpost" on which can be fixed a nozzle eddy 50 conventional channels. The nozzle 50 defines an orifice of 51 distribution.

An arrow F is provided on the top wall 21 to indicate the position angle of end 24a of channel 24 so that when brought into facing one or the other mark M provided on the hoop, it indicates visually to the user the position in which it can actuate the pushbutton to distribute the product and the storage position.

A tip 26 of axis X is formed inside the second skirt 23 and has be inserted inside the conduit 14 when the push button is mounted on the fret. The tip 26 has a diameter slightly less than that of conduit so as to form an annular passage for the product inside the duct. The tip 26 allows limiting the dead volume within the duct and thus limit pressure losses inside the conduit to maximize throughput with which the product comes out. In addition, decreasing the dead volume is decreased volume of product that can hold the dispensing head between the valve 34 and the dispensing orifice 51. Thus, the spraying of the product by the orifice of distribution stops substantially at the instant when the user releases the push-button, that is to say as soon as the valve is more open since the amount of remaining product within the head is relatively low.

The peripheral skirt 22 of the push button is extended axially in its bottom, on two diametrically opposed angular portions, by two tabs 27 and 28, each respectively arranged to move in the openings in arc of circle 18 and 19 provided in the ferrule. Each lug 27 and 28 is provided at its lower end with a hook 270 and 280 which comes into abutment under the annular transverse wall 16, when the tabs pass through the openings 27 and 28. The hooks 270 and 280 serve to keep axially push button on the hoop. The lug 27, on the side of the orifice of distribution 51 is provided for movement in the opening circular arc 18. The tab 28 is provided to move in the opening circular arc 19. The lug 28 includes a rib 281 having an axial length and radial length is sufficient to abut against each abutment 190a and 190b during the rotational movement of the push button on the hoop. The rib 281 has a shoulder 281 has in its lower portion it which to switch away from the vertical edge of 191a and 191b tabs. However, the shoulder 281 has come into contact with the upper free edges 191a 'and 191b' of each 191a and 191b tongue and crosses in the elastically deforming, as seen in Figure 6, so as to produce a beep.

In the storage position shown in Figure 4, conduit 14 blocks 24a the end of the channel 24 so as to prevent any communication between the outlet port 51 and the interior of the distribution duct 14. The duct is and sealed by the cooperation of two cylindrical parts. In this position, the rib 281 abuts against the abutment 190b. In addition, the lug 28 passes through the slot 19 and is located at the end of the opening 19 opposite the opening 19a. The lower end of the rib 281 formed on the push button is in axial abutment against the portion 160 of the wall annular cross 16 so that if the user presses the push-button 20, in particular on the area of ​​the top wall 21 located opposite the dispensing orifice 51, it can drop and possibly not therefore actuate the valve 34. This prevents any actuation involuntary valve. Can be further provided on the inner surface of the peripheral skirt 22 of the push button two reinforcing ribs (not shown) extending axially on either side of the rib 281 and which are diametrically opposite, these ribs being intended to come axially into abutment against a rim extending axially around the wall 12. These transverse reinforcing ribs can avoid tilting the push button when you press the sides of the upper wall 21 of the pushbutton. The crown will of course include notches which permit the depression of the push-button in dispensing position.

To distribute the product, the user rotates the push button 20 around the X axis so as to position the arrow F in front of the mark "ON". then the rotational movement of the pushbutton, the lug 27 moves in the opening in a circular arc 18 and the tab 28 moves into the opening arc circle 19 until the shoulder 281a of the rib 281 comes against 191a and the tongue, due to its elasticity, the crosses to abut 190a against the stop with an audible signal to the user that the push button is placed in the dispensing position. In this position shown in Figure 5, the rib 281 is located above the opening 19a and the dispensing orifice 51 communicates with the interior of conduit 14 via the slot 15a.

The user may then actuate the valve by pressing the push-button as was shown in Figure 7. By pressing the top wall 21, the rib 281 of the lug 28 penetrates into the opening portion 19a then the tab 27 remains attached to the transverse wall 16 with the hook 270. The skirt 23 then moves along a movement having a component axial and radial movement by bringing in its conduit 14, which it is fitted, the movement of the duct being possible by the fact that the wall 12 is deformed. The lower end 14a of the duct in turn exerts pressure on the valve stem 35 which is inserted so as to actuate the valve 34. The product contained in the container then exits the vessel through the canal within the valve stem and arrives at the dispensing orifice 51 through conduit 14 and the channel 24. When the user releases the push button, the valve stem back and the product distribution is interrupted. When the user no longer wishes to spray product, it runs the pushbutton so as to position it to the other end of the opening 19.

When the user no longer wishes to distribute product, it runs the push button 20 about the axis X so as to position the arrow F face of the brand "OFF". Again, the tab 27 moves into the opening circular arc 18 and the tab 28 moves into the opening in a circular arc 19 until the shoulder 281a of the rib 281 crosses the tongue 191 b by emitting a sound signal and the rib 281 comes against the stop 190b allowing the user to ensure that the push button is placed in the storage position and no longer risks being pressed.

In the foregoing detailed description, it was refers to modes of preferred embodiment of the invention. It is obvious that variations can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as hereinafter claimed. It may include provision to add a hood to cover the head of distribution, although it is not essential.