Device and method for filling a container

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9567117-B2
Application number	US-201314647951-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 22, 2013
Priority date	Nov 26, 2012
Publication date	Feb 14, 2017
Grant date	Feb 14, 2017

Abstract

The invention relates to an assembly for filling a container with at least a first product which is viscous during the filling operation, the assembly comprising a reservoir for storing the first product, a mechanism for pumping the first product from the reservoir to a distribution chamber, ducts connecting the reservoir to the pumping mechanism and the pumping mechanism to the distribution chamber, and a filling device comprising at least two dispensing spouts, each spout being in the form of a tube which is fixed at the upstream end to the distribution chamber and has an inlet orifice that opens into the distribution chamber and an outlet orifice that opens out at the free end of the spout in order to fill a container. According to the invention, the at least two spouts are designed to deliver the first product at different flow rates from one another.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An assembly for filling a container with at least a first product which is viscous during the filling operation, the assembly comprising:
a reservoir for storing the first product;
a pumping mechanism for pumping the first product from the reservoir to a distribution chamber;
ducts connecting the reservoir to the pumping mechanism and the pumping mechanism to the distribution chamber; and
a filling device comprising at least two dispensing spouts;
wherein each of the at least two dispensing spouts is in the form of a tube which is fixed at the upstream end to the distribution chamber and has an inlet orifice that opens into the distribution chamber and an outlet orifice that opens out at the free end of the spout in order to fill a container; and
wherein the at least two spouts are configured to deliver the first product at different flow rates from one another.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the outlet orifices of the at least two spouts comprise sections having different sizes from one another.

3. The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the ratio between the flow rate and the section of the outlet orifice of each of the spouts is approximately equal for all of the spouts.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the outlet orifices of the at least two spouts have circular sections with different diameters.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one section upstream of the outlet orifice of each of the at least two spouts has a different section from the section of the outlet orifice.

6. The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the spout in which the section of the outlet orifice has a larger size has a section upstream of the outlet orifice having a size smaller than that of said outlet orifice.

7. The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the spout in which the section of the outlet orifice has a smaller size has a section upstream of the outlet orifice having a size larger than that of said outlet orifice.

8. The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the section having a different size upstream of the outlet orifice is the section of the inlet orifice.

9. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least two spouts are heated during the filling operation.

10. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one spout has a frustoconical portion and/or a narrowing.

11. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the outlet orifices of the at least two spouts have different sections from one another.

12. A method for filling a container with at least a first product and a second product which are each viscous during the filling operation, and are visually distinct, said method comprising:
storing each product in a storage reservoir;
conveying the first product towards a first filling device by means of a single first pumping mechanism;
conveying the second product towards a second filling device by means of a second pumping mechanism;
dispensing the first product into the container via the first filling device having at least two dispensing spouts configured to deliver the first product at different flow rates from one another;
before or at the same time as the first product is dispensed, dispensing the second product into the same container via the second filling device having at least one dispensing spout.

13. The filling method of claim 12 , wherein the method comprises a step of setting the container into relative movement with respect to at least the first filling device while the first product is being dispensed.

14. A container comprising a first product and a second product which are each viscous and visually distinct, the container filled by a method comprising:
storing each product in a storage reservoir;
conveying the first product towards a first filling device by means of a single first pumping mechanism;
conveying the second product towards a second filling device by means of a second pumping mechanism;
dispensing the first product into the container via the first filling device having at least two dispensing spouts configured to deliver the first product at different flow rates from one another;
before or at the same time as the first product is dispensed, dispensing the second product into the same container via the second filling device having at least one dispensing spout;
wherein the first product forms at least two layers of having different sizes, each product being in a viscous form at ambient temperature.

Assignees

• Oreal

Inventors

• Duverger Guillaume

Classifications

• B65D25/40

  Nozzles or spouts (in general B05B) · CPC title

• B65B2039/009

  Multiple outlets · CPC title

• B65B37/06

  by pistons or pumps · CPC title

• A45D40/00

  Casings or accessories specially adapted for storing or handling solid or pasty toiletry or cosmetic substances, e.g. shaving soaps or lipsticks (features common to containers for handling powdery or liquid toiletry or cosmetic substances A45D33/00-A45D37/00; cosmetic or like preparations A61K8/00, A61Q; sample tables or the like G09F5/00) · CPC title

• B65B63/08

  for heating or cooling articles or materials to facilitate packaging · CPC title