Device for dispensing a plurality of fluid products

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10441964-B2
Application number	US-201715656823-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 21, 2017
Priority date	Jul 21, 2017
Publication date	Oct 15, 2019
Grant date	Oct 15, 2019

Abstract

A device for dispensing fluid products includes one or more containers, each storing one fluid product, a unique pump provided with a dosage chamber enclosing a dose of mixture of the fluid products, and including an actuating member, and a manifold associating the pump to the containers for dispensing the fluid products. The manifold includes one or more hollow tubes each extending into a container and forming a channel for the flow of the fluid product from the container towards the pump. As well, the tubes of the manifold are rigid and at least one tube of the manifold includes means for regulating the volumetric ratio of the fluid product flow, these regulating means being integrated inside the rigid tube.

First claim

I claim:

1. A device for dispensing a plurality of fluid products, comprising:
a plurality of containers, each container storing one fluid product;
a unique pump provided with a dosage chamber enclosing a dose of mixture of the fluid products, and comprising an actuating member;
a manifold associating the pump to the plurality of containers for dispensing the fluid products, said manifold comprising a plurality of hollow tubes, each tube extending into a container and forming a channel for the flow of the fluid product from the container towards the pump;
characterized in that the tubes of the manifold are rigid and at least one of the tubes is a regulation tube that comprises means for regulating the volumetric ratio of the fluid product flow, these regulating means being integrated inside the regulation tube.

2. The device as in claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises a purge bushing located into the manifold and receiving the pump.

3. The device as in claim 2 , wherein the manifold comprises an upper part for its interlocking with the subset composed of the purge bushing and the pump, and a lower part corresponding to the tubes in relation with the containers, a radial plate extending between both parts and comprising:
a plurality of holes, each hole corresponding to a channel outlet from one of the tubes inserted into one of the containers;
an axial protrusion extending towards the upper part, the purge bushing abutting on this protrusion when the device is ready for use.

4. The device as in claim 3 , wherein the purge bushing is provided with:
an external skirt adapted to be in contact with the internal surface of the upper part of the manifold and to rest on the axial protrusion of the manifold;
an internal skirt wherein the pump is tight fitted;
at least one leg extending into one of the tubes of the manifold;
a central orifice at a bottom of the internal skirt.

5. The device as in claim 4 , wherein the central orifice of the purge bushing defines an intermediate area that is in between the tubes and the pump, wherein said fluid products mix.

6. The device as in claim 1 , wherein the regulation tube comprises an inlet valve comprising two successive seats consisting each of a narrowing of the internal diameter of the regulation tube, the first seat being directed to the pump and forming a first inlet orifice adapted to be closed by a ball to seal the container before the first use of the device, and the second seat being directed to the free end of the regulation tube and forming a second inlet orifice adapted to be open or closed by said ball when the device is unsealed and ready for use.

7. The device as in claim 6 , wherein said purge bushing comprises at least one leg adapted to abut and push on the ball of said inlet valve to unseal it.

8. The device as in claim 6 , wherein the means for regulating the volumetric ratio of the fluid product flow consists of a groove on the surface of the ball of the inlet valve so as to create a controlled leakage through the inlet valve.

9. The device as in claim 1 , wherein said means for regulating the volumetric ratio of the fluid product flow consists of a narrowed portion of the internal diameter of the regulation tube, integrally formed within the regulation tube.

10. The device as in claim 9 , wherein the ratio between the diameter of the tube without narrowed portion and the diameter of the regulation tube with a narrowed portion is between 2 and 4 for a volumetric ratio of the fluid product flow between 1.5 and 10.

11. The device as in claim 9 , wherein the ratio between the diameter of the tube without narrowed portion and the diameter of the regulation tube with a narrowed portion is between 4 and 10 for a volumetric ratio of the fluid product flow between 10 and 50.

12. The device as in claim 1 , wherein the volumetric ratio of the fluid product flow is between 1 and 30.

13. The device as in claim 1 , wherein the internal diameter of the regulation tube in the narrowed portion varies between 2.5 mm and 0.4 mm.

14. A method of assembling a bottle for dispensing fluid products, the method comprising the steps of:
inserting a dispensing device into a tank, the dispensing device comprising:
a plurality of containers, each container storing one fluid product, at least one of the containers having an inlet valve;
a unique pump provided with a dosage chamber enclosing a dose of mixture of the fluid products, and comprising an actuating member;
a manifold associating the pump to the plurality of containers for dispensing the fluid products, said manifold comprising a plurality of hollow tubes, each tube extending into a container and forming a channel for the flow of the fluid product from the container towards the pump; and,
a sleeve;
a purge bushing located in the manifold and receiving the pump;
characterized in that the tubes of the manifold are rigid and at least one tube of the manifold comprises means for regulating the volumetric ratio of the fluid product flow, these regulating means being integrated inside the rigid tube, wherein during the inserting, the purge bushing is in a first position so as to seal the containers having an inlet valve; and,
interlocking the sleeve on a neck of said tank so as to lock the dispensing device in the tank and generate an axial displacement of the subassembly composed of the sleeve, the pump and the purge bushing, in relation to the subassembly composed of the manifold, the containers and the tank, the purge bushing being displaced in a second position so as to unseal the containers having an inlet valve.

Assignees

• Albea Services

Inventors

• Scherer Christopher

Classifications

• B05B11/1083 Primary

  in adjustable proportion · CPC title

• B05B11/1066

  Pump inlet valves (B05B11/1018, B05B11/1019, B05B11/1064 take precedence) · CPC title

• B05B11/1001

  Piston pumps (B05B11/1087, B05B11/1088, B05B11/109 take precedence) · CPC title

• B05B11/1067

  actuated by pressure · CPC title

• B05B11/1042

  Components or details · CPC title