Fluid sprinkling – spraying – and diffusing – Processes
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-06
2003-09-23
Douglas, Lisa A. (Department: 3752)
Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing
Processes
C239S333000, C239S337000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06622931
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a dispensing head intended to equip a dispenser for a fluid product, such as a dispenser wherein product is dispensed in the form of a jet or a spray, for example An aspect of the invention also relates to a dispenser equipped with such a dispensing head
In general, some fluid dispensers comprise a reservoir containing a product that is to be dispensed and a dispensing member fixed to an open end of the reservoir. The dispensing member may be a pump or a valve and the dispensing member may be coupled to a dispensing device. The dispensing device typically fulfills two functions. On the one hand, the dispensing device allows the user to actuate the dispensing member, so as to eject a dose of product from the reservoir On the other hand, the dispensing device allows the product leaving the reservoir to be conveyed via a conveying duct to a dispensing orifice, for example in the form of a nozzle, with which the dispensing device is provided. Product may then be dispensed in the form of a somewhat string-like jet or alternatively in the form of a cloud of fine droplets, known as a spray. The product may be conveyed to the dispensing orifice by simple pressure on a compressible product reservoir. When the dispenser is equipped with a dispensing valve, the reservoir may contain a pressurized gas for propelling the product that is to be dispensed through the dispensing orifice.
Conventionally, a dispensing device for dispensing product in the form of a jet or of a spray comprises a body equipped with a conveying duct in fluid communication with the product reservoir. The conveying duct is in fluid communication with a dispensing nozzle equipped with an outlet orifice of small cross section. Customarily, a nozzle such as this is an attached part fixed, at the time of manufacture, to the dispensing device in a non-removable way.
Certain products, particularly over a lengthy period of non-use, tend to clog the dispensing device, for example with product residues. With dispensers currently on the market, it is practically impossible to unblock or clean the nozzle and/or the conveying duct, without causing damage to the dispensing device, which is detrimental to subsequent use of the dispenser
Such a clogging phenomenon may occur quite often when the product is a solution or a dispersion which readily dries out in ambient air. Such products may be in the form of spray adhesives, paints, or certain cosmetic or dermopharmaceutical products, such as products for conditioning the hair and the skin, such as hair lacquers or antisun products.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,961,756 discloses a spray head comprising a nozzle screwed onto a free end of the product conveying duct. Turning the nozzle makes it possible, by displacing the nozzle along the product jet outlet axis, to modify the characteristics of the spray obtained. It is also possible to remove this nozzle in order to clean it, should it become clogged. However, it is difficult to access the conveying ducts with a view to unblocking them, if clogging occurs Furthermore, it is difficult to readjust the nozzle after it has been refitted, which means that it is not possible to obtain a constant quality of spray, after cleaning, until numerous adjustment operations have been performed. In addition, the nozzle described cannot be obtained by moulding, or can be so only with difficulty, and has to be machined from metal, which adversely affects its cost price. Finally, as the nozzle is displaced along the axis of the jet, it is essential, in order to avoid the nozzle being expelled under the pressure of the jet, for it to be secured by a connection of the screw-fastening type.
A cleanable nozzle device for fluid products is described elsewhere, in WO-A-96/31 412. This nozzle device comprises a fixed part and a removable part making it possible, in the event of clogging, to access the dispensing orifice and the terminal part of the product conveying duct. The removable part can be detached on a plane passing through the center of the dispensing orifice. The edge of the dispensing orifice is delimited by two different parts and when the dispensing orifice is very small in size, it may be impossible to obtain an even edge around the dispensing orifice, particularly as a result of the presence of an assembly joint. This results in an irregular and rough spray. As a result, it is impossible to obtain a regular cone of spray with a uniform distribution of droplet sizes.
Another source, EP-A-0 726 096, describes a spray head in which the dispensing orifice can move with respect to an annular swirl chamber and ducts supplying it with product. The objective of this device is to vary the divergence characteristics of the spray obtained. Access to this swirl chamber and/or to its supply ducts, with a view to clearing these, is not possible.
In the case of other spray heads or nozzle devices, for instance, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,989,251, U.S. Pat. No. 3,319,894, FR-A-2 698 854 or EP-A-0 790 079, no provision is made for removing or temporarily opening up the spray heads or nozzle devices with a view to clearing the supply ducts they contain.
Accordingly, one of the optional objects of the invention is to provide a dispensing head, a dispensing assembly and a method for cleaning a dispensing head that solve all or some of the problems or short-comings of the related art. For example, the device may be reliable, easy to use and inexpensive.
Hence, one of the optional objects of the invention is to supply a dispensing head, which can easily be cleaned without complicated disassembly. In particular, the dispensing head may have a two-part structure which makes it possible to avoid losing one of the constituent parts.
Yet another optional object of the invention relates to a dispensing head which is easy to disassemble and to fit after clearing.
Another optional object of the invention relates to a dispensing head capable of producing a jet or a regular spray of uniformly distributed fine droplets.
It should be understood that the invention could still be practiced without performing one or more of the optional objects and/or advantages described above. Still other optional objects will become apparent from the detailed description that follows.
As broadly described herein, the invention includes a dispensing head for actuation a dispensing member provided on a dispenser. The dispensing head may include a body, an end element and at least one dispensing duct. The body may be configured to be operatively coupled to the dispensing member. The end element may include a dispensing orifice Moreover, the end element may be movable with respect to the body (e.g. movable coupled directly or indirectly to the body) between a closed position and an opened position, wherein the movement includes at least one translational movement of the end element and at least one pivoting movement of the end element about a pivot axis. With the end element in the closed position, flow communication between the dispensing orifice and the dispensing member may be allowed This flow communication may occur via the at least one dispensing duct when the body is operatively coupled to the dispensing member. Further, when the end element is in the opened position, at least a portion of the at least one dispensing duct may be capable of being cleaned.
Another optional aspect of the invention relates to a dispensing head intended for actuating a valve or a pump and for dispensing a product through at least one dispensing orifice. The dispensing head may include a body configured for coupling to an operating stem of the valve or of the pump and an end element that includes the dispensing orifice When the dispensing head is in a position in which it is mounted on the pump stem or valve stem, this dispensing orifice may be in communication with the pump stem or valve stem via at least one passage. The end element may be capable of being placed in a position allowing the cleaning of all or part of the passage or duct in response to the end element being displaced with
Douglas Lisa A.
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
L'Oreal (S.A.)
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