Two-piece nozzle for aerosol dispensers

Abstract

A two-piece nozzle for an aerosol dispenser has an outer piece with a tubular wall open on one side and closed on the other by a front wall (122), forming a cavity, with an outlet opening (123) in a center of the front wall; an inner piece dimensioned to penetrate into the cavity of the outer piece and be retained there, piece; channels (112, 125) in the cavity of the outer piece and/or on the surface of the inner piece, wherein said channels open into a turbulence chamber (127) in communication with the outlet opening (123) placed downstream in the flow path of the product flow; and a protrusion (113, 114) in the center of the front face of the inner piece, whose free portion opposite the front face, called torpedo (114) penetrates into the outlet opening (123) to reduce its cross section and form an annular outlet orifice.

Claims

1. Two-piece nozzle for aerosol dispenser, comprising an outer piece provided with a tubular wall open on one side and closed on the other by a front wall, forming a cavity, the front wall being provided in a center thereof with an outlet opening, the outer piece having a certain symmetry about an axis of symmetry, an inner piece separate from the dispenser for which the nozzle is intended, the inner piece being dimensioned to penetrate into the cavity of the outer piece and be retained there, the inner piece having a front face facing the front wall of the outer piece, channels provided in the cavity of the outer piece and/or on a surface of the inner piece, wherein the channels open into a turbulence chamber in communication with the outlet opening, the outlet opening being placed in the flow path of the product flow downstream of the turbulence chamber, wherein each of the cavity of the outer piece and the inner piece has a shape of a cylinder of revolution or of at least a portion of a cone of revolution about the axis of symmetry, and wherein the channels are divided into (i) separate lateral channels made in an envelope of the cylindrical or frustoconical shape of at least one selected from the group consisting of the inner piece and the cavity of the outer piece, and (ii) converging channels made in the front wall of the outer piece or in the front face of the inner piece, wherein the respective lateral channels are entirely separate from one another between respective inlets and respective outlets thereof, and a transverse cross-section of each of the respective lateral channels decreases in a direction from a respective inlet to a respective outlet thereof located at the front face of the inner piece or the front wall of the outer piece.

2. Nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the lateral channels are substantially parallel to an axial plane defined by the axis of symmetry.

3. Nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the lateral channels diverge from the axial plane defined by the axis of symmetry.

4. Nozzle according to claim 3, wherein the lateral channels have a helical shape.

5. Nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the converging channels extend from the cylindrical or frustoconical envelope of the inner piece or of the cavity of the outer piece toward the turbulence chamber.

6. Nozzle according to claim 5, wherein the converging channels emerge tangentially into the turbulence chamber.

7. Nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the inner piece is dimensioned to be retained by a tight fit in the cavity of the outer piece so as to be immobilized there.

8. Nozzle according to claim 1, wherein at least one selected from the group consisting of the inner piece and/or the outer piece are provided with first orientation means for orienting the inner piece relative to the outer piece to align the channels with one another, the nozzle is provided with second orientation means for orienting the nozzle relative to the dispenser for which it is intended.

9. Nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the inner piece has a rear face provided with divergent channels.

10. Nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle is mounted in a housing of an aerosol dispenser.

11. Aerosol dispenser comprising a nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle is mounted in a housing of the aerosol dispenser, wherein the housing has a bottom face provided with divergent channels.

12. Nozzle according to claim 1, wherein each of the respective lateral channels comprises a bottom wall and two lateral walls, the bottom wall and the lateral walls being inclined so that the transverse cross-section of the respective lateral channel decreases in the direction from the respective inlet to the respective outlet thereof located at the front face of the inner piece or the front wall of the outer piece.

13. Nozzle according to claim 1, wherein each of the respective lateral channels comprises a bottom wall and two lateral walls, one of the lateral walls being rounded and located in the extension of the bottom wall.

14. Nozzle according to claim 13, wherein the other of the lateral walls is straight and substantially radial.

15. Nozzle according to claim 1, wherein each of the lateral channels comprises a bottom wall and two lateral walls, the lateral walls being inclined relative to a radial direction, the two lateral walls being inclined in a same non-radial direction relative to the radial direction.

16. Nozzle according to claim 1, wherein a protrusion is placed in a center of the front face of the inner piece, the protrusion being dimensioned so that a free portion of the protrusion opposite the front face, which portion is called torpedo, penetrates into the outlet opening to reduce the cross section of the outlet opening and form an annular outlet orifice.

17. Nozzle according to claim 16, wherein the torpedo is dimensioned to pass through the outlet opening over an entire height thereof so that a front face of the torpedo is flush with an outer face of the front wall of the outer piece in an assembled state of the nozzle.

18. Nozzle according to claim 16, wherein a transverse cross-section of the annular outlet orifice is less than 0.0315 mm.sup.2.

19. Nozzle according to claim 16, wherein a portion of the outlet opening located near an outer face of the front wall has a frustoconical shape, and wherein an end of the torpedo located opposite the front face has a cylindrical shape so that a transverse cross-section of an annular space between the outlet opening and the torpedo decreases in a direction from an inner side of the outlet opening toward the outer face of the front wall.

Description

(1) The invention is described in more detail below with the aid of two embodiments presented in the following figures, which show:

(2) FIG. 1 an exploded view of a first nozzle according to the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 a perspective view of the inner piece of the 1st nozzle;

(4) FIG. 3 a bottom view of the inner piece of FIG. 2;

(5) FIG. 4 a side view of the inner piece of FIG. 2;

(6) FIG. 5 a perspective view from below of the outer piece of the 1st nozzle;

(7) FIG. 6 a bottom view of the outer piece of FIG. 5;

(8) FIG. 7 a perspective view from below of the 1st nozzle;

(9) FIG. 8 a perspective view from above of the 1st nozzle;

(10) FIG. 9 a horizontal cross-section of the 1st nozzle along the plane AA of FIG. 11;

(11) FIG. 10 a horizontal cross-section of the 1st nozzle along the plane BB of FIG. 11;

(12) FIG. 11 a vertical cross-section of the 1st nozzle along the axial plane CC of FIG. 10;

(13) FIG. 12 a horizontal cross-section in perspective of the 1st nozzle along the plane BB of FIG. 11;

(14) FIG. 13 an exploded view of a second nozzle according to the invention;

(15) FIG. 14 a perspective view of the inner piece of the 2nd nozzle;

(16) FIG. 15 a perspective view from below of the outer piece of the 2nd nozzle;

(17) FIG. 16 a vertical cross-section of the outer piece of the 2nd nozzle;

(18) FIG. 17 a bottom view of the outer piece of the 2nd nozzle;

(19) FIG. 18 a horizontal cross-section in perspective of the outer piece along the plane AA of FIG. 23;

(20) FIG. 19 a perspective view from below of the 2nd nozzle;

(21) FIG. 20 a perspective view from above of the 2nd nozzle;

(22) FIG. 21 a horizontal cross-section of the 2nd nozzle along the plane AA of FIG. 23;

(23) FIG. 22 a horizontal cross-section of the 2nd nozzle along the plane BB of FIG. 23;

(24) FIG. 23 a vertical cross-section of the 2nd nozzle along the plane CC of FIG. 22;

(25) FIG. 24 a cross-section in perspective of the 2nd nozzle along the plane DD of FIG. 23;

(26) FIG. 25 a perspective view of a variant of the inner piece for the first nozzle;

(27) FIG. 26 a perspective view of an inner piece for a variant of the second nozzle;

(28) FIG. 27 a perspective view of an outer piece for the variant of the second nozzle;

(29) FIG. 28 a cross-section view of the variant of the second nozzle;

(30) FIG. 29 a cross-section of a dispenser provided with the 1st nozzle.

(31) FIG. 30 a schematic view in perspective from below of FIG. 7 except in a variant where the inner piece has a rear face provided with divergent channels;

(32) FIG. 31 a schematic partial view in perspective of the nozzle housing in the aerosol dispenser of FIG. 29 except in a variant where the housing has a bottom face provided with divergent channels.

(33) The invention concerns a nozzle (1, 2) for an aerosol dispenser (3) intended to be placed on a valve of a pressurized container. The nozzle can also be used with an aerosol dispenser cooperating with a container which is not pressurized. The nozzle is constituted by an inner piece (11, 21) and an outer piece (12, 22). Two examples of nozzles, each having a variant, are shown in the figures. The constituent elements of variants are indicated by a sign .

(34) The nozzle and its components have a certain rotational symmetry about a main axis (A) passing through the nozzle parallel to the general direction of diffusion of the product. It will be seen that this rotational symmetry is not absolute, and some parts of the nozzle deviate from it. The adjectives axial or radial refer to this main axis and define an element parallel to the axis or perpendicular to this axis, respectively. To simplify the description, the spatial references such as upper and lower, above or below refer to the nozzle and its components as shown on in FIG. 11 or FIG. 23, for example. It is not an absolute position, but only a reference position for the description, and the nozzle integrated in a dispenser can be used in any position suitable for the product to be delivered.

(35) The outer piece (12, 22) has the general shape of a tumbler formed by a tubular (121, 221) open on one side and closed on the other by a front wall (122, 222). The cavity defined by the tubular wall and the front wall has a general shape of a cylinder of revolution or of a cone of revolution. An outlet opening (123, 223) is made in the center of the front wall to bring the cavity in contact with the outer face of the front wall.

(36) The inner piece (11, 21) has the general shape of a cylinder of revolution or of a cone of revolution substantially complementary to that of the cavity of the outer piece. It has a front face (111, 211) which, in the assembled state of the nozzle, faces the front wall (122, 222) of the outer piece, generally while being in partial contact with it.

(37) Channels are made in the inner piece and/or in the outer piece to bring the product to be dispensed coming from the valve to the outlet opening (123, 223) of the nozzle. These channels are divided into two portions: lateral channels (112, 224) leading from the inlet of the nozzle to the front wall and converging channels (125, 225) leading from the end of the lateral channels (112, 224) to a turbulence chamber (127, 227) from which the outlet opening (123, 223) starts. The lateral channels can be made on the cylindrical or frustoconical wall of the inner piece (11), as in the first nozzle, or on the inner face of the tubular wall (221) of the outer piece, as in the second nozzle. In the examples presented here, the converging channels (125, 225) are made in the bottom of the tumbler, on the inner face of the front wall (122, 222) of the outer piece. However, it would be possible to make them on the front face (111, 211) of the inner piece (11, 21).

(38) The converging channels are used to form the spray. These channels start from the peripheral edge of the front wall (122, 222) of the cavity of the outer piece or of the front face (111, 211) of the inner piece, and open tangentially, or at least non-radially, into a circular cavity, so that when the two pieces are assembled, a turbulence chamber (127, 227, 227) is formed, which facilitates formation of the spray. This process is known as mechanical break-up. A cylindrical stud (113, 213) can be located in the center of the circular space forming the turbulence chamber (127, 227) to promote turbulence of the flow.

(39) To form a good spray, it is important that the outlet opening through which the spray formed in the turbulence chamber exits be as small as possible. This opening is generally frustoconical. However, current injection techniques do not make it possible to obtain reliably outlet orifices having diameters of less than 0.2 mm. To overcome this difficulty, the invention envisions to form an outlet opening having a diameter that can be relatively large, and to place, on the front face (111) of the inner piece, a protrusion (113, 114) whose free end opposite the front face, which end is called torpedo (114), is intended to penetrate, at least partially, into the outlet opening, and whose dimensions are slightly smaller than those of the outlet opening (123). A thin annular outlet opening is thus formed, which is clearly visible in FIG. 8. A function of the torpedo is therefore to reduce the transverse cross-section of the outlet opening. In the example of FIG. 2 and FIG. 25, the torpedo (114) is placed above the cylindrical stud (113) located in the center of the turbulence chamber (127). In practice, the opening is in the form of a channel that starts from the turbulence chamber (127) and opens on the outer face of the front wall (122) of the cavity of the outer piece. The outlet opening (123) can be divided into a cylindrical lower portion (123a) and a frustoconical upper portion (123b), and the torpedo can be divided into a frustoconical lower portion (114a) and a cylindrical upper portion (114b). In the assembled state, the torpedo (114) penetrates into the outlet opening (123). It is dimensioned so that its front portion (114c), that is to say, the free end of the upper cylindrical portion (114b) located opposite the stud (113) of the turbulence chamber, is flush with the outer face of the front wall (122) of the outer piece. The combination of the frustoconical shape of the upper end of the opening (123) and the cylindrical shape of the end of the torpedo contributes to accelerate the flow of the spray by reducing more and more the transverse cross-section of the annular space as it approaches the outer face of the front wall (112). In the assembled state of the nozzle, and as seen from the axis of symmetry (A) in the direction of flow of the liquid and the spray, the outlet opening (123) begins downstream of the converging channels, and the converging channels end upstream of the torpedo. The torpedo can therefore penetrate into the narrowest part of the outlet opening.

(40) It is possible to place such a torpedo (214) on the inner piece of a variant (2) of the 2nd nozzle (see FIG. 26 to FIG. 28). As in the case of the first nozzle, the torpedo (214) is preceded in the central turbulence chamber (227) by a turbulence stud (213). In the case of the second nozzle, the outlet opening (223, 223) is always located downstream of the central turbulence chamber (227, 227) and, when placing oneself on the axis of symmetry (A), behind the turbulence chamber in the direction of the product flow, but it does not necessarily start closer to the outer face of the front wall (222) than certain portions of the converging channels. In other words, the lower portion of the outlet opening can be surrounded by at least a portion of the converging channels, although these converging channels do not open into this outlet opening. This is clearly visible, for example, on the cross-section of FIG. 23.

(41) As an example, the diameter of the opening at the narrowest point can be 0.45 mm and that of the torpedo at this narrowest diameter can be 0.40 mm, thus forming a slit of 0.025 mm between the two pieces. One can also place a torpedo in an orifice that in itself would have been enough for a spray of acceptable quality. The presence of the torpedo then improves this quality. For example, a 0.1 mm diameter torpedo can be placed in a 0.2 mm hole (measured at the narrowest point of the outlet opening).

(42) The lateral channels (112, 224) can be vertical, as in the exemplary embodiments presented in FIG. 1 and FIG. 13. In other words, the channels extend parallel to an axial plane defined by the axis of symmetry (A). They define the shortest path between the nozzle inlet and the converging channels. It is also possible to make them according to a geometry that deviates from the vertical. For example, they can have an helical shape as in FIG. 25, or even a zigzag shape. In this case, the lateral channels (112) do not extend parallel to an axial plane defined by the axis of symmetry (A), but diverge from this axial plane. This allows the channels to be lengthened while keeping the same height for the nozzle. In general, the shorter the channel, the greater the flow. By shifting the lateral channels away from the vertical, their length is increased, which makes it possible to adapt the flow rate to specific needs while retaining the same size for the nozzle. Moreover, it is possible to tilt the flow of product, at least at the junction with the converging channels, which allows the flow to penetrate into these converging channels in an optimal manner.

(43) In the example of the 1st nozzle, the lateral channels are placed on the inner piece (11). The transverse cross-section of these lateral channels decreases slightly between the inlet located at the bottom face and the outlet located at the front face (111). In addition, the side walls of the lateral channels (112) are not radial, but slightly inclined in the same direction relative to the radial direction. This is clearly visible in FIG. 3 showing the inner piece seen from below.

(44) Regarding the lateral channels (224) of the 2nd nozzle, they are placed on the inner face of the tubular wall (221) of the outer piece. They also have a transverse cross-section that decreases due to a slight inclination of the side walls and of the bottom wall of the channels. One of the side walls of the lateral channels is rounded and is located in the extension of the side wall of the converging channels. This rounded shape of the side wall helps guide the flow into the corresponding converging channel. The second side wall of the lateral channels is straight and substantially radial.

(45) The converging channels can be placed in the front wall of the cavity of the outer piece or on the front face of the inner piece.

(46) In the example of the 2nd nozzle, there are two sets of converging channels. The converging channels of the first set start from the lateral channels and open radially into a first annular cavity, from which the channels of the second set start, and these channels of the second set open radially into a second circular or annular cavity that forms the turbulence chamber (227, 227), and from which the outlet opening (223) starts.

(47) When the lateral channels and the converging channels are not made in the same piece, preferably, the inner piece (11) is oriented properly relative to the outer piece (12) and retains this orientation during the entire use of the dispenser carrying the nozzle, so as to ensure proper operation of the nozzle and to make it possible to limit the transverse cross-section of the lateral channels (112) at their junction with converging channels. For this purpose, it is possible to provide first orientation means, such as foolproof devices or orientation marks. Another solution is to orient the inner piece correctly before introducing it into the outer piece. Further, to maintain the proper orientation of the inner piece in the outer piece during the entire life of the dispenser, the inner piece (11) can be slightly oversized relative to the cavity of the outer piece (12), so that it is introduced by force and kept in the correct position by a tight fit. Thanks to this good orientation of the two parts, it is possible to limit the transverse cross-section of the lateral channels (112), since it is certain that they will open exactly into the inlet of the converging channels (125). It is self-evident that in the second nozzle also, the inner piece (21) can be blocked in the cavity of the outer piece (22), either by orientation means or by tight fitting or force fitting, although the question of the alignment of the lateral channels and the converging channels does not arise.

(48) When the lateral channels and the converging channels are placed on the same piece, on the outer piece (22) in the case of the second nozzle, the question of orientation does not arise. It is then possible to provide that the inner piece (21) is held in the cavity of the outer piece (22) while being mobile in rotation about the main axis (A). In this case, it is possible to provide retaining means, for example a latching system, which prevents the inner piece from coming out of the cavity without preventing it from rotating. This solution can promote vibration of the nozzle and create a resonance phenomenon in the flow, which further improves the quality of the spray.

(49) In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the nozzle is used in a dispenser for two-way valve. In this case, the conduit of the dispenser is designed to maintain the separation of the paths between the outlet of the stem of the valve and the nozzle. The first path of the valve is brought in contact with a portion of the lateral channels and the second path with the rest of the lateral channels. In this case, mixing of the products takes place in the turbulence chamber. The nozzle must therefore be oriented correctly in the dispenser. This can be done, either by keeping the initial orientation of the nozzle, for example, by keeping it in its molding cavity until the moment of its installation in the dispenser, or by providing orientation means such as foolproof devices. Another solution consists in distributing the inlets of the lateral channels and/or their angular extent so that, whatever the position of the nozzle, the same lateral channel cannot be in contact simultaneously with the first path and with the second path.

(50) In addition, it is possible to provide, on the rear face (115, 215) of the inner piece (11, 21), which face is opposite the front face (111, 211), one or more divergent channels, which are identical to or different from the converging channels. Exemplary divergent channels 128 on the rear face of a variant of the inner piece are illustrated schematically on FIG. 30.

(51) The outer piece (12, 22) is preferably made of polyacetal such as POM. It can also be made of polyamide or semi-crystalline polyester such as PBT. The inner piece (11, 21) is preferably made of polyacetal such as POM. It can also be made of polyamide or semi-crystalline polyester such as PBT. These materials have the advantage that they are fluid and allow molding of precision parts with good geometric and dimensional stability. In addition, they are rigid, which makes it possible to provide proper anchoring of the nozzle in the dispenser via the anchoring means (126, 226), which grip onto the softer PP-type material of the dispenser. In addition, in the event that sterilization by ionizing radiation is required for the dispenser equipped with its nozzle, the PBT will behave better than POM or certain PAs.

(52) The nozzle of the invention is placed in a housing provided directly at the outlet of the conduit. Anchoring means (126, 226) ensure secure attachment of the nozzle at the outlet of the conduit of the dispenser. The nozzle retained in this manner cannot be ejected, even when the pressure prevailing inside the conduit is high and the valve is open. If necessary, the bottom of the housing can have divergent channels that open into the lateral channels of the nozzle. Exemplary divergent channels 129 on the bottom of a variant of the housing are illustrated schematically on FIG. 31.

(53) The examples presented here are not limiting. In particular, the following variants can be envisioned, depending on needs: The cavity of the outer piece (12, 22) and the inner piece (11, 21) can have the shape of a cylinder or of a cone, not of revolution, but with a polygonal base. In particular, a polygonal base having the same number of sides as there are lateral channels can be provided. The front wall (12, 22) of the outer piece and the front face (111, 211) of the inner piece are substantially radial in the examples presented here. They could be given another shape, for example, conical or domed, for example, hemispherical. The number of lateral channels and converging channels is generally two or four. Other configurations can however be envisaged.

(54) It is self-evident that the following characteristics can be used independently of one another and that it would be possible to provide nozzles having one or more of these characteristics: outlet opening associated with a torpedo; lateral channels that are non-vertical, i.e., that diverge from the axial plane, for example, helical channels; inner piece free in rotation in the outer piece.

(55) By choosing a two-piece structure, it is possible to give any kind of shape to the channels, in particular to the lateral channels, and to adjust their lengths, for a same given size of the inner piece.

(56) It is self-evident that the torpedo can also be used in an opening whose dimensions would have been sufficient to produce a quality spray. In this case, the presence of the torpedo contributes to further reduce the section of the opening, so as to further increase the quality of the spray.

(57) TABLE-US-00001 List of references 1 1st nozzle 2 2nd nozzle 11 Inner piece 21 Inner piece 111 Front face 211 Front face 112 Lateral channels 113 Turbulence stud 213 Turbulence stud 114 Torpedo 214 Torpedo 114a Frustoconical lower portion 114b Cylindrical upper portion 114c Free end 115 Rear face 215 Rear face 12 Outer piece 22 Outer piece 121 Tubular wall 221 Tubular wall 122 Front wall 222 Front wall 123 Outlet opening 223 Outlet opening 224 Lateral channels 125 Converging channels 22 Converging channels 126 Anchoring means 226 Anchoring means 127 Turbulence chamber 227 Turbulence chamber 128 Divergent channels 129 Divergent channels 3 Aerosol dispenser provided with a nozzle according to the invention