Liquid dispenser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10835014-B2
Application number	US-201716315489-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 13, 2017
Priority date	Jul 29, 2016
Publication date	Nov 17, 2020
Grant date	Nov 17, 2020

Abstract

A liquid dispenser for discharging liquids, in particular in rod shape. The liquid dispenser has a liquid store for receiving liquid prior to discharge, and a discharge opening for discharging the liquid. The liquid dispenser has a pumping device having an actuating surface for manual actuation, by which liquid is conveyed from the liquid store to the discharge opening. The liquid store is provided within an exchangeable container unit, couplable to a main unit including the pumping device ( 62 ) and the discharge opening, and is uncouplable therefrom. For the exchangeable coupling of the container unit to the main unit is provided a coupling device, by which the container unit, by pressing against the main unit, is alternately couplable thereto and releasable therefrom. The coupling device possesses two coupling members, wherein one coupling member is provided on the container unit and one coupling member on the main unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A liquid dispenser for discharging pharmaceutical or cosmetic liquids, comprising:
a liquid store for receiving liquid prior to a discharge thereof;
a discharge opening for discharging the liquid; and
a pumping device having an actuating surface for manual actuation of the pumping device, by which liquid is conveyed from the liquid store to the discharge opening;
wherein the liquid store is provided within an exchangeable container unit couplable to, and uncouplable from, a main unit comprising the pumping device and the discharge opening;
wherein for the exchangeable coupling of the container unit to the main unit a coupling device is provided, the container unit, by pressing against the main unit, is alternately couplable to the main unit and releasable from the main unit via the coupling device; and
wherein the coupling device possesses two coupling members, wherein one coupling member is provided on the container unit, and one coupling member is provided on the main unit.

2. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the main unit includes a receiving shaft for receiving the container unit, wherein the container unit, in a state connected to the main unit, is set back from a rim which circumferentially surrounds an opening of the receiving shaft or protrudes from the rim by a maximum of 5 mm.

3. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the two coupling members are matched to one another in such a way that, in a state inserted one into the other, the coupling members are rotatable relative to one another about a rotational axis, and
on one coupling member at least one retaining cam is provided, and on the other coupling member a corresponding retaining structure is provided and has stop faces interrupted in a peripheral direction by gaps so that the coupling members, in one relative rotation setting, are releasable from one another in the direction of the rotational axis when the retaining cam is aligned with a gap, and in another relative rotation setting, in which the retaining cam is aligned with a stop face, are positively secured against release in the direction of the rotational axis.

4. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 3 , wherein:
the container unit includes an outlet opening, the outlet opening in a delivery state of the liquid dispenser being closed off by a membrane,
the coupling member of the main unit is provided with an opening sleeve, the opening sleeve, upon the coupling of the container unit to the main unit, puncturing the membrane and thereby opening the container unit, and
the retaining cam is provided on an outer side of the opening sleeve.

5. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the coupling members include a common clamping device, by which the coupling members, in a relative setting in which the coupling members are spaced further apart compared to a positively secured relative setting, are fixable relative to one another.

6. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 3 , wherein:
on at least one of the coupling members a ramp structure is provided, and on the other coupling member a mating surface corresponding to the ramp structure is provided, by which the two coupling members are rotated relative to one another about the rotational axis into a defined desired relative rotation setting when the coupling members are pushed axially toward one another, and
a number of single ramps of the ramp structure which act in one of the rotational directions tallies with a sum of the stop faces and the gaps provided between the stop faces.

7. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 6 , wherein:
on the retaining structure, inclined sliding surfaces extending in the peripheral direction are respectively provided between the gaps and the stop faces, and
in the desired relative rotation settings, the retaining cam is oriented in such a way relative to the retaining structure such that the retaining cam is aligned with one of the sliding surfaces.

8. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a spring device is arranged between the coupling members and in a coupled state of the coupling device applies to the coupling members a mutually opposing force in a separation direction.

9. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the spring device comprises a helical spring.

10. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the spring device is fixed on one of the coupling members and extends in the direction of the other coupling member.

11. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the other coupling member is provided with a guide structure for the spring device, the guide structure being configured to guide the spring device during convergence of the coupling members.

12. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the spring device is configured in one piece with one of the coupling members.

13. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the container unit includes an outlet opening, the outlet opening in a delivery state of the liquid dispenser being closed off by a membrane, and
the coupling member of the main unit is provided with an opening sleeve, the opening sleeve, upon the coupling of the container unit to the main unit, puncturing the membrane and thereby opening the container unit.

14. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the membrane is configured in one piece with the coupling member of the container unit.

15. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the coupling member of the main unit includes an element having both the opening sleeve and a fixing region for a spring device.

16. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a housing of the liquid dispenser has a rod shape with a length of at least 100 mm and a maximum diameter of 18 mm.

17. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the liquid store is filled with one of the following: a pharmaceutical or cosmetic liquid for topical application; a cosmetic or pharmaceutical skin care product; a make-up liquid; lip gloss; nail varnish; mascara; eyeshadow liquid; make-up remover; or nail varnish remover.

18. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the discharge opening is provided on an applicator surface angled in relation to a direction of principal extent of the liquid dispenser.

19. A liquid dispenser set, wherein:
the liquid dispenser set comprises a liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 1 , comprising the main unit and the container unit, and
the liquid dispenser set comprises at least one further container unit configured for coupling to the main unit.

20. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the actuating surface of the liquid dispenser is configured for actuation orthogonally to a direction of principal extent of the liquid dispenser.

21. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the liquid dispenser at least in a region of the actuating surface has a maximum diameter of 22 mm.

22. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the discharge opening is provided on an applicator including a sponge or a textile application surface.

23. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the discharge opening is provided on an applicator with a rotatable application roller or application ball for rolling along a user's skin.

24. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the discharge opening is provided on

Assignees

• Aptar Radolfzell Gmbh

Inventors

• Baumann Tobias

Classifications

• B05B11/1047

  the pump being preassembled as an independent unit before being mounted on the container · CPC title

• A45D34/04 Primary

  Appliances specially adapted for applying liquid, e.g. using roller or ball · CPC title

• B05C1/06

  by rubbing contact, e.g. by brushes, by pads {(brushes in general A46B)} · CPC title

• A45D34/042

  using a brush or the like · CPC title

• A45D34/041

  using a roller, a disc or a ball · CPC title