Dispensing – With wick or absorbent material feed
Reexamination Certificate
2002-07-12
2004-08-31
Kaufman, Joseph A. (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
With wick or absorbent material feed
C222S209000, C222S212000, C222S541500, C222S633000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06783035
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a fluid product dispenser comprising a fluid product reservoir containing a fluid product and advantageously adapted to also contain a gas such as air, the said reservoir comprising a deformable actuation wall on which the user presses to reduce the internal volume in the reservoir, and a distribution orifice through which the fluid product is forced in the form of a spray by pressing on the actuation wall.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A dispenser of this type is already known in document FR 2 791 645. In this document, the reservoir is formed starting from two deformable flexible sheets welded together around their peripheries and holding a plastic part between them defining an outlet orifice and supporting an element made of a porous material that extends inside the reservoir to become full of the fluid product. The two flexible sheets each forms one deformable actuation wall. These two deformable actuation walls are activated by separating one from the other by elastic means in the form of a spring that can be placed inside the reservoir, or outside the reservoir. Therefore it is possible to move the two walls closer together by pressing the two towards each other against the action of the spring. This document incorporates a very attractive characteristic that may also be used within the framework of this invention. In fact, the distribution orifice is closed off by a removable closing device, while the spring is compressed to its maximum state such that the reservoir defines a minimum volume. This minimizes the thickness of the dispenser so that it can be inserted in magazines or brochures as a free sample in the form of a genuine dispenser spray.
However, due to the fact that the reservoir is formed from two flexible deformable sheets acted upon by a spring, it is difficult to guarantee that the dispenser is perfectly aesthetic. The spring tends to deform the flexible sheets when the removable closing device is in place, because it is compressed to its maximum. In order to overcome these aesthetic problems, it is preferable to coat or surround the dispenser inside an outer skin that improves its aesthetics.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The purpose of this invention is to overcome this disadvantage with prior art by defining a fluid product dispenser for which the aesthetics is not affected by the nature of the material used to make the reservoir, and more particularly its deformable actuation walls.
In order to achieve this purpose, this invention proposes that the reservoir should include a bottom plate, an intermediate plate defining an opening and a cover plate in which actuation wall is included, the opening formed in the intermediate plate defining the useful volume of the reservoir with the bottom plate and the cover plate. Unlike what is described in the document according to prior art mentioned above, the reservoir is no longer formed simply from two flexible sheets welded together to define an internal volume acting as a reservoir, but on the contrary the useful volume of the reservoir is formed by the opening in the intermediate plate that is completed by fixing two other plates, namely the bottom and the cover respectively. The intermediate plate is rigid, or almost rigid and the bottom and cover-plates may also be rigid, or they may be flexible. Preferably, the bottom plate is rigid or almost rigid, and the cover plate may possibly be formed from a deformable or quasi-deformable flexible sheet.
Advantageously, the wall thickness of each plate is less than about 1 mm. Preferably, the intermediate plate is the thickest plate, so that it can define a sufficiently large useful reservoir size. The opening in the intermediate plate is in the form of a simple or complex shaped cut-out. This cut-out defines a very low height cylinder, considering that the thickness of the intermediate plate is only about one millimeter. The bottom and cover plates simply close this cylinder in order to obtain a cylindrical reservoir.
The actuation wall is included in the cover plate, but it would also be possible to integrate this actuation plate in the bottom plate. It would also be possible to use two actuation walls, one in each bottom plate and cover plate.
Advantageously, the actuation wall is formed in a single piece with the cover plate. However preferably, the actuation wall is added into the cover plate which is provided with a window in which an actuation device forming the actuation wall can be fitted. With this second embodiment, it is possible to use bottom, intermediate and cover plates by punching simple plates and making the actuation device by moulding a deformable plastic material.
According to one advantageous embodiment, the actuation wall comprises elastic means that give it a shape memory that brings it back into the rest position corresponding to the maximum volume of the reservoir. Preferably, the elastic means comprise a flexible strip embedded in the thickness of the actuation wall. Thus, the elastic means are not in contact with the fluid product contained in the reservoir such that there is no possible interaction between the flexible strip and the fluid product. Furthermore, the flexible strip is not visible from the outside, which improves the aesthetics of the actuation wall. Furthermore, the flexible strip is perfectly protected inside the thickness of the actuation wall.
According to another characteristic, the reservoir contains a part made of porous material capable of retaining the fluid product.
According to another aspect of the invention, the distribution orifice is formed in the cover plate. As a variant, the distribution orifice is formed in the intermediate plate.
Furthermore, the distribution orifice may be provided with a removable sealed closing device closing off the orifice before the first use and that can be repositioned on the orifice after use.
According to another interesting characteristic, the closing device is initially welded around the orifice and also comprises an adhesive that can be repositioned and is capable of bonding repeatedly around the orifice. The closing device thus assures the user that he or she is the first to use it because it is initially welded, and also provides an appropriate sealed closing means such that the dispenser can be reused later without a risk of leakage.
According to another aspect, the bottom, intermediate and cover plates are stacked and fixed to each other, advantageously by welding or gluing around the opening formed by the intermediate plate.
As in the above-mentioned document according to prior art, the actuation wall may be flattened before the first use such that the reservoir contains practically nothing other than the fluid product, and the thickness of the dispenser is then less than or equal to about 2 mm.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4275840 (1981-06-01), Staar
patent: 4779768 (1988-10-01), St. Amand
patent: 5215221 (1993-06-01), Dirksing
patent: 5425480 (1995-06-01), Rabenau et al.
patent: 5678736 (1997-10-01), Hansen
patent: 6343717 (2002-02-01), Zhang et al.
patent: 2 778 639 (1999-11-01), None
patent: WO 92/17386 (1992-10-01), None
French Search Report.
Garcia Firmin
Millian Alex
Kaufman Joseph A.
Sughrue & Mion, PLLC
Valois S.A.S.
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