Liquid dispenser

Abstract

A liquid dispenser for cosmetic liquids having a liquid reservoir and an applicator. An outlet channel connects the reservoir to the applicator, the outlet channel being formed either valveless or with an outlet valve. The liquid dispenser has a pressure generating device which pressurizes liquid in the reservoir for conveyance through the outlet channel to the applicator. The pressure generating device has an air pumping device which feeds and an actuating pressure chamber. The actuating pressure chamber adjoins, and is separated from, the reservoir by a displaceable wall so that an overpressure in the actuating pressure chamber leads to an overpressure in the reservoir. The air pumping device has manual actuator, allowing air to be pumped into the actuating pressure chamber by the actuator, so that the overpressure in the actuating pressure chamber and in the reservoir rises sufficiently to convey liquid from the reservoir to the applicator.

Claims

1. A liquid dispenser for discharging liquids, with the following features: the liquid dispenser has a reservoir for storing liquid before discharge; the liquid dispenser has an applicator, through which the liquid can be delivered into a surrounding area; the liquid dispenser has an outlet channel which connects the reservoir to the applicator, the outlet channel being configured as a valveless outlet channel which creates a permanent connection between the reservoir and the applicator, and the applicator is also valveless; the liquid dispenser has a pressure generating device, by which liquid in the reservoir can be pressurized in order to be able to be conveyed through the outlet channel to the applicator; the pressure generating device has an air pumping device and an actuating pressure chamber fed by the air pumping device; the actuating pressure chamber adjoins the reservoir and is separated from the reservoir by a displaceable wall so that an overpressure in the actuating pressure chamber leads to an overpressure in the reservoir; the air pumping device has an actuator for manual actuation, allowing air to be pumped into the actuating pressure chamber by the actuator so that the overpressure in the actuating pressure chamber and in the reservoir rises sufficiently to convey liquid from the reservoir to the applicator; and to avoid leaking out of liquid from the reservoir, the valveless outlet channel has a liquid throttle.

2. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 1, with one of the following additional features: the liquid throttle has a throttling portion of at least 2 mm in length, and a clear cross section of the throttling portion is at most 1 mm.sup.2; or a plurality of discharge channels which lead to the applicator are provided, each of the discharge channels having a throttling portion, and a minimum clear cross section of each of the throttling portions is at most 1 mm.sup.2.

3. A liquid dispenser for discharging liquids, said liquid dispenser comprising: a reservoir configured to store liquid prior to discharge from said liquid dispenser; an applicator for delivering liquid into a surrounding area, said applicator comprising a porous application element for liquid take-up, said porous application element having an externally-located liquid-delivering side for delivering liquid to a target surface and a liquid take-up side; and an outlet channel connecting said reservoir to said applicator, said liquid take-up side of said porous application element being disposed to take up liquid supplied from said outlet channel, wherein: said outlet channel is configured as a valveless outlet channel creating a permanent connection between said reservoir and said applicator, and said applicator is also valveless; or said liquid dispenser includes a liquid outlet valve dependent on pressure for opening, said liquid outlet valve opening when there exists a sufficient minimum opening overpressure; said liquid dispenser further including a pressure generating device configured to pressurize liquid in said reservoir such that the liquid is conveyed through said outlet channel to said applicator, said pressure generating device having an air pumping device and an actuating pressure chamber fed by said air pumping device, said actuating pressure chamber adjoining said reservoir and being separated therefrom by a displaceable wall such that an overpressure in said actuating pressure chamber leads to an overpressure in said reservoir, said air pumping device having an actuator for manual actuation, said actuator allowing air to be pumped into said actuating pressure chamber such that the overpressure in said actuating pressure chamber and in said reservoir rises sufficiently to convey liquid from said reservoir to said applicator.

4. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 3, further comprising an at least partially cylindrical housing part and said reservoir and said actuating pressure chamber are disposed within said housing part, said displaceable wall comprising a rigid separating plunger disposed in a slidingly movable manner in said housing part and lying in a sealing manner against a wall of said housing part.

5. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 3, further including a main housing component defining an interior space, said reservoir and said actuating pressure chamber being disposed in said interior space, said air pumping device comprises a separating wall and a sealing area of an air outlet valve being provided on said separating wall, said separating wall being formed integrally with said main housing component.

6. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 3, wherein said liquid dispenser comprises said liquid outlet valve, said liquid outlet valve comprising a slit valve component of a deformable elastic material, said slit valve opening when deformed.

7. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 3, wherein said liquid dispenser comprises said liquid outlet valve and a minimum opening overpressure, needed to open said liquid outlet valve, in said reservoir with respect to the surrounding area is at least 10 mbar.

8. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 3, wherein said reservoir is filled with a cosmetic liquid.

9. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 3, further comprising an outer housing aligned along a main direction of extent, said outer housing having spaced-apart opposite ends, said applicator being disposed at one of said ends of said housing and said actuator being disposed at the other of said ends of said housing, said liquid dispenser further comprising a cap removably disposed on said one end of said housing to cover said porous application element and isolate said porous application element from the surrounding area.

10. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 3, wherein said air pumping device comprises a bellows forming a pump chamber, said pump chamber being temporarily connected to the surrounding area by an air inlet valve dependent on pressure for opening and temporarily connected to said actuating pressure chamber by an air outlet valve dependent on pressure for opening, said bellows being open on opposite sides thereof, one side of said bellows being disposed adjacent to said actuator and having an opening, said bellows being movable relative to said actuator and said opening of said bellows being closed by said actuator when said actuator lies against said one side, and/or said air pumping device comprises a return spring disposed to urge said actuator in a direction of a starting position.

11. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 3, wherein said displaceable wall comprises a deformable film wall.

12. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 11, wherein said reservoir or said actuating pressure chamber comprises a bag with a bag wall, said bag wall forming said deformable film wall.

13. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 3, further including an outer housing aligned along a main direction of extent, said outer housing having spaced-apart opposite ends, said applicator being disposed at one of said ends of said outer housing and said actuator being disposed at the other of said ends of said outer housing, said liquid-delivering side of said porous application element comprising a liquid-delivering application area disposed externally of said outer housing and configured to dispense liquid to the target surface and said liquid take-up side comprising a liquid take-up area disposed to take up liquid supplied from said outlet channel, said liquid-delivering application area and said actuator facing in opposite directions from one another.

14. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 13, wherein said actuator comprises an actuating button mounted to said outer housing for movement relative thereto in a direction corresponding to said main direction of extent of said outer housing, said actuating button being pressable inwardly by a user along the main direction of extent and in a direction towards said applicator to dispense liquid.

15. The liquid dispenser as claimed claim 13, wherein said liquid-delivering application area of said porous application element is disposed and configured to dispense liquid to the target surface at least in a direction along a longitudinal axis of said outer housing.

16. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 13, wherein said porous application element has a terminal proximal end mounted to a distal end of said housing and a distal end defining said liquid-delivering application area, and said outlet channel has a distal end disposed immediately adjacent said terminal proximal end of said porous application element, said outlet channel being disposed and configured to dispense liquid into said terminal proximal end of said porous application element.

17. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 16, wherein said outlet channel is linear between said reservoir and said terminal proximal end of said porous application element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further advantages and aspects of the invention emerge from the claims and from the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention, which are explained below on the basis of the figures.

(2) FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first configuration of a dispenser according to the invention in a sectional representation and an exploded representation.

(3) FIGS. 3A to 3D illustrate the operating principle of the liquid dispenser from FIGS. 1 and 2.

(4) FIGS. 4 and 5 show a second configuration of a dispenser according to the invention in a sectional representation and an exploded representation.

(5) FIG. 6 shows a third configuration of a dispenser according to the invention in a sectional representation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

(6) FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of a liquid dispenser 10 according to the invention in the assembled state and as an exploded representation.

(7) This liquid dispenser 10 has a discharge device and, placed on it, a cap 90. The discharge device itself has a substantially cylindrical outer housing 16, on the upper end of which, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an applicator 30 is attached. Provided on the opposite side of the outer housing 16 is a pressure generating device 60, which is made up of an air pumping device 70 and an actuating pressure chamber 80.

(8) The actuating pressure chamber 80 and a reservoir 20 arranged above the actuating pressure chamber 80 are of a variable size. They are separated from one another by a separating plunger 84, which forms a wall 82 and in the course of the progressive emptying of the reservoir 20 is displaced upward with respect to the perspective of FIGS. 1 and 2, so that the reservoir 20 is reduced in size and the actuating pressure chamber 80 is increased in size.

(9) The applicator 30 has as the main component an application element 32, which forms the distal end of the discharge device. The application element 32 is formed as an elastic, sponge-like porous body and is clamped or adhesively fixed in a recess provided for it in a housing of the applicator, consisting of two housing parts 36, 38. The lower of the housing parts, the housing part 38, defines in its middle an outlet channel 12. This ends at a liquid outlet valve 40, which has a slit valve component 42 of an elastic material.

(10) The use as intended of the liquid dispenser 10 provides that the application element 32, or the delivery side 32, thereof, is used to apply a make-up liquid on the skin of a user. For this, the application element 32 must be impregnated with liquid from the reservoir 20. On account of the liquid outlet valve 40, for this pressure must be produced in the reservoir 20. The already mentioned pressure generating device 60 is provided for this. The pressure generating device 60 is intended for the purpose that, by forcing air into the actuating pressure chamber 80, a pressure of approximately equal magnitude is caused in the liquid within the reservoir 20. Provided for forcing air into the actuating pressure chamber 80 is an actuator 72, which can be depressed in the direction of the arrow 2A, in order in this way to compress a pump chamber 77 within a bellows 78, so that the air flows out of the pump chamber 77 through an air outlet valve 76, which opens when there is overpressure and is provided as a shield valve with a shield 79, into the actuating pressure chamber 80. For this purpose, the bellows 78 is formed so as to be open at its upper end. At the lower end, by contrast, an end wall which is interrupted by a central aperture 78A is provided on the bellows 78. At this lower end, the actuator 72 is not fixedly connected to the bellows 78, but is movable with respect to it, so that an air inlet valve 75 formed by this aperture 78A and an elevation 72A on the inner side of the actuator 72 can open and close.

(11) In order to ensure a rapid return stroke, and consequently opening of the air inlet valve 75, also provided is a spring 50, which is formed as a helical spring and constantly applies a force to the actuator 72 in the direction of its lower end position as in FIG. 1.

(12) FIGS. 3A to 3C illustrate the operating principle. Starting from the as-delivered state of FIG. 3A with a completely filled reservoir 20, the actuator is pressed down, as FIG. 3B indicates by the arrow 2A. That leads initially to a closing of the air inlet valve 75 and to an opening of the air outlet valve 76. The air flowing into the actuating pressure chamber 80, which is illustrated by the arrows 4, leads to an increased air pressure there. The freely movable separating plunger 84 causes the liquid in the reservoir 20 to be subjected to the same pressure, while the overpressure in the reservoir 20 that has been produced by the so far single actuation is not yet sufficient to open the liquid outlet valve 40.

(13) If the actuator 72 is let go, it is rapidly urged back into its starting position by the spring 50, as illustrated by FIG. 3C and the arrow 2B there. The air outlet valve 76 resumes a closed state, which is caused by the shaping of the valve shield 79. The air inlet valve 75 opens, since the bellows 78 does not return in the direction of the arrow 2C at the same rate as the actuator 72. While the increased air pressure in the actuating pressure chamber 80 is maintained, at the end of the first actuating action, the volume of the pump chamber 77 is at a maximum again and the air pressure corresponds to the ambient pressure. With the second actuation, corresponding to FIG. 3D, the pressure in the actuating pressure chamber 80 is increased once again. This then leads to a sufficiently high pressure to open the liquid outlet valve 40 by opening of the slit in the valve component 42 and discharging liquid in a way corresponding to the liquid displaced by the separating plunger 84. The liquid is thereby discharged under only slight overpressure, so that it can be distributed very homogeneously within the application element 32. The arrows 5 illustrate this.

(14) If the pressure in the reservoir 20 falls below the opening pressure of the liquid outlet valve 40, the liquid outlet valve 40 closes again. The slight overpressure that persists up to this point in time in the reservoir 20 and the actuating pressure chamber 80 is, however, maintained. If a renewed actuation is performed at a later point in time by way of the actuator 72, this already leads with the first actuation to a sufficient overpressure to in turn open the liquid outlet valve 40, and consequently to feed the application element 32 once again with liquid.

(15) The configuration of FIGS. 4 and 5 differs from the previous exemplary embodiment only by the type of wall 82. In the case of the design according to FIGS. 4 and 5, a dimensionally flexible and pliable bag 22 is provided, the film wall 24 of which forms the wall 82 between the actuating pressure chamber 80 and the reservoir 20.

(16) The configuration of FIG. 6 differs from the previous configurations in that no liquid outlet valve 40 is provided. The two housing parts 36, 38 are formed as a unitary housing part 37, which is perforated by a plurality of valveless outlet channels 13.

(17) The operating principle is fundamentally identical to that of the previous configurations. However, the pressure required for the conveyance of liquid into the application element 32 is not caused by an outlet valve, but by the comparatively narrow and throttle-like shape of the outlet channels 13.

(18) However, the risk of escape is in principle greater in the case of such a design, and so it is not preferred. The risk can however be reduced by a liquid-tight configuration of the cap 90.