LATERAL ACTUATOR FOR A DISPENSER OF A COSMETICS CONTAINER
The invention relates to an actuating device for a device for dispensing a fluid product, the dispensing device including a receptacle having an opening at the upper end thereof, a dispensing member (1) being mounted in said opening, the dispensing member (1) including a cylindrical push member (3) which has a vertical axis (3a), and the upper end of which extends vertically upward. Exerting pressure on the upper end of the push member (3) triggers the egress of the fluid product from the container via the dispensing member (1).
The present invention relates to a lateral actuation system intended to be connected to, or mounted on a device for dispensing a fluid product, said device itself being connected to or mounted on a container containing the fluid to be dispensed, which may be a liquid or a viscous product. The actuation of this dispensing device makes it possible to extract the fluid from the container, said fluid being dispensed through a dispensing orifice.
Usually, the dispensing device consists of a body that encloses the mechanism and is mounted fixedly on the neck of the container. The dispensing device also comprises an axially movable push button. Generally, the push button is actuated downwardly by the index finger and it is not always easy to hold the container and press the push button at the same time, the force needed to actuate the dispensing device often being significant (around 2 kg) and lacking ease of use.
A number of patents which allow axial depression of the dispensing device by way of a system for converting the axial movement by way of a lateral thrust are known from the prior art.
The European patent EP 0385863 A1 describes a cap for a spray bottle provided with a control device fixed to the push button, consisting of a fastening skirt that is extended by actuating members of the lever and/or lug type to which the skirt is connected by a flexible part. Under the effect of a lateral thrust on said actuating means, the push button is axially depressed. The lateral thrust is applied via fins or half-shells by way of the thumb and the index finger. The effect of this thrust is to pivot levers and tabs, causing the actuation of the dispensing part by also deforming the flexible part of the cap.
The European patent EP 0734968 A1 is also known, said patent describing a spray head also comprising two levers, the latter being connected together by a connecting piece having at least one flexible part. This flexible part has a central piece that projects above the spray push button and is in contact therewith at rest. The pivoting of the two levers about an axis located above the connecting piece deforms the latter and triggers the mechanism.
The abovementioned devices are characterized by levers, fins or tabs which, by pivoting, quite often introduce a fairly complex deformation of a flexible element. If, as in the case of the patent WO 01/26995 A1, there is no deformation but only the pivoting of lugs or tabs, or, as in the case of the patent GB 1256001, the deformation of the articulated tabs, fixed to the push button, is low, these designs require a significant overall height that is necessary for the lever effect.
The use of these devices is not always satisfactory and, in the case of some uses, has major drawbacks, in particular (which may explain the limited commercial success of these devices with respect to the utility thereof):
- A bulky geometry associated with the lever effects and with the space necessary for the deformation of the flexible elements. This size is not always compatible with the attractive appearance of bottles in particular of perfume.
- On account of the necessary and often multiple deformations, these systems often require a greater force than if the force had been simply axial as in traditional systems, this being out of place with the desired sensation of comfort.
- A lateral travel that is often large and uncomfortable in order to realize the complete travel of the dispensing member.
- An additional manufacturing cost linked to the complexity of the deformation elements, to the number thereof and to the assembling of more or less complex components, this additional cost quite often being unacceptable in the case of long production runs where a low cost price and component geometries that can be realized at low cost are desired.
The present invention thus proposes the provision of a lateral actuation system that does not have the abovementioned drawbacks according to the prior art and has the object of allowing ease of use associated with the lateral actuation while reducing the deformations that are necessary therefor, allowing flexible operation that reduces the sensation of effort, and also a reduced size that does not require a specific cap shape and is thus applicable for luxury products such as devices for diffusing perfume or cream while also limiting the number of components.
Given this prior art, the set objective of the present invention is a lateral actuation system intended to be connected to or mounted on a container containing the fluid to be dispensed, which may be a liquid or a viscous product, and having:
- A member for dispensing a fluid product, such as a pump or a valve on which an axially movable push button that actuates the dispensing member is mounted.
- A dispensing orifice connected to the dispensing member.
- A cap or protective element fixed on the container or the dispensing member.
- A flexible actuating element (elastic knee lever type) secured to or independent of the push button, said actuating element being inserted inside said cap and bearing during its actuation against the internal upper limit of said cap or any element that can act as an end stop, optionally perforated for example in the form of a stirrup, and being able optionally to extend beyond the latter through one or more slots. This end-stop principle allows an action/reaction effect, thus allowing the flexible element to release the lateral force directly and only onto the dispensing push button. This has the advantage of thereby limiting the lateral actuating travel in order to realize the entire travel necessary for the dispensing member to operate correctly.
In addition, in contrast to all of the prior art, this architecture makes it possible to channel the lateral force toward the bottom of the dispensing push button and not onto the top as is usual. This has the result of considerably reducing the size of the actuating system and of it then being possible to store volumes identical to the traditional actuating systems of dispensing push buttons protected by a cap. Similarly, as this architecture lengthens the dimension of the arms of the flexible element, the actuating force thereof is reduced.
In this regard, the laterally dispensing movable push button may be extended downwardly under the fluid output zone of the dispensing member in order to form a shoulder and the end stop, said end stop comprising an upper part integral with said push button and a lower part having a bearing zone.
Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the description given below with reference to the appended drawings, in which:
With reference to
In order to actuate the dispensing member 1, and thus to diffuse the fluid contained in the container 2, it is necessary to exert a pressure, ideally with the thumb and index finger, toward the center of the cap 6 at the two bearing surfaces 9. This pressure is directed from the two sides of the knee lever at 12, that is to say toward the top and the bottom of the flexible element 7. The flexible element 7 is blocked by the cap 6 in the region of the upper limit 8 of the latter, the forces canceling one another out and thus the entirety of this pressure being directed downward in the direction of the end stop 5 of the dispensing push button 7, thereby causing the actuation of the dispensing member 1. The fluid is dispensed by way of the dispensing push button, the dispensing orifice of which leads out of the cap 6 through the opening 13 created in said cap 6.
In the unlocked position, the bearing surfaces 9 of the flexible element 7 are actuable and the opening 13 in the cap is visible. The lateral actuation system may be activated. If the outer cap 22 is turned into the locked position, the protrusions 24 fit into the space 25 located behind the bearing surfaces 9 of the flexible element 7, thereby preventing the deformation of said flexible element 7 and thus the activation of the dispensing member 1. This adaptation thus makes it possible to prevent any accidental actuation of the dispensing member 1. During locking, the outer cap 22 may thus close the opening 13 created in the cap 6 to allow the diffusion of the fluid by the dispensing member 1 to pass through.
Claims
1. A lateral actuation system for a device for dispensing fluid or viscous products, the dispensing device comprising:
- a container having an opening, a dispensing member of the valve or pump type being mounted in said opening, the dispensing member being covered by a movable push button having a lateral orifice, a pressure exerted on said push button activating the output of the fluid or viscous product from the container via the dispensing member, the lateral actuation system comprising: an upwardly closed cap which is fixed securely to the container and comprises an upper part integral with a side part, a flexible element forming a lever, bearing against the upper part of the cap and against the bearing zone of the end stop, the lever being able to pass from a rest position, in which the lever has a longitudinal size 11 and a transverse size t1, to a working position, in which the lever has a longitudinal size 12 and a transverse size t2, 11, 12, t1 and t2 being measured in a plane defined by the axes and and being such that 11<12 and t1<t2, the flexible element having at least two points of flexing,
- and in that the laterally dispensing movable push button is extended downwardly under the fluid output zone of the dispensing member in order to form a shoulder and the end stop, said end stop comprising an upper part integral with said push button and a lower part having a bearing zone.
2. The actuating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible element has a plane of symmetry.
3. The actuating device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the flexible element has two branches, each branch having a forearm having a first end bearing against the end stop and a second end articulated to an arm, each arm itself being articulated, either directly together, or to a base bearing against the cap.
4. The actuating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cap is perforated.
5. The actuating device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an outer cap mounted in a pivoting manner on the cap and comprising at least one locking protrusion that is able to lock the dispensing member.
6. The actuating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible element has at least four points of flexing.
7. The actuating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the laterally dispensing push button and the flexible element form only one piece.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 7, 2013
Publication Date: Jan 15, 2015
Inventor: Frederic Platel (Residence)
Application Number: 14/377,472
International Classification: G01F 11/00 (20060101);