Fluid dispenser having a discharge head

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11311895-B2
Application number	US-201716314704-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 10, 2017
Priority date	Jul 29, 2016
Publication date	Apr 26, 2022
Grant date	Apr 26, 2022

Abstract

A fluid dispenser having an accumulator and a discharge head. The discharge head is secured to a base unit of the dispenser, which base unit includes a fluid accumulator. The discharge head has a housing displaceable relative to the base unit for actuating the dispenser. The discharge head has an inlet through which fluid travels from the fluid accumulator into the discharge head, and a discharge opening through which the fluid is delivered into the atmosphere. A swirling chamber having an inlet channel is provided between the fluid inlet and the discharge opening so that inflowing fluid is provided with a swirl which forms a spray stream when exiting the discharge opening. The swirling chamber is switched between a first and a second configuration by changing the geometry of its walls and/or the inlet channel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fluid dispenser comprising:
a base unit including a fluid accumulator for receiving fluid prior to a fluid discharge procedure;
a discharge head secured to said base unit at a first side of said discharge head, said discharge head having a housing displaceable linearly relative to said base unit along a linear movement direction for actuating said fluid dispenser, a fluid inlet disposed to receive fluid from said fluid accumulator and a discharge opening through which fluid is discharged from said fluid dispenser;
a pump device actuable by movement of said housing of said discharge head relative to said base unit and conveying fluid from said fluid accumulator into said discharge head, or said fluid accumulator comprises a pressure accumulator and said fluid dispenser comprises a valve device actuable by movement of said housing of said discharge head relative to said base unit and conveying fluid from said fluid accumulator into said discharge head; and
a swirling chamber including at least one eccentrically oriented inlet channel disposed between said fluid inlet and said discharge opening such that fluid flowing into said discharge head is provided with a swirl which forms a spray stream upon exiting said discharge opening, said swirling chamber being switchable between a first configuration and a second configuration during operation of said fluid dispenser by changing geometry of said swirling chamber and/or said inlet channel, said discharge head further including a swirling chamber component movably mounted in said discharge head and a button operatively connected to said swirling chamber component for manually switching said swirling chamber between said first configuration and said second configuration by displacing said swirling chamber component, said button being disposed on a second side of said discharge head disposed opposite and remote from said first side thereof, said button being linearly movable relative to said housing of said discharge head along a linear movement direction substantially parallel to the linear movement direction of said housing of said discharge head relative to said base unit.

2. The fluid dispenser according to claim 1 , wherein said swirling chamber component is a first swirling chamber component and said fluid dispenser further comprises a second swirling chamber component, and said swirling chamber is switchable between said first configuration and said second configuration by displacement of said first swirling chamber component relative to said second swirling chamber component which changes the geometry of said swirling chamber and/or said inlet channel, said first and second swirling chamber components at least partially defining said swirling chamber and/or said inlet channel.

3. The fluid dispenser according to claim 2 , wherein said second swirling chamber component includes a wall on an inner side thereof, said wall defining a depression which at least partially defines said swirling chamber and/or at least partially defines a groove at least partially forming said inlet channel leading into said swirling chamber, said first swirling chamber component including a contact face, said contact face in said first configuration of said swirling chamber abutting against said second swirling chamber component such that said contact face and said depression together define said swirling chamber and/or such that said contact face and said groove together define said inlet channel.

4. The fluid dispenser according to claim 3 , wherein said second swirling chamber component defines said discharge opening of said discharge head.

5. The fluid dispenser according to claim 4 , wherein in said second configuration of said swirling chamber, said first swirling chamber component and said second swirling chamber component are spaced from one another by an annular gap through which fluid flows in a direction of said discharge opening.

6. The fluid dispenser according to claim 5 , wherein said second swirling chamber component is non-movably fixed to, and forms part of, said housing of said discharge head, and said first swirling chamber component is displaceable relative to said housing.

7. The fluid dispenser according to claim 2 , wherein actuation of said button causes displacement of said first swirling chamber component relative to said second swirling chamber component, and said button is coupled to said first swirling chamber component by a transmission.

8. The fluid dispenser according to claim 7 , further including a restoring spring disposed to act between said first swirling chamber component and said second swirling chamber component so as to apply a force on said first swirling chamber component in a direction of an end position thereof corresponding to said first configuration of said swirling chamber, whereby an actuation force applied to said button displaces said first swirling chamber component relative to said second swirling chamber component in opposition to the force of said restoring spring.

9. The fluid dispenser according to claim 2 , wherein said first and second swirling chamber components have contact faces which abut one another in said first configuration of said swirling chamber to place said swirling chamber in a closed configuration in which fluid flowing into said discharge head is provided with a swirl which forms the spray stream upon exiting said discharge opening, and said contact faces in said second configuration of said swirling chamber are spaced from one another and form a gap therebetween to place said swirling chamber in an open configuration in which fluid flowing into said discharge head flows through said gap and exits said discharge opening substantially without being provided with a swirl upon exiting said discharge head.

10. The fluid dispenser according to claim 9 , wherein said second swirling chamber component is fixed to said housing of said discharge head and defines said discharge opening, said button being operatively connected to said first swirling chamber component such that actuation of said button causes displacement of said contact face of said first swirling chamber component in a direction away from said contact face of said second swirling chamber component.

11. The fluid dispenser according to claim 10 , wherein said first swirling chamber component is biased in said first configuration of said swirling chamber by a biasing member disposed on said discharge head, said housing of said discharge head having an actuating face disposed sidewardly adjacent said button, wherein a pressing force applied only to said actuation face of said housing and not to said button displaces said housing relative to said base unit along the linear movement direction of said housing and actuates said fluid dispenser with said swirling chamber in said closed configuration, and a pressing force applied to said button displaces said housing relative to said base unit along the linear movement direction of said housing and actuates said fluid dispenser with said swirling chamber in said open configuration.

12. The fluid dispenser according to claim 1 , wherein said discharge head further includes an actuating face disposed at an uppermost portion of said discharge head and configured for receiving a pressing force which displaces said housing relative to said base unit along the linear movement direction of said housing and actuates said fluid dispenser, said button being disposed at said uppermost portion sidewardly adjacent said actuating face.

13. The fluid dispenser according to claim 1 , wherein said discharge opening is disposed in said housing, and said housing of said

Assignees

• Aptar Radolfzell Gmbh

Inventors

• Baumann Tobias

Classifications

• B05B11/104

  the outlet valve being opened by pressure after a defined accumulation stroke · CPC title

• B05B11/1001

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

• B05B1/12 Primary

  capable of producing different kinds of discharge, e.g. either jet or spray (having selectively-effective outlets B05B1/16) · CPC title

• B05B1/3436

  the interface being a plane perpendicular to the outlet axis · CPC title

• B05B1/3452 Primary

  the cooperating elements being movable, e.g. adjustable relative to one another · CPC title