WO2014076123A1

WO2014076123A1 - Dispensing head for a cosmetic product and dispenser provided with such a head

Info

Publication number: WO2014076123A1
Application number: PCT/EP2013/073706
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sylvain DEFERT
Original assignee: Albea Services
Priority date: 2012-11-14
Filing date: 2013-11-13
Publication date: 2014-05-22
Also published as: FR2997872B1; FR2997871A1; FR2997871B1; FR2997872A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a dispensing head (10) for a cosmetic product designed to be mounted on a cosmetic product container (20), comprising a cosmetic product dosing chamber (11), a product inlet channel (130) capable of bringing the dosing chamber (11) into fluid communication with the container (20), and a non-return member (140) for closing the fluid communication, • in which the dosing chamber (11) comprises a wall defining a volume capable of containing a product to be dispensed, the wall comprising a flexible membrane (110) made from elastomer material in which a product dispensing slot (112) is formed, the flexible membrane (110) made from elastomer material further comprising an elastic projection (111), the elastic projection (111) being capable of being brought into a compressed state under the effect of stress so as to result in a discharge of air and/or of the product contained in the chamber (11) through the dispensing slot (112), and, as a result of the elasticity of same, of returning to a released state, when the stress is released, resulting in a movement of the non-return member (140) opening the fluid communication, and a suction of product into the chamber (11) via the product inlet channel (130), • the head being characterised in that said elastomer material has a hardness of between 40 and 80 Shore A, and in that the volume of the chamber (11) when the projection (111) is in the released state is less than five times the difference between the volume of said chamber (11) when the projection (111) is in the released state and the volume of said chamber (11) when the projection (111) is in the compressed state. The invention also concerns a cosmetic product dispenser provided with such a head.

Description

COSMETIC PRODUCT DISTRIBUTION HEAD AND DISTRIBUTOR

WITH A HEAD

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention generally relates to the dispensing heads of cosmetic products, and dispensers provided with such a dispensing head.

The invention is particularly applicable to cosmetic products of the liquid or pasty type, such as for example creams, gels, foundations, etc. STATE OF THE ART

Cosmetic product dispensing heads are already known comprising a pumping mechanism by means of an elastically deformable chamber, and a non-return member closing a fluid communication between the chamber and a reservoir of cosmetic product.

The elastically deformable chamber is provided with a dispensing orifice such as a slot.

In operation, during a compression of the chamber, the product or the air contained therein is discharged through the dispensing orifice. When the user releases the pressure exerted on the chamber, it returns to its original shape thanks to its elastic nature, and thus generates a depression in the chamber that lifts the valve and sucks the cosmetic product contained in the reservoir into the chamber . The chamber is therefore filled with cosmetic product ready to be distributed at the next compression of the chamber.

This principle of operation is simple, but it is however complex to implement in a functional way for the lifetime of the applicator

(eg until the tank is completely emptied of its product). Indeed, constraints, sometimes contradictory, apply to many parameters of the applicator.

A first constrained parameter is the elastic part of the chamber on which the user presses to compress the chamber and evacuate the product.

On the one hand, the thickness and hardness of the elastic material constituting the wall of the chamber must be sufficient to create an elastic return effect sufficient to suck the product contained in the reservoir, and this throughout the service life of the product. If this is not the case, when the tank reaches a rate of low filling, it creates a suction effect on the valve and on the wall of the elastic chamber which prevents it from returning to its initial position and creating the expected effect of depression.

On the other hand, if the wall of the chamber is too rigid - the thickness and / or rigidity of the elastic material are too great - pressing the wall to compress it requires too much effort on the part of the user, which reduces the comfort of use of the applicator.

A second parameter subject to design constraints is the distribution opening made in the wall of the elastically deformable chamber.

If the hardness and the thickness of the elastic material where the dispensing opening is made are too great, the opening opens only when a significant pressure threshold is crossed in the chamber. Thus, the cosmetic product is highly pressurized before being dispensed, which causes both a risk of sudden ejection likely to splash the user, and a risk of shifting the formula contained in the chamber (in this case alone the water is ejected through the dispensing opening).

On the other hand, if the hardness and thickness of the elastic material in the vicinity of the opening are too low, there is a sealing problem of the opening. In addition, at the time of relaxation of the wall of the flexible chamber, the vacuum generated can create suction of the wall at the opening and degrade the operation of the dispenser.

Finally, during the first use, the product distribution chamber is filled with air so that the distributor must be primed by actuating the pump formed by the chamber several times to evacuate the air present in the chamber and replace it by the product to be distributed.

For the comfort of the user, this boot phase must not require too many operations. It must advantageously be limited to five.

Finally, if the deformable chamber has an unsuitable volume, especially if the volume is too large, the compression of the air contained in the chamber is insufficient to open the slot at the time of priming. This results in an impossibility to prime the dispenser. There is therefore a need for a cosmetic product dispenser having a dimensioning adapted to allow the operation of a pumping mechanism throughout the life of the dispenser, and to allow rapid priming of the dispenser.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to solve the problem mentioned above.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cosmetic product dispenser with increased bacteriological sealing.

In this regard, the subject of the invention is a cosmetic product dispensing head adapted to be mounted on a cosmetic product reservoir, comprising a cosmetic product dosing chamber, a product intake duct able to put into communication with one another. fluid the metering chamber and the reservoir, and a non-return member to close the fluid communication,

wherein the metering chamber comprises a wall defining a volume adapted to contain a product to be dispensed, the wall comprising a flexible membrane of elastomeric material in which is provided a product distribution slot, the flexible membrane of elastomeric material further comprising a elastic boss, the elastic boss being adapted to be brought into a compressed state under the effect of a load so as to cause an evacuation of air and / or product contained in the chamber by the distribution slot, and, the makes its elasticity, to return to a relaxed state, when releasing the bias, causing a displacement of the non-return member, opening the fluid communication, and a suction of product inside the chamber via the product intake duct,

the head being characterized in that said elastomeric material has a hardness of between 40 and 80 Shore A, and in that the volume of the chamber in the relaxed state of the boss is less than five times a difference between the volume of said chamber in the relaxed state of the boss and the volume of said chamber in the compressed state of the boss.

By "distribution slot" is meant a slot opening out of the dispensing head. In other words, said dispensing head is configured so that the user can collect the product exiting said dispensing head at said slot.

Said slot is advantageously located in a collection zone, that is to say, an area allowing a finger of the user to brush the membrane upstream and / or downstream of the slot in a continuous gesture of collecting the product. . In other words, it is a flat area. It may also be a concave or convex zone having a large radius of curvature. In other words, said slot is not located at a pacifier.

Advantageously, but optionally, the dispensing head of the invention may further comprise at least one of the following features:

the hardness of the elastomeric material is between 50 and 70 Shore A.

the thickness of the elastomeric material at the boss is between 0.7 mm and 1.2 mm.

the thickness of the elastomeric material in the vicinity of the product distribution gap is between 0.6 mm and 1 mm.

The slot is straight.

the elastomeric material is a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE).

- The non-return member is a valve or a ball held in abutment against a communication port between the chamber and the product inlet duct.

the communication orifice is an orifice made in the product intake duct.

the non-return member and the chamber are mounted on a part comprising a skirt, and said part being rotatably mounted relative to the duct between at least two positions:

a position corresponding to an "open" state of the head, in which a window formed in the skirt is opposite an orifice of the product intake duct, allowing the communication of fluid through the intake duct, and o a position corresponding to a "closed" state of the application head, in which the window of the skirt and the orifice of the conduit are offset with respect to each other, preventing the communication of fluid by the intake duct, the piece comprises an inner skirt and an outer skirt, the inner and outer skirts being connected at one end by a spacer so as to delimit a cavity between the two skirts, and in which the communication orifice is an orifice arranged in the spacer connecting the two skirts, and in the "open" position, the part allows a fluid communication between the intake duct and the cavity defined between the two skirts, the elastomeric material in the vicinity of the distribution slot outside the chamber is covered with an anti-bacterial treatment product. The invention also relates to a cosmetic product dispenser comprising a reservoir and a dispensing head according to the invention, mounted on said reservoir.

The elastomeric material chosen to form the flexible wall of the distribution chamber is well adapted to respect the various constraints indicated in the preamble: it is sufficiently rigid to guarantee both the sealing of the slot and the elastic return of the flexible boss, but is not too rigid to limit the pressure in the room and not to oppose the solicitation exerted by a user.

The volume of the chamber also contributes to compliance with the constraints mentioned above, since it is small enough to allow rapid priming of the dispenser.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Other features, objects and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description which follows, which is purely illustrative and nonlimiting, and which should be read with reference to the appended drawings in which:

FIGS. 1a and 1b show a first embodiment of a cosmetic product dispensing head according to the invention; FIGS. 2a to 2c show the embodiment of FIGS.

1 b of a dispensing head mounted on a cosmetic product reservoir, in different operating states,

FIGS. 3a and 3b show a second embodiment of a cosmetic product dispensing head, FIGS. 4a to 4c show various operating states of a dispensing head according to the embodiment of FIGS. 3a and 3b; FIGS. 5a and 5b show an alternative embodiment of a dispensing head mounted on a reservoir of cosmetic product, respectively in the "open" and "closed" states.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AT LEAST ONE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1a, 1b, 3a and 3b shows a dispensing head 10 for a cosmetic product, of liquid or pasty type, such as a cream, a gel, a fluid foundation, a gloss, etc.

The head comprises a flexible membrane 1 10 of elastomeric material mounted on a rigid support 120, whereby the head 10 is mounted on a tank 20 of cosmetic product (shown in Figures 2, 4 and 5).

The rigid support 120 comprises in this respect a skirt 121 of circular cross section, provided at its base with an internal thread or a protrusion 122 extending radially inwards, respectively adapted to fix the head on the reservoir 20 by screwing or snapping, the reservoir 20 then having a neck 21 provided with a thread or a complementary protuberance 22.

A distributor 1, illustrated in FIGS. 2a to 2c and 4a to 4c, comprises such a product dispensing head 10, mounted on a reservoir 20 containing product to be dispensed.

The support 120 has two openings 123 and 124, which are covered by the flexible membrane 1 10.

A first opening 123 makes it possible to distribute the product. It is opposite a slot 1 12 formed in the flexible membrane 1 10. This slot 1 12 opens only under the effect of a pressure of the product from the inside of the dispensing head.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3a and 3b, and 4a and 4b, the membrane 1 10 is stretched at the opening 123 of the support, that is to say that the profile of the wall of the head 10 formed by the membrane at said opening 123 continuously extends the profile of the wall of the head at the portion of the support 120 adjacent to said opening. In a variant, in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1a and 1b, and 2a and 2b, the membrane 1 10 presents a boss on which is made the slot 1 12, the boss forming a discontinuity in the profile of the head at the slot. This boss allows a user to easily locate the location of the slot on the dispensing head.

For the other characteristics described below, the embodiments shown respectively in FIGS. 1a to 2c and 3a to 4c are identical and the same reference numerals are used.

Opposite the second opening 124 of the support 120, the membrane 1 10 has an elastic boss 1 1 1 whose use will be described below. The elasticity of the boss is conferred by the properties of the elastomeric material used to form the membrane.

The membrane 1 10 is a single piece of the boss 1 1 1 to the slot 1 12, made by overmolding on the support 120. The membrane is further formed of a single elastomeric material, that is to say that the boss 1 1 1 is made of the same elastomeric material as that in which the slot 1 12 is formed.

The elastomeric material may be selected from the following group comprising natural rubber (NR) - synthetic polyisoprene (IR) - butadiene styrene copolymers (SBR) - polybutadienes (BR) - co- or terpolymers of ethylene propylene and diene (EPM and EPDM), chlorinated or brominated isobutylene isoprene copolymers (IIR, BIIR, CNR), butadiene copolymers acrylonitrile (NBR) - polychloroprenes (CR) - silicone rubbers (VMQ, FVMQ) , fluorinated elastomers (FKM), chlorinated and chlorosulfonated polyethylenes (CM, CSM), polyacrylates (ACM), ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers (EVM) - methyl ethylene acrylate (MEA), hydrogenated nitrile rubbers ( HNBR).

For reasons of cost and ease of manufacture, it will be preferred to use a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) which, with respect to the abovementioned rubbers, does not need to be vulcanized and is used like thermoplastics.

In the wide range of TPE (TPE-S for styrenic / TPE-E or TPC copolyesther / TPE-A copolyamide / TPE-0 vulcanized olefin / TPE-V vulcanized olefin / ...), a TPE-S will be preferred, which presents the avangage of a low cost and to be easy to implement by conventional injection methods. It is also compatible with bi-injection methods.

The fact of using a single piece of a single material to form the membrane 1 10 reduces the production costs of the head, and also to improve the sealing of the head at the connection areas between the membrane 1 10 and the support 120.

The support 120 is advantageously made of polypropylene (PP).

Referring to Figure 2a (respectively Figure 4a), the head 10 comprises a chamber 1 1 whose walls are formed by the support 120 and the membrane 1 10, these walls defining a volume of product that the chamber can contain.

This chamber communicates with the slot 1 12, so that the product contained in the chamber can be distributed through the slot 1 12.

The head 10 further comprises a conduit 130 for product admission, adapted to put in fluid communication the product metering chamber and the reservoir when the head is mounted thereon. In this regard, the conduit has a cylindrical skirt 131 adapted to be inserted into the neck 21 of the reservoir 20. Alternatively, the neck 21 of the reservoir can be inserted into the skirt.

The head also includes a non-return member 140, allowing the passage of the product in one direction. This member is adapted to close the fluid communication between the metering chamber 1 1 and the reservoir 20. The non-return member 140 is preferably between the product inlet duct and the metering chamber, but it can also be located between the product inlet duct and the tank - for example, it can be attached to the base of the product inlet duct.

The non-return member 140 may be formed of a valve or a ball or other non-return system, and is held in a position where it closes a communication orifice 132 between the reservoir 20 and the chamber 1 1 . In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2a to 2c and 4a to 4c, the communication orifice 132 is a ring sector orifice formed in the intake duct. It may also be one of the ends of the intake duct 130.

So that the non-return member is kept in the closed position, if it is a valve, it can be prestressed in this position, or if it is a ball, it can be held in abutment against the orifice 132 by means of a spring.

The operation of the dispensing head 10 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 2a to 2c or 4a to 4c.

In Figure 2a (respectively Figure 4a) there is shown the state "at rest", that is to say in the absence of external stress, the head. In this state, the non-return member 140 closes the fluid communication between the chamber 1 1 and the reservoir 20. The chamber 1 1, depending on whether the head has already been used or not (that is to say before or after the priming phase), may comprise air or product to be dispensed, or a mixture of both. The slot is closed, its edges being in contact so as to close the opening 123 of the support 120 and thus to ensure a seal of the head relative to the outside.

Finally, the boss 1 1 1 is in a relaxed state, where it has a convex shape seen from the outside of the head 10.

In FIG. 2b (or FIG. 4b), a user biases the head 10 by pressing on the boss 1 1 1. In doing so, it brings the boss into a compressed state, where it then has a concave shape seen from the outside of the head 10. This change of state causes a reduction in the volume of the metering chamber 1 1 and generates an increase pressure in the chamber, which causes the opening of the slot 1 12 to dispense the product, or evacuate the air in the room.

In Figure 2c (respectively Figure 4c), the user releases the boss 1 1 1, which, because of its elasticity, returns to the initial relaxed position, and finds its convex shape. This displacement causes a depression in the chamber 1 1, which moves the non-return member 140, opens the fluid communication, and creates a suction that penetrates the product contained in the tank 20.

Thus, during the priming of the product, repeated urging of the head makes it possible to empty the air contained in the chamber 1 1, and to progressively fill said chamber with product to be dispensed. Once the chamber is full, and during the subsequent use of the dispenser 1, each new solicitation of the boss allows to evacuate a dose of cosmetic product and refill the chamber again when releasing the boss.

Advantageously, the elastomeric material used to form the membrane has a hardness of between 40 and 80 Shore A, and preferably between 50 and 70 Shore A, still more preferably equal to 65 Shore A.

Furthermore, the thickness of the elastomeric material of the membrane at the boss is advantageously between 0.7 mm and 1.2 mm, preferably equal to 1 mm.

This thickness, associated with a hardness greater than 40 Shore A, allows in particular to ensure the elasticity of the boss, and that, because of its elasticity, it returns to position after a solicitation, throughout the life of the distributor. In addition, the hardness less than 80 Shore A compresses the boss without it opposes an uncomfortable resistance to the user. The thickness of the elastomeric material at the slot, that is to say the thickness of the material in which the slot has been made, is advantageously between 0.8 and 1.2 mm, preferably equal to 1 mm.

This thickness, combined with the hardness of the material, gives the slot its waterproof character. In addition, the slot opens before being subjected to a pressure that can cause a phase shift in the formula of the product.

Finally, the chamber 1 1 is dimensioned so that its volume in the relaxed state of the boss is less than five times the difference between the volume of the chamber in the relaxed state of the boss and the volume of the chamber in the state boss tablet. This difference in volume corresponds to the volume of product distributed by the slot during a compression of said boss, considering that the product contained in the chamber is incompressible.

This allows the chamber to be small enough that priming of the dispenser is done quickly, i.e., it suffices for five compressions and releases of the boss to completely fill the product chamber.

In Figures 5a and 5b, there is shown an alternative embodiment of a cosmetic product dispensing head 10.

This head 10 has the same structure and the same operation by compression and relaxation of the boss 1 1 1 of the flexible membrane 1 10 to distribute the product, and the same dimensioning as described above.

In FIGS. 3a to 3c, the flexible membrane 1 10 has been shown with a boss at the slot 1 12, in accordance with the embodiment of FIGS. 1 a to 2c. However, this embodiment may also comprise a membrane 1 10 stretched over the opening 123 of the support 120.

In addition, in this embodiment, the head 10 is adapted to be pivotable between two extreme positions: a "closed" position, illustrated in FIG. 5a, where the fluid communication between the chamber 1 1 and the reservoir 20 is interrupted , including when the boss 1 1 1 is biased, and an open position shown in FIG. 5b where the fluid communication is authorized by the non-return member 140 in the same manner as in the embodiment described with reference to FIGS. Figures 2a to 2c or 4a to 4c.

To do this, the head 10 further comprises a part 150, comprising an inner skirt 151 and an outer skirt 152, connected at one end by a spacer 153, so as to define a cavity 154 between the skirts. The support 1 10, the membrane 120, the non-return member 140, and therefore the chamber delimited by these, are mounted on the part 150, the latter being rotatably mounted relative to the reservoir 20 and the conduit of admission 130 between two angular positions corresponding to the two positions "open" and "closed" described above.

In the "open" position, a window 155 formed in the inner skirt is opposite an orifice 135 of the product intake duct, so that fluid communication is established between the reservoir 20 and the cavity 154. between the skirts.

In the "closed" position of the head 10, the window 155 of the skirt 151 is offset relative to the orifice 135 so that the intake duct 130 no longer communicates with the cavity between the skirts.

In this embodiment, the communication orifice 132 closed by the non-return member 140 is formed in the spacer 153 of the part 150.

The fact of being able to pivot the head 10 between an open position and a closed position makes it possible to prevent the product from flowing from the slot 1 12 in the event of accidental compression of the tank 20, or of the boss 1 1 1 when the distributor has not been initiated.

In FIGS. 1b and 3b, the rotating part 150 between the two positions is visible between the support 120 and the reservoir 20.

Optionally, the dispenser 1 of cosmetic product may be completed with a cap 30 fixed directly to the tank by snapping or screwing. This cap is shown in Figure 5a and 5b but can be applied to the embodiment shown in Figures 1a to 2c and 3a to 4c.

Said slot 12 is, for example straight. In the case of a slot formed on a flat surface, this means that said slot is rectilinear. In the case of a slot formed on a surface having a curvature, as in the illustrated embodiments, by that is meant that said slot follows the curvature of said surface being inscribed in a plane, here a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said dispensing head. In the particular case of surfaces set or generated by a line such as, in particular, cylindrical surfaces, said slot will advantageously be rectilinear. In other words, said slot can be obtained by a simple relative movement of said dispensing head relative to a cutting tool, such as a translation of one relative to the other. Advantageously, the portion of the membrane located in the vicinity of the slit January 12, outside the chamber, is covered with an antibacterial treatment. This makes it possible to limit the risk of bacteriological contamination of the product present in the chamber. In addition, since the nonreturn member 140 maintains fluid communication between the chamber and the closed reservoir 20 in the absence of stress, the risk of bacteriological contamination of the reservoir 20 is decreased.

Claims

1. Cosmetic product dispensing head (10) adapted to be mounted on a reservoir (20) of cosmetic product, comprising a dosing chamber (1 1) of cosmetic product, a product intake duct (130) capable of fluid communication the metering chamber (1 1) and the reservoir (20), and a non-return member (140) for closing the fluid communication,

wherein the metering chamber (1 1) comprises a wall defining a volume adapted to contain a product to be dispensed, the wall comprising a flexible membrane (1 10) of elastomeric material in which is formed a slot (1 12) of distribution of product, the flexible membrane (1 10) elastomeric material further comprising an elastic boss (1 1 1), the elastic boss (1 1 1) being adapted to be brought into a compressed state under the effect of a solicitation of so as to cause an evacuation of air and / or product contained in the chamber (1 1) by the slot (1 12) of distribution, and, because of its elasticity, to return to a relaxed state, when releasing the biasing, causing a displacement of the non-return member (140) opening the fluid communication, and a product suction inside the chamber (1 1) via the product inlet duct (130), the head being characterized in that said material is the lastomer has a hardness between 40 and 80 Shore A, and in that the volume of the chamber (1 1) in the relaxed state of the boss (11 1) is less than five times a difference between the volume of said chamber (1 1) in the relaxed state of the boss (1 1 1) and the volume of said chamber (1 1) in the compressed state of the boss (1 1 1).

2. The cosmetic product dispensing head (10) according to claim 1, wherein the hardness of the elastomeric material is between 50 and 70 Shore A.

3. head (10) of cosmetic product dispensing according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the thickness of the elastomeric material at the boss (1 1 1) is between 0.7 mm and 1, 2 mm .

4. Head (10) for dispensing a cosmetic product according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the thickness of the elastomeric material located in the vicinity of the product distribution slot (1 12) is between 0.6 mm and 1 mm.

5. The cosmetic product dispensing head (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the elastomeric material is a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE).

6. head (10) for dispensing cosmetic product according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the non-return member (140) is a valve or a ball held in abutment against a communication port (132) between the chamber (1 1) and the intake duct (130) of product.

7. The cosmetic product dispensing head (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein the communication orifice (132) is an orifice made in the product intake duct (130).

8. Head (10) of cosmetic product dispensing according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the non-return member (140) and the chamber (1 1) are mounted on a part (150) comprising a skirt (151). ), and said piece (150) being rotatably mounted relative to the duct (130) between at least two positions:

a position corresponding to an "open" state of the head (10), in which a window (155) formed in the skirt (151) is opposite an orifice (135) of the inlet duct (130) of product, allowing the communication of fluid through the intake duct (130), and

a position corresponding to a "closed" state of the application head, in which the window (155) of the skirt (151) and the orifice (135) of the duct (130) are offset with respect to the other, prohibiting fluid communication through the intake duct (130).

The cosmetic product dispensing head (10) according to claim 8 in combination with claim 6, wherein the workpiece (150) comprises an inner skirt (151) and an outer skirt (152), the inner and outer skirts being connected at one end by a spacer (153) so as to delimit a cavity (154) between the two skirts, and wherein the communication port (132) is an orifice arranged in the spacer (153) connecting the two skirts, and in the "open" position, the part allows a fluid communication between the intake duct (130) and the cavity (154) defined between the two skirts.

10. Head (10) of cosmetic product dispensing according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the elastomeric material in the vicinity of the distribution slot (1 12) outside the chamber (1 1) is covered with an anti-bacterial treatment product.

1 1. Cosmetic dispenser (1), comprising a cosmetic product reservoir (20), and a dispensing head (10) according to one of the preceding claims mounted on said reservoir.