DISCHARGE HEAD AND DISPENSER WITH SUCH A DISCHARGE HEAD

Abstract

A discharge head for mixing two media and discharging the mixed liquid, having a dosing chamber, a first inlet, a second inlet, and an outlet through which the mixed liquid is discharged from the dosing chamber. A displacer is movable in an actuation direction between first and second end positions to force the mixed liquid through the outlet. A volume-compensating mechanism has a wall portion which is deflectable between a minimal position in which the volume of the dosing chamber is not enlarged and a maximal position in which the volume of the dosing chamber is enlarged to a maximum extent. Deflection of the wall portion in the direction of the maximal position enables an auxiliary volume to be made available in the dosing chamber through which, with the dosing chamber already filled with the first media, the second media can still be introduced into the dosing chamber.

Claims

1. Discharge head for mixing two starting media and for discharging the mixed liquid that is thereby generated, with the following features: a. the discharge head has a dosing chamber which is delimited by dosing-chamber walls on a base of the discharge head and on a displacer, and b. the discharge head has a first inlet, through which a first of the two starting media can flow into the dosing chamber, and c. the discharge head has a second inlet, through which a second of the two starting media can flow into the dosing chamber, . the discharge head has an outlet through which the mixed liquid can be discharged from the dosing chamber, e. the displacer is manually movable relative to the base in an actuation direction between a first end position and a second end position, such that, during the movement of the displacer from the first end position to the second end position, the volume of the dosing chamber is reduced and the mixed liquid is forced out through the outlet, f. the dosing chamber has a volume-compensating mechanism, g. the volume-compensating mechanism has a deflectable dosing-chamber wall portion which delimits the dosing chamber and which is deflectable, with respect to the first end position of the displacer relative to the base, between a minimal position, in which it does not enlarge the volume of the dosing chamber, and a maximal position, in which it enlarges the volume of the dosing chamber to a maximum extent, and, h. by virtue of the deflection of the deflectable dosing-chamber wall portion in the direction of the maximal position, an auxiliary volume is made available in the dosing chamber through which, with the dosing chamber already filled with the first starting medium, the second starting medium can still be introduced into the dosing chamber.

2. Discharge head according to claim 1, with the following additional feature: a. the deflectable dosing-chamber wall portion is formed by a dimensionally flexible wall, or b. the deflectable dosing-chamber wall portion is formed by an inherently rigid, displaceable wall portion, in particular by a wall portion in a compensation piston which is arranged displaceably in a compensation cylinder of the dosing chamber.

3. Discharge head according to claim 1, with the following additional features: a. in order to introduce the first starting medium into the dosing chamber, the dosing chamber is connected to a first reservoir for the first starting medium, b. a valve that opens in a pressure-dependent manner is provided between the first reservoir and the dosing chamber.

4. Discharge head according to claim 1, with the following additional feature: a. in order to introduce the second starting medium into the dosing chamber, a feed mechanism is provided that can be actuated by means of an auxiliary actuation handle.

5. Discharge head according to claim 4, with the following additional features: a. the feed mechanism has a feed pump having an inlet with inlet valve and having an outlet with outlet valve, and b. the inlet of the feed pump is connected to a second reservoir for the second starting medium, and c. the outlet of the feed pump is connected to the second inlet of the dosing chamber.

6. Discharge head according to claim 4, with the following additional features: a. the feed mechanism has a piston which is displaceable in one direction in a feed cylinder, and which is displaceable in steps by means of the auxiliary actuation handle, and b. a sawtooth coupling is provided between the auxiliary actuation handle and the piston, which sawtooth coupling enforces a movement of the piston upon actuation of the auxiliary actuation handle and permits an increase in the distance of the piston from the auxiliary actuation handle when the actuation handle is reset.

7. Discharge head according to claim 4, with the following additional features: a. the feed mechanism is designed to introduce a defined amount V of the second starting medium upon a single actuation of the auxiliary actuation handle, b. the outlet of the dosing chamber is assigned an outlet valve that opens in a pressure-dependent manner, and c. the feed mechanism for introducing the second starting medium, the volume-compensating mechanism and the outlet valve of the dosing chamber are coordinated in such a way that the volume-compensating mechanism can accept at least the amount V of the second starting medium without the outlet valve thereby being opened, preferably at least the amount 3V, particularly preferably the amount 6V.

8. Discharge head according to claim 1, with the following additional features: a. the deflectable dosing-chamber wall portion of the volume-compensating mechanism is provided on the displacer, and b. the displacer is rigidly connected to a discharge actuation handle.

9. Discharge head according to claim 8, with the following additional feature: a. the deflectable dosing-chamber wall portion is provided on the discharge actuation handle in such a way that it is forced in the direction of its maximal position or in the direction of its minimal position by actuation of the discharge actuation handle.

10. Discharge head according to claim 1, with the following additional features: a. the deflectable dosing-chamber wall portion is arranged in the dosing chamber in such a way that it is forced in the direction of its maximal position or in the direction of its minimal position in the course of the actuation of the discharge actuation handle, b. the deflectable dosing-chamber wall portion formed by a dimensionally flexible wall is configured in such a way that, when subjected to force, it can be deflected transversely with respect to the direction of actuation, and c. a portion in the dosing chamber is provided which cooperates with the deflectable dosing-chamber wall portion and by which the deflectable dosing chamber wall is deflected upon movement of the displacer.

11. Discharge head according to claim 1, with at least one of the following additional features: a. the deflectable dosing-chamber wall portion is provided on the discharge actuation handle in the area of a finger support surface, or b. the deflectable dosing-chamber wall portion is provided as a dimensionally flexible wall on the displacer or on the base, wherein the respective structural part is produced by two-component injection moulding, or c. the feed mechanism has a restoring spring mechanism which is assigned to the auxiliary actuation handle and which is preferably an integral part of the auxiliary actuation handle.

12. Dispenser for mixing two starting media and for discharging the mixed liquid that is thereby generated, with the following features: a. the dispenser has a first reservoir and a second reservoir for receiving the two starting media, and b. the dispenser has a discharge head according to claim 1.

13. Dispenser according to claim 12, with the following feature: a. the first reservoir is filled with a skin cream.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show a first embodiment of the invention.

[0041] FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show a first embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[0042] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the invention. FIG. 1 shows the dispenser 100 as a whole, with a discharge head 110 mounted on a reservoir 12 for a first starting medium. The discharge head 110 has a discharge actuation handle 64 and an auxiliary actuation handle 82.

[0043] The dispenser 100 of FIG. 1 is intended for use in a procedure in which a dosing chamber 40 shown in FIG. 2, and described further below, is first of all filled with the first starting medium from the reservoir 12 from a preceding discharge operation.

[0044] Proceeding from this starting situation, the auxiliary actuation handle 82 can be used to meter in a desired amount of a second starting medium. When this metering is completed, the mixture composed of both starting media can be discharged through an outlet with outlet valve 47 by depressing the discharge actuation handle 64.

[0045] FIG. 2 shows the structure of the discharge head 110 in detail. The latter has a base 20, which is mounted rigidly on the housing body that encloses the reservoir 12. A one-piece configuration is also possible. A displacer 30 is movable relative to the base 20, said displacer 30 being forced by means of a restoring spring 31 permanently into the first end position of FIG. 2. The base 20 and the displacer 30 together enclose the aforementioned dosing chamber 40. This dosing chamber is supplied through two inlets 42, 44.

[0046] The first inlet 42 connects the dosing chamber 40 to the reservoir 12, it preferably being possible here (in a manner not shown) for a dip tube to be additionally provided which protrudes into the reservoir 12. This first inlet 42 is closed by means of a valve plate 13 when there is an overpressure in the dosing chamber 40.

[0047] The second inlet 44 leads to a separate feed mechanism 80. This separate feed mechanism has a piston 90, which is arranged inside a cylinder 91, wherein this cylinder 91, in the state when delivered, contains the second starting medium. The cylinder 91 is connected to the inlet 44 of the dosing chamber 40 via a valve 93, which opens when there is an overpressure in the cylinder 91. An auxiliary actuation handle 82 is provided for moving the piston 90. The auxiliary actuation handle 82 and the piston 90 are not designed in one piece but in two pieces and are connected to each other by a sawtooth coupling 92, the function of which is explained in detail below.

[0048] When, after a preceding discharge operation, the displacer 30, driven by the spring 31, returns from its second, lower end position to the first end position of FIG. 2, with the inlet valve 13 open, it sucks the first starting medium out of the reservoir 12 into the dosing chamber 40, such that the dosing chamber is completely filled with the first starting medium when the first, upper end position is reached. The inlet valve 13 already opens at a lower underpressure than the outlet valve 93, such that no inward flow of second starting medium has taken place up to this point.

[0049] A volume-compensating mechanism 60, provided on the top of the displacer 30 in the area of the actuation handle 64, has a membrane 62 which is movable between a minimal position 63 and a maximal position 63. By means of the underpressure during the described return stroke, this membrane 62 adopts its minimal position 63 when the first starting medium is sucked in.

[0050] If the auxiliary actuation handle 82 is now pressed down when the dosing chamber 40 is filled with the first starting medium, the piston 90 is thereby also pressed down and a volume V from the cylinder 91 is fed through the outlet valve 93 likewise to the dosing chamber 40. To ensure that at this time there is no unwanted discharge of liquid through the outlet channel 46 and the outlet valve 47, the volume-compensating mechanism allows this additional volume V to be received in the dosing chamber 40 by movement of the membrane 62 in the direction of its maximal position 63. A mixture composed of the two starting media is now present in the dosing chamber 40.

[0051] During the return stroke of the auxiliary actuation handle 82, the piston 90 remains at its previously attained position, since its bears with force-fit engagement on the inner walls of the cylinder 91 and, in addition, the now closed outlet valve 93 causes the formation of an underpressure when the piston 90 is subjected to force in an upward direction. The piston 90 is therefore no longer moved upward, and instead the sawtooth coupling 92 between the auxiliary actuation handle 82 and the piston 90 jumps one tooth onwards. Thus, after the return stroke of the auxiliary actuation handle 82, a further volume V can be fed from the cylinder 91 to the dosing chamber 40 by pressing the auxiliary actuation handle 82 down again. The membrane 62 and its mobility are preferably such that at least the volume V, but preferably a volume of 3V or more, can be fed to the dosing chamber 40 without the outlet valve 47 opening.

[0052] When the desired amount of the second starting medium has been fed from the cylinder 91 into the dosing chamber 40, it is possible, by pressing down the actuation handle 64 and displacer 30, to discharge the volume from the dosing chamber 40 through the outlet 46. Since the corresponding manual force is applied in the area of the membrane 62, the latter is automatically pressed in the direction of its minimal position 63. The volume remaining in the dosing chamber 40, when the displacer 30 has been pressed to its lower, second end position, is therefore substantially constant. When the discharge actuation handle 64 is released, the cycle begins anew.

[0053] The embodiment in FIGS. 3 and 4 is an alternative embodiment, which differs from the embodiment in FIGS. 1 and 2 particularly in two respects.

[0054] The first difference concerns the auxiliary feed mechanism 80. The latter is designed as a reciprocating pump in the embodiment in FIGS. 3 and 4. Therefore, a separate reservoir 14 is provided which, in the manner shown in FIG. 3, is arranged next to the reservoir 12 for the first starting medium. This reservoir 14 is connected to a pump chamber of the auxiliary feed mechanism 80 via an inlet channel 86 and a valve 87 that opens in a pressure-dependent manner. An outlet channel 88 and an outlet valve 89, likewise opening in a pressure-dependent manner, are again provided on the output side. By way of the auxiliary actuation handle 82, this pump can be actuated such that the second starting medium is fed from the reservoir 14 into the pump chamber 40.

[0055] The second main difference is that the volume-compensating mechanism 60 provides a much greater compensation volume. For this purpose, a pin 61 protruding into the pump chamber 40 is provided on the displaces 30 and supports a peripheral membrane 62 surrounding the pin 61. The maximal position and minimal position indicated by the lines 63, 63 illustrate how a comparatively large amount of liquid can be introduced by means of the auxiliary feed mechanism 80 into the pump chamber 40 already filled with the first starting medium, without the medium already being discharged through the outlet 46 and the outlet valve 47. If the actuation handle is pressed down after the dosing chamber 40 is filled with the first starting medium and one or more charges of the second starting medium, the tapering 48 of the dosing chamber 40 has the effect that the membrane 62 is moved to its maximal position 63. Independently of the amount of the second starting medium that is fed into the pump chamber 40, there is therefore a defined dead volume of the pump chamber 40 when the actuation handle 64 and the displacer 30 are pressed down relative to the base 20.