Laterally-actuated fluid product dispensing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10668228-B2
Application number	US-201214005131-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 19, 2012
Priority date	Mar 21, 2011
Publication date	Jun 2, 2020
Grant date	Jun 2, 2020

Abstract

A fluid dispenser device having a body (10), a reservoir (20), a dispenser head (100) and a dispenser member (30) mounted on the reservoir by a fastener ring (60). Also provided is a lateral actuator system (40) including an actuator element (41) movable between a rest position and an actuated position. The body (10) includes a guide surface (50) that is stationary relative to the head and substantially parallel to the central axis of the dispenser member (30). The actuator element (41) co-operates with the guide surface (50). The guide surface (50) includes a resistance element (55) that modifies the co-operation between the actuator element (41) and the guide surface (50). In order to be passed over, the resistance element (55) require the user to act on the lateral actuator system (40) with an actuation force that is different.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fluid dispenser device comprising:
a body, a reservoir;
a dispenser head incorporating a dispenser orifice; and
a dispenser member that is mounted on said reservoir by means of a fastener ring, said dispenser member comprising a dispenser-member body and a movable member that moves axially in said dispenser-member body while said dispenser member is being actuated;
said device further comprising a lateral actuator system that is secured to said body, said system including an actuator element that is movable, substantially transversally to the direction of movement of said movable member, between a rest position in which said dispenser member is not actuated, and an actuated position in which said dispenser member is actuated;
said body including at least one axial guide surface for guiding said actuator element during an actuation stroke, said at least one axial guide surface being straight and stationary relative to said dispenser head and parallel to a movement axis of the movable member in the dispenser-member body while said dispenser member is being actuated;
said actuator element including an end edge that co-operates with said at least one axial guide surface, wherein said at least one axial guide surface includes a portion having resistance means, wherein said resistance means comprises a modification to the portion of the at least one axial guide surface, the modification to the portion locally modifying friction between the end edge of the actuator element and the at least one axial guide surface, such that, in order to be passed over, said portion having resistance means requires the user to act on said lateral actuator system with an actuation force that is higher than an actuation force required without the resistance means;
wherein all of the at least one axial guide surface is on or along the same axis; and
wherein said end edge of said actuator element that co-operates with said at least one axial guide surface is a convex rounded surface.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said lateral actuator system includes a presser element that is mounted on the body to pivot about a first pivot axis, said actuator element being mounted on said presser element to pivot about a second pivot axis.

3. The device according to claim 2 , wherein said actuator element includes a resilient element that co-operates with said presser element so as to urge said actuator element away from said presser element and into contact with said at least one axial guide surface.

4. The device according to claim 3 , wherein the resilient element is a resilient blade.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said actuator element of the lateral actuator system co-operates directly with said fastener ring during actuation.

6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the dispenser member is a pump or a valve.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said end edge of said actuator element passes over said profile or shoulder in order to achieve actuation.

8. The device according to claim 7 , wherein said profile co-operates with said actuator element at a beginning of an actuation stroke.

9. A fluid dispenser device comprising:
a body, a reservoir;
a dispenser head incorporating a dispenser orifice; and
a dispenser member that is mounted on said reservoir by means of a fastener ring, said dispenser member comprising a dispenser-member body and a movable member that moves axially in said dispenser-member body while said dispenser member is being actuated;
said device further comprising a lateral actuator system that is secured to said body, said system including an actuator element that is movable, substantially transversally to the direction of movement of said movable member, between a rest position in which said dispenser member is not actuated, and an actuated position in which said dispenser member is actuated;
said body including at least two axial guide surfaces for guiding said actuator element during an actuation stroke, said at least two axial guide surfaces being straight and stationary relative to said dispenser head and parallel to a movement axis of the movable member in the dispenser-member body while said dispenser member is being actuated;
said actuator element including an end edge that co-operates with said at least two axial guide surfaces;
said device further comprising an intervening profile or shoulder between said at least two axial guide surfaces that modifies the co-operation between said end edge of said actuator element and said at least two axial guide surfaces, such that, in order to be passed over, said profile or shoulder requires the user to act on said lateral actuator system with an actuation force that is higher than an actuation force required without the profile or shoulder; and
wherein said end edge of said actuator element that co-operates with said at least one axial guide surface is a convex rounded surface that defines a distal end shape of the actuator element.

10. A fluid dispenser device comprising:
a body;
a reservoir;
a dispenser head incorporating a dispenser orifice;
a dispenser member mounted on the reservoir by a fastener ring, the dispenser member comprises a dispenser-member body and a movable member that moves axially in the dispenser-member body while the dispenser member is actuated; and
a lateral actuator system secured to the body, the lateral actuator system comprising an actuator element movable, substantially transversally to the direction of movement of the movable member, between a rest position in which the dispenser member is not actuated, and an actuated position in which the dispenser member is actuated;
the body comprises an axial guide surface that guides the actuator element during an actuation stroke in sliding movement, the axial guide surface is straight and stationary relative to the dispenser head and substantially parallel to a movement axis of the movable member in the dispenser-member body while the dispenser member is being actuated;
the actuator element comprises an end edge that co-operates with the axial guide surface;
the fluid dispenser further comprising a profile immediately followed by the axial guide surface, the profile projects away from the axial guide surface and towards the actuator element so as to engage the end edge of the actuator element, such that, in order for the profile to be passed over by the actuator element, an actuation force on said lateral actuator system is required that is higher than an actuation force that otherwise would be required without the profile; and
wherein said end edge of said actuator element that co-operates with said axial guide surface is a convex rounded surface that defines a distal end shape of the actuator element.

11. The device according to claim 10 , wherein the profile projects in a direction transverse to the movement axis and resists sliding movement of the end edge of the actuator element against the axial guide surface.

12. The device according to claim 10 , wherein the lateral actuator system includes a presser element mounted on the body to pivot about a first pivot axis and the actuator element mounted on the presser element to pivot about a second pivot axis; and wherein the second pivot axis is disposed at a distance further away from dispenser orifice than the axial guide surface along which the end edge of the actuator element slides.

13. A fluid dispenser device comprising:
a body, a reservoir;
a dispenser head incorporating a dispenser orifice; and
a dispenser member that is mounted on said reservoir by means of a fastener ring, said dispenser member comprisin

Assignees

• Le Maner Francois
• Aptar France Sas

Inventors

• Le Maner Francois

Classifications

• B65D83/386

  actuation occurring by moving the aerosol container relative to the outer shell or external container · CPC title

• A61M15/08

  Inhaling devices inserted into the nose · CPC title

• B65D83/226

  preventing initial depression of the actuator · CPC title

• A61M11/02 Primary

  operated by air {or other gas} pressure applied to the liquid {or other product} to be sprayed or atomised {(sprayers for horticulture A01G, A01H; killing insects A01M; air humidifying by nozzles F24F6/14, F24F6/18; cooling by spraying F28B, F28C)} · CPC title

• A61M15/0081

  Locking means · CPC title