Fluid sprinkling – spraying – and diffusing – Including supply holder for material – Fluid pressure discharge means
Reissue Patent
1999-01-26
2003-03-11
Evans, Robin O. (Department: 3752)
Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing
Including supply holder for material
Fluid pressure discharge means
C239S491000, C239S543000, C239S544000, C239S545000, C222S402100
Reissue Patent
active
RE038023
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a head for dispensing a liquid product in the form of an aerosol and to a dispenser comprising a container for the product, equipped with this dispensing head. The dispenser may be used in the field of cosmetics for dispensing a hair lacquer, a deodorant, an anti-lice lotion, in the pharmaceutical field for dispensing insect repellents, and in the field of agriculture for dispensing insecticides.
The dispenser of the invention comprises, a product-dispensing head; and a container equipped with a dispensing valve fitted with a hollow control stem including a product inlet and product outlet; the dispensing head includes a push-button for actuating the valve via the stem, at least two nozzles housed in the push-button and at least two ducts respectively coupling each nozzle to the outlet of the stem.
2. Discussion of the Background
A related lacquer dispenser is described in FR-A-2,691,383. According to this document, the axes of the two nozzles are situated in one and the same plane and form with each other a narrow angle of from 1° to 40°. These nozzles are supplied with product via ducts whose axes are mutually parallel. This dispenser delivers a spray whose surface area of impact has a variable-density distribution of product, running the risk of altering the hair style. It does not allow the delivery of a homogeneous and gentle spray. Furthermore, this dispenser with a narrow angle between the two axes of the nozzles is difficult to produce because it requires the manufacture of highly inclined nozzles.
Also described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,045,925 is a dispenser of two products which are contained separately in two containers. Each product is atomized into the form of a spray and the two separate products are mixed by the collision of two sprays. This collision therefore generates a single spray. The atomization orifices are each connected by a straight duct to the outlet of the valve stem of the corresponding container. An atomizing head with such an arrangement of the two straight ducts is difficult to manufacture, especially in the mold-release phase of manufacture by molding.
Also, bearing in mind the poor mixing of the two products, the collision of the two sprays of different products does not give a single spray which is homogeneous in terms or product.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention therefore aims to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks.
An object of the present invention is to provide for a dispensing head of the sort previously defined, which delivers a homogeneous spray.
Another object of the present invention is to provide for a dispensing head which delivers a gentle and non-diffused spray.
A further object of the present invention is to produce for a dispensing head which delivers a spray which has good properties regarding particle size of the product droplets and output rate.
Another object of the present invention is to provide for a dispensing head which is simple to manufacture.
The Applicant has unexpectedly and surprisingly discovered that such a result could be obtained by the collision of two or more sprays simultaneously leaving two or more nozzles, each nozzle being supplied by a duct having a special profile.
The dispensing head of the present invention may be used for dispensing hair lacquer, with the impact of the resulting spray on hair respecting the shape of the style.
The present invention therefore provides for a head for dispensing a liquid product in the form of an aerosol, including a push-button which has a longitudinal axis; at least two ducts housed in the push-button; and at least two nozzles provided in the push-button; wherein at least part of each duct is radial, and another part of the duct communicates with the nozzle and is orientated parallel to an axis of the nozzle so that the sprays leaving each nozzle strike each other in order to provide a single and homogeneous spray.
Another object of the invention is a dispenser including a pressurized container containing a liquid product to be dispensed in the form of an aerosol; a valve for dispensing this product, this valve being equipped with a hollow valve-control stem including an inlet and an outlet; and a dispensing head equipped with a push-button, with two ducts, and with two nozzles; wherein the dispensing heads is in accordance with the one defined earlier.
According to the invention, each duct couples each nozzle to the outlet of the valve stem.
Advantageously, the radial part is situated substantially in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of the push-button.
According to the invention, each duct may comprise an axial part having an axis parallel to the axis of the stem. One end of this part of the duct may be connected to the outlet of the hollow valve stem.
Preferably, the product dispensed by the dispensing head is a single product. A single product is understood to be a product which is packaged in a single container equipped with the atomization head according to the invention. In this case, the axial parts of the two ducts are coincident.
Advantageously, in order to make the manufacture of the dispensing head easier, each nozzle has an axis orientated transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the push-button, the axes of the nozzles being situated in one and the same plane.
Preferably, the axes of the nozzles form an angle ranging from 20° to 120°, and preferably an angle of 60°, with each other, in order to ensure the collision of the particles of the sprays.
The axis of each nozzle can be separated from the axis of the axial part of the duct by a distance at least equal to (i) the length of the pillar of the nozzle plus (ii) the width of the radial part of the duct. This separating distance makes molding and mold-release of the dispensing head easier, even for a small angle between the axes of the nozzles.
In a first alternate form, the radial part of each duct may connect the axial part to the other part of the duct communicating with the nozzle. It may be defined in one and the same piece or alternatively in two distinct pieces. In this case, the radial part of each duct may comprise a first element defined in the same piece as that of the axial part of the duct and a second element defined in another piece and carrying one of the nozzles, the two elements being joined together by a linking means.
Advantageously, the end of the radical part of each duct is perpendicular to the other part of the duct communicating with the nozzle. In a second alternative form, the axial part of the duct may be connected to the other part of the duct communicating with the nozzle by the radical part and by a curved, especially flexible part. In this case, each nozzle is advantageously held on the push-button by a post and a fastening bracket. Such an arrangement makes mold release of the dispensing head easier and gives this dispensing head a futuristic appearance.
As a preference, the dispensing head may include two nozzles which are advantageously identical.
Accordingly, the present invention relates to a dispensing head for dispensing a liquid product in the form of an aerosol. The dispensing head comprises a push-button having an axis; at least two ducts in the push-button; and at least two nozzles provided in the push-button. At least a part of each duct is radial and a further part of the duct communicates with the nozzle and is oriented parallel to a nozzle axis of the nozzle so that sprays leaving each nozzle strike each other is order to provide for a single and homogeneous spray.
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patent: 5622318 (199
Evans Robin O.
L'Oreal
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
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