SAMPLE PRODUCT DISPENSER

Abstract

The invention concerns a device for dispensing at least one dose of fluid product sample, comprising: a device for dispensing said dose of product contained in a reservoir, two thin walls enclosing said device, each of said walls having an outer surface forming a support for being fixed on a flat document, or constituting an advertising medium, and a member for fixing the thin walls on the dispensing device. The member has a thickness not less than that of the dispensing device, such that said member prevents any direct pressure on said device. The member also has a generally flattened shape having a lateral surface with two opposite main parts, said lateral surface being inscribed substantially entirely between two parallel planes located proximate each other.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a National Phase entry application of PCT/FR2006/002042, filed Sep. 5, 2006, which claims priority to French Application No. 0552899 filed Sep. 27, 2005; both of which are incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

The invention concerns a dispenser for a fluid product sample intended to be placed flat in magazines, newspapers or other brochures, or in letters. Product sample means any single- or dual-dose quantity of around a millilitre. The invention applies especially to the delivery of a fluid product in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, detergent, perfumery or similar field in the form of a sample in the context of distribution to the general public for advertising purposes.

The dispensers according to the invention must be designed so as to be placed in magazines that are packaged on a pallet, being stacked on one another. The dispensers must thus be able to withstand the consequent pressure forces in order to avoid rupture or bursting thereof. Producing such dispensers therefore imposes constraints in terms of resistance to pressure and friction forces. In particular, dispensers intended for distribution by press or postal method must satisfy the requirements imposed by a test consisting of applying to the dispenser a load of about 2.5 tonnes for six seconds.

Fluid samples distributed in magazines are usually packaged in flexible pouches forming a reservoir, the pouches each being formed by two flexible walls connected by their edges, the surface of one of the two walls serving as a surface for fixing the pouch to a flat document, such as a page of the magazine or an advertising document. The drawback of such pouches lies in the fact that they are often difficult to tear in order to extract the product therefrom. Moreover, it may happen that the product enclosed in the pouches flows over the external surface of the walls of the pouch, which makes the pouch viscous and unpleasant to handle.

At the start of the invention, it was chosen to use a dispensing device of the pump or similar type, providing a more precise delivery, and cleaner for the consumer.

Fluid product dispensers are known comprising a flexible pouch forming a reservoir for the fluid product, a pouch support on which the pouch is fixed and a pump in fluid communication with the pouch forming the reservoir. In particular, the document FR-A-2 804 093 describes a fluid product dispenser. In addition, document FR-A-2 836 128 describes a dispenser comprising a dispensing member formed by a reservoir and a dispensing connecting piece, and a flexible packaging pouch at least partially surrounding the dispensing member. Such dispensers are not designed to deliver small doses of product, nor to be distributed flat in magazines, nor to be sent by mail. In particular, the dispensing members that they comprise would not withstand a pressure of more than one tonne and the pouches would burst.

The invention aims to remedy these problems by proposing a dispenser for a fluid product sample, substantially flat in shape in order to be distributed in newspapers or letters, designed to withstand forces of resistance to both pressure and friction. To this end, and according to a first aspect, the invention proposes a dispenser for at least one fluid sample dose, comprising:

a device for dispensing the dose of product contained in a reservoir,

two thin walls enclosing the device, each of the walls having an external face forming a support for fixing to a flat document, or constituting an advertising medium,

and a member for fixing the thin walls to the dispensing device. The member constitutes a protective element for the dispensing device by having a thickness greater than or equal to that of the dispensing device, so that the member prevents any direct pressure on the device. In addition, the member has a general flattened shape having a lateral face with two opposite main parts, this lateral face fitting substantially entirely between two parallel planes situated close to each other, the two opposite main parts being situated in or in the immediate vicinity of the two planes so that the two main parts form abutment surfaces distributing pressure forces in directions perpendicular to the planes and friction forces in directions parallel to the planes, and so as to avoid degradation of the dispensing device.

According to a first embodiment, provision is made for the member to comprise two substantially planar abutment surfaces, facing each other and substantially parallel to each other. In addition, it is advantageous for the fixing member to be machined so as to form flats constituting a set of abutment surfaces. In this way, it is easier to fix the flexible thin walls to the member. The thickness of the dispensers is such that the dispensers are sufficiently flat to be slid into a magazine or fixed to an advertising letter.

In the context of an advantageous embodiment, the thin walls are fixed to all the abutment surfaces of the fixing and protective member. The dispenser is thus stronger overall, since this embodiment ensures optimum holding of the dispenser between the flexible thin walls. In the context of a variant embodiment, the fixing member is rigidly associated with the dispensing device.

Provision is advantageously made for the dispensing device to comprise a pump, a pump body and a reservoir. Thus the user of the dispenser according to the invention has available a device that is easy to use with a minimum risk of tipping fluid product onto the flexible thin walls. In the context of this embodiment, provision is made for the pump body to be fitted in a cylindrical wall produced in the fixing member (8). Moreover, the pump body has in a particular a diameter less than the thickness of the fixing member. In addition, provision can be made to produce the pump body so that it is mainly in one piece with the fixing member (that is to say, produced in a single piece).

In the context of another variant embodiment, the flexible thin walls are hermetically sealed and secured to each other in the vicinity of their periphery in a sealed manner. Also in the context of a variant embodiment, provision can be made for the fixed thin walls to define the edges of a reservoir of the fluid product sample. According to an embodiment that will be described and illustrated subsequently, the thin walls are flexible. Finally, the invention also relates to a distribution assembly comprising at least one dispenser as defined above, which is fixed to a substantially planar support.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects and advantages of the invention will emerge during the following description, given with reference to the accompanying FIGS. 1 to 16, among which:

FIG. 1 is a planar representation of a fluid product dispenser according to a first embodiment according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows, in front view, a dispensing device used in the dispenser shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in transverse section along the line II-II of the dispenser illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a planar representation of a fluid product dispenser according to a second embodiment according to the invention;

FIG. 5 shows, in front view, a dispensing device used in the dispenser shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 shows, in front view, a part of the dispensing device illustrated in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a view from below of the part of the device illustrated in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a side view of the device illustrated in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a view in section along the line IX-IX of the part of the device illustrated in FIG. 6;

FIG. 10 is an enlargement of part of FIG. 9 indicated by a circle X;

FIG. 11 is an enlargement of a part of FIG. 6 indicated by a circle XI;

FIG. 12 shows a second part of the dispensing device illustrated in FIG. 5;

FIG. 13 is a view from below of the device illustrated in FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a side view of the device illustrated in FIG. 12;

FIG. 15 is an enlargement of a part of the device in FIG. 14 indicated by a circle XV; and

FIG. 16 is an enlargement of a part of the device in FIG. 12 indicated by a circle XVI.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Unless mentioned to the contrary, the dispenser 1 that will be described is shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 in the closed state. Each dispenser comprises a device 2 for dispensing a dose of product contained in a reservoir 3. Two flexible thin walls 4 and 5 enclose the dispensing device 2.

Generally, the variant embodiments of the dispensing devices 2 are always shown being disposed with their reservoir 3 placed towards the bottom, in the bottom part of the device. A scored line 21 in each of the walls 4 and 5, making it possible to open the dispenser and constituting a tamper-evident indicator before first opening, is shown along a horizontal line, as the bottom edge of the flexible thin walls 4 or 5 enclosing the dispensing device 2. It is with respect to this typical position of a dispenser 1 that the word “horizontal”, “vertical”, “top” or “bottom” are understood. The term “upper” will designate the parts of the dispenser situated above the scored line 21 while the term “lower” will designate the parts of the dispenser situated below the scored line 21. The word “interior” relates to what is situated between the flexible walls 4 and 5, while the word “exterior” relates to what is situated outside the closed dispenser 1 or more at its periphery. As for the word “internal”, this relates to what is situated in the actual structure of the dispensing device without normally being visible to the user.

The dispenser illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4 is produced so as to deliver only a single dose of fluid product, around 1 millilitre. It should however be understood that the device according to the invention could be designed to deliver two doses, or even three doses without however being able to deliver in total a volume of more than 5 ml, so that the device is solely designed for the dispensing of samples of fluid product. In the context of the example embodiments illustrated, the fluid product is a cosmetic product of the perfume type.

The flexible thin walls 4 and 5 enclosing the dispensing device consist of two hermetic sheets substantially rectangular in shape, which are disposed facing each other on each side of the dispensing device. The flexible thin walls 4 and 5 are sealingly fixed together by their lateral edges 18 and 20, and their bottom 20 and top 24 edges by welding. It should be understood that the form of the walls could be different without this affecting the invention. Indeed the thin walls could be square, round, polygonal or otherwise in shape. The thin walls could also define a thin rigid container, in three dimensions. Thus fixed together, the thin walls constitute a lower pouch 25 for accepting the dispensing device and an upper pouch 26 in which all or part of the dispensing device 2 emerging from the lower pouch 25 can also slide, the lower 25 and upper 26 pouches being delimited by the scored line 21 produced through the walls 4 and 5.

It should be understood that the fixing together of the walls 4 and 5 along their lower edge 19 is not essential. This is because the walls 4 and 5 are not necessarily intended to produce an accepting pouch for the dispensing device since the prime function for the walls 4 and 5 according to the invention is to serve as fixing support on a flat document or to constitute an advertising medium. To this end, the walls 4 and 5 each have respectively an external surface 6 and 7. However, in the context of an embodiment that is not shown, the pouch containing the dispensing pump could constitute a reservoir of sample product to be dispensed.

This reservoir could also have the single function of protecting the pump and liquid that it contains, in particular by virtue of the materials from which the walls are formed. Thus the thin walls would be formed so that they would protect the sample product and the pump, through its properties of impermeability to light, gas and liquids. The walls can also preserve the volatile elements such as the essential and/or active principles. Each of the flexible thin walls 4, 5 also has an internal surface 22 and 23 respectively, which are at least partially fixed to a fixing member 8 of the dispensing device 2.

The member 8 has a thickness e greater than or equal to the thickness e′ of the dispensing device 2. It thus constitutes a protective element for the dispensing device 2 since it prevents any direct pressure on the said device. The thickness of the dispenser is substantially around 3 mm (+ or −2 mm), which makes it possible to slide the dispenser between two magazine pages without consequently deforming the latter.

The member 8 also has a general flattened shape. The member 8 has a lateral face having two opposite main parts 10 and 13 (or 10′ and 13′, FIG. 7). This lateral face fitting substantially entirely between two parallel planes P1 and P2 (FIG. 3) situated close to each other. The two opposite main parts 10 and 13 are situated in or in the immediate vicinity of the two planes P1 and P2 so that the two main parts (10, 13) form support surfaces. The two support surfaces 10 and 13 (FIG. 3) or 10′ and 13′ (FIG. 7) are substantially planar, facing each other and substantially parallel to each other.

The fixing member 8 has flats constituting a set of support surfaces 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 (first embodiment, FIG. 3) or 9′, 10′, 11′, 12′, 13′ and 14′ (second embodiment, FIG. 7). The flats can be formed by moulding. Secondarily, the fixing member could have curved surfaces, these surfaces defining a shape such that they have at least three abutment points for the press used in the tests performed for testing the resistance to pressure. Thus produced, the fixing member 8 offers sufficient support surfaces for withstanding the pressure forces in directions perpendicular to the planes P1 and P2, and friction forces in directions parallel to the planes P1 and P2, for example when several documents equipped with a dispenser are stacked one on top of the other.

The thin walls 4 and 5 of the dispenser are fixed on all the support surfaces 9 to 14 (first embodiment, FIG. 3) or 9′ to 14′ (second embodiment, FIG. 7) of the member 8 for optimum fixing. In addition, the fixing member 8 is rigidly associated with the dispensing device 2, so as to prevent any movement of the dispensing device 2 between the flexible walls 4 and 5.

According to a first embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the dispensing device 2 comprises a pump 15, a pump body 16 and a reservoir 3. In a manner conventional per se, the pump 15 has a pump head 27 comprising a vortex chamber (not shown) mounted so as to be able to move in the pump body 16 between a liquid product delivery position and an idle position. To do this, the pump head 27 is fixed to a hollow rod 28 connected to the pump body 16, in which a piston moves so as to allow the introduction and compression of a dose of product in order to ensure its delivery. Thus the piston is in fluid relationship with the product reservoir, which is formed by a capillary tube 3.

In order to return the pump head 27 to the idle position, a coil spring 29 is provided, placed in the pump body with a circular cross-section. The pump body 16 is fitted in a cylindrical bore 17 produced in the fixing member 8. Thus the pump body 16 has a diameter less than the thickness e of the fixing member 8.

It must be understood that the invention is not limited to this embodiment. This is because the pump body 16 could be produced differently, for example being made in one piece with the fixing member 8. Such a variant embodiment is for example illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 16. The pump 15′ comprises, in a similar manner to the pump 15 described above, a pump head 30 (FIG. 5) that is extended, in the bottom part, by a tube 31 for taking off the product contained in a reservoir 3′. A channel 32 passing through the pump head 30 and the tube 31 provides the routing of the liquid product in the pump head as far as an outlet orifice 33.

The pump head 30 comprises a compression chamber, providing the delivery of a dose of product. This compression chamber has not been shown for reasons of clarity of the figures. The pump head 30 is flat and rectangular in cross-section, the tube 31 is produced in line with the vertical symmetry axis of the pump head 30. The pump 15′ is mounted so as to be able to move in a pump body 16′ between an idle position and a product delivery position.

To do this, the pump body 16′ has an acceptance housing 34 with a cross-section complementary to that of the pump head 30 (FIG. 6 in particular). In addition, the pump head 30 is equipped with elastic return means. These elastic return means are formed by arched lugs 35 and 36, the curvature of which is directed towards the vertical symmetry axis of the pump head 30, the lugs 35 and 36 projecting from the bottom edge 37 of the pump head 30 in the vicinity of the lateral edges 38 and 39. In the context of a variant embodiment that is not shown, the pump could be produced without a spring. It would then no longer be necessary to provide means ensuring the return of the pump to the initial position, after delivery of the dose of product.

The pump body 16′ also constitutes the fixing and protection member 8 for the dispensing device on the thin flexible walls 4 and 5. Thus the pump body 16′ also has flats 9′, 10′, 11′, 12′, 13′ and 14′ (FIG. 7), on which the walls 4 and 5 are fixed. The cross-section of the pump body 16′ is hexagonal and has sides parallel in pairs.

A tube 40 is produced secured to the bottom 41 of the receiving housing 34 of the pump body 16′. The tube 40 communicates with the receiving housing 34 by means of a channel 42 passing through the bottom 41 at its centre. The tube 40 comprises at the bottom part the reservoir 3′ closed initially by a cap 43, tearable when the pump is first used to allow passage of the product contained in the reservoir 3′ into the channel 42.

The cap 43 thus constitutes a tamper-evident device for the pump before use. The tube 40 (secured to the pump body 16′) has an inside diameter greater that the outside diameter of the tube 31 (secured to the pump head 15′). In this way the tube 31 is introduced into the tube 40 and can be moved therein in vertical translation. In order to tear the cap 43 closing the reservoir 3, the end of the tube 31 is produced in the form of a bevel 44.

So as to prevent any accidental tearing of the cap 43, means are provided creating a resistance to the vertical movement of the pump head 30 before first intentional use. These resistance means are formed firstly by two lateral retaining rings 45 and 46 provided projecting on the internal lateral walls of the accepting housing 34 provided in the pump body 16′, and secondly by a protrusion 47 projecting in isolation on each of the lateral sides of the pump head 30, close to the arched lugs 35 and 36.

The projecting protrusions 47 and projecting internal retaining rings 45 and 46 have dimensions and shapes such that a protrusion 47 is housed between two projecting retaining rings 45 and 46. The projecting internal retaining rings 45 and 46 are produced at a distance d from the bottom 41 of the housing 34. The distance d is such that, before a first use, when the pump head 30 is introduced into the housing 34, the bevelled end 44 of the tube 31 does not come into contact with the cap 43.

In order to tear the cap 43, it is necessary for the user to exert a pressure on the pump head 30 sufficient to release the protrusions 47 between the internal retaining rings 45 and 46. The bevelled end 44 then tears the cap 43 under the action of the downward vertical movement generated by the pressure exerted on the pump head 30.

As indicated previously, in the context of this example, the pump body 16′ constitutes the member 8 for fixing the pump on the flexible walls 4 and 5. The dispenser can then be slid between two pages of a magazine without however considerably deforming the latter.

Another variant embodiment of the latter pump could also be provided. It would be a case of producing separately a fixing member 8 and a pump body 16′ and providing in the fixing member 8 a housing with a size and shape complementary to that of the pump body 16′ so as to receive it.

It thus emerges clearly from the above description that the invention is not limited to the use of one pump rather than another in the dispenser. It should also be noted that other variant embodiments could also be provided according to which the thin walls 18, 19 and 20 fixed between the flexible walls 4 and 5 would define the edges of a reservoir of the liquid product sample.

Claims

1. A dispenser for at least one dose of a fluid product sample, comprising:

a device for dispensing the said dose of product contained in a reservoir;

two thin walls enclosing the said device, each of the walls having an external face forming a support for fixing to a flat document or constituting an advertising medium;

a member for fixing the thin walls on the dispensing device, the member forming a protective element for the dispensing device while having a thickness greater than or equal to that of the dispensing device, so that the member prevents any direct pressure on the device, the member also having a general flattened shape having a lateral face having two opposite main parts, this lateral face fitting substantially entirely between two parallel planes (P1, P2) situated close to each other, the two opposite main parts being situated in or in the immediate vicinity of the two planes so that the two main parts form support surfaces providing the distribution of pressure forces in directions perpendicular to the planes and friction forces in directions parallel to the planes, in order to prevent degradation of the dispensing device.

2. A dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the member comprises two substantially planar support surfaces, facing each other and substantially parallel to each other.

3. A dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the fixing member has flats constituting a set of support surfaces.

4. A dispenser according to claim 2, wherein the thin walls are fixed to all the support surfaces of the fixing and protection member.

5. A dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the fixing member is rigidly associated with the dispensing device.

6. A dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the dispensing device comprises a pump, a pump body and a reservoir.

7. A dispenser according to claim 6, wherein the pump body is fitted in a cylindrical bore produced in the fixing member.

8. A dispenser according to claim 6, wherein the pump body has a diameter less than the thickness of the fixing member, preferentially around 3 mm.

9. A dispenser according to claim 6, wherein the pump body is made in one piece with the fixing member.

10. A dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the flexible thin walls are hermetic and secured to one another in the vicinity of their periphery sealingly.

11. A dispenser according to claim 10, wherein the thin walls fixed together define the edges of a reservoir of the sample of liquid product.

12. A dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the thin walls are flexible.

13. A diffusion assembly comprising at least one dispenser according to claim 1, fixed to a substantially planar support.

14. A fluid dispenser comprising:

substantially flexible walls defining an enclosed and sealed fluid-reservoir, and an enclosed and sealed dispenser-cavity in a first condition;

a pump head located in the cavity in the first condition, the pump head being accessible for use when the walls are severed adjacent the cavity in a second condition; and

a conduit connecting the pump head to the reservoir;

the walls withstanding at least one tonne of pressure in at least one direction in the first condition, without bursting.

15. The dispenser of claim 14, further comprising a protective member located at least partially between the cavity and the reservoir, the protective member having a transverse thickness greater than the pump head, the protective member including at least two opposite flat outer, transverse surfaces.

16. The dispenser of claim 14, wherein the walls withstand a transverse load of about 2.5 tonnes for about six seconds without bursting and without damage to the pump head.

17. The dispenser of claim 14, further comprising:

a protective member coupled to the pump head;

at least one biasing member and the conduit being attached to the protective member as a single piece.

18. A fluid dispensing assembly comprising:

walls defining an enclosed and sealed fluid-reservoir, and an enclosed and sealed dispenser-cavity in a first condition;

a liquid located in the reservoir, the liquid taken from the group of: (a) a perfume, (b) a cosmetic, and (c) a pharmaceutical;

an advertising page having at least one of the walls at least temporarily attached thereto;

a pump head located in the cavity in the first condition, the pump head being accessible for use when a wall portion is opened in a second condition; and

a protective member coupled within the walls adjacent the pump head in at least the first condition, the protective member operably protecting the pump head from compression in at least one direction.

19. The dispensing assembly of claim 18, wherein the protective member has a greater transverse dimension as compared to the pump head in the at least one direction, further comprising a conduit and a biasing member coupled to the protective member, the conduit extending into the reservoir.

20. The dispensing assembly of claim 18, wherein the walls are flexible and the walls withstand a load in the at lest one direction of about 2.5 tonnes for about six seconds without bursting and without damage to the pump head.