Liquid dispenser

Abstract

A discharge head for a liquid dispenser having a base, an actuation handle, a liquid inlet and a discharge opening. The discharge head has a pump mechanism which conveys liquid from a liquid store to the discharge opening. To control liquid to be discharged and/or inflowing air, the discharge head has a valve with a valve flap which closes a valve channel and transfers to an open position by a positive pressure that exceeds a threshold positive pressure. The discharge head has an effector element bearing on the handle and the base, which deforms when the handle is pressed down. The valve flap is designed and attached to the effector element such that the deformation of same acts on the valve flap so that the threshold positive pressure, beyond which the valve flap leaves its closed position, is at least 10% lower in an actuated end position than in a non-actuated end position.

Claims

1. A discharge head for a liquid dispenser for discharging pharmaceutical or cosmetic liquids, said discharge head comprising: a base; an actuation handle, said actuation handle being configured for pressing downward in an actuation direction and movable relative to said base between a non-actuated end position and an actuated end position; a liquid inlet for connection to a liquid store; a discharge opening for dispensing liquid to an environment; a pump mechanism including a pump chamber for conveying liquid from the liquid store to said discharge opening, said pump chamber being arranged between said actuation handle and said base; a valve configured to open based on pressure, said valve being arranged in one of the following locations: between said pump chamber and said discharge opening; between said liquid inlet and said pump chamber; or in a ventilation channel connecting the environment to the liquid store, said valve having a valve flap which closes a valve channel in a closed position and is transferable to an open position, said valve flap being transferable to said open position by a positive pressure exceeding a threshold positive pressure, the threshold positive pressure being present in one of the following: said pump chamber when said valve is arranged between said pump chamber and said discharge opening; the liquid store when said valve is arranged between said liquid inlet and said pump chamber; or the environment when said valve is arranged in said ventilation channel; and a deformable effector element disposed to bear on said actuation handle and said base, said deformable effector element deforming when said actuation handle is pressed downwardly in the actuation direction, said valve flap being attached to said deformable effector element at an attachment area, said valve flap and said attachment area being configured and disposed such that deformation of said deformable effector element acts on said valve flap to lower the threshold positive pressure by at least 10% in the actuated end position of said actuation handle as compared to the non-actuated end position of said actuation handle.

2. The discharge head according to claim 1, wherein said valve comprises one or more of the following: an outlet valve disposed between said pump chamber and said discharge opening, said outlet valve opening due to liquid pressure in said pump chamber as a size of said pump chamber decreases; an inlet valve disposed between said liquid inlet and said pump chamber, said inlet valve opening due to negative pressure in said pump chamber as a size of said pump chamber increases; and a ventilation valve disposed in said ventilation channel, said ventilation valve opening due to negative pressure in the liquid store.

3. The discharge head according to claim 1, wherein said valve has a valve seat and a valve channel defined between said valve flap and said valve seat, said valve flap being positioned relative to said valve seat to prevent flow of liquid through said valve in said closed position thereof, and said valve flap is positioned relative to said valve seat to permit flow of liquid through said valve in said open position thereof, and deformation of said deformable effector element adjacent said attachment area controls a force with which said valve flap presses against said valve seat to cause the threshold positive pressure to be at least 10% lower in the actuated end position of said actuation handle as compared to the threshold positive pressure in the non-actuated end position of said actuation handle.

4. The discharge head according to claim 1, wherein said valve flap is configured and disposed to move in an opening direction in order to achieve said open position of said valve, and said valve flap and said attachment area are configured and disposed such that deformation of said deformable effector element induces a force into said valve flap, the force being oriented in the opening direction of said valve flap to decrease the threshold positive pressure.

5. The discharge head according to claim 1, wherein said valve flap and said attachment area are configured and disposed such that deformation of said deformable effector element acts on said valve flap such that the threshold positive pressure is one of: at least 30% lower in the actuated end position of said actuation handle as compared to the threshold positive pressure in the non-actuated end position; or 30% lower in the actuated end position of said actuation handle as compared to the threshold positive pressure in the non-actuated end position.

6. The discharge head according to claim 1, wherein said actuation handle is movable relative to said base into a middle position located between the non-actuated end position and the actuated end position, and said valve flap and said attachment area are configured and disposed such that deformation of said deformable effector element acts on said valve flap such that the threshold positive pressure is one of: at least 5% lower in the middle position of said actuation handle as compared to the threshold positive pressure in the non-actuated end position; at least 15% lower in said middle position of said actuation handle as compared to the threshold positive pressure in the non-actuated end position; or at least 20% lower in the middle position of said actuation handle as compared to the threshold positive pressure in the non-actuated end position.

7. The discharge head according to claim 1, wherein said valve flap and said attachment area are configured and disposed such that the threshold positive pressure does not fall to a value of 0 bar or below 0 bar, even in the actuated end position.

8. The discharge head according to claim 1, wherein said valve flap and said deformable effector element comprise a one-piece integral component.

9. The discharge head according to claim 1, wherein said pump mechanism comprises a pump chamber wall disposed in surrounding relation with, and defining, said pump chamber, said pump chamber wall comprising a hose component having an open inlet end secured to said base and an open outlet end secured to said actuation handle, said pump chamber wall, or a part of said pump chamber wall, defining said deformable effector element.

10. The discharge head according to claim 1, wherein said deformable effector element has a shape, said shape being curved or bent a plurality of times in opposite directions, said shape shortening in a manner of a concertina upon movement of said actuation handle in the actuation direction.

11. The discharge head according to claim 1, wherein said pump mechanism comprises a pump chamber wall defining said pump chamber and said deformable effector element is formed by said pump chamber wall or a part of said pump chamber wall, said pump chamber wall being configured as a bellows having a shape, said shape being curved or bent a plurality of times in opposite directions such that said pump chamber wall shortens upon movement of said actuation handle in the actuation direction.

12. The discharge head according to claim 1, wherein said deformable effector element has a subportion oriented at a first angle relative to the actuation direction in the non-actuated end position, and said subportion being arranged on said deformable effector element such that upon movement of said actuation handle in the actuation direction said deformable effector element deforms and said subportion is swiveled or pivoted and is oriented at a second angle relative to the actuation direction, said second angle being greater than said first angle, said valve flap being disposed on said subportion and being configured and disposed to move in an opening direction in order to achieve said open position of said valve, said subportion inducing a moment of force on said valve flap in the opening direction during movement of said actuation handle in the actuation direction.

13. The discharge head according to claim 1, wherein said valve flap is configured and disposed to move in an opening direction in order to achieve said open position of said valve, said deformable effector element comprises a securing portion attached to one of said actuation handle or said base and a deformable tilting web with a first end attached to said securing portion and a second end spaced from said first end, said deformable tilting web forming at least part of said attachment area and extending transversely to the actuation direction, said deformable effector element further comprising a deformable part extending substantially along or counter to the actuation direction, said valve flap extending from said second end of said deformable tilting web in an opposite direction from said deformable part such that a moment of force acting on said deformable part is coupled into said valve flap in the opening direction upon movement of said actuation handle in the actuation direction.

14. The discharge head according to claim 13, wherein said securing portion and said deformable tilting web each extend circumferentially around said deformable effector element, and said deformable effector element has a notch formed therein adjacent said valve flap, said notch forming at least part of said attachment area.

15. The discharge head according to claim 1, wherein said deformable effector element comprises a securing portion attached to said base and a deformable thrust web with a first end attached to said securing portion and a second end spaced from said first end, said deformable thrust web forming at least part of said attachment area, said valve flap being integrally formed on said first end of said deformable tilting web such that upon movement of said actuation handle in the actuation direction a thrust force is coupled into said second end of said deformable thrust web offset from said valve flap, the thrust force applying a tensile force to an outside of said valve flap to cause a tilting moment in said valve flap.

16. The discharge head according to claim 15, wherein said securing portion and said deformable thrust web each extend circumferentially around said deformable effector element, and said deformable effector element has a notch formed therein adjacent said valve flap.

17. The discharge head according to claim 1, wherein said base and said actuation handle together define an interior of said discharge head, said pump mechanism including a one-piece pump chamber component defining said pump chamber therein, said one-piece pump chamber component being disposed in said interior of said discharge head.

18. A discharge head for a liquid dispenser for discharging pharmaceutical or cosmetic liquids, said discharge head comprising: a base; an actuation handle mounted on said base for movement relative to said base in an actuation direction between a non-actuated end position and an actuated end position; a liquid inlet disposed for fluid communication with a liquid store; a discharge opening in communication with said liquid inlet and disposed to discharge liquid to an environment exterior to said discharge head; a pump mechanism including a pump chamber, said pump chamber being disposed between said actuation handle and said base, said pump chamber being configured for conveying liquid from the liquid store to said discharge opening; a valve configured to open based on pressure and being arranged in one of the following locations: between said pump chamber and said discharge opening; between said liquid inlet and said pump chamber; or in a ventilation channel provided on said discharge head and configured for connecting the liquid store to the environment, said valve having a valve flap, a valve seat and a valve channel disposed between said valve flap and said valve seat, said valve having a closed position in which said valve flap is positioned relative to said valve seat to prevent flow of liquid through said valve and an open position in which said valve flap is positioned relative to said valve seat to permit flow of liquid through said valve, said valve flap being transferable to said open position by a positive pressure exceeding a threshold positive pressure present in one of the following: said pump chamber when said valve is arranged between said pump chamber and said discharge opening; the liquid store when said valve is arranged between said liquid inlet and said pump chamber; or the environment when said valve is arranged in said ventilation channel; and an effector element disposed to bear on said actuation handle and said base and being deformed when said actuation handle is moved relative to said base, said valve flap being attached to said effector element at an attachment area, and deformation of said effector element adjacent said attachment area controls a force with which said valve flap presses against said valve seat to cause the threshold positive pressure to be at least 10% lower in the actuated end position of said actuation handle as compared to the threshold positive pressure in the non-actuated end position of said actuation handle.

19. The discharge head according to claim 18, wherein said effector element includes a first securing end portion connected to said base and a second securing end portion spaced from said first securing end portion and connected to said actuation handle, said effector element further including at least one deformable wall portion disposed adjacent and connected to said first securing end portion or said second securing end portion, said attachment area comprising a deformable web portion connected to said valve flap and said one first securing end portion or said one second securing end portion, and deformation of said at least one deformable wall portion adjacent said deformable web portion lessens the force with which said valve flap presses against said valve seat.

20. A liquid dispenser for discharging pharmaceutical or cosmetic liquids, said liquid dispenser comprising: a liquid store; a discharge head, said discharge head comprising: a base connected to said liquid store; an actuation handle, said actuation handle being configured for pressing downward in an actuation direction and movable relative to said base between a non-actuated end position and an actuated end position; a liquid inlet connected to said liquid store; a discharge opening for dispensing liquid to an environment; a pump mechanism including a pump chamber for conveying liquid from said liquid store to said discharge opening, said pump chamber being arranged between said actuation handle and said base; a valve configured to open based on pressure, said valve being arranged in one of the following locations: between said pump chamber and said discharge opening; between said liquid inlet and said pump chamber; or in a ventilation channel connecting the environment to said liquid store, said valve having a valve flap which closes a valve channel in a closed position and is transferable to an open position, said valve flap being transferable to said open position by a positive pressure exceeding a threshold positive pressure, the threshold positive pressure being present in one of the following: said pump chamber when said valve is arranged between said pump chamber and said discharge opening; said liquid store when said valve is arranged between said liquid inlet and said pump chamber; or the environment relative to said liquid store when said valve is arranged in said ventilation channel; and a deformable effector element disposed to bear on said actuation handle and said base, said deformable effector element deforming when said actuation handle is pressed downwardly in the actuation direction, said valve flap being attached to said deformable effector element at an attachment area, said valve flap and said attachment area being configured and disposed such that deformation of said deformable effector element acts on said valve flap to lower the threshold positive pressure by at least 10% in the actuated end position of said actuation handle as compared to the non-actuated end position of said actuation handle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further advantages and aspects of the invention will become clear from the claims and from the following description of a preferred illustrative embodiment of the invention, which is explained below with reference to the figures.

(2) FIG. 1 shows an overall view of a liquid dispenser according to the invention.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the discharge head of the liquid dispenser from FIG. 1.

(4) FIGS. 3A to 3C show the discharge head according to FIG. 2 in a non-actuated end position, in a middle position, and in an actuated end position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

(5) FIG. 1 shows a liquid dispenser 100 according to the invention, in the present case a liquid dispenser for discharging cosmetic lotions. The liquid dispenser 100 has a liquid store 110 with a shape like a bottle, at the upper end of which an outlet stub is arranged. The liquid store 110 is screwed into a discharge head 10, which for its part has a base 20 on which an actuation handle 40 designed as a push button is mounted so as to be slidable in an actuation direction 2 for the purpose of discharging liquid through a discharge opening 44.

(6) The discharge head 10 has a pump mechanism 60 (not shown in FIG. 1) with which liquid can be conveyed from the liquid store 110 to a discharge opening 44.

(7) FIG. 2 shows the discharge head 10 in an enlarged and cross-sectional view. For the purpose of cost-effective design, the discharge head is constructed from only a small number of components, basically from just a component forming the base 20, a component forming the actuation handle 40, and a pump chamber component 66 which at the same time outwardly delimits a pump chamber 64 and forms valve flaps 72, 82, 92 of three valves 70, 80, 90, namely an inlet valve 80 between the liquid store 110 and the pump chamber 64, an outlet valve 70 between the pump chamber 64 and an environment, and a ventilation valve 90 between the environment and the liquid store 110. In addition to such a discharge head composed of only three parts, the liquid dispenser 100 can also have a dip tube, a seal in the form of a sealing ring between discharge head 10 and liquid store 110, and also a cap (not shown in the figures). The whole dispenser can therefore be constructed from only 4 to 7 parts, which greatly simplifies manufacture and assembly.

(8) The base 20 of the discharge head shown in FIG. 2 has a coupling mechanism 24 in the form of an inner thread, a front face 25 provided with ventilation apertures 26, and an outer sleeve 27 in which the actuation handle 40 is guided displaceably to a limited extent. The front face 25 is interrupted by a liquid inlet 22 with an inlet sleeve 23, which at its end has an opening 28 for the passage of liquid into the pump chamber 64 and on which the pump chamber component 66 is clamped. The inlet valve 80 and its circumferential valve flap 82 are provided between this opening 28 and the pump chamber 64, wherein an annular surface at the end of the inlet sleeve 23 forms a valve surface 84 of the inlet valve. Moreover, an annular structure is provided at the base, the inner face of which annular structure forms a valve surface 94 of the ventilation valve 90.

(9) The actuation handle 40 of the discharge head shown in FIG. 2 is guided displaceably on the base 20 by means of a jacket 45. The discharge opening 44 is arranged at the upper end of the jacket 45. A front end of the actuation handle 40 forms the actuation surface 42. An annular retaining structure 46 for clamping the pump chamber component 66 is provided on the inner face of the actuation handle 40. A further annular web is provided inside the retaining structure 46, the outer face of which annular web forms a valve surface 74 of the outlet valve 70.

(10) When the pressure is the same on both sides, the valve flaps 72, 82 bear with inward pretensioning on the respective valve surface 74, 84. When the pressure is the same on both sides, a third valve flap 92 of the ventilation valve 90 bears with outward pretensioning on the valve surface 94. All three valve flaps 72, 82, 92 are designed circumferentially and therefore have the shape of a portion of a cone or a cylindrical shape.

(11) At the upper end of the pump chamber component 66, a circumferential securing portion 54 is provided, by means of which the pump chamber component 66 is clamped into the retaining structure 46, thereby creating a leaktight coupling of the pump chamber to the discharge opening 44. A thin tilting web 56 extends radially inward from the securing portion 54, wherein a notch 56A is provided in the present illustrative embodiment, such that the tilting web performs the decoupling action that is explained in detail below. To the inside of the tilting web 56, the latter is adjoined by the valve flap 72 counter to the actuation direction 2, while the bellows-like pump chamber wall 62 extends in the opposite direction toward the base 20.

(12) The lower end of the pump chamber component 66 forms a circumferential securing portion 55, which is clamped onto the inlet sleeve 23. The valve flap 82 is formed integrally on this securing portion 55. Facing toward the outside, a tilting or thrust web 57, 58 adjoins the securing portion 55, which in turn is made comparatively thin by means of a circumferential notch 57A. The outer side of the tilting and thrust web 57, 58 is adjoined, in the direction of the actuation handle 40, by the lower end of the bellows-like pump chamber wall 62. In the opposite direction, the tilting and thrust web 57, 58 is adjoined by the valve flap 92 of the ventilation valve 90.

(13) The design of the pump chamber component 66 with said elements and in particular with the valve flaps 72, 82, 92 serves the purpose of influencing the force with which the ends of the valve flaps 72, 82, 92 are pressed against the valve surfaces 74, 84, 94 on account of their being attached to other parts of the pump chamber component 66. The pump chamber component 66 and in particular the bellows-like pump chamber wall 62 thereof form an effector element 50 for controlling this respective force.

(14) In the upper end position of the actuation handle 40, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3A, all of the valve flaps 72, 82, 92 are pressed with the respective maximum force against the valve surfaces 74, 84, 94.

(15) If an actuation is now performed by pressing the actuation handle 40 down, the pump chamber component 66 is compressed, wherein the change of length is largely effected completely by the pump chamber wall 62, forming the effector element 50, and by the subportions of the pump chamber wall 62 being laid on one another in the manner of a bellows. Two subportions 52, 53 at the ends of the effector element 50 formed by the pump chamber wall 62 are thus swiveled further in the direction of the arrows 3, 4 from a position in which they were already at an angle relative to the actuation direction 2. On account of the decoupling in relation to the respective securing portions 54, 55 by means of the tilting webs 56, 57, this swiveling has the effect that an equidirectional moment is coupled in the direction of the arrows 5, 6 into the valve flaps 72, 92, which moment, although not sufficient to release the valve flaps 72, 92 from the valve surfaces 74, 94, nonetheless reduces the pressing force that is acting there.

(16) The tilting and thrust web 58 moreover has the effect that the subportion 53 and the valve flap 92 are shifted slightly in the direction of the arrow 7 in relation to the securing portion 54. This gives rise to a tensile force in that side of the valve flaps 82 of the inlet valve 80 facing toward the pump chamber 64, as a result of which a moment is also coupled in there, which moment acts in the direction of the arrow 8 and also reduces the pressing force on the valve surface 84 at this valve flap 82.

(17) The state obtained in FIG. 3B constitutes an intermediate setting of the actuation handle 40. The pressing force of the valve flaps 72, 82, 94 on the valve surfaces 74, 84, 94 is in each case reduced in this state and has the effect that, at each of the valves, the threshold positive pressure needed to open the valve is reduced. In the present embodiment, the threshold positive pressure at the outlet valve 70 is already reduced by approximately 30%. At the inlet valve 80, the threshold positive pressure is reduced by approximately 20%. At the ventilation valve 90, the threshold positive pressure is reduced by approximately 50%.

(18) Upon continued movement in the direction of the actuated end position, which is shown in FIG. 3C, the deformations are in each case intensified, such that the pressing force of the valve flaps 72, 82, 92 on the valve surfaces 74, 84, 94 drops further. When the actuated end position according to FIG. 3C is reached, the threshold positive pressure at the outlet valve 70 and at the inlet valve 80 is reduced to approximately 50% and approximately 30%, respectively, of the original threshold positive pressure in the non-actuated end position. At the ventilation valve 90, the threshold positive pressure has dropped to 0 bar, such that the valve flap 92 has withdrawn from the valve surface 94 and the ventilation valve 90 is thus open.

(19) When the actuation handle 40 is let go, the pump chamber wall 62 brings about a restoring force, by which the actuation handle 40 is pressed via the state in FIG. 3B back to the state in FIG. 3A.

(20) The description of the sequence involved in pressing down the actuation handle 40 on the basis of FIGS. 3A to 3C has thus far been explained without reference to the liquid to be discharged or to the compensating air flowing into the liquid store 110.

(21) In normal operation, with a filled liquid store attached, the procedure is as follows: Starting from the state in FIG. 3A, the actuation handle is actuated counter to a resistance that is at a maximum at the start, since the valve flap 72 of the outlet valve 70 is in this state pressed with maximum force onto the valve surface 74. When the initial resistance thus provided has been overcome, the valve flap 72 is opened, as movement starts, by the positive pressure in the pump chamber 64, and, as the pump chamber wall 62 and therefore the effector element 50 begin to deform, the pressure needed to keep the outlet valve 70 open is reduced. Even if the actuation slows down, the outlet valve 70 thus remains open. It is only at a standstill that it closes, notwithstanding the partial stroke that has occurred to that point. Meanwhile, on account of the configuration of the pump chamber component 66, the inlet valve 80 and the ventilation valve 90 are already closed, wherein the inlet valve 80 is additionally pressed into the closed position by the pressure in the pump chamber 64.

(22) When the actuated end position of FIG. 3C is reached, the outlet valve closes despite the reduced threshold positive pressure, since the positive pressure in the pump chamber 64 relative to the environment drops to 0 bar. The ventilation valve 90 has already opened, while the valve flap 82 of the inlet valve 80 still bears on the valve surface 84 and is pressed against the latter, such that the inlet valve is still closed.

(23) When the return stroke of the actuation handle 40 begins, the inlet valve 80 opens immediately, since the restoring force is at a maximum at this time, and since the threshold positive pressure for opening the inlet valve is at a minimum. The pump chamber 64 thus directly begins to refill. The already open ventilation valve 90 permits unimpeded inward flow of compensating air through the ventilation apertures 26 into the liquid store, and it remains reliably open during most of the return stroke. The result of this is a very rapid restoration of the actuation handle 40, with complete refilling of the pump chamber 64. After the non-actuated end position of FIG. 3A has been reached again, the next actuating stroke can begin immediately.