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US 2004/0056049 A1Published application
Multiple-dose device for dispensing a fluid product
AssigneeValois SAS
InventorGuiseppe Stradella
Life of this patent
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AssigneeValois SAS
InventorGuiseppe Stradella
Estimating the term…
A fluid dispenser device comprising a body (1), a fluid reservoir (3), a dispensing member, such as a pump or a metering valve having a piston or a valve member that is mounted to move axially, which dispensing member is fitted to the reservoir (3), and an actuating element (5) mounted to move between a rest position and an actuating position, for actuating the dispensing member and thus for selectively dispensing the fluid contained in the reservoir (3), said fluid dispenser device being characterized in that the direction in which said actuating element (5) moves is different from, and in particular perpendicular to, the axial direction in which the piston or the valve member of the dispensing member moves, the device further comprising force-regulating means for predetermining the force to be exerted on the actuating element (5) for actuating the dispensing member, said force being constant each time the device is actuated, independently of the quantity of fluid contained in the reservoir (3) and/or of the resistance of the piston or of the valve member of the dispensing member.
1/ A fluid dispenser device comprising a body (1), a fluid reservoir (3), a dispensing member, such as a pump or a metering valve having a piston or a valve member that is mounted to move axially, which dispensing member is fitted to the reservoir (3), and an actuating element (5) mounted to move between a rest position and an actuating position, for actuating the dispensing member and thus for selectively dispensing the fluid contained in the reservoir (3), said fluid dispenser device being characterized in that the direction in which said actuating element (5) moves is different from, and in particular perpendicular to, the axial direction in which the piston or the valve member of the dispensing member moves, the device further comprising force-regulating means for predetermining the force to be exerted on the actuating element (5) for actuating the dispensing member, said force being constant each time the device is actuated, independently of the quantity of fluid contained in the reservoir (3) and/or of the resistance of the piston or of the valve member of the dispensing member.
2/ A device according to claim 1, in which the actuating element (5) has an end portion provided with a cam surface (6) which co-operates with the reservoir (3) or a fixing ring (8) adapted to fix the dispensing member to the reservoir (3) so that the actuating element (5) being moved substantially radially into its actuating position causes the reservoir (3) to be moved axially relative to the piston or to the valve member of the dispensing member so as to dispense a dose of fluid.
3/ A device according to claim 2, in which said cam surface comprises a sloping surface (6) co-operating with at least one projection (7) integral with the reservoir (3) or with the fixing ring (8).
4/ A device according to any preceding claim, in which said force-regulating means comprise resilient means (15) such as a spring, co-operating with said actuating element (5), and which, in the compressed position, urge the actuating element (5) towards its actuating position, and trigger means (16) co-operating with said actuating element (5) to hold it in its rest position, said trigger means (16) being moved by hand to release the actuating element (5) so that it is moved into its actuating position by said resilient means (15) as compressed, with a constant force predetermined by the characteristics of said resilient means (15).
5/ A device according to claim 4, in which the resilient means (15) co-operate with a loading element (18) which is moved by hand by the user before the device is actuated, in order to compress said resilient means (15).
6/ A device according to claim 5, in which said loading element is a closure cover (18) for closing off the dispensing orifice of the device, said cover being pivotally mounted on the body (1) of said device, said trigger means being implemented in the form of one or two side buttons (16) formed on resilient arms secured to or integral with the actuating element (5), said buttons (16) being urged by the resilient arms into corresponding openings (22) in the body (1) when the actuating element (5) is in the rest position, so as to lock the actuating element (5) relative to the body (1), said buttons (16) being pushed to deform said resilient arms in order to interrupt the interaction between the buttons (16) and the body (1), thereby releasing the actuating element (5).
7/ A device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which said force-regulating means are implemented by a varying gradient of said sloping surface (6) forming the cam surface of the actuating element (5).
8/ A device according to any preceding claim, in which said actuating element (5) is provided with return means for returning it from its actuating position to its rest position after each occasion on which the device is actuated.
9/ A device according to any preceding claim, in which the reservoir (3) and said dispensing member form a first unit and said body (1), said actuating element (5) and said force-regulating means form a second unit, said first unit being fixed, in particular by snap-fastening, into said second unit such that the end-wall (3a) of the reservoir (3) remains accessible for being actuated by hand by pushing axially on said end-wall of the reservoir.
10/ A device according to any preceding claim, in which said dispensing member is a pump including a piston.
11/ A device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, in which said dispensing member is a metering valve including a valve member.