Fluent material handling – with receiver or receiver coacting mea – Filling or refilling of dispensers – Aerosols
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-28
2001-03-06
Douglas, Steven O. (Department: 3751)
Fluent material handling, with receiver or receiver coacting mea
Filling or refilling of dispensers
Aerosols
C141S349000, C222S402100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06196276
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a valve component capable of being positioned on the body of a valve. The invention also relates to a valve for controlling fluid flow, a dispenser for containing and dispensing fluid product, and a method of forming a valve. The valve component, valve, and dispenser are preferably suited to dispense cosmetics or dermatological products in the form of at least one of a liquid jet, a mousse, a foam, a gel, or a cream.
Dispensers having a pressurized product reservoir in fluid communication with a valve are known in the art. For example, conventional dispensers of this type are described in FR-A-2,064,449 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,862,741. In addition, refillable dispensers are known in the art. For example, German patent DE-A-1,166,225 describes a reservoir of small size equipped with an outlet valve for dispensing product and an inlet valve for refilling the reservoir. Likewise, FR-A-1,228,733 describes a refillable aerosol dispenser that has a single valve for dispensing and filling.
Conventional valves that are configured to open and close the flow path of pressurized reservoirs generally include a valve housing, a valve stem, and a sealing member, such as an elastomeric washer, that all function together to selectively allow flow through the valve. The conventional valve also includes an elastic member for forcing the valve toward a closed position and an actuator for actuating the valve. The valve stem is configured to move between a first position permitting flow through a passage and a second position limiting flow through the passage. Movement of the actuator places the valve stem in the first (i.e., open) position. In one example, the actuator is a push-button configured to cause a dose of product to flow out of a reservoir and through the valve.
In the conventional valve, the sealing member is fixed on an end of the valve housing by a dish, generally made of metal. The dish is crimped or expansion rolled onto the valve housing to fix the sealing member on the valve housing. In this type of assembly, the sealing member is sandwiched tightly between an end of the valve housing and the dish. The sealing member provides a seal between the inside and the outside of the valve housing. Furthermore, with the conventional configuration, a second sealing member is generally needed for fixing the dish on the reservoir.
Although the conventional valve performs adequately, the manufacturing process required to assemble the parts of the valve is complicated. In particular, to assure that the valve is properly sealed, insertion of the sealing member and the valve stem into the valve housing often requires careful alignment of the sealing member. After aligning the sealing member, the dish must be inserted and crimped or expansion rolled on the valve housing while maintaining the sealing member in the correct position. The process of aligning the sealing member and securing it to the valve housing with the dish has proved to be undesirably complicated and costly.
In light of the foregoing, there is a need in the art for an improved valve capable of simple assembly, an improved dispenser including at least one of the improved valves, and an improved method of forming a valve.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a valve configuration and a method of forming a valve that obviate one or more of the short-comings of the related art.
A preferred object of the present invention is to provide a valve that is simple to manufacture and does not include a metal dish requiring crimping. By eliminating the need for a metal dish, the number of parts used to make the valve and the complexity of manufacture are both advantageously reduced, while the manufacturing rate is increased.
Another preferred object of the invention is to provide a dispenser for containing and dispensing fluid product under pressure that is more simple and economical to manufacture than conventional dispensers.
Yet another preferred object of the invention is to provide a small dispensing assembly that can be used for dispensing accurate single doses of product upon each use, especially of pharmacological and dermatological products.
A further preferred object is to provide a small refillable dispenser that includes an outlet valve for dispensing product from a reservoir and an inlet valve for filling the reservoir with fluid product, wherein at least one of the valves is of a simplified construction.
It should be understood that the invention could still be practiced without performing one or more of the preferred objects and/or advantages set forth above. Still other objects will become apparent after reading the following description of the invention.
To achieve these and other advantages, and in accordance with the purposes of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention includes a valve component capable of being positioned on a body of a valve. The valve component includes a valving member configured to cooperate with a seal on the valve to selectively permit fluid to flow through the valve when the valving member is in a first position and limit flow through the valve when the valving member is in a second position. The valve component also includes a retainer configured to retain the seal on the valve body. At least one frangible portion connects the valving member to the retainer. The at least one frangible portion is configured to break when the valve component is positioned on the valve body so as to permit the retainer to retain the seal on the valve body.
This preferred configuration preferably makes it possible to substantially reduce the cost of producing valves. In particular, the valve component described above simplifies the way in which the seal is positioned in the valve body. This simplification of manufacture also assures more accurate alignment of the seal on the valve body, thereby improving the operation of the valve.
In another aspect, the valving member includes a stem having a duct including a first orifice and at least one second orifice for permitting fluid to flow to and from the duct. The first orifice is preferably configured to direct fluid flow into the duct in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the stem and the at least one second orifice is preferably configured to direct flow away from the duct in a radial direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the stem.
In a further aspect, the valving member includes a cupped portion capable of receiving at least a portion of a male member for actuating the valve.
In another aspect, the retainer is a tubular element, for example, a length of tubing or a ring.
In a further aspect, the valving member is at least substantially coaxial with the retainer.
In yet another aspect, the at least one frangible portion includes a plurality of breakable members arranged radially about the valving member. Preferably, the breakable members are broken as the valve is assembled.
In still another aspect, the valving member includes a shoulder extending therefrom, a bottom surface of the shoulder being configured to contact the seal when the valving member is in the second position. The frangible portion connects the valving member and the retainer so that a bottom of the retainer is above the bottom surface of the shoulder before the frangible portion is broken.
In another aspect, the invention includes a valve for controlling fluid flow. The valve includes a valve body and the valve component described above.
In a further aspect, the valve includes a seal on the valve body configured to cooperate with the valving member, wherein the retainer retains the seal on the valve body. The seal is preferably an elastomeric washer produced by stamping an elastomeric sheet.
In an additional aspect, the valving member preferably includes a stem and the seal is preferably a ring or elastomeric washer positioned around the stem.
In another aspect, the stem includes a duct having at least one orifice arranged radially on the stem so that the seal blocks passage of fluid through t
Douglas Steven O.
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
L'Oreal (S.A.)
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