Cosmetic dispenser

Abstract

A pen-type cosmetic dispenser for discharging a cosmetic medium, including an elongate housing extending in a main direction of extent, a discharge opening at an end face of the housing, a liquid reservoir arranged inside the housing, and a pumping device arranged inside the housing, which pumping device can be actuated by an actuating handle arranged on a lateral surface of the housing. The pumping device has a pump chamber, which is connected to the liquid reservoir on an inlet side and to the discharge opening on an outlet side. The pump chamber is delimited at least in sections by a wall which is flexible in shape, wherein the exterior surface of the wall forms the actuating handle.

Claims

1. A cosmetic dispenser in the form of a pen for discharging a cosmetic medium, said cosmetic dispenser comprising: a housing elongated along a main direction of extent and having an end face including a discharge opening; a liquid reservoir disposed within an interior of said housing and filled with a liquid cosmetic; a pumping device disposed within said interior of said housing, said pumping device including a pump chamber connected to said liquid reservoir on an inlet side of said pump chamber and to said discharge opening on an outlet side of said pump chamber; a flexible wall disposed in circumferentially surrounding relation with said pump chamber, said flexible wall having openings only at said inlet and outlet sides of said pump chamber, said flexible wall having an exterior surface disposed on a lateral surface of said housing and forming an actuating portion of said pumping device; and a valve disposed between said discharge opening and said pump chamber, said valve including two valve lips formed as one-piece with said flexible wall, said valve lips having respective surfaces disposed in opposed relation and in direct contact with one another to define a closed position of said valve, said valve lips being movable away from one another and out of contact with one another to define an open position of said valve which permits communication between said pump chamber and said discharge opening to dispense a predetermined amount of liquid cosmetic through said discharge opening; said housing including first and second rigid housing components disposed, along the main direction of extent, on respective opposite sides of said actuating portion, and a third rigid housing component interconnecting said first and second rigid housing components to one another, said third rigid housing component including a counterforce surface disposed, in a circumferential direction of said housing, substantially opposite said actuating portion to permit application of a force to said actuating portion with one finger and application of a counterforce to said counterforce surface with another finger, said third rigid housing component being disposed in circumferentially surrounding relation with said flexible wall and defining an opening through which said actuating portion is accessible, said flexible wall and said third rigid housing component being formed as an integral two-component injection-molded part.

2. The cosmetic dispenser of claim 1, wherein said pump chamber is filled with liquid and said actuating portion is movable inwardly to pressurize said pump chamber and reduce a volume thereof and cause the predetermined amount of liquid cosmetic to be dispensed from said pump chamber through said discharge opening.

3. The cosmetic dispenser of claim 1, wherein said valve is disposed between said discharge opening and said pump chamber at said outlet side thereof.

4. The cosmetic dispenser of claim 3, wherein said valve is an outlet valve and said cosmetic dispenser further includes an inlet valve disposed between said liquid reservoir and said pump chamber at said inlet side thereof, wherein said pump chamber is filled with liquid cosmetic and said inlet valve is closed and said actuating portion is movable inwardly to open said outlet valve and dispense liquid cosmetic through said discharge opening.

5. The cosmetic dispenser of claim 1, wherein said flexible wall is cylindrical in shape and said opening of said flexible wall at said outlet side of said pump chamber is defined between the respective surfaces of said valve lips in said open position of said valve.

6. The cosmetic dispenser of claim 1, wherein said valve lips are disposed to close off said pump chamber at said outlet side thereof and control the flow of liquid cosmetic between said pump chamber and said discharge opening, said valve lips extending inwardly so as to terminate at the respective said surfaces, said surfaces being disposed in direct abutting contact with one another in said closed position of said valve, and said actuating portion is movable inwardly to pressurize said pump chamber and move said surfaces of said valve lips out of contact with one another and into said open position of said valve to dispense the predetermined amount of liquid cosmetic from said pump chamber through said discharge opening.

7. The cosmetic dispenser of claim 1, wherein said flexible wall has an inner surface facing away from said exterior surface, and an entire circumferential extent of said pump chamber is defined solely by said inner surface of said flexible wall.

8. A cosmetic dispenser comprising: an elongate housing having a hollow interior and defining a longitudinal axis, said housing having a first end including a discharge opening and a second end remote from said first end; a reservoir disposed within said interior of said housing and configured to store a liquid cosmetic therein; a pump including a pump chamber having an inlet in fluid communication with said reservoir and an outlet in fluid communication with said discharge opening; said housing including a substantially tubular and flexible housing wall extending along the axis and defining said pump chamber, said flexible housing wall having an actuator portion including a surface disposed externally along said housing, said actuator portion being movable inwardly in a direction towards the axis to actuate said pump; and a valve formed in one-piece with said flexible housing wall and being disposed to close off said pump chamber at said outlet thereof and control the flow of liquid cosmetic between said pump chamber and said discharge opening, said valve including first and second valve lips formed in one-piece with said flexible housing wall, said first and second valve lips extending inwardly towards the axis and terminating at respective opposed surfaces disposed in direct abutting contact with one another in a closed position of said valve, said actuator portion being movable inwardly to pressurize said pump chamber and move said surfaces of said valve lips out of contact with one another and into an open position of said valve to dispense a predetermined amount of liquid cosmetic from said pump chamber through said discharge opening.

9. The cosmetic dispenser of claim 8, wherein said housing includes a substantially tubular and rigid housing wall disposed in surrounding relation with said flexible housing wall, said rigid housing wall defining an opening in which said actuator portion is disposed.

10. The cosmetic dispenser of claim 9, wherein said flexible housing wall has an inner surface facing away from said surface of said actuator portion, and an entire circumferential extent of said pump chamber is defined solely by said inner surface of said flexible housing wall.

11. The cosmetic dispenser of claim 8, wherein said flexible housing wall has an inner surface facing away from said surface of actuator portion, and an entire circumferential extent of said pump chamber is defined solely by said inner surface of said flexible housing wall.

12. The cosmetic dispenser of claim 8, wherein said cosmetic dispenser has an overall length of at least 120 mm and a maximum diameter of 18 mm to provide said cosmetic dispenser with a pen-shape such that said cosmetic dispenser is guidable by a user's index, thumb and middle fingers to permit discharge of liquid cosmetic from said discharge opening at a precise location and when said pump chamber is filled with liquid cosmetic and said actuator portion is actuated said valve opens and a predetermined amount of liquid cosmetic is dispensed from said pump chamber through said discharge opening.

13. The cosmetic dispenser of claim 9, wherein said rigid housing wall includes a counterforce surface disposed substantially diametrically opposite said actuator portion to permit application of a force to said actuator portion with one finger and application of a counterforce to said counterforce surface with another finger, said cosmetic dispenser having an overall length of at least 120 mm and a maximum diameter of 18 mm to provide said cosmetic dispenser with a pen-shape such that said cosmetic dispenser is guidable by a user's fingers to permit discharge of liquid cosmetic from said discharge opening at a precise location.

14. The cosmetic dispenser of claim 8, wherein said actuator portion is movable inwardly to pressurize said pump chamber and reduce a volume thereof and cause the predetermined amount of liquid cosmetic to be dispensed from said pump chamber through said discharge opening.

15. The cosmetic dispenser of claim 8, wherein said valve is an outlet valve disposed adjacent said discharge opening and said cosmetic dispenser comprises an inlet valve disposed to close off said pump chamber at said inlet thereof and control the flow of liquid cosmetic between said reservoir and said pump chamber, said inlet valve opening when a negative pressure is present within said pump chamber to permit flow of liquid cosmetic from said reservoir to said pump chamber.

16. The cosmetic dispenser of claim 1, wherein said cosmetic dispenser has an overall length of at least 120 mm and a maximum diameter of 18 mm to provide said cosmetic dispenser with a pen-shape such that said cosmetic dispenser is guidable by a user's index, thumb and middle fingers to permit discharge of liquid cosmetic from said discharge opening at a precise location.

17. A cosmetic dispenser in the form of a pen for discharging a cosmetic medium, said cosmetic dispenser comprising: a housing elongated along a main direction of extent and having an end face including a discharge opening; a liquid reservoir disposed within an interior of said housing and filled with a liquid cosmetic; a pumping device disposed within said interior of said housing, said pumping device including a pump chamber connected to said liquid reservoir on an inlet side of said pump chamber and to said discharge opening on an outlet side of said pump chamber; a flexible wall disposed in circumferentially surrounding relation with said pump chamber, said flexible wall having openings only at said inlet and outlet sides of said pump chamber, said flexible wall having an exterior surface disposed on a lateral surface of said housing and forming an actuating portion of said pumping device, said flexible wall having an inner surface facing away from said exterior surface, and an entire circumferential extent of said pump chamber is defined solely by said inner surface of said flexible wall; and a valve disposed between said discharge opening and said pump chamber, said valve including two valve lips formed as one-piece with said flexible wall, said valve lips having respective surfaces disposed in opposed relation and in direct contact with one another to define a closed position of said valve, said valve lips being movable away from one another and out of contact with one another to define an open position of said valve; said housing including first and second rigid housing components disposed, along the main direction of extent, on respective opposite sides of said actuating portion, and a third rigid housing component interconnecting said first and second rigid housing components to one another, said first housing component defining therein said liquid reservoir and said second housing component including a tip part defining said discharge opening therein and an annular securing element disposed in surrounding relation with said tip part, said third housing component coupling with said securing element to interconnect said first and second housing components to one another, said third rigid housing component including a counterforce surface disposed, in a circumferential direction of said housing, substantially opposite said actuating portion to permit application of a force to said actuating portion with one finger and application of a counterforce to said counterforce surface with another finger, said third rigid housing component being disposed in circumferentially surrounding relation with said flexible wall and defining an opening through which said actuating portion is accessible, said flexible wall and said third rigid housing component being formed as an integral two-component injection-molded part and being separate from said tip part; said cosmetic dispenser having an overall length of at least 120 mm and a maximum diameter of 18 mm to provide said cosmetic dispenser with a pen-shape such that said cosmetic dispenser is configured for being guided by a user's index, thumb and middle fingers to permit discharge of liquid cosmetic from said discharge opening at a precise location on a user's skin, and when said pump chamber is filled with liquid cosmetic and said actuating portion is actuated by a user, said valve opens and a predetermined amount of liquid cosmetic is dispensed from said pump chamber, into said tip part and through said discharge opening.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further advantages and aspects of the invention will become apparent from the claims and also from the following description of a preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention.

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a cosmetic dispenser according to the invention in an overall view;

(3) FIGS. 2a and 2b illustrate the pump and discharge unit of the dispenser of FIG. 1 in a sectional view and an exploded view;

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates the intended manipulation of the dispenser of FIGS. 1 and 2; and

(5) FIGS. 4a to 4e illustrate the operation of the dispenser of FIGS. 1 to 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

(6) FIG. 1 shows a cosmetic dispenser according to the invention in an overall view. The cosmetic dispenser 10 has a pen-type, slender design. The length thereof is about 120 mm. The widest diameter thereof is about 12 mm. The major portion of the dispenser is made up by a liquid reservoir housing 20, comprising a hollow tubular housing section or housing component 22 and a follower piston 24 slidably displaceable therein, and surrounding a liquid reservoir 26. The liquid reservoir housing 20 is adjoined by a pumping and discharge unit 30, illustrated separately in FIGS. 2a and 2b. As is apparent in particular from FIG. 2b, the pumping and discharge unit 30 possesses a main body 40, an inlet valve unit 50, and a tip arrangement or housing component including an application tip 60 having a discharge opening 64 fixed on the main body 40 by means of a securing component 62 forming part of the tip arrangement. The main body 40 is composed of two partial components which are integrally connected in a two-component injection molded part. The outer one of said partial components is a housing sleeve or housing component 42 made of rigid synthetic material. The approximately sleeve-type partial component has a detent thickening 42a on the end facing the application tip for coupling to the securing component 62. On the opposite end facing the liquid reservoir 26 the partial component possesses, on the one hand, a detent device 42b for coupling the hollow tubular component 22 of the liquid reservoir 26. On the other hand, said partial component possesses a detent groove 42c facing inwards and serving for accommodation of the inlet valve unit 50.

(7) The inlet valve unit 50 is composed of an insert 52 provided with through passages (not illustrated) arranged with a circumferential detent ring 52a for producing a detent engagement. An elastically deformable umbrella-shaped valve body 54 is latchable into said insert, which body closes the not illustrated through passages, until a deformation of the valve body 54 and thereby opening of the through passages occurs due to a negative pressure within the main component 40.

(8) Inside the housing sleeve 42 a hose-type component or flexible wall 44 is inserted, which component is made of elastically deformable synthetic material and which is formed in one piece with the housing sleeve 42 in the above mentioned manner. The component 44 is open only at the end faces 44a, 44b thereof, wherein the end face 44a is oriented in the direction of the inlet valve 50, and wherein the end face 44b is oriented in the direction of the applicator tip 60. The hose-type body 44 surrounds a pump chamber 46. For the purpose of pumping liquid by means of said pump chamber 46, the internal volume of the pump chamber 46 can be reduced. For that purpose, a recess 42d is provided in the sleeve body 42 through which the elastically deformable hose-type body 44 can be deformed in the manner as indicated in FIG. 2 in dashed lines. The exterior surface 44c of the body 44, which can be reached through the recess 42d, constitutes the actuating handle of the dispenser 10.

(9) On the output side of the pump chamber 46 facing the application tip 60, an outlet valve 48 is provided, which is formed by two valve lips 48a, which valve lips are formed as an integral part of the hose body 44, wherein the valve lips 48a are touching to close the pump chamber 46, until they are separated due to an overpressure in the pump chamber 46, and thereby release the liquid from the pump chamber 46 to the application tip 60 and thus to the discharge opening 64.

(10) FIG. 3 shows manipulation of the dispenser 10 according to the invention. The dispenser is held in the same way as a pen, whereby it is guided by index finger 3, thumb 2 and middle finger 4. Thus, the pen rests in the crook 5 between thumb 2 and index finger 3. This way of holding ensures that the discharge opening 64 can be guided steadily, so that precise discharge on the spot of the cosmetic medium is allowed. As clearly visible in FIG. 3, the position of the actuating handle 44c is selected such that the handle can be operated conveniently using the index finger, while the pen is supported by the thumb 2 and middle finger 4.

(11) The functional operation of the dispenser is illustrated with reference to FIGS. 4a to 4e. FIG. 4a shows a dispenser in a condition as delivered, wherein the pump chamber 46 is still empty. For use of the dispenser, the latter is grasped in the manner as described above so that the index finger 3 rests on the actuating handle 44c. For initial operation of the dispenser 10, liquid has to be supplied to the pump chamber 46 at first. Therefore, the actuating handle 44c is pushed through the opening 42d in the manner as explained in FIG. 4b so that the volume of the pump chamber 46 is reduced. Thereby, the outlet valve 48 is opened so that part of the air flows out of the pump chamber 46. Upon releasing the actuating handle 44c, the hose-type body 44 relaxes and thereby produces a negative pressure within the pump chamber 46. The result is closing of the outlet valve 48 and opening of the inlet valve 50, whereby liquid is drawn from the liquid reservoir 26 into the pump chamber 46. Simultaneously, there is displacement of the follower piston 24. The condition obtained thereby is illustrated in FIG. 4c. Upon multiple repetitions of such an initial actuation, the pump chamber 46 is gradually filled with liquid.

(12) FIG. 4d shows a condition of the dispenser 10, wherein said dispenser has the pump chamber 46 already completely filled with liquid. When based on this condition the actuating handle 44c is pushed in by the index finger, with closed inlet valve 50, the corresponding amount of liquid is discharged through the discharge opening 64. The directness between the volume reduction of the pump chamber 46 and the liquid discharge provides a simple option to allow very precise discharge of liquid through the discharge opening 46, wherein, due to the pen-type handling of the dispenser 10, not only exactly the desired amount can be discharged, but even on the desired spot, in particular the desired area of skin, in a quite simple manner.