Dispenser

Abstract

The invention relates to a dispenser (1) for dispensing liquid to pasty masses, with a dispenser head (2) that can move under exposure to a spring force for dispensing mass (M), a storage chamber (3) and a pump chamber (4) exhibiting an inlet valve (11) and an outlet valve (12), wherein the dispenser head (2) incorporates a dispenser opening (5) and, in order to seal or release the dispenser opening (5), a closure piston (6) that can be moved in the direction of its longitudinal axis (L), exhibits a distal end allocated to the dispenser opening and a proximal end, and is situated in a mass space (9) of the dispenser head, wherein a section (10) that connects the pump chamber (4) to the mass space (9) further empties into the mass space (9) between the distal and proximal end of the closure piston (6), wherein said connecting section exhibits a central axis (A). In order to favorably design such a dispenser as relates to introducing the dispensing process, it is proposed that the outlet valve (12) of the pump chamber (4) be rigidly coupled with the dispenser head (2), and, when actuated in a first movement segment of the dispenser head that already involves a release of the closure opening (5), a movement into the open position take place, for example the outlet valve (12) enter the pump chamber (4), without otherwise making the pump chamber (4) smaller, at least not significantly.

Claims

1. A dispenser for dispensing liquid to pasty masses, with a dispenser head that can move under exposure to a spring force for dispensing mass, a storage chamber and a pump chamber exhibiting an inlet valve and an outlet valve, wherein the dispenser head incorporates a dispenser opening, wherein in order to seal and release the dispenser opening, a closure piston, that can be moved in a direction parallel to its longitudinal axis and that exhibits a distal end allocated to the dispenser opening and a proximal end, is situated in a mass space of the dispenser head, wherein a receiving part has a connecting section that connects the pump chamber to the mass space further empties into the mass space between the distal and proximal end of the closure piston, wherein said connecting section exhibits a central axis that runs at a right or acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the closure piston in a vertical section that is present during conventional usage of the dispenser, wherein the outlet valve of the pump chamber is rigidly coupled with the dispenser head, wherein a first movement of the dispenser head involves a release of the closure piston from the dispenser opening and moves the outlet valve into an open position, wherein the pump piston is connected with the receiving part having the mass space that accommodates the closure piston therein, wherein the connection between the pump piston and the receiving part is established by a pipe section, the pipe section being directly connected to the receiving part and directly connected to the pump piston, and wherein the pump piston is arranged so that it can limitedly move relative to the receiving part.

2. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the connecting section comprises an orifice, wherein the proximal end of the closure piston, as viewed from the distal end beyond the orifice of the connecting section, exhibits a sealing formation that protrudes radially in relation to the longitudinal axis of the closure piston, and wherein its distal end exhibits a sealing section that is introduced into the dispenser opening in the sealed state.

3. The dispenser according to claim 2, wherein the sealing section exhibits a sealing area that is cylindrically shaped relative to the longitudinal axis of the closure piston.

4. The dispenser according to claim 3, wherein the sealing section comprises a conical surface toward the proximal end of the closure piston adjoining the sealing area.

5. The dispenser according to claim 4, wherein the conical surface in the sealed state also tightly abuts against a correspondingly shaped dispenser head surface.

6. The dispenser according to claim 4, wherein the conical surface is followed by a continuation section formed on the closure piston, the outer surface of which borders part of the mass space during conventional dispenser use in the sealed state.

7. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the mass space is formed between the sealing formation and sealing section, which is filled with mass after the dispenser is first actuated, into which the connecting section then likewise filled with massy empties, and wherein the mass space exhibits a greater increase in volume in the first movement of the dispenser head than corresponds to the volume of the mass that simultaneously continues to flow through the connecting section.

8. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the closure piston has a length, and wherein an outer surface of the closure piston is enveloped by a mass space wall of the dispenser head over the length of the closure piston at a varying radial distance so as to form the mass space.

9. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein an outer surface of the closure piston is enveloped by a mass space wall of the dispenser head over the periphery of the closure piston at a varying radial distance so as to form the mass space.

10. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the first movement of the dispenser head moves flow-through openings of the outlet valve into the pump chamber.

11. A dispenser for dispensing liquid to pasty masses, with a dispenser head that can move under exposure to a spring force for dispensing mass, a pump piston, a storage chamber and a pump chamber, wherein the dispenser head incorporates a dispenser opening, and the pump piston is connected with a receiving part that accommodates a sealing part, wherein the connection between the pump piston and the receiving part having a mass space that accommodates the sealing part therein is established by a pipe section, the pipe section being directly connected to the receiving part and directly connected to the pump piston, wherein the pump piston is arranged so that it can limitedly move relative to the receiving part, and wherein the sealing part is a closure piston.

12. The dispenser according to claim 11, wherein the pipe section comprises a flow-through opening and forms a plug received within the receiving part.

13. The dispenser according to claim 11, wherein the pipe section passes through the pump piston.

14. The dispenser according to claim 13, wherein the pipe section passes through a central portion of the pump piston.

15. The dispenser according to claim 11, wherein the pipe section comprises a valve plate.

16. The dispenser according to claim 15, wherein the pipe section is designed as a single piece with the valve plate.

17. The dispenser according to claim 11, wherein the pipe section comprises flow-through openings.

18. The dispenser according to claim 17, wherein the pipe section is designed as a single piece with the flow-through openings.

19. The dispenser according to claim 11, wherein the pipe section forms an engaging projection.

20. The dispenser according to claim 19, wherein the pipe section is designed as a single piece with the engaging projection.

Description

(1) The invention will be explained further below based on the attached drawing, with the latter only serving as an exemplary embodiment of the invention. Shown here on:

(2) FIG. 1 is a cross section through the dispenser in the upper area, in a non-activated state;

(3) FIG. 2 is a depiction according to FIG. 1 after running through a first movement segment of the dispenser head;

(4) FIG. 3 is a magnified view from FIG. 2 in the area of the dispenser opening;

(5) FIG. 4 is a depiction of the dispenser according to FIG. 1 after traversing a second movement segment of the dispenser head while pressing the latter down;

(6) FIG. 5 is a depiction according to FIG. 1 or FIG. 4 after initiating a return movement of the dispenser head and traversing a third movement segment; and

(7) FIG. 6 is a depiction according to FIG. 1 at the end of the return movement, with the inlet valve still open.

(8) Shown and described is a dispenser 1 depicted only in the upper area.

(9) The dispenser is used to dispense liquid to pasty masses. For example, creams.

(10) The dispenser exhibits a dispenser head 2, a supply chamber 3 and a pump chamber 4.

(11) Formed in the dispenser head 2 is a dispenser opening 5, which can be sealed or released for dispensing purposes by a closure piston 6.

(12) The closure piston 6 exhibits a distal end 7 and a proximal end 8.

(13) The dispenser head 2 also incorporates a mass space 9, in which the mass envelops the closure piston 6 and is kept ready for dispensing. The mass space 9 is connected with the pump chamber 4 via a connecting section 10, which can also be referred to as a connecting line.

(14) The pump chamber 4 is bordered by an inlet valve 11 that separates the pump chamber 4 from the supply chamber 3 on the one hand, and by an outlet valve 12 on the other. The outlet valve 12 is rigidly coupled with the dispenser head 2, so that given a relative movement by the dispenser head 2 toward a fixed part of the dispenser, for example, the guiding part 13, it can be moved into an open position or sealed position.

(15) When actuated, the dispenser head 2 initially runs through a first movement segment, which results in a movement by amount a, see FIGS. 1 and 2. This first movement segment is characterized by the fact that, while the outlet valve 12 of the pump chamber 4 is moved into an open position, in which it dips into the pump chamber 4, as evident from a comparison between FIGS. 1 and 2, the pump chamber 4 is otherwise not yet made smaller. The dispenser head 2 likewise runs through an idle stroke, in which only the outlet valve and closure piston are acted upon.

(16) In the exemplary embodiment, the pump chamber 4 is bordered by a preferably fixed floor part 14 on the one hand, and by a pump piston 15 that can be moved by the dispenser head 2 on the other. The pump piston 15 is guided along a fixed pump chamber wall in a known manner by means of vertically spaced apart sealing lips.

(17) In a second movement segment arising from a comparison between FIGS. 2 and 4, the dispenser head 2 is moved by amount b subsequent to the amount a, see FIG. 4, and the pump piston 15 is moved further vertically downwardrelative to a conventional setup of the dispenser in a dispensing processwith the outlet valve 12 still open, so that the pump chamber 4 is made smaller, and mass M is dispensed from the dispenser opening 5, e.g., see FIG. 4. The user can also feel a transition from the first to the second movement segment. Compressing the pump chamber is associated with a tangibly higher resistance.

(18) Another detail comprising the dispenser head 2 involves a cap 34, the upper side of which has molded into it an actuating trough 16, for example to be touched by a finger of an actuating hand.

(19) A receiving part 17 is immovably situated inside the dispenser head so that it can correspondingly move with the latter, and incorporates the closure piston 6 with the formation of the mass space 9. The preferably one-piece receiving part 17 also incorporates the connecting section 10.

(20) The receiving part 17 exhibits guiding sections for the closure piston 6, of which one guiding section 18 is visible in the illustration.

(21) The pump chamber side of the receiving part 17 further incorporates the outlet valve 12 of the pump chamber 4 or is connected thereto, preferably retained with a plug.

(22) In a third movement segment, see FIGS. 4 and 5, the dispenser head 2 again travels upward until the outlet valve closes. The dimension for the movement here obviously corresponds to dimension a.

(23) In a further detail, the outlet valve 12 exhibits a tubular plug-in section 19, which is also referred to as a pipe section further on, wherein the plug-in function is not key, but can be provided, which is bordered on the pump chamber side by a closure plate 20 that produces the valve effect. It is further preferred that the closure plate 20 be provided with engaging projections 21 on the pump chamber side. The engaging projections 21 make it possible to drag the pump chamber 15 from the position on FIG. 5 into the position on FIG. 6 in a fourth movement segment, which has just been traversed in the illustration on FIG. 6.

(24) It is further preferred that the outlet valve 12 exhibit one or more flow-through openings 22 on the top side of the closure plate 20, through which mass M can be conveyed from the pump chamber 4 into the connecting section 10, from there into the mass chamber 9, and finally to the dispenser for dispensing purposes, all with the outlet valve 12 in the open state and the pump chamber 4 being made smaller.

(25) The flow-through openings 22 are preferably also formed in the plug-in section 19, which is further preferably tubular. When actuating the dispenser head 2 according to the first movement segment, see also FIG. 2, they move into the protruding position, so that, starting in this position of the outlet valve 12, mass M can flow out of the pump chamber 4 into the connecting section 10 in the manner described while continuing to press down on the dispenser head 2.

(26) The receiving part 17 is guided into the already addressed guiding part 13, which is fixed on the housing in the assembled state. To this end, the guiding part 13 exhibits a guide opening 23 that is preferably central, and further preferably cylindrical, into which the receiving part 17 with a plug-in section tailored thereto is inserted to varying depths, depending on the actuating state and movement segment traversed.

(27) The receiving part 17 is further supported against a floor area 24 of the guiding part 13 by means of a return spring 25. As the mentioned movement segments of the dispenser head 2 are being traversed, the return spring 25 is compressed, and ensures that the dispenser head 2 is returned to the initial position according to FIG. 1.

(28) In preferably its area introduced into the guiding part 13, the receiving part 17 forms a larger-diameter counter-bearing area 26 for the return spring 25 on the one hand, and on the other hand further preferably forms a smaller-diameter, but further preferably overall cylindrical insertion section 27, which is accommodated in a guiding section 28 of the guiding part 13, and can vertically move therein.

(29) The guiding section 28 further incorporates a guiding projection 29 of the pump piston 15, which can also vertically move therein. The guiding projection 29 is also guided along the plug-in section 19.

(30) After the first movement segment has been traversed, as depicted on FIG. 2, an end face of the insertion section 27 comes to abut against a corresponding surface of the guiding projection 29 of the pump piston 15, and thereby presses the pump piston 15 vertically downward while traversing the second movement segment, thereby correspondingly diminishing the volume of the pump chamber 4. Dimension a thus preferably corresponds to a distance, with the dispenser in a non-activated state, between the insertion section 27 (lower end face) and allocated surface of the pump piston, here especially of the guiding projection 29.

(31) The end face of the insertion section 27 and/or the corresponding surface of the guiding projection 29 of the pump piston 15 preferably has a V-shaped cross section, which expands radially outward relative to a central axis A of the connecting section 10.

(32) In the exemplary embodiment, the inlet valve 11 of the pump chamber 4 takes the form of a check valve. Provided specifically is a plug part 30, which is inserted into a plug-in opening 31 of the floor area of the floor part 14. One or more flow-through openings 32 are provided around the latter, which are covered by a membrane part 33 enclosed between the floor area of the floor part 14 and the plug part 30.

(33) During a rearward movement of the pump piston 15 in the initial position, i.e., from approximately the position on FIG. 5 into the position on FIG. 6, the mass M is siphoned out of the supply chamber 3 through the inlet valve 11, during which the membrane 33 is lifted from the flow-through openings 32. FIG. 6 illustrates the state of the dispenser at the end of this rearward movement. The inlet valve 11 is still depicted in the opening state only for the sake of clarity.

(34) The guiding projection 29 of the pump piston 15 is obviously guided radially outward on the inner surface of a guide wall of the guiding part 13 on the one hand, and on the other hand on the inside along an outer surface of the plug-in section 19. It may also be enough for guiding to take place on one of these parts.

(35) Visible with regard to FIG. 3 in a further detail is the geometric shape of the closure piston 6 in its distal end area.

(36) The foremost part, the sealing section 37, preferably exhibits a cylindrical sealing area 42. This is followed by a conical surface 38, with which the sealing stopper expands conically, proceeding from the sealing area 42. The conical surface 38 is followed by a continuation section 40. The continuation section 40 is provided so as to run over its periphery at a varying radial distance from the mass space wall 41 in both the open and sealed state. As evident, a very small distance is present in the upper area (as relates to a conventional use position), while a larger distance is present in the lower area.

(37) The conical surface 38 abuts against an allocated dispenser head surface 39 in the sealed state.

(38) As may further be gleaned from FIG. 4, for example, the connecting section 10 empties into the mass space 9 at the orifice 35. The proximal end of the closure piston 6 exhibits a radially protruding sealing formation 36, which tightly interacts with the surrounding mass space wall 41.

(39) A central axis A of the connecting section 10 includes an acute angle ? with a longitudinal axis L of the closure piston (see FIG. 1). For example, angle ? can measure 10? to 85?, wherein all mean values are also included in the disclosure, in particular in whole degrees.

(40) The above statements serve to explain all of the inventions encompassed by the application, which independently further develop prior art via the following feature combinations, specifically:

(41) A dispenser, characterized in that the outlet valve 12 of the pump chamber 4 is rigidly coupled with the dispenser head 2, and that, during an actuation in a first movement segment of the dispenser head 2, in which the sealing opening 5 is already released, a movement into the open position takes place, for example, the outlet valve 12 travels into the pump chamber 4, without otherwise making the pump chamber smaller 4, at least not significantly.

(42) A dispenser, characterized in that the proximal end of the closure piston 6 as viewed from the distal end beyond the orifice 35 of the connecting section 10 exhibits a sealing formation 36 that protrudes radially in relation to the longitudinal axis L of the closure piston 6, while its distal end exhibits a sealing section 37 that is inserted into the dispenser opening 5 in the sealed state.

(43) A dispenser, characterized in that the mass space 9 formed between the sealing formation 36 and sealing section 37, which in any event is filled with the mass M following an initial actuation of the dispenser 1, into which the connecting section 10 then likewise filled with the mass M empties, exhibits a larger increase in volume in the first movement segment of the dispenser head 2 than corresponds to the volume of the mass M simultaneously flowing through the connecting section 10.

(44) A dispenser, characterized in that the sealing section 47 exhibits a sealing area 42 that is cylindrical in shape relative to the longitudinal axis L of the closure piston 6.

(45) A dispenser, characterized in that the sealing section 37 exhibits an expansion section toward the proximal end of the closure piston 6 adjoining the sealing area 42, resulting in the formation of a conical surface 38.

(46) A dispenser, characterized in that the conical surface 38 likewise tightly abuts against a correspondingly shaped dispenser head surface 39.

(47) A dispenser, characterized in that a continuation section is formed after the expansion section on the closure piston 6, and its outer surface borders a portion of the mass space 9 during conventional dispenser use in the sealed state.

(48) A dispenser, characterized in that, in order to create the mass space 9, an outer surface of the closure piston 6 is enveloped by a mass space wall 41 of the dispenser head over the length of the closure piston 6 at a varying radial distance.

(49) A dispenser, characterized in that, in order to create the mass space 9, an outer surface of the closure piston 6 is enveloped by a mass space wall 41 of the dispenser head over the periphery of the closure piston 6 at a varying radial distance.

(50) A dispenser, characterized in that the pump piston 15 is arranged so that it can limitedly move relative to the receiving part 17.

(51) A dispenser, characterized in that the connection is established by means of a pipe section.

(52) A dispenser, characterized in that the pipe section exhibiting a flow-through opening is plug-connected with the receiving part 17.

(53) A dispenser, characterized in that the pipe section passes through the pump piston.

(54) A dispenser, characterized in that the pipe section centrally passes through the pump piston.

(55) A dispenser, characterized in that the pipe section forms a valve plate.

(56) A dispenser, characterized in that the pipe section forms flow-through openings.

(57) A dispenser, characterized in that the pipe section forms an engaging projection 21.

(58) A dispenser, characterized in that the pipe section is designed as a single piece with the valve plate.

(59) A dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pipe section is designed as a single piece with the flow-through openings.

(60) A dispenser, characterized in that the pipe section is designed as a single piece with an engaging projection 21.

(61) A dispenser, characterized in that the sealing part is designed as a closure piston 6.

(62) TABLE-US-00001 Reference List 1 Dispenser 2 Dispenser head 3 Supply chamber 4 Pump chamber 5 Dispenser opening 6 Closure piston 7 Distal end 8 Proximal end 9 Mass space 10 Connecting section 11 Inlet valve 12 Outlet valve 13 Guiding part 14 Floor part 15 Pump piston 16 Actuating trough 17 Receiving part 18 Guiding section 19 Plug-in section 20 Sealing plate 21 Engaging projection 22 Flow-through opening 23 Guide opening 24 Floor area 25 Return spring 26 Counter-bearing area 27 Insertion section 28 Guiding section 29 Guiding projection 30 Stopper part 31 Plug-in opening 32 Flow-through opening 33 Membrane part 34 Cap 35 Orifice 36 Sealing formation 37 Sealing section 38 Conical surface 39 Dispenser head surface 40 Continuation section 41 Mass space wall 42 Sealing section a Amount b Amount ? Angle A Central axis L Longitudinal axis M Mass