Device for supplying mist of liquid and assembly including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021268533-A1
Application number	US-201917255141-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 21, 2019
Priority date	Jun 29, 2018
Publication date	Sep 2, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device ( 10 ) for supplying a mist of liquid (F). The device ( 10 ) is used in combination with a container ( 20 ) with an opening ( 200 ) for containing the liquid (F). The device ( 10 ) includes a main body ( 100 ) comprising: (i) a center axis (C); (ii) a liquid chamber ( 110 ) formed inside the main body ( 100 ), into which a predetermined amount of liquid (F) can be taken up; (iii) a first port ( 112 ) formed in a base wall ( 114 ) of the main body ( 100 ) forming a bottom surface ( 116 ) of the liquid chamber ( 110 ) so as to face the opening ( 200 ) when the device ( 10 ) and the container ( 20 ) are combined with each other, through which the liquid (F) can flow; (iv) a second port ( 118 ) formed in the base wall ( 114 ) at a position different from the position where the first port ( 112 ) is formed so as to face the opening ( 200 ) when the device ( 10 ) and the container ( 20 ) are combined with each other, through which the liquid (F) can flow; and (v) an aperture ( 120 ) connected to the liquid chamber ( 110 ), through which a mist of liquid (F) can be released to the outside of the main body ( 100 ). The device ( 10 ) further includes: a connecting section ( 122 ) provided on the main body ( 100 ) so as to extend from it in a direction away from the base wall ( 114 ) and used for connecting the container ( 20 ) to the main body ( 100 ); an atomizing element ( 124 ) interposed between the liquid chamber ( 110 ) and the aperture ( 120 ) to atomize the liquid (F) taken up in the liquid chamber ( 110 ) and release a mist of the liquid (F) to the outside of the main body ( 100 ) from the aperture ( 120 ); a first valve ( 126 ) mounted on the main body ( 100 ) corresponding to the first port ( 112 ), wherein the first valve ( 126 ) permits the liquid (F) in the container ( 20 ) flowing into the liquid chamber ( 110 ) through the first port ( 112 ) under the influence of gravity, and prevents the liquid (F) in the liquid chamber ( 110 ) flowing into the container ( 20 ) under the influence of gravity; and a second valve ( 128 ) mounted on the main body ( 100 ) corresponding to the second port ( 118 ), wherein the second valve ( 128 ) prevents the liquid (F) in the container ( 20 ) from flowing into the liquid chamber ( 110 ) through the second port ( 118 ) under the influence of gravity, and selectively permits or prevents the liquid (F) in the liquid chamber ( 110 ) flowing into the container ( 20 ) through the second port ( 118 ) under the influence of gravity.

First claim

1 . A device ( 10 ) for supplying a mist of liquid (F), the device ( 10 ) is intended to be used in combination with a container ( 20 ) with an opening ( 200 ) for containing the liquid (F), the device ( 10 ) comprising:
a main body ( 100 ), the main body ( 100 ) comprising:
a center axis (C);
a liquid chamber ( 110 ) formed inside the main body ( 100 ), into which a predetermined amount of liquid (F) can be taken up;
a first port ( 112 ) formed in a base wall ( 114 ) of the main body ( 100 ) forming a bottom surface ( 116 ) of the liquid chamber ( 110 ) so as to face the opening ( 200 ) of the container ( 20 ) when the device ( 10 ) and the container ( 20 ) are combined with each other, through which the liquid (F) can flow;
a second port ( 118 ) formed in the base wall ( 114 ) of the main body ( 100 ) at a position different from the position where the first port ( 112 ) is formed so as to face the opening ( 200 ) of the container ( 20 ) when the device ( 10 ) and the container ( 20 ) are combined with each other, through which the liquid (F) can flow;
an aperture ( 120 ) connected to the liquid chamber ( 110 ), through which a mist of liquid (F) can be released to the outside of the main body ( 100 );
a connecting section ( 122 ) provided on the main body ( 100 ) so as to extend from the main body ( 100 ) in a direction away from the base wall ( 114 ) of the main body ( 100 ) and used for connecting the container ( 20 ) to the main body ( 100 );
an atomizing element ( 124 ) interposed between the liquid chamber ( 110 ) and the aperture ( 120 ) to atomize the liquid (F) taken up in the liquid chamber ( 110 ) and release a mist of the liquid (F) to the outside of the main body ( 100 ) from the aperture ( 120 );
a first valve ( 126 ) mounted on the main body ( 100 ) corresponding to the first port ( 112 ), wherein the first valve ( 126 ) permits the liquid (F) in the container ( 20 ) flowing into the liquid chamber ( 110 ) through the first port ( 112 ) under the influence of gravity, and prevents the liquid (F) in the liquid chamber ( 110 ) flowing into the container ( 20 ) under the influence of gravity; and
a second valve ( 128 ) mounted on the main body ( 100 ) corresponding to the second port ( 118 ), wherein the second valve ( 128 ) prevents the liquid (F) in the container ( 20 ) flowing into the liquid chamber ( 110 ) through the second port ( 118 ) under the influence of gravity, and selectively permits or prevents the liquid (F) in the liquid chamber ( 110 ) flowing into the container ( 20 ) through the second port ( 118 ) under the influence of gravity.

2 . The device ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the atomizing element ( 124 ) is a piezoelectric element.

3 . The device ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the first valve ( 126 ) comprises a first flap ( 126 a ) which is disposed within the liquid chamber ( 110 ) and which is rotatable around a first flap axis (R 1 ) orthogonal or approximately orthogonal to the center axis (C), wherein the first flap ( 126 a ) of the first valve ( 126 ) blocks the flowing of liquid (F) by being pressed against the bottom surface ( 116 ) of the liquid chamber ( 110 ) by the weight of the liquid (F) in the liquid chamber ( 110 ).

4 . The device ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the second valve ( 128 ) comprises a second flap ( 128 a ) which is disposed outside the liquid chamber ( 110 ) and which is rotatable around a second flap axis (R 2 ) orthogonal or approximately orthogonal to the center axis (C), wherein the second flap ( 128 a ) of the second valve ( 128 ) blocks the flowing of the liquid (F) from the container ( 20 ) to the liquid chamber ( 110 ) by being pressed against an outer surface ( 114 a ) of the base wall ( 114 ) of the main body ( 100 ) by the weight of the liquid (F) in the container ( 20 ).

5 . The device ( 10 ) according to claim 4 , wherein the second flap ( 128 a ) is brought into abutment with an opening-side end ( 210 ) of the container ( 20 ) approaching the outer surface ( 114 a ) of the base wall ( 114 ) of the main body ( 100 ) when the container ( 20 ) is connected to the device ( 10 ), and wherein the second flap ( 128 a ) blocks the flowing of the liquid (F) from the liquid chamber ( 110 ) to the container ( 20 ) and vice versa by being pressed against the outer surface ( 114 a ) of the base wall ( 114 ) of the main body ( 100 ) by the opening-side end ( 210 ) of the container ( 20 ).

6 . The device ( 10 ) according to claim 5 , wherein when the outer surface ( 114 a ) of the base wall ( 114 ) of the main body ( 100 ) and the opening-side end ( 210 ) of the container ( 20 ) are spaced apart from each other in order to detach the container ( 20 ) from the device ( 10 ), thereby occurring a clearance (D) between the second flap ( 128 a ) and the outer surface ( 114 a ) of the base wall ( 114 ), the second flap ( 128 a ) permits the liquid (F) in the liquid chamber ( 110 ) to flow into the container ( 20 ) through the second port ( 118 ) under the influence of gravity.

7 . The device ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting section ( 122 ) of the device ( 10 ) and the opening-side end ( 210 ) of the container ( 20 ) are connected by screw-in connection.

8 . An assembly ( 1 ) comprising:
a device ( 10 ) for supplying a mist of liquid (F) according to claim 1 ; and a container ( 20 ), which is connected to the device ( 10 ), for containing the liquid (F).

Assignees

• Oreal

Inventors

• Lee Chin Kai
• Park Woo Ram
• Sharma Vishal
• Chen Di

Classifications

• B05B17/0646

  Vibrating plates, i.e. plates being directly subjected to the vibrations, e.g. having a piezoelectric transducer attached thereto · CPC title

• G01F11/263

  with valves · CPC title

• A61M16/164

  including a liquid inlet valve system · CPC title

• A61M2202/04

  Liquids · CPC title

• B05B17/0653 Primary

  Details · CPC title