Liquid dispenser with discharge sponge

Abstract

A discharge head for a liquid dispenser for discharging cosmetic products which has a base to be secured to a liquid storage. The base has a coupling device in the form of a thread or a latching coupling device, for coupling to the liquid storage. The discharge head has a sponge carrier with a sponge receptacle in which a sponge is arranged. The sponge carrier is movable in a translationally guided manner with respect to the base and has a hollow connector inside which a liquid channel is provided that connects the liquid storage to the sponge receptacle. This liquid channel is provided with an outlet valve, which is opened by moving the sponge carrier in the direction of the base, such that liquid can flow freely out of the liquid storage into the sponge receptacle.

Claims

1. A discharge head for a liquid dispenser for discharging cosmetic products, comprising: a base to be secured to a liquid storage means; the base having a coupling device for coupling to the liquid storage means; a sponge carrier with a sponge receptacle in which a sponge is arranged; the sponge carrier is being movable in a translationally guided manner with respect to the base; the sponge carrier having a hollow connector inside which a liquid channel is provided that connects the liquid storage means to the sponge receptacle; and an outlet valve, which is assigned to the liquid channel and which can be opened by moving the sponge carrier in the direction of the base, such that liquid can flow freely out of the liquid storage means into the sponge receptacle.

2. The discharge head as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the base, or a spring mechanism provided on the base, has an aperture through which the hollow connector of the sponge carrier protrudes; and the sponge carrier, at an end directed away from the sponge receptacle, has a widened part which, by form-fit engagement, counters a separation of the base or spring mechanism from the sponge carrier.

3. The discharge head as claimed in claim 2, wherein: the sponge carrier has two separate components, which are mounted on each other in a positionally fixed manner; and a first of the two separate components of the sponge carrier has the sponge receptacle, and a second of the two separate components has the widened part.

4. The discharge head as claimed in claim 3, wherein: the two components are connected to each other by a latch connection, wherein the first component has an outer sleeve of the hollow connector, and the second component has a latching portion which engages through the hollow connector and/or is latched inside the hollow connector.

5. The discharge head as claimed in claim 1, further including: a spring mechanism which the sponge carrier is subjected to a force directing it the sponge carrier away from the base.

6. The discharge head as claimed in claim 5, wherein: the spring mechanism has a spring plate with a central elevation, which spring plate is secured in an outer region to the base and is secured in the region of the elevation to the sponge carrier.

7. The discharge head as claimed in claim 6, wherein: an aperture is provided in the spring plate in the region of the elevation, wherein liquid is conveyed to the sponge receptacle through the aperture.

8. The discharge head as claimed in claim 5, wherein: the spring mechanism is configured as a helical spring and is arranged, to an outside of the hollow connector, between the sponge receptacle and the base.

9. The discharge head as claimed in claim 5, wherein: the sponge receptacle has a bowl shape into which the sponge is placed; and/or the sponge is secured non-releasably in the sponge receptacle, or the sponge is configured as an exchangeable sponge and is held in the sponge receptacle only by force-fit engagement; and/or the spring mechanism is integrally connected to the base by multi-component injection molding.

10. The discharge head as claimed in claim 1, further including: a ventilation channel, by which compensating air can flow from an environment into the liquid storage means after removal of liquid.

11. The discharge head as claimed in claim 10, wherein: a sub-portion of the ventilation channel is provided between the sponge and a surface of the sponge receptacle facing toward the sponge; and/or a sub-portion of the ventilation channel is formed by the liquid channel; and/or the ventilation channel, from an environment-side inlet to a liquid storage means outlet, has a greater length than the liquid channel from an inlet to the liquid storage means to a sponge-side outlet.

12. The discharge head as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the sponge has a Shore A hardness of at least 401 and/or the sponge, at an application face, is partially inclined with respect to a direction of movement of the sponge carrier, wherein at least 50% of the application face is inclined at a uniform angle; and/or the sponge, in a plane perpendicular to the direction of movement, has a shape which deviates from a circular shape and a rectangular shape.

13. A liquid dispenser for discharging cosmetic products, comprising: the discharge head as claimed in claim 1; wherein the liquid storage means has a coupling nozzle for coupling to the discharge head.

14. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 13, wherein: the liquid storage means has a wall which is substantially rotationally symmetrical, or plane-symmetrical with respect to at least two planes, and which defines a central axis of the liquid storage means; and the discharge head and the liquid storage means are configured and adapted to each other in such a way that, with the outlet valve opened and with the discharge head oriented such that a central axis thereof encloses an angle of 15° with the horizontal, falling in a direction of the discharge head, at least 90% of the liquid, starting from a completely filled liquid storage means, can flow out through the outlet valve and a maximum of 10% remains as residual liquid in the liquid storage means.

15. The liquid dispenser as claimed in claim 13, wherein: the liquid storage means is filled with a cosmetic liquid; and/or the hollow connector is arranged on the discharge head in such a way that, at least in a depressed state of an applicator portion or of the sponge carrier, the hollow connector protrudes into the liquid storage means.

16. A discharge head for a liquid dispenser for discharging cosmetic products, comprising: a base to be secured to a liquid storage means; the base having a coupling device; and an applicator portion which is movable in a translationally guided manner with respect to the base; the applicator portion having a hollow connector inside which a liquid channel is provided by way of which the applicator portion can be fed with liquid from the liquid storage means; at least one outlet valve, which is assigned to the liquid channel and which interrupts a supply of liquid to the applicator portion; and a one-piece sealing component on the coupling device, said sealing component having a peripheral bottle-sealing portion by which a contact region between the base and the liquid storage means is sealed off from an environment; and the sealing component has an inner sealing portion which interacts with the hollow connector in such a way that: a sliding sealing face on the inner sealing portion interacts with an outer face of the hollow connector in such a way that, during translational movement of the hollow connector with respect to the inner sealing portion, no liquid can flow between the sliding sealing face and the outer face of the hollow connector, and/or a valve body face provided on the hollow connector bears, in an end position of the applicator portion, on a valve sealing face of the inner sealing portion in such a way that the liquid channel is thereby interrupted.

17. The discharge head as claimed in claim 16, wherein: the hollow connector, at an end facing in a direction of the coupling device, has a widened part on which the valve body face is provided, wherein this valve body face can be lifted, by movement of the hollow connector, away from the valve sealing face of the inner sealing portion.

18. The discharge head as claimed in claim 16, wherein: the hollow connector is secured to the inner sealing portion of the sealing component; the inner sealing portion of the sealing component has a sealing structure which rises above a plane of the bottle-sealing portion and which defines an interior; and the valve body face on the hollow connector is provided on a valve portion of the hollow connector arranged in an interior defined by the sealing structure.

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 preferred illustrative embodiments of the invention, which are explained below with reference to the figures.

(2) FIGS. 1 and 2 show a sponge-type dispenser according to the invention from the outside, in the inactivated state and in the activated state.

(3) FIG. 3 shows by way of example a sectional view of such a sponge-type dispenser in an orientation customary for use.

(4) FIGS. 4 to 6 show a first variant of a sponge-type dispenser according to the invention in an exploded view and in sectional views in the state with the outlet valve closed and in the state with the outlet valve opened.

(5) FIGS. 7 to 9 show a second variant of a sponge-type dispenser according to the invention in an exploded view and in sectional views in the state with the outlet valve closed and in the state with the outlet valve opened.

(6) FIGS. 10A to 10K show particular sponge shapes.

(7) FIG. 11 illustrates the advantage afforded by the sponge shape from FIG. 10J during use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

(8) FIGS. 1 and 2 show an illustrative embodiment of a liquid dispenser 10, which is configured as a sponge-type dispenser.

(9) The liquid dispenser 10 has a liquid storage means 20 which is configured as a slim plastic bottle, with a discharge head 10 mounted on its coupling nozzle 22 that forms the bottle neck. This discharge head 30 for its part has a base 40 with a coupling device 44 provided for coupling to the coupling nozzle 22. A sponge carrier 60, forming an applicator portion 61, is movable in translation with respect to this base 40. This sponge carrier 60 has a sponge receptacle 64 in which a sponge 14 is arranged.

(10) FIGS. 1 and 2 show the stated mobility. As can be seen, in the illustrative embodiment shown the sponge carrier 60 can be deflected only over a relatively short distance of a few millimeters.

(11) The depression of the sponge carrier 60 and sponge 14, as shown in FIG. 2, has the effect that an outlet valve 86 to be explained in detail below is opened, such that liquid can pass from the liquid storage means 20 into the sponge receptacle 64 and into the sponge 14.

(12) FIG. 3 illustrates an example of this. For its intended use, the liquid dispenser 10 is brought to an orientation in which it slopes slightly downward in the direction of the sponge 14. Then, by pressing the sponge 14 onto the skin in this orientation, the outlet valve 86 is opened and liquid from the liquid storage means 20 can flow freely through a hollow connector 66 into the sponge receptacle 64 and is taken up there in the sponge 14 for the purpose of being discharged. As FIG. 3 also illustrates, the shape and in particular the slim configuration of the liquid storage means 20 ensures that, even when the liquid dispenser 10 is held with only a slight downward orientation, almost the entire liquid volume in the liquid storage means 20 can be discharged. The residual amount, which in the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 3 remains in the liquid storage means, is less than 3% of the original amount of liquid.

(13) Two embodiments of the discharge head 30 are set out by way of example on the basis of FIGS. 4 to 6, on the one hand, and FIGS. 7 to 9, on the other hand.

(14) First of all, regarding the first embodiment, shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 and corresponding to that of FIG. 3: The discharge head 30 of this embodiment has as its main component the base 40, which is configured with a coupling device 44 in the form of a latching coupling device, in order thereby to be snap-fitted onto the coupling nozzle 22 of the liquid storage means 20. For the purpose of sealing between the liquid storage means 20 and the base 40, a sealing component 70 is provided which, with an outer bottle-sealing portion 72, is clamped between base 40 and liquid storage means 20 for sealing purposes. The base 40 additionally has a horizontal wall 42, which is interrupted by an aperture 46. By means of this aperture 46, the sponge carrier 60 functioning as applicator portion 61 is secured on the base 40. For this purpose, the sponge carrier 60 has a first component 62 and a second component 80. The component 80 is slit in an upper pin segment, such that the latch portions arranged at the end of the two half-pins thus formed are deflectable relative to each other for the purpose of snap-fit connection to the component 62. Since a widened part 82 of the component 80 is arranged below the aperture 46 in the wall 42, and since the main portion of the sponge carrier 60, formed by component 62, is arranged above the aperture 46, the sponge carrier 60 is thus secured captively, but movably, on the base 40. A spring mechanism 52 in the form of a helical, spring, particularly preferably a relatively soft metallic helical spring, is inserted between the base 40, or the wall 42 of the base 40 interrupted by the aperture 46, and an underside of the component 62.

(15) The liquid connection between the liquid storage means 20 and the sponge 14 is obtained by a liquid channel 90 inside the hollow connector 66, which is pushed in through the aperture 46. This liquid channel 90 extends from an inlet region, which is defined by the two components 62, 80 jointly, as far as the bottom of the bowl-shaped sponge receptacle 64.

(16) In the closed state, which is shown in FIG. 5, a flow of liquid into this liquid channel 90 is not possible, since the widened part 82 of the hollow connector 66 bears, with a valve body face 67, from underneath on a valve sealing face 74A of the sealing component 70 and thus closes the outlet valve 86. When the sponge carrier 60 is pressed in, in the manner shown in FIG. 6, the hollow connector 66 is thus also pushed deeper into the liquid storage means 20. The widened part 82 at the lower end of the hollow connector 66, thus also the valve body face 67, detaches from the valve sealing face 74A of the sealing component 70, such that, with the liquid dispenser 10 suitably oriented, liquid can flow into the liquid channel 90. The path of the liquid is indicated by dots in FIG. 6. In this phase, an inner sliding seal face 74B of the sealing component 70, bearing on the outside of the hollow connector 66, prevents unwanted liquid from flowing out past the hollow connector 66.

(17) During the discharging procedure, the discharged amount of liquid has to be replaced by air. To ensure that this air does not have to be sucked in through the sponge, a partially separate ventilation channel 34 is provided. In the region of the sponge receptacle 64, the ventilation channel 34 is introduced as a groove into the component 62 forming the sponge receptacle 64, wherein this groove is routed laterally past the sponge 14 and opens into the liquid channel 90. From there, the incoming air can flow through the liquid channel 90 into the liquid storage means 20 counter to the liquid.

(18) In the embodiment according to FIGS. 7 to 9, the basic structure of the liquid dispenser 10 is substantially comparable to the first illustrative embodiment. Therefore, only the differences are explained below.

(19) The embodiment according to FIGS. 7 to 9 does not have a separate helical spring. Instead, the sealing component 70 is configured such that it at the same time forms a spring mechanism 52. As can be seen in particular from FIG. 7, this sealing component 70, 52 is provided with an outer region 56 or outer bottle-sealing portion 72 which, correspondingly to the preceding illustrative embodiment, is clamped between the liquid storage means 20 and the base 40 for sealing purposes. To the inside of this, there is an elevation 54, which is provided centrally with an aperture 54A. The hollow connector 66 protrudes through this aperture 54A and is here secured by means of the component 80 with widened part 82. Thus, in contrast to the illustrative embodiment of FIGS. 4 to 6, the inner region of the sealing component 70 is positionally fixed in relation to the hollow connector 66. The mobility of the hollow connector is provided by the fact that the sealing component 70, which at the same time forms the spring mechanism 52, is inherently deformable.

(20) To be able to obtain the desired valve function, a valve body face 67 is provided on the outside of the widened part 82 and, in the closed state of the outlet valve, bears internally on a valve sealing face 75 of the elevation 54.

(21) If the sponge carrier 60 is now pressed down, this valve body face 67 retreats from the interior 76 of the elevation 54, whereby the contact between the valve body face 67 and the valve sealing face 75 ceases. At the same time, the elevation 54 is deformed in the manner illustrated in FIG. 9, such that there is no unwanted sealing elsewhere on the widened part 82 of the hollow connector 66. In the state according to FIG. 9, it is thus again possible for liquid to flow out of the liquid storage means 20 into the liquid channel 90 and thus to the sponge 14. The corresponding path of liquid is indicated by the dotted line.

(22) FIGS. 10A to 10K each show the sponge carrier 60 and sponge 14 with special shapes. Besides the simple round shape (FIG. 10A), the following are also considered to be advantageous: polygonal shapes (FIGS. 10C, 10E, 10F, 10G), elliptical shapes (FIG. 10I), diamond shapes (FIG. 10H) or motif shapes (FIG. 10B).

(23) FIG. 10J shows that an application face (14A) can also be set at an angle. FIG. 11 illustrates the advantage of this: Despite the slight downward orientation of the liquid dispenser 10, the application face 14A is oriented approximately vertically, ideally for applying makeup to a cheek for example.

(24) FIG. 10K shows a convex shape. A shape such as this is also advantageous as regards the orientation of the liquid dispenser for supplying the sponge 14 with liquid.