DEVICE FOR PACKAGING AND DISTRIBUTING PRODUCT HAVING A CHILD-PROTECTION ARRANGEMENT

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for packaging and dispensing a product, comprising a pump head (1) that can be actuated by applying pressure along a central longitudinal axis (A-A) for a product dispensing operation, and a support device which is associated with this pump head and is fixed to the opening (2) of a bottle containing the product, this support device comprising a lock (6) held on said opening and a locking arrangement (7) comprising at least one locking tab (8) that can be moved by applying pressure to at least one lateral contact area (9) and bears a locking cam (10) of the pump head, said cam (10) being arranged under the pump head (1) and forming a stop for blocking the internal end (1A) of the pump head, in a non-actuated locked position.

According to the invention, the device comprises at least one said lateral contact area (9) borne by a skirt section borne by a radially elastically deformable ring bearing two said locking tabs that are arranged in a diametrically opposite manner, this skirt section being arranged at an equal distance from each of these tabs, and said cam (10) consisting of a radial flange borne by each of said locking tabs parallel to said central longitudinal axis.

Claims

1. A device for packaging and dispensing a product, comprising: a pump head that can be actuated by applying pressure along a central longitudinal axis for a product dispensing operation, and a support device which is associated with this pump head and is fixed to the opening of a bottle containing the product, this support device comprising a lock held on said opening and a locking arrangement comprising at least one locking tab that can be moved by applying pressure to at least one lateral contact area and bears a locking cam of the pump head, said cam being arranged under the pump head and forming a stop for blocking the internal end of the pump head, in a non-actuated locked position, wherein device comprises at least one said lateral contact area borne by a skirt section borne by a radially elastically deformable ring bearing two said locking tabs that are arranged in a diametrically opposite manner, this skirt section being arranged at an equal distance from each of these tabs, and in that said cam consists of a radial flange borne by each of said locking tabs parallel to said central longitudinal axis.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, it wherein said device further comprises a second skirt section that is arranged on the diametrically opposite side from said skirt section and is fixed to the lock by snap fastening.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, it wherein said device further comprises two said lateral contact areas, each borne by a skirt section borne by said radially elastically deformable ring bearing two said locking tabs that are arranged in a diametrically opposite manner, these skirt sections being arranged in a diametrically opposite manner, at an equal distance from each of these tabs.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said locking arrangement is secured to said lock by snap-fastening of a pawl borne by at least one elastically deformable fixing tab that is integral with said ring.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fixing tab is integral with said skirt section.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lock comprises an annular part projecting from the bottle and surrounding the pump head, this annular part comprising at least one cavity for receiving said skirt section bearing said lateral contact area.

Description

[0024] The invention is described in more detail with reference to the figures which show only preferred embodiments of the invention.

[0025] FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view of a device according to the invention.

[0026] FIGS. 2 and 3 are partially cutaway perspective views of the device according to a first alternative embodiment, in the locked position.

[0027] FIG. 4 is a top view of the device according to this first alternative embodiment, in the locked position.

[0028] FIGS. 5 and 6 are partially cutaway perspective views of the device according to this first alternative embodiment, in the unlocked position.

[0029] FIG. 7 is a top view of the device according to this first alternative embodiment, in the unlocked position.

[0030] FIGS. 8 and 9 are perspective views of parts of the device according to this first alternative embodiment.

[0031] FIGS. 10 and 11 are partially cutaway perspective views of the device according to a second alternative embodiment, in the locked position.

[0032] FIG. 12 is a top view of the device according to this second alternative embodiment, in the locked position.

[0033] FIGS. 13 and 14 are partially cutaway perspective views of the device according to this second alternative embodiment, in the unlocked position.

[0034] FIG. 15 is a top view of the device according to this second alternative embodiment, in the unlocked position.

[0035] FIGS. 16 and 17 are perspective views of parts of the device according to this second alternative embodiment.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 1, a device for packaging and dispensing a product comprises a pump head 1 that can be actuated by applying pressure along a central longitudinal axis A-A for a product dispensing operation, and a support device which is associated with this pump head 1 and is fixed to the opening 2 of a bottle containing the product.

[0037] According to the example shown, the device comprises a flexible pouch 3 that is equipped with two rigid flanges 4, 5 and contained in an external rigid bottle 5.

[0038] The support device comprises a lock 6 held on the opening 2 of the bottle and a locking arrangement 7 comprising at least one locking tab 8 that is parallel to said central longitudinal axis A-A and can be moved by applying pressure to at least one contact area 9 and bears a locking cam 10 of the pump head.

[0039] This cam 10, which consists of a radial flange borne by the locking tab 8, is arranged below the pump head 1 and forms a stop for blocking the internal end 1A of the pump head, in a non-actuated locked position, as shown in FIG. 1.

[0040] A first variant of the device is shown in FIGS. 2 to 9.

[0041] As is particularly visible in FIG. 8, which shows a perspective view of the locking arrangement 7, this arrangement comprises a lateral contact area 9 borne by a skirt section 11A borne by a radially elastically deformable ring 14 bearing two locking tabs 8A and 8B that are arranged in a diametrically opposite manner, this skirt section 11A being arranged at an equal distance from each of these tabs 8A and 8B.

[0042] As is particularly visible in FIG. 9, which shows a perspective view of the lock 6 that supports the pump body by way of its central part, the lock comprises an annular part 12 intended to protrude from the bottle and to surround the pump head 1, this annular part comprising a cavity 12A for receiving the skirt section 11A bearing the lateral contact area 9.

[0043] The locking arrangement 7 is secured to the lock 6 by snap-fastening of a pawl 13A borne by an elastically deformable fixing tab 13 integral with the ring 14 and more precisely with the skirt section 11A.

[0044] In order to ensure that the locking tabs 8A and 8B move correctly, as will be seen below, a second skirt section 11B is provided on the locking arrangement 7, on the diametrically opposite side from the first skirt section 11A mentioned above. This second skirt section 11B is snap-fastened to the lock 6 by means of two pawls 11C which are intended to be snap-fastened in two openings 12C arranged in a second cavity 12B for receiving the second skirt section 11B.

[0045] The locking and unlocking functions with these parts will now be described.

[0046] In FIGS. 2 to 4, the device and the constituent parts thereof are in the locked rest position. The ring 14 of the locking arrangement 7 thus has a non-deformed circular cross section and the cams 10A and 10B borne by the locking tabs 8A and 8B are arranged under the pump head 1 and form stops for blocking the internal end 1A of the pump head, in the non-actuated locked position, preventing a child from actuating it by simply pressing on it.

[0047] The ring 14 is elastically deformed by applying lateral pressure to the contact area 9, as illustrated by an arrow in FIG. 7, while being retained by the second skirt section 11B and its section thus takes on an oblong shape which causes the locking tabs 8A and 8B to move, the cams 10A and 10B of which are moved outward and release the internal end 1A of the pump head 1 which can be pressed along the central longitudinal axis and lowered as illustrated by an arrow in FIG. 5. According to this first variant, it will be observed that the unlocking and the dispensing of product can be performed easily with one hand. The product is then dispensed and, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4, all that is necessary is to stop applying pressure on the pump head 1 and on the lateral contact area 9 in order for the pump head 1 to return to the rest position under the action of its return spring and for the cams 10A and 10B borne by the locking tabs 8A and 8B to return, by virtue of the intrinsic elasticity of the ring 14, to form stops for blocking the internal end 1A of the pump head. The latter is thus locked again without active intervention by the user, thereby eliminating any risk of forgetting to relock the pump after using it, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4.

[0048] A second variant of the device is shown in FIGS. 10 to 17.

[0049] As is particularly visible in FIG. 16, which shows a perspective view of the locking arrangement 7′, this arrangement comprises two lateral contact areas 9′ and 9″, each borne by a skirt section 11′A and 11′B borne by a radially elastically deformable ring 14′ also bearing two locking tabs 8′A and 8′B arranged in a diametrically opposite manner, these skirt sections 11′A and 11′B being arranged in a diametrically opposite manner, at an equal distance from each of these tabs 8′A and 8′B.

[0050] As is particularly visible in FIG. 17, which shows a perspective view of the lock 6′ that supports the pump body by way of its central part, the lock comprises an annular part 12′ intended to protrude from the bottle and to surround the pump head 1, this annular part comprising two cavities 12′A and 12′B for receiving each skirt section 11′A and 11′B each bearing a lateral contact area 9′ and 9″.

[0051] The locking arrangement 7′ is secured to the lock 6′ by snap-fastening of two pawls 13′A and 13″A, each borne by a fixing tab 13′ and 13″ integral with the ring 14′ and more precisely with each symmetrical skirt section 11′A and 11′B.

[0052] The locking and unlocking functions with these parts will now be described.

[0053] In FIGS. 10 to 12, the device and the constituent parts thereof are in the locked rest position. The ring 14′ of the locking arrangement 7′ thus has a non-deformed circular cross section and the two cams 10′A and 10′B borne by the locking tabs 8′A and 8′B are arranged under the pump head 1 and form stops for blocking the internal end 1A of the pump head, in the non-actuated locked position, preventing a child from actuating it by simply pressing on it.

[0054] The ring 14′ is elastically deformed by applying lateral pressure to the contact areas 9′ and 9″, as illustrated by the two arrows in FIG. 15, and its cross section thus takes on an oblong shape which causes the locking tabs 8′A and 8′B to move, the cams 10′A and 10′B of which are moved outward and, release the internal end 1A of the pump head 1 which can be pressed along the central longitudinal axis and lowered as illustrated by an arrow in FIGS. 13 and 14. The product is then dispensed and, as illustrated in FIGS. 10 to 12, all that is necessary is to stop applying pressure on the pump head 1 and on the lateral contact areas 9′ and 9″ in order for the pump head 1 to return to the rest position under the action of its return spring and for the cams 10A and 10B borne by the locking tabs 8A and 8B to return, by virtue of the intrinsic elasticity of the ring 14′, to form stops for blocking the internal end 1A of the pump head. The latter is thus locked again without active intervention by the user, thereby eliminating any risk of forgetting to relock the pump after using it.