CN1802220B - Pump nozzle device and method for manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a pump-action nozzle device and a method of manufacturing such a nozzle device. The nozzle arrangement of the present invention comprises a body defining an internal chamber having an inlet through which fluid can flow into the chamber and an outlet through which fluid present in the chamber can be expelled from the nozzle. The inlet comprises an inlet valve and the outlet comprises an outlet valve. Fluid may be dispensed from the dispenser nozzle by applying pressure to an actuating member which engages a portion of the device body defining the chamber and causes it to resiliently deform or move, thereby compressing the chamber and causing fluid to be dispensed. In a preferred embodiment, the actuator provides a rigid actuation surface against which an operator can apply pressure.

Description

Pump-action nozzle device and method of manufacturing the same

technical field

The present invention relates to a nozzle arrangement and more particularly but not exclusively to a pump action nozzle and a method of manufacturing such a nozzle arrangement.

Background technique

Pump-action nozzle devices are generally used to provide a device by which fluid can be dispensed from a non-pressurized container.

Traditional pump action nozzle assemblies tend to be extremely complex in design and often include multiple components (typically 8 to 10 individual components in pump nozzle assemblies and 10 and 14 individual components in trigger actuated nozzle assemblies) . As a result, these devices are expensive to manufacture because of the amount of material required to form the individual components, and the assembly process involved. Furthermore, many conventional devices tend to be bulky (which again increases raw material costs), and often a portion of this volume is disposed inside the container to which the device is attached. This is another disadvantage, since the nozzle takes up part of the internal volume of the container, which is a particular problem in small containers where the space available inside the container is itself limited.

Examples of dispenser nozzle arrangements of simpler construction are disclosed in EP0442858A2, US3820689 and EP0649684. The nozzle structure disclosed in these references comprises at least two separate components, namely a base and an upper part. The upper portion is fitted to the upper surface of the base to define an interior chamber having an inlet equipped with an inlet valve and an outlet equipped with an outlet valve. The upper portion is formed from elastically deformable material, while the base portion is formed from rigid plastic. The upper portion forms a generally dome-shaped protrusion on the upper surface of the device that can be pressurized and deformed by the operator to compress the internal chamber and facilitate dispensing of any fluid present therein.

One problem with the devices described above is that the operator needs to press inwardly with their thumb or fingers on the elastically deformable dome-shaped portion in order to dispense fluid from the internal chamber. This requires a certain amount of cooperation on the part of the operator's body, and a reasonable amount of pressure, which makes these devices often less suitable for a particular individual. Furthermore, such devices are difficult to actuate using parts of the body other than the fingers, such as the palm, wrist or elbow.

Accordingly, there is a need for a pump-action nozzle arrangement that:

(i) Structurally simpler;

(ii) use smaller components; and

(iii) Ease of actuation.

Contents of the invention

The present invention provides a solution to the problems associated with conventional nozzle arrangements. In a first aspect, the present invention provides a pump-action nozzle arrangement configured to enable fluid to be dispensed from a container, said nozzle having a defined internal A body of a chamber, the inner chamber having an inlet through which fluid is drawn into the chamber and an outlet through which fluid present in the chamber is expelled from the nozzle, the inlet comprising an inlet valve adapted to only allow fluid to flow into the chamber through the inlet when the pressure in the chamber drops below the internal pressure of the container to which the nozzle means is attached by at least a predetermined minimum threshold amount, the outlet comprising a an outlet valve configured to only allow fluid to flow out of the chamber and be expelled from the nozzle when the pressure in the chamber exceeds the external pressure at the outlet by at least a predetermined threshold amount, and wherein the body defining the chamber at least partially structured as:

(i) is elastically deformable from an initial resiliently biased configuration to an expanded or deformed configuration in response to the application of pressure, whereby when said portion of the body deforms from said initial configuration to said expanded or deformed configuration, the The volume of the chamber defined by the portion is reduced, the reduction in volume causing an increase in pressure in the chamber and causing fluid to be expelled through the outlet valve; and

(ii) subsequently, when the applied pressure is removed, return to its original elastically biased configuration, thus causing the volume of the chamber to increase and the pressure therein to decrease so that fluid is drawn into the chamber through the inlet valve;

The nozzle assembly further comprises an actuator extending over at least a portion of said portion of the body and configured to engage said portion of the body when a pressure is applied to the actuator. part, and cause it to deform out of its resiliently biased structure.

The nozzle assembly of the present invention solves the above-mentioned problems associated with many conventional pump action nozzle assemblies by providing a design that is very simple and typically includes no more than six components that can be assembled together to form Assembled nozzle assembly. In preferred embodiments, the device comprises no more than three components, or, more preferably, two separate components, or, even more preferably, the device is formed from one integrally formed component. We define "separate elements" to mean that these elements are not connected together in any way, ie they are not integrally formed with each other (but each individual element may comprise one or more integral parts or parts). The key to reducing the number of components is to have the necessary functional elements integrally formed in the device body. For example, the chamber, inlet, inlet valve, outlet and outlet valve may all be defined by the body, thereby reducing the need to include separate components, which would add to component and assembly costs.

The nozzle device of the invention is also suitable for solving the problems associated with pump-action nozzle devices of simple construction in which elastically deformable parts of the main body are practically extremely difficult to press directly.

The actuator may be an arm which the operator pushes to cause said part of the body to deform. However, it is preferred that the actuating member is a cap extending over the elastically deformable portion of the body to form a surface (called the actuating surface) which can be depressed by the operator in order to cause a defined The elastically deformable portion of the body of the chamber deforms and thereby facilitates the dispensing of fluid from the chamber of the device. Preferably, the surface formed by the cap is a continuous surface.

The actuator may be configured to flex or otherwise deform when a pressure is applied to its outer surface so as to deform the elastically deformable portion of the body defining the chamber out of its elastically biased configuration. Preferably, however, the actuator is rigid or substantially rigid and does not deform or flex.

In some preferred embodiments of the invention, the actuator is slidably mounted to the body of the nozzle device, i.e. it is configured to slide relative to the body of the nozzle device when pressure is applied, thereby enabling the elastically deformable portion of the body to In response to pressure applied to the actuator mechanism, selectively engages and deforms out of its resiliently biased structure. In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the handle is pivotally mounted to the body of the device.

Preferably, the actuator is integrally formed with the body. Most preferably, the actuator is connected to the body by a foldable link and is configured to pivot about the link to enable deformation of said portion of the body.

In some embodiments of the invention, the outlet of the nozzle arrangement may be adapted to generate a spray of fluid expelled from the chamber of the nozzle arrangement. The outlet of the nozzle means may be adapted to perform this function by any suitable means known in the art. For example, the outlet hole of the outlet may be a fine hole configured so that fluid flowing through it under pressure is broken up into a plurality of droplets. However, in these embodiments, the outlet comprises an outlet hole and an outlet channel connecting the chamber to the outlet hole. An outlet valve is preferably arranged in the outlet channel. It is particularly preferred that the outlet channel comprises one or more internal spray modifying features adapted to reduce the size of droplets dispensed through the outlet aperture of the nozzle arrangement during use. Examples of internal spray mofifying features that may be present in the outlet channel include one or more expansion chambers, one or more vortex chambers, one or more internal spray holes (suitable for creating a spray of fluid flowing through the outlet channel), and one or more venturi chambers. It is known that the inclusion of one or more of the aforementioned features can affect the size of spray droplets dispensed from a nozzle arrangement during use. In particular, it is known that these features, alone or in combination, facilitate the atomization of the resulting droplets. These spray altering features and the influence they confer on the properties of the spray produced are known in the prior art and described, for example, in Patent International Publication WO 01/89958, the entire content of which is hereby cited Reference. Disposing an outlet valve downstream of the outlet channel and the outlet hole can ensure that the fluid enters the outlet channel under the action of sufficient force on the liquid to be broken into many droplets and form a spray.

In some embodiments of the invention, the outlet channel and the outlet hole may be in the form of a single unit or insert which may be connected to the chamber outlet to form the outlet of the nozzle arrangement. The unit or insert may also be hinged to the body of the device so that it can be freely swiveled into a desired position for use, and can be swiveled out of its original position when not needed.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the liquid present in the chamber may be dispensed as a stream of liquid that is not broken up into droplets. Examples of such liquids that are dispensed in this form include soaps, shampoos, creams and the like.

Alternatively, the dispensed fluid may be a gas or gas mixture, such as air.

The body of the nozzle assembly

A chamber defined by the body may be defined between two or more interconnected components of the body. It is particularly preferred that the chamber of the nozzle arrangement is defined between two interconnecting parts which may be separately formed components which fit together to define the chamber or, more preferably, this The two parts are integrally formed with each other as one member. In the latter case, it is preferred that the two parts are connected together by a hinge or foldable connection, which enables the two parts to be molded together in the same mould, and then come into contact with each other to define the cavity.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention where the outlet comprises an outlet valve, an outlet orifice and an outlet channel connecting the outlet valve to the outlet orifice, it is also preferred that at least two interconnected parts defining the chamber also define at least part of the outlet channel. Even more preferably, the two interconnecting parts also form an outlet valve between them and also together with the outlet hole define the entire outlet channel.

The outlet channel is preferably defined between an abutment surface of one said part and an opposite abutment surface of the other said part. The one or more abutment surfaces preferably include one or more grooves and/or grooves formed therein which define the outlet passage when the abutment surfaces are in contact together. More preferably, each of said abutment surfaces includes grooves and/or grooves formed thereon which align to define the outlet passage when the abutment surfaces are brought into contact. The slots and/or grooves preferably extend from the chamber to opposite edges of the abutment surfaces, the outlet aperture being defined at the end of the outlet channel when the abutment surfaces are in contact. In preferred embodiments where one or more spray modifying features are present in the outlet channel, these features may be formed by aligning grooves or other structures formed on adjoining surfaces, as described in Patent International Publication WO 01/89958 Displayed as described.

The two parts of the body can be permanently fixed together by, for example, ultrasonic welding or thermal welding. If the base and upper part are molded or welded together, then preferably they are made of the same material. However, as explained above, it is preferred that the body is formed from a single material.

Alternatively, without any welding, the two parts may be configured to fit snugly/resistantly to each other to form the nozzle (for example by providing a snap fit connection). For example, an edge of one component may be configured to fit into a retaining groove of another component to form a nozzle arrangement.

Alternatively, a compatible plastic can be molded at the junction of the two parts to hold them together. This can be achieved by molding the two parts simultaneously in one mold, joining them together in the mold to form the dispenser nozzle assembly, and then molding suitable plastic around them to combine the two The parts stay together.

In some embodiments, the two components remain releasably attached to each other so that they can be separated during use to enable cleaning of the chamber and/or outlet.

Most preferably, the two parts of the body of the nozzle arrangement defining the chamber are a base and an upper part. The base is preferably adapted to fit to the container opening by suitable means such as a threaded cap or a snap fit connection. Furthermore, in addition to forming part of the body defining the chamber, in preferred embodiments the base also preferably defines part of the inlet and outlet channels leading from the chamber to the outlet aperture.

The upper part is adapted to fit to the base so as to define a chamber therebetween and, in a preferred embodiment, an outlet valve, an outlet channel and/or an outlet aperture. In some embodiments of the invention, the base and upper portion also define an outlet aperture. It is also preferred that the upper part forms an elastically deformable part of the body delimiting the chamber.

As previously stated, the actuator may be a separate component which is fitted to the body of the nozzle arrangement, but preferably it is integrally formed with a component of the body.

Material

The body of the nozzle structure may be made of any suitable material.

In preferred embodiments where the body comprises two interconnected parts that fit together to define the chamber, the two parts may be made of the same or different materials. For example, one part may be made of a flexible/elastically deformable material, such as elastically deformable plastic or rubber material, while the other said part may be made of rigid material, such as rigid plastic. For some applications, these embodiments are preferred because the flexible/elastically deformable material forms the elastically deformable portion of the body defining the chamber and can be easily depressed by the operator to cause the fluid present in the chamber to form a spray was discharged. The flexible/elastically deformable material also provides a soft touch to the operator. Preferably, the base is formed from rigid plastic and the upper portion is formed from elastically deformable material. These embodiments can be made by molding the two parts separately and joining them together to form the assembled nozzle structure, or by molding two parts in the same mold using a dual injection molding process. part. In the latter case, the two parts can be molded at the same time and then assembled together in the mold, or alternatively, one part can be molded from the first material and then made from the second material The second part is molded directly onto the first part.

Alternatively, both parts are made of rigid or flexible material. The rigid and flexible materials may be any suitable material capable of forming a nozzle arrangement. For example, it may be formed from a metallic material such as aluminum foil or a flexible material such as rubber. Preferably, however, the body of the device is formed entirely of rigid or flexible plastic.

The actuator may be formed from any suitable material. Preferably, it is formed from rigid plastic, and more preferably, it is integrally formed with the base of the device.

The entire pump action nozzle arrangement (ie body and actuator) is preferably formed from a single rigid or flexible plastic.

The term "rigid plastic" is used herein to refer to a plastic that is highly rigid and strong once molded into a predetermined form, but which can also be made more flexible or locally elastically deformable by reducing the thickness of the plastic. In this way, a thin section of plastic may be provided to form at least a portion of the body defining said cavity and configured to be elastically deformable.

The term "flexible material" is used herein to denote a plastic material which is inherently flexible/elastically deformable to facilitate elastic displacement of at least a portion of the body to facilitate extrusion of the chamber. The degree of flexibility of the plastic can depend on the thickness of the plastic in any given area or zone. Such "flexible plastics" are used, for example, in the manufacture of shampoo bottles or shower gel containers. In the fabrication of the nozzle assembly of the present invention, the main body part is formed from thick section plastic to provide the required rigidity to the structure, while the other part may be formed from thinner section plastic to provide the necessary deformation characteristics. Where required, thicker section frames are available, often referred to as support ribs, if additional stiffness is required in certain areas.

Forming the entire nozzle arrangement from a single plastic means that the nozzle arrangement can be molded in a single mold and in a single molding operation, as will be described further below.

Forming the nozzle assembly from a single material avoids the need, particularly in preferred embodiments where the two parts are integrally formed and interconnected by a foldable connector or hinged joint so that the upper portion can be rotated into contact with the base to form the assembled nozzle assembly. Assemble multiple individual components. Furthermore, forming the nozzle assembly from a single material may provide the possibility of welding the two parts together, or if the plastic is rigid, a snap fit connection may be formed between the upper part and the base part. The latter option also enables the upper and base to be disconnected periodically for cleaning.

For most applications, the nozzle assembly needs to be made of a rigid material to provide the necessary strength and allow the two parts to be snap-fitted or welded to each other. In these cases, the deforming portion of the body tends to deform only when a certain minimum threshold pressure is applied, and this makes the pump action more like the on/off action associated with conventional pump action nozzle arrangements. In some applications, however, flexible materials may be preferred.

The part that makes up the elastically deformable body may be a rigid plastic of relatively thin cross-section that elastically deforms to compress the chamber when pressure is applied and then returns to its original elastically biased configuration when the applied pressure is removed . Alternatively, the associated body portion may comprise a substantially rigid portion surrounded by a deformable portion, so that pressure applied to the rigid portion may cause the surrounding elastically deformable portion to deform and thereby cause the rigid portion to be moved, thereby compressing Chamber. For example, the surrounding elastically deformable portion may resemble a bellows, in other words, the rigid portion is surrounded by a deformable side wall comprising a plurality of folded segments of rigid plastic, configured so that when pressure is applied to the rigid portion, the lateral The folded sections of the walls are elastically squeezed together to reduce the volume of the chamber. Once the applied pressure is removed, the sidewall returns to its original configuration.

However, in most cases it is preferred that the abutment surfaces defining the outlet passage are formed from rigid plastic. While flexible/elastically deformable materials can be used for this purpose, they are not preferred because any spray-altering features present will generally need to be precisely formed from rigid materials. Thus, in some embodiments of the invention, one of the two parts defining the outlet and chamber may be formed from two materials, a rigid material forming the abutment surface defining the outlet passage and outlet aperture, and a Elastically deformable material defining the cavity.

outlet valve

In order to optimize the function, it is necessary that the outlet of the chamber is provided with a non-return valve, or that the outlet of the chamber is adapted to function as a non-return valve.

Any suitable pressure sensitive one-way valve arrangement capable of forming a hermetic seal may be provided in the outlet.

However, it is preferred that the valve is formed by a component of the nozzle arrangement body. Most preferably, the valve is formed between adjoining surfaces defining the outlet passage.

In some preferred embodiments of the invention, the outlet valve may comprise a valve member received in a valve seat to close the outlet of the nozzle arrangement. The valve member may be configured such that when the device is actuated, actuation of the device may cause the valve member to move physically or mechanically away from the valve seat. For example, the resiliently deformable portion may be configured in such a way that the valve member moves away from the valve seat when the portion deforms out of its resiliently biased configuration. At all other times, the valve is closed to prevent backflow of air through the outlet into the chamber.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the one-way valve is configured to allow fluid present in the chamber to be dispensed through the outlet only when a predetermined minimum threshold pressure is achieved in the chamber (because the elastically deformable wall moves away from its initial elastically biases the structure to cause a reduction in the volume of the internal chamber), and closes the outlet at all other times to form a hermetic seal. When the pressure in the chamber is below a predetermined minimum threshold pressure, valve closure prevents air from being sucked back into the chamber through the outlet when the pressure applied to the elastically deformable portion of the body is released, and because the elastically deformable wall reassumes its initial Resiliently biased structure, so chamber volume increases.

In some embodiments of the invention, the outlet valve is formed by an abutment surface that is resiliently biased against an opposing abutment surface so as to close off a portion of the length of the outlet channel. At this point, the valve is only opened when the pressure in the chamber is sufficient to cause the elastically biased abutment surface to deform away from the opposing abutment surface thereby forming an open channel through which fluid can flow out of the chamber, thereby allowing fluid to flow from the chamber. chamber is dispensed. Once the pressure drops below a predetermined minimum threshold, the resiliently biased surface returns to its resiliently biased configuration and closes the channel.

In some embodiments of the invention it is particularly preferred that the elastically biased abutment surface is integrally formed with the elastically deformable portion of the body defining the chamber.

In embodiments made entirely of rigid plastic, the resistance provided by the resiliently biased surface of the thin section rigid plastic may not be sufficiently resilient to achieve the minimum pressure threshold required for optimal function of the device. In these cases, a thick rib of plastic can be formed extending across the channel to give the outlet channel/valve the necessary strength and resistance. Alternatively, rigid stiffening ribs may be provided on part of the outlet channel/valve.

In an alternative preferred embodiment, the outlet/pre-compression valve is formed by an elastically deformable member formed on one of said abutment surfaces, said deformable member extending across the outlet passage, thereby closing and sealing the passage. The part is mounted to the device along one edge thereof and leaves its other edge (preferably the opposite edge) free, the free end being configured to move when the pressure in the chamber exceeds a predetermined minimum threshold . The free end abuts a surface of the outlet groove forming a seal therewith when the pressure is below a predetermined minimum threshold. However, when the pressure exceeds a predetermined minimum threshold, the free end of the member moves away from the groove adjoining surface, thereby forming an opening through which fluid present in the chamber can flow to the outlet. Preferably, the resiliently deformable member is located in a cavity formed along the length of the outlet channel/channel. Most preferably, the abutment surface forming a seal with the free end of the part at pressures below a minimum threshold is tapered/inclined at the point of contact with the free end of the part. This provides a point seal contact and provides a much more effective seal. Of course it will be appreciated that the sloped or tapered portion of the abutment surface must be designed such that the free end of the elastically deformable member contacts the sloped portion when the pressure in the chamber is below a predetermined minimum threshold, but when the predetermined minimum threshold is exceeded , expands away from it.

Alternatively, the valve may be a post or plug formed on an abutment surface of one of the base or upper portion, which post or plug may contact the opposing abutment surface to close and seal the passage. The post or plug is mounted to the base or upper deformable region so that when the pressure in the chamber exceeds a predetermined minimum threshold, the post or plug can deform to define an opening through which fluid can exit through the outlet.

The predetermined minimum pressure that must be achieved in the chamber to open the outlet valve will depend on the relevant application. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize how to modify the properties of an elastically deformable surface (eg by providing stiffening ridges) by eg choosing an appropriate elastically deformable material or changing the way the surface is manufactured.

inlet valve

In order to ensure that when the chamber is squeezed by displacing the elastically deformable portion of the body from its initial elastically biased configuration into the chamber, fluid is only expelled through the outlet, it is necessary to provide a One-way inlet valve in inlet.

Any suitable inlet valve can be used.

The inlet valve may be adapted to open and allow fluid to flow into the chamber only when the pressure in the chamber falls below a predetermined minimum threshold pressure (this is when the elastically deformable portion applied to the chamber acts to squeeze the chamber The pressure is released and the volume of the chamber increases because the elastically deformed portion reassumes its original elastically biased configuration). In these cases, the inlet valve may be a flap valve comprising elastically deformable flaps disposed over the inlet opening. The flap is preferably resiliently biased against the inlet opening and adapted to deform to allow fluid to be introduced into the chamber through the inlet when the pressure in the chamber falls below a predetermined minimum threshold pressure. However, at all other times, the inlet is closed, thereby preventing fluid from flowing from the chamber back into the inlet. It is particularly preferred that the elastically deformable flap is formed as an integral extension of the elastically deformable portion of the body defining the chamber. Furthermore it is particularly preferred that the base defines the inlet and the elastically deformable part of the body is formed by the upper part. It is therefore preferred that the upper part comprises elastically deformable flaps extending in said chamber to cover the inlet opening to the chamber and forming an inlet valve.

Alternatively, the flap may not be elastically biased against the inlet opening, but be arranged above the inlet opening and be configured so that it only presses against the inlet when the chamber is squeezed and the pressure therein increases. .

However, some problems also arise with this simple solution of a flapper valve elastically biased against the inlet opening. In particular, after a certain time the elastic limit of the material forming the flap may be exceeded, which may cause the flap not to function correctly. This problem arises particularly in embodiments of the invention where the flap is formed from a thin section of rigid material, although it also applies to a lesser extent with flexible materials, and because when the chamber is squeezed and when the flap deforms to open the valve , the petal will be deformed, so the above problems will also occur. As a result, fluid may leak back from the chamber into the container through the inlet.

Therefore, preferably, the flap valve includes many modifications. In particular, it is preferred that the inlet has a raised lip extending around the inlet, the resiliently deformable flap abutting the lip to create a tight seal around the inlet. The provision of a lip ensures a good seal with the flap. In embodiments where the lip is very small, it may be necessary to provide one or more additional support ribs on either side of the inlet to ensure a proper seal is formed and to prevent damage to the lip.

Another preferred feature is that the flap has a protrusion or plug formed on its surface. The protrusion or plug extends a short distance into the inlet and abuts the side edge to further improve the seal formed.

It is furthermore preferred that the inlet opening to the chamber is arranged at a raised position within the chamber, so that fluid flows into the chamber through the inlet and drips down into the holding or storage region. By effectively locating the inlet opening away from the primary fluid holding/storage area of the chamber, this prevents fluid from sitting on top of the inlet valve for extended periods of time, and thereby reduces the likelihood of any leaks occurring over time.

It is also preferred that another reinforcing flap or member contacts the opposing surface of the elastically deformable flap to urge the elastically deformable flap into close abutment with the inlet. It is also preferred that the further reinforcing flap contacts the opposing surface of the elastically deformable flap at or near the portion of the opposing surface covering the inlet to maximize the vertical pressure of the main lobe on the opening. Additionally this can also help maintain the integrity of the seal.

Locking device

The nozzle assembly is also provided with a locking device to prevent fluid from being accidentally dispensed.

In these embodiments, the locking means is an integral part of the body rather than a separate member connected to the body. For example, the locking means may be a hinged rod or part that is integrally connected to a part of the body, such as the base or upper part, and that can be pivoted into a position where the rod or part prevents the outlet valve from opening.

The locking means may be arranged between the actuator and the body of the nozzle means. In embodiments where the actuator is a top cover slidably mounted to the main body, locking detents may be provided on the main body and the top cover, the locking detents being selectively engageable to lock the top relative to the main body. position of the cover. These detents can be selectively engaged by, for example, twisting the top cover to a locked position.

In embodiments where the actuator is pivotally mounted to the body of the device, the locking means may be a hinged member fitted to either the actuator or the body of the device, said hinge being movable to a position respectively associated with the device. The position where the body or actuator engages prevents the actuator from pivoting and compresses the internal chamber when pressure is applied.

Air Release/Leak Valve

The apparatus may also include a leak valve through which air may flow to equalize any pressure differential between the interior of the container and the external environment. In some cases, gas leakage occurs simply through the fitting gap between the dispenser nozzle and the container, but this is not preferred because leakage can occur if the container is turned upside down or shaken. In a preferred embodiment, the dispenser nozzle also includes an air leak valve, a one-way valve adapted to allow air to flow into the chamber preventing any fluid from leaking from the container if the container is inverted. Any suitable check valve system will suffice. Preferably, however, the leak valve is integrally formed in the body of the dispenser, or more specifically, between two components of the body of the dispenser.

More preferably, the leak valve is formed between the upper portion and the base portion defining the dispenser nozzle chamber.

Preferably, the leak valve comprises a valve member arranged in a chamber defined by the body of the device and internally connecting the source of fluid to the external environment. More preferably, the valve member is resiliently biased to contact the side of the chamber and form sealing engagement therewith to prevent any leakage of liquid from the container, said valve member being further adapted to elastically deform or dislodge The seal engages the side of the chamber to define an opening through which air can flow into the container when the pressure inside the container drops below an external pressure of at least a minimum threshold. Once the pressure differential between the inside and outside of the container decreases below the minimum threshold pressure, the valve member returns to the position where the chamber is closed.

Preferably, the valve member is in the form of a piston extending into the chamber and includes an outwardly extending wall abutting the side of the chamber to form a seal. Preferably, the outwardly extending wall is also angled towards the interior of the container. This construction means that the high pressure exerted on the valve member wall and within the container will cause the wall to remain adjacent to the side of the chamber. Therefore, sealing integrity can be maintained, preventing liquid from escaping through the valve. Conversely, when the pressure inside the container drops below the external pressure by at least a minimum threshold, the wall deflects away from the side of the container, allowing air to flow into the container to equalize or reduce the pressure differential.

It is particularly preferred that the piston is mounted on a deformable base or flap which is capable of some movement when the dome is pressed to displace any residue that may accumulate in the leak valve. Furthermore, it may be preferred that a movable (eg elastically deformable) element may be provided in the leak valve, as this helps prevent the valve from becoming blocked during use.

In some embodiments of the invention it is also preferred that a protective cover is provided over the female tube opening on the inner surface of the device to prevent high or excessive forces on the liquid present inside the container if the container is inverted or shaken vigorously contact with the valve parts. The cap will allow air and some fluid to flow through, but will prevent fluid from affecting the seal formed directly by the flared end of the piston, and will protect this seal from excessive forces.

In an alternative embodiment, the channel of the blow-by valve is elastically deformable instead of the male portion being elastically deformable. This structure can be configured to facilitate deformation of the channel sidewalls to allow air to flow into the container.

The valve part and the groove can be made of the same material or different materials. For example, they could both be made of semi-flexible plastic, or the female element could be made of a rigid plastic and the male part of elastically deformable material.

Over time, some products stored in containers have a problem related to gas, which is the accumulation of gas in the bottle over time. Pressure buildup is unavoidable and in order to release this buildup a relief valve is required. The blow-by valve described above can be modified to additionally perform this function by providing one or more slots in the sides of the trench. These grooves will allow gas to slowly seep out of the container, but will prevent or minimize the volume of liquid seepage through through the seal formed by the contact of the valve member with the side of the groove. Preferably, the groove or grooves formed in the side walls of the groove are formed on the outside of the contact point between the valve member and the side of the groove so that it or they only increase in pressure in the container and act on It is only exposed when the piston is deformed outwardly (relative to the container). The piston returns to its resiliently biased position in which the slots are not exposed should any excessive force be exerted. No liquid product is lost during this process.

Alternatively, gas pressure within the container may push the valve member outwards so that it displaces from the groove and defines an opening through which gas may flow.

Sealing means

In a preferred embodiment of the invention comprising at least two components, it is preferred that sealing means are arranged at the junction between the at least two interconnected components to prevent any fluid from escaping from the dispenser nozzle. Any suitable sealing arrangement will suffice. For example, the two parts may be welded to each other, or one part may be constructed to snap fit into sealing engagement with the other part, or have a flange at its periphery that fits snugly over the other part. around the upper surface to form a seal therewith.

Preferably, this sealing means comprises a male protrusion formed on the abutment surface of one of the at least two parts, said male protrusion being formed in contact with a male protrusion formed on the other part when the two parts are joined together. A sealing engagement against a corresponding groove on the abutment surface is accommodated.

Preferably, this seal extends around the entire chamber and the sides of the outlet passage, so that fluid that escapes from anywhere in the chamber and/or outlet passage can be prevented from entering between the junction between the two members. Oozed out. In some embodiments where the outlet aperture is not defined between two members of the body, it is preferred that the sealing means surround the entire chamber and any portion of the outlet defined between two interconnected parts of the body extend.

In some embodiments comprising an outlet channel, a protruding member may extend through the channel and form a resiliently deformable valve member of the outlet valve. This part of the protrusion is usually thinner to provide the necessary elasticity in the valve member to allow it to perform its function.

In some embodiments of the invention, the male protrusion may be configured to snap fit into the groove, or alternatively, the male protrusion may be configured to resistively fit in a manner similar to how a plug fits into a receiver hole. into the slot.

dip tube

In most cases, the dip tube can be integrally formed with the dispenser, or alternatively, the dispenser body can include a recess into which a separate dip tube can fit. During use, the dip tube enables fluid to be withdrawn from deep inside the container and is present in virtually all cases.

Alternatively, in some containers, especially some small volume containers such as glue bottles, perfume bottles, and nasal sprays, it may be desirable to omit the dip tube, since during use the device itself may extend into the container to introduce the product into the dispenser, or The container can be inverted to facilitate priming of the dispenser with fluid. Alternatively, the device may also comprise a fluid compartment formed as an integral part of the device from which fluid can be introduced directly into the nozzle inlet without the need for a dip tube.

inner chamber

The chamber of the nozzle arrangement may be of any form, it being of course recognized that the size and shape of the dome will be selected to suit the particular arrangement and application concerned. Similarly, when the dome is squeezed, all of the fluid in the chamber may be expelled, or, alternatively, only a portion of the fluid present in the chamber may be dispensed, depending on the application concerned.

In some preferred embodiments of the invention, the chamber is defined by a generally dome-shaped elastically deformable region of the body. It is preferable that a dome-shaped area is formed on the upper surface of the main body so that it can easily achieve engagement with the engagement portion of the actuator fitted to the main body.

One problem with dome-shaped chambers may be that a certain amount of dead space exists in the chamber when the chamber is squeezed by the operator, and for some cases it may be preferable that the dead space be minimized or indeed be ignored. To obtain this property, it has been found that flat domes or other shaped chambers are also generally preferred, provided that the elastically deformable walls of the chamber can be depressed so as to facilitate their contact with the opposite sides of the chamber. wall and thereby expel any contents present therein. Accordingly, a flattened dome is particularly preferred as it reduces the degree to which the dome needs to be pressed inwards in order to squeeze the chamber and cause the fluid stored therein to be dispensed. It also reduces the number of squeezes needed to prepare the chamber for first use.

In some cases, the elastically deformable portion of the body may not be sufficiently elastic such that it retains its original elastically biased configuration after deformation. This may be the case where the fluid is highly viscous and therefore tends to resist being drawn into the chamber through the inlet. In this case, additional resilience can be provided by having one or more elastically deformable posts in the chamber that bend when the chamber is squeezed and when the applied pressure is removed, The posts push the deformed portion of the body back to its original resiliently biased configuration. Alternatively, one or more thick plastic ribs may extend from the edge of the elastically deformable area towards the middle of this part. These ribs effectively act as leaf springs when pressure is applied to an elastically deformable portion of the body, and when the applied pressure is removed, the ribs push this portion back into its original elastically biased configuration, in this way , these ribs increase the elasticity of the elastic deformation zone.

Another option is that a spring or other form of elastic means is arranged in the chamber. As mentioned above, when the wall deforms, the spring compresses, and when the applied pressure is removed, the spring pushes the deformed portion of the body back to its original resiliently biased configuration, and in doing so, also urges the deformed portion of the body to The extruded chamber returns to its original "non-extruded configuration".

two or more chambers

The nozzle arrangement of the present invention may comprise two or more separate internal chambers.

Each chamber may introduce fluid into the nozzle arrangement through a separate inlet from a different fluid source, such as a separate fluid-filled compartment in the same container.

Alternatively, one or more of the additional chambers may not include an inlet. Instead, a reservoir of another fluid may be stored in the chamber itself, and the further chamber or its outlet may be configured to only allow a predetermined amount of the other fluid to be dispensed upon respective actuation.

Alternatively, one or more of the further chambers may introduce air from outside the nozzle arrangement. Whether the additional chamber or chambers contain air, or contain some other fluid drawn from separate compartments in the container, the contents of two or more chambers can be passed through both chambers simultaneously. The chambers are squeezed together while simultaneously being expelled through the outlet. The contents of the individual chambers are then mixed in the outlet, or upon discharge from the nozzle arrangement, after or before discharge. It will be appreciated that if the relative volumes of the separate chambers and/or the size of the outlets are varied, the relative proportions of the components present in the final mixture exiting through the outlets can be affected. In addition, the outlet channel may be divided into two or more separate grooves, each groove extending from a separate chamber, and each separate groove may supply fluid into the nozzle channel as described above, after the discharge fluid Before, the fluid is mixed in the channel.

If there is an additional chamber for evacuating air, it is recognized that more air is required once the air evacuation process is complete and the applied pressure is removed thereby allowing the chamber to deform back to its original expanded configuration. is introduced into the chamber to replenish what is expelled. This can be achieved by sucking the air back through the outlet (i.e., not providing this additional chamber with an airtight outlet valve), or, more preferably, by drawing the air back through the inlet in the body defining the chamber. Air inhaled. In the latter case, the inlet is preferably provided with a non-return valve similar to the inlet valve described above. This valve only allows air to be introduced into the chamber and prevents air from being expelled through the holes when the chamber is squeezed.

In most cases, it is ideal to expel both air and fluid from the container at about the same pressure. This would require the air chamber to be squeezed more (eg 3-200 times more, depending on the application concerned) than the fluid/liquid containing chamber. This can be achieved by positioning the chamber such that when pressure is applied, compression of the air containing chamber will preferentially occur, whereby air and liquid are expelled at the same or substantially the same pressure. For example, the air containing chamber may be positioned behind the liquid containing chamber so that when pressure is applied, the air chamber is compressed first, until a stage is reached where both chambers are compressed together.

Alternatively, the nozzle arrangement can also be modified in such a way that the air pressure can be higher or lower than the liquid pressure, which may be advantageous for some applications.

The chambers may be located side by side, or one chamber on top of the other. In a preferred embodiment in which the additional chamber contains air, the additional air chamber is positioned opposite the chamber of the nozzle device so that compression of the air chamber will cause the elastically deformable part of the body to deform and squeeze said chamber of the nozzle device room.

Preferably, the fluid present in each chamber is drained simultaneously. However, it will be appreciated that in some applications, one chamber may drain its fluid before or after the other chamber.

In alternative embodiments, the air and fluid from the container may be present in a single chamber rather than in separate chambers. In these cases, both fluid and air are expelled and may mix as they flow through the outlet. For example, if the outlet comprises an expansion chamber, i.e. an expansion chamber located in the outlet channel, then the contents expelled from the chamber can be divided into different groove branches and enter the expansion chamber at different locations, to facilitate mixing.

integrally formed with the container

In most cases it is preferred that the dispenser nozzle is adapted to fit onto the container by some suitable means such as a snap fit or threaded connection. However, in some cases the dispenser may be included as an integral part of the container. For example, the dispenser device can be molded with various forms of plastic containers, such as rigid containers or bags. This is possible because the dispenser device is preferably molded from a single material, so a container made from the same material or a similarly compatible material can be integrally molded.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a container having a pump action dispenser nozzle, as described above, said nozzle being fitted to the opening of the container so as to allow fluid stored in the container to be released from the container during use. Dispensed through the dispenser nozzle.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a container having a pump action dispenser nozzle which, as previously described, is integrally formed with the container so that during use, fluid stored in the container can pass through the The dispenser nozzle described above is dispensed from the container.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a pump action nozzle arrangement configured to enable fluid to be dispensed from a container, the nozzle having a body defining an internal chamber having a an inlet through which fluid can be introduced into said chamber and through which fluid present in the chamber can be expelled from the nozzle, said inlet comprising an inlet valve, said inlet valve adapted to only allow fluid to flow into the chamber through the inlet when the pressure in the chamber drops below the internal pressure of the container to which the nozzle means is attached by at least a predetermined minimum threshold amount, the outlet comprising an outlet valve configured is configured to only allow fluid to flow out of the chamber and out of the nozzle when the pressure in the nozzle exceeds an external pressure at the outlet by at least a predetermined threshold, and wherein at least a portion of the body defining the chamber is configured to:

(i) is elastically movable from an initial elastically biased configuration to an expanded or deformed configuration upon application of pressure, whereby when said portion of the body deforms from said initial configuration to said expanded or deformed configuration, the the volume of said chamber defined by said portion of the body, such reduction in volume causing an increase in pressure in the chamber causing fluid to be expelled through the outlet valve; and

(ii) subsequently, when the applied pressure is removed, return to its original position, thereby causing the volume of the chamber to increase and the pressure therein to decrease so that fluid is drawn into the chamber through the inlet valve;

It is characterized in that said nozzle device further comprises an actuator extending over at least a portion of said invention of the main body and configured to engage said partially engages and causes it to deform away from its original biased configuration.

Preferably, the nozzle arrangement is as described above.

Furthermore, it is also preferred that said part of the body which is movable inwardly to reduce the volume of the chamber and thereby cause the fluid present in said chamber to be expelled through the outlet is a piston fitted in a piston groove. The piston groove may form the entire chamber, or alternatively, only a part thereof.

Preferably, the dispenser nozzle includes a means for moving the piston inwardly from its initial position and subsequently back to its initial position. This may be achieved by any suitable means such as a trigger or cap connected to the piston which can be operated to move the piston when required. Preferably, the actuator is resiliently biased to retain said portion of the body in its initial position without the application of pressure.

Manufacturing method

The nozzle arrangement of the invention may be manufactured by any suitable method known in the art.

As previously stated, the preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a body having two parts (a base and an upper part) which are fitted together to form at least the chamber of the device, more preferably Yes, forming at least part of the chamber and said outlet. Furthermore, the device includes an actuator.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of manufacturing the previously described nozzle arrangement having a body and an actuator connected to the body, the body comprising at least two interconnected parts, the The method includes the following steps:

(i) said parts of the molded body and said actuator; and

(ii) joining said parts of the body together to form the body of the nozzle arrangement; and

(iii) Assemble the actuator to the body of the nozzle assembly.

The various parts of the body and the actuator may be separate components, in which case the components are first formed and then assembled together to form the nozzle arrangement. The individual components may be made of the same or different materials.

Alternatively, and more preferably, the two parts of the body or one of the two parts of the body and the actuator are integrally formed with each other and connected by a bendable/foldable link. In this case, the connection part is formed in a single molding step and then assembled with the remaining parts to form the nozzle arrangement. For example, the base and upper portions of a preferred embodiment of the device may be integrally formed and interconnected by foldable/bendable connectors. Once formed, the upper portion can be folded and connected to the base to form the assembled nozzle assembly. The actuator can then be fitted as a single component to the body of the nozzle arrangement.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the device is formed from a single piece comprising two parts of the main body and the actuator, which are integrally formed with each other and connected to each other by a bendable/foldable link . Thus, the entire device is formed from a single material in a single molding step. Once formed, the two parts forming the chamber of the device can be joined together and the actuator can then be joined to a position where it extends across the elastically deformable portion of the body.

It will be appreciated that the integrally formed members are preferably formed from the same material, preferably in a single molding step.

Alternatively, the nozzle arrangement may be formed by a double injection molding process whereby a first part of the body is formed and a second part of the body formed of the same or a different material is molded onto the first part. Furthermore, the actuator may be a separate component which is subsequently fitted to the body of the nozzle arrangement, or it may be formed integrally with a part of the body.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of manufacturing the previously described nozzle arrangement having a body and an actuator fitted to the body, the body comprising at least two interconnected parts, and The method comprises the steps of:

(i) molding a first of said parts of the body in a first processing step;

(ii) overmolding a second of said parts onto a first of said parts in a second processing step to form the body of the nozzle arrangement;

(iii) Attaching the actuator to the body of the nozzle assembly.

At least two parts are preferably molded in the same mould. Usually the first part is the base of the nozzle arrangement and the second part is the upper part.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of manufacturing the previously described nozzle arrangement having a body and an actuator fitted to the body, the body comprising at least two interconnected parts, and The method comprises the steps of:

(i) molding a first of said parts of the body with a frame or base for a second of said parts in a first processing step; and

(ii) overmolding a second plastic onto said frame or base to form a second of said parts of the assembled nozzle assembly; and

(iii) Attaching the actuator to the body of the nozzle assembly.

It is particularly preferred that the base is first molded from a rigid material together with the frame support for the upper part. Preferably, the frame for the upper part is connected to the base by hinges or foldable connections, which allow the frame to be folded over and fitted to the base during assembly of the finished product. The frame is overmolded with a compatible soft elastically deformable plastic forming the elastically deformable portion of the body defining the chamber. The elastically deformable plastic can also form elastically deformable valve parts suitable for outlet valves and inlet valves. In addition, it extends over the rest of the nozzle surface, giving the device a soft-touch feel when the operator grips it. The rigid frame of the upper part may form the outer edge of the upper part, which forms the connection point with the base, and in embodiments where the nozzle means channel is present, the frame may also form an upper abutment surface which contacts a lower abutment surface formed by the base to A spray channel and an exit hole are defined.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of manufacturing the previously described nozzle arrangement having a body and an actuator fitted to the body, the body comprising at least two interconnected parts, wherein , the parts and the actuator are connected to each other by a connecting part so that the parts can move relative to each other, the method comprising the steps of:

(i) molding said part of the body and said actuator with said connector in a single process step;

(ii) moving said parts of the body into engagement with each other to form the body of the nozzle arrangement; and

(iii) moving the actuator into engagement with the body to form the nozzle arrangement.

Foaming agent

Preferably, the blowing agent is added to the mold together with the plastic. Blowing agents create lots of air bubbles in the molded plastic that prevent a phenomenon known as sinking. The problem of sinking during the manufacture of nozzles and the use of blowing agents to solve this problem is described in the applicant's co-pending patent International Application Publication WO 03/049916, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference. Cited for reference.

Description of drawings

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1A is a perspective view of an example of a nozzle assembly suitable for dispensing fluid in spray form and comprising a body formed of two components;

Figure 1B is another perspective view of the device shown in Figure 1A;

Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of another example of a nozzle assembly suitable for dispensing fluid in spray form and comprising a body formed of two components;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the upper portion 102 shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of an example of a nozzle arrangement suitable for dispensing agglomerates of fluid (i.e., the fluid is not broken up into droplets);

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the base 101 shown in FIG. 4 without the upper portion 102;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the upper portion 102 shown in Figure 4;

Figure 7A is a cross-sectional view of the nozzle assembly shown in Figure 4;

Figure 7B is another cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of Figure 7A;

Figure 8A is a perspective view of another example of a nozzle arrangement suitable for dispensing slug fluid;

Figure 8B is a cross-sectional view obtained through the embodiment shown in Figure 8A;

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view through another example of a nozzle arrangement suitable for dispensing bolus fluid;

Figures 10A, 10B, 10C and 10D show different schematic views of an embodiment of the present invention;

11A, 11B and 11C show different schematic diagrams of another embodiment of the present invention;

12A, 12B, 12C and 12D show different schematic diagrams of yet another embodiment of the present invention;

13A and 13B show a cross-sectional view and a perspective view, respectively, of yet another embodiment of the present invention;

14A and 14B show a cross-sectional view and a perspective view, respectively, of yet another embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view of the nozzle assembly of the present invention including a piston member for squeezing the chamber.

Detailed ways

In the following description of the drawings, the same reference numerals in different drawings are used to designate the same or corresponding parts where appropriate.

The nozzle device shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B comprises a body 100 comprising two parts, a base 101 and an upper 102 , which are connected to each other by foldable connectors 103 .

Body 100 is formed from a single rigid plastic in a single molding operation. The device is molded in the configuration shown in Figures 1A and 1B and the upper part 102 is then folded around the connector 103 and fitted onto the upper surface of the base 101 to form the assembled nozzle structure. Once the base 101 and upper part 102 are fitted together, a portion 102a of the lower surface of the upper part 102 abuts an adjoining portion/surface 101a of the upper surface of the base 101 . The raised portion 101b of the upper surface of the base 101 is received in a groove 102b formed in the lower surface of the upper portion 102 to define an internal chamber.

The slot 104 formed in the raised portion of the base 101 forms the initial part of the outlet passage in the assembled nozzle structure leading from the internal chamber to the outlet valve. The outlet valve is formed by an elastically deformable flap 105 formed on the lower surface of the upper part 102 which is received in a groove 106 formed in the opposite adjoining surface 101a of the base. The flap 105 extends over the end of the slot 104 when the base and upper parts are joined together to close the outlet passage. As described below, the flap 105 is configured to elastically deform away from the end of the slot 104 to define an open passage when the pressure in the interior chamber exceeds a predetermined minimum threshold. Petal 105 is also formed as a continuation of raised protrusion 112 as discussed further below.

The remainder of the fluid flow path is defined by grooves and/or grooves 104a, 104b and 104c formed in the abutment surface 101a of the base 101 in alignment with corresponding grooves and/or grooves 107a, 107b and 107c, respectively. Sections 104c and 107c are semicircular grooves which align to form a circular volute chamber which, during use, causes the swirling fluid to become liquid which can pass through the outlet aisle. Liquid is expelled from this chamber during use through an outlet formed by the respective alignment of slots 104d and 107d.

The base 101 also defines an inlet aperture 108 which is located in a recess 108a formed in the raised portion 101b. In the assembled nozzle structure, elastically deformable flaps 109 formed on the lower surface of the upper portion 102 are received in the grooves 108a and are elastically biased against the inlet opening to close the inlet. The flap 109 is configured to elastically deform away from the inlet when the pressure in the chamber drops below the pressure in the attached container by at least a predetermined minimum threshold amount, thereby allowing fluid to be drawn into the chamber. The opening of the inlet 108 is provided with a lip against which the flap 109 abuts, thereby forming a seal. Support ribs 108b and 108c prevent flap 109 from exerting excessive force on the lips.

Alignment posts 110a and 110b formed on the lower surface of upper portion 102 are received in holes 111a and 111b formed in the base portion and help hold the base and upper portion in close abutment with each other. In addition, the raised protrusion 112 extending around the groove 102b is received in, and forms sealing engagement with, a correspondingly shaped groove 113 formed in the upper surface of the base 101 and extending around the raised portion 101b. . The ridges 112 and grooves fit snugly together, helping to hold the base 101 and upper 102 in close abutment with each other. The ridges and grooves also form a seal that prevents any fluid from leaking out of the chamber and prevents any fluid from leaking between the upper portion and the base. This seal also extends around the outlet channel and outlet hole by means of portions 112a and 113a.

The body also includes a leak valve comprising an elastically deformable member 115 formed on the lower surface of the upper portion 102, which is received in an opening formed in the base abutment surface 101a when the nozzle structure is assembled. 116 in. In the assembled nozzle structure, the opening 116 together with the deformation part 115 defines a channel through which air can flow into the container from the outside. The top of the elastically deformable member 115 is provided with a flared rim, the edge of which abuts the inner wall of the opening 116, thereby forming an airtight seal. If the pressure in the container is reduced as a result of fluid being expelled through the nozzle structure, the pressure differential between the interior of the container and the external environment will cause the flared rim of member 115 to deform inwardly, thereby allowing air to flow into the container from the external environment. Once this pressure differential is equalized, the flared rim returns to its original configuration, ie, a resiliently biased configuration, preventing any reflow through the opening 116 . It will also be appreciated that if the container is turned upside down, product will not leak through the rim of the resiliently deformable member 115, and that any pressure exerted by, for example, squeezing the container will simply push the flared rim into contact with the opening 116. The walls come into closer abutment.

In an alternative embodiment, the air leak valve may be a post or flap located in the bore which is elastically deformable to open the passageway when a pressure differential exists, thereby allowing air to flow into the container from the external environment.

As another option, elastically deformable upper portion 102 may include a slot above an opening similar to opening 116 . The slot can be configured to open when a pressure differential exists.

As yet another option, the air release mechanism may be located closer to the elastically deformable upper part 102 and be configured so that when the upper part is pressed down in order to expel the contents present in the chamber 201, the elastically deformable part deforms in this way, That is, the air valve is opened and air can flow into and out of the chamber, thereby equalizing any pressure that may be present.

During use, the operator squeezes inwardly the outer surface of the upper portion 102b, which is the elastically deformable portion of the body defining the chamber. This part of the upper part can be easily squeezed so as to abut the upper surface of the part 101b of the base and thereby compress the internal chamber defined between them and cause the pressure therein to increase. When the pressure exceeds a predetermined minimum threshold, the flap 105 moves out of its initial biased position, thereby defining an opening through which liquid can flow through the remainder of the outlet passage to the outlet where it is expelled as a spray . As soon as the pressure in the chamber drops back below a predetermined minimum threshold, the flap 105 returns to its resiliently biased configuration, thereby closing the outlet passage. When the applied pressure is removed from portion 102b of upper portion 102, said portion 102b returns to its biased position and the chamber volume increases. This causes the pressure in the chamber to drop and causes the flap 109 of the inlet valve to be moved, allowing more fluid to be introduced into the chamber through the inlet valve.

Another example of a nozzle arrangement suitable for dispensing a fluid in the form of a spray is shown in Figure 2 . In this example, only the inner chamber 201 and outlet channel 202 are shown for ease of illustration. Although not shown, in practice there is usually an entrance.

The example shown in accompanying drawing 2 comprises a base and an upper part 102, and base is made of rigid plastics, and upper part comprises an abutment surface part 102a made of rigid plastics, and with the part 101b of base 101, defines the elasticity of chamber 201. The deformable portion 102b is made of an elastically deformable material. This embodiment of the nozzle arrangement is formed by a double injection molding process whereby the base and part 102a of the upper part 102 are molded from rigid plastic and then a part 102b formed from elastically deformable plastic is molded onto part 102a. The base portion 101 and the upper portion 102 are then fitted together to form an assembled nozzle arrangement. Optionally, the portion 102a and the base can be molded from the same material and can be connected to each other by foldable connectors.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the outlet valve also includes flaps 105 which are received in grooves 106 formed in opposing abutment surfaces of the upper portion. This side 106a of the groove is angled so that the petal 105 is resiliently biased to abut the edge to form a tight seal at its lower end.

The petals are deflected from side 106a to form an opening through which fluid can flow when the required pressure is achieved in chamber 201 . The fluid then flows along the outlet channel to an outlet hole (not shown) and along its path through the expansion chamber 204 formed by aligned grooves formed in opposing adjoining surfaces 102a and 101a.

Figure 3 shows the upper part 102 and the base part 101 of the embodiment shown in Figure 2 . In addition, although not shown, as described above, the upper portion also includes a flap protrusion 109 which covers the inlet 108 formed in the base 101 to form an inlet valve. In this embodiment, upper portion 102 includes a frame of rigid plastic forming upper portion 102a and surrounding a region of resiliently deformable material forming upper portion 102b as previously described. Rigid plastic portion 102a adjoins base portion 101a (shown in FIG. 2 ), thereby defining the outlet channel. As seen in FIG. 3 , outlet channel 202 includes a first expansion chamber 204 formed by aligned grooves 301 and 302 and a second outlet chamber formed by aligned grooves 303 and 304 .

In order to ensure a tight abutment between the upper part 102 and the base part 101, different clips are provided on the abutment surface of the upper part. Clasps 305 formed on the abutment surface of the upper portion 102 engage grooves/voids 306 formed in the abutment surface of the base 101a to position and secure the upper and base portions together.

The embodiment shown in Figure 4 is an example of a device suitable for dispensing fluid as a dollop of liquid rather than as a spray. The device comprises a main body 400 formed from two parts, namely a base 101 and an upper part 102 fittable to the upper surface of the base 101 . The main body 400 is formed from a rigid plastic, but the upper portion 102 may be formed from an elastically deformable material.

The base 101 includes a threaded groove on its underside to allow the body to be secured to a threaded neck of a container, effectively forming a threaded cap. The upper part 102 is fitted to the upper surface of the base part 101 as shown in FIG. 4 , and a substantially dome-shaped protrusion is formed on the upper surface of the main body 400 . This dome-shaped protrusion is an elastically deformable portion of the body that can be squeezed by the operator, thereby deforming it inwardly to reduce the volume of the internal chamber. This causes fluid to be expelled from the chamber through outlet aperture 403 .

A perspective view of the base 101 is shown in FIG. 5 . Referring to FIG. 5 , the base 101 includes a downwardly extending portion 501 , the lower surface of which is provided with the aforementioned threaded grooves. The upper surface of the base 101 has a peripheral edge 504 which surrounds the central recessed portion 502 . The recessed portion 502 includes a deeper portion 101b substantially shaped as an inverted dome which extends to form the lower portion of a generally spout-shaped outlet having an edge 505 defining a portion of the outlet aperture. In the region of the outlet edge 505 of the base 101, the recess 502 forms an abutment surface 101a which, together with the upper part 102, defines the outlet channel/valve of the nozzle, which is guided by the corresponding edge 505 and the upper part. The exit hole formed by the edge.

A groove 113 is positioned in recessed portion 502 and just inside edge 504, the importance of which will become apparent in the following description of FIG. 6 . Furthermore an inlet aperture 108 is positioned in the region 101b of the recessed portion 502, through which fluid can be introduced into the nozzle arrangement from an associated container during use. The importance of the inlet 108 opening being positioned in another recess 108a will again become apparent in the following description of FIG. 6 .

The lower surface of the upper section 102 is shown in more detail in Figure 6 (the upper section is shown inverted for purposes of illustration). The lower surface of the upper part 102 is surrounded by a lip/bump protrusion 112 which is received in the groove 113 when the upper part 102 is assembled to the base part 101 to form a tight seal between the base and upper part preventing Any fluid leakage occurs at the connection between the base portion 101 and the upper portion 102 . The lower surface of the upper portion extends between the lips 112 and at 102b presents the configuration of a substantially dome-shaped recess which, when the base and upper portions are joined together, aligns with the recessed portion 101b and extends to An abutment surface is formed at the region 102a which, in the assembled nozzle arrangement, contacts the opposite abutment surface 101a of the base 101, thereby defining the outlet passage. The upper portion also includes a petal protrusion 109 which seats in the groove 108a and is resiliently biased against the inlet aperture 108 when the upper surface is fitted to the base 101 . The flap protrusion 109 forms an elastically deformable valve part of the inlet valve.

The internal structure and operation of the nozzle assembly 400 shown in Figure 4 will be better understood from the cross-sectional views shown in Figures 7A and 7B. Referring to FIG. 7A , the base 101 includes grooves 701 and 702 on its lower surface. Recess 701 includes a thread (not shown) and is circular in profile so that it can fit into a circular threaded neck opening of a container. On the other hand, the groove 702 is adapted to receive the dip tube 704 and also extends to form the inlet 108 of the dispensing valve. The portion 101b of the upper surface 502 of the base portion 101 together with the portion 102b of the lower surface of the upper portion 102 define an internal chamber 201 . Portion 101a of the upper surface defines, together with portion 102a of the lower surface of upper part 102, an outlet channel leading to outlet aperture 403, the outlet being defined by edge 505 of the base and edge 605 of the upper part. Accordingly, the portion 102b of the upper part 102 is made of a thin section of rigid plastic material which can withstand elastic deformation. This portion of the body 400 is thus an elastically deformable portion of the body defining the chamber. The abutment surface formed by portion 102a of upper portion 102 is also configured to be resiliently deformable from the resiliently biased structure shown in Figures 7A and 7B closing the outlet passageway to the passageway open condition. Thus, the elastically deformable outlet channel effectively forms the outlet valve of the device. Furthermore, as previously described, the upper flap protrusion 109 is received in the recess 108a surrounding the chamber inlet 108, thereby forming an inlet flap valve.

Thus, during use, the elastically deformable portion of the upper part 102 at the region 102b may deform downwards if pressure is applied, for example by an operator's finger pressing on the region 102b. The application of pressure causes the volume of chamber 201 to decrease and the pressure therein to increase. When the pressure in the chamber exceeds a predetermined minimum threshold, the upper abutment surface 102a deforms away from the opposing surface 101a of the base, thereby defining an open outlet passage through which fluid present in the chamber can pass and through the nozzle arrangement The outlet 403 is discharged. It should be appreciated that by means of the flap 109 fluid is prevented from flowing out of the chamber through the inlet. As the fluid is expelled, the pressure in the chamber 201 gradually decreases as the fluid present in the chamber is dispensed, and when this pressure drops below a minimum threshold, the elastically deformable abutment surface 102a of the outlet channel deforms back to the A position where the surface abuts the surface 101a and the exit channel is closed.

If the pressure applied to the chamber at region 102b is subsequently removed, the pressure in the chamber will decrease as the chamber deforms back to the expanded configuration by virtue of its inherent elasticity. This drop in pressure will cause fluid to be drawn into the chamber through the inlet as the pressure differential between the inlet 108 and chamber 201 causes the flap protrusion 109 to deform out of the inlet. Once the upper portion 102b of the body assumes its original resiliently biased configuration, the flap protrusion 109 is deformed back to its position shown in Figure 7A, whereby the inlet is closed.

Alternatively, the body of the embodiment shown in Figures 4 to 7 may be manufactured from flexible plastic. The dispenser can be manufactured by any suitable molding process. For example, base portion 101 and upper portion 102 may be molded separately and then joined together in the same mold or in different molds, or alternatively, one part may be molded first and the other part molded onto the first part .

Figures 8A and 8B show another example of a nozzle arrangement suitable for dispensing fluid as a dollop of liquid rather than as a spray. The embodiment shown in Figures 8A and 8B is substantially similar to the embodiment shown in Figures 4 to 7, except that this embodiment also includes a leak valve adapted to allow air to flow into the container from the outside to balance Any pressure differential that may exist between the container and the external environment (if, for example, the container is turned upside down also prevents reverse fluid flow) and the upper and base parts are integrally formed with each other and connected by means of foldable connectors 103 .

As previously described with reference to FIG. 1 , the blow-by valve includes an elastically deformable valve member 115 provided with an opening 116 .

In this embodiment the upper part is integrally formed of rigid plastic, but in an alternative embodiment the upper part may comprise a frame of rigid plastic (the same plastic as the base) overmolded with a plastic (ie, the device is formed by double injection molding).

The main advantage of the embodiment shown in Figures 8A and 8B is that the base 101 and upper 102 are integrally formed, which means that the entire body of the dispenser is molded from a single material in a single step, therefore, based on assembly Both time and processing time are minimized, so there is an advantage of reducing costs.

For example, the dispenser may be molded in the open configuration as shown in Figure 8A, and the upper portion then folded around the connector 801 to form the assembled nozzle assembly.

Another example of a nozzle arrangement suitable for dispensing fluid as a dollop of liquid rather than as a spray is shown in Figure 9 . The dispenser device shown in Figure 9 includes many of the features of the previously described embodiments as indicated by like reference numerals. But there are also many modifications.

In particular, the outlet 403 of the device is modified so that product can be dispensed downwards in the direction of arrow 1405 . It will of course be appreciated that the outlet may be configured to dispense product at any angle (eg 30-45° relative to vertical).

The exit channel can also be further modified to include a locking device. The locking means includes a plug 1406 formed on the upper portion 102 . As shown in FIG. 9 , the plug extends to form a button 1407 on the upper surface of upper portion 102 that can be depressed to cause plug 1406 into sealing engagement with outlet 403 . In this configuration, the plug 1406 seals the outlet 403 and prevents fluid from being dispensed from the chamber. To release the seal, and allow fluid to be dispensed through outlet 403, the operator must pull up button 1407 to dislodge plug 1406 from the outlet. Once released, when the chamber is squeezed, the upper portion 102a can elastically deform away from the abutment surface of the base 101a, thereby forming an open outlet passage. This deformation of the upper portion 102a also moves the blockage away from the vicinity of the outlet 403 as fluid flows toward the outlet 403, thereby creating a channel through which the fluid can flow. Once the contents of the chamber have been dispensed, the upper portion 102a and plug 1406 deform back to close the outlet passage. In this regard, the plug 1406 sits on the outlet 403 to effectively form a check valve which prevents any air or product from returning into the chamber. After use, the operator can depress button 1407 to block the outlet and prevent any accidental actuation of the device.

A generally L-shaped member 1408 having a lip 1408 a depends from the bottom of the plug 1406 and protrudes through the outlet 403 . When the plug is sealingly engaged with the outlet 403 as shown in FIG. 9, the lip 1408a is moved away from the underside of the base. However, when the button 1407 is pulled enough to remove the plug 1406, the lip 1408a of the member 1408 abuts the underside of the base and prevents the button 1407 from being pulled too far. Any other means of preventing button 1407 from being pulled too far could be used.

The seal formed by the protuberance 112 received in a corresponding groove 113 can also be modified in two respects. Firstly, the seal extends around the entire circumference of the chamber 201 and, moreover, encloses the outlet channel defined between the adjoining surfaces of the base portion 101a and the upper portion 102a. Thus, a complete seal is formed to prevent fluid from penetrating between the upper part 102 and the base part 101 and to prevent fluid from leaking out of the nozzle. Furthermore, the thickness of the raised protrusion is tapered towards its base, and the width of the slot 113 is correspondingly tapered towards its opening. Accordingly, the ridge 112 can be pushed, or snap fit, into the groove 113 to form a tight sealing engagement, which also serves to hold the upper portion 102 and base portion 101 together.

The flap valve member 109 at the inlet can also be provided with a support arm 1420 . The support arm 1420 is configured to resiliently bias the flap 109 against the inlet aperture, thereby increasing the strength of the seal formed therebetween, and the pressure required to cause the flap 109 to deform away from and open the inlet 108 during use. .

The pump dispenser shown in Figures 1 to 9 includes a generally dome-shaped protrusion on the upper surface which must be depressed by the operator to squeeze the chamber and cause the contents stored therein to are discharged through the outlet. A potential problem with this design is that the operator needs to use their fingers to press the dome, which requires the operator to place their fingers in the correct position to ensure that the chamber is squeezed and fluid is expelled through the outlet. It was also found that relatively high pressure is required to press the dome to a sufficient degree, which is another disadvantage, especially when in public places, where people use different parts of their hands such as their palms, Or even use their elbow or forearm to apply pressure to actuate a traditional pump distributor. In these cases, it is more problematic to properly squeeze the dome using, for example, the palm of a hand in order to facilitate the expulsion of fluid from the device.

The embodiment of the present invention shown in Figures 10A-10D provides a solution to these problems. Figures 10A and 10B show, respectively, a cross-sectional view and a perspective view of a nozzle assembly of the present invention. The nozzle assembly shown in these figures is almost the same as that in Figure 9, except that the nozzle assembly also includes an actuator in the form of a top cover 2001 which extends from the front of the upper surface of the base around a hinge connection 2002. The edges are folded over to cover the base 101 and upper 102 of the body, as shown in Figure 10A. The front edge 2001a of the top cover 2001 extends just above the upper surface of the upper portion and is received on an abutment flange 2003 formed on the rear side of the base. Flange 2003 prevents the cover from being pushed down preventing accidental actuation of the device. To release the locking means, the sides of the top cover can be squeezed inwards to move the edge of the top cover 2001 away from the flange. Then the top cover 2001 can be pressed down so that the protrusion 2004 formed on the lower surface of the upper part 102 deforms the elastically deformable part 102b of the upper part 102 to squeeze the cavity 201 . The increase in pressure causes the resiliently mounted plug 1406 to move away from the outlet 403 so that fluid can be dispensed.

The provision of the top cover 2001 provides a surface that the operator can depress to cause the fluid present in the chamber to be dispensed. While the sides of the top cover need not be squeezed to actuate the device shown in FIGS. 10A-10D , in alternative embodiments, the abutment flange 2003 is configured to be rotated into and out of position, or may not be at all. There is no such that the device can be easily operated by depressing the top cover with any part of the body. Thus, the need to use fingers to actuate the device is eliminated.

Another alternative embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figures 11A to 11C. This embodiment is the same as that shown in Figures 10A to 10D except that the outlet of the device is adapted to generate a spray rather than dispense a mass of liquid. Thus, the outlet comprises an outlet valve formed by a valve member 2610 resiliently biased onto a recess 2611 formed in the abutment surface 101a of the base 101 . Valve member 2610 is configured to elastically move away from recess 2611 to define an opening through which fluid can flow from the chamber when the pressure in the chamber exceeds a predetermined minimum threshold. Downstream of the outlet valve is an outlet passage formed by aligning the grooves and grooves 2700 formed on the upper abutment surface 102a with corresponding grooves/grooves 2701 formed on the opposing abutment surface 101a of the base 101 . This provides an outlet channel with two chambers 2602 and 2603 along its length. These chambers are expansion chambers that facilitate breaking up fluid droplets passing through the exit channel.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figures 12A-12D. The embodiments shown in these figures are dispenser nozzles configured to dispense fluid in the form of a spray. Referring to Figures 12A-12D, it can be seen that this embodiment of the invention consists of three parts, namely a base 101, an upper 102 and an actuator 2001 in the form of a top cover or disc-shaped handle. All three components are integrally formed as a single component, as shown in Figures 12A and 12B, and subsequently assembled to form a functional device as shown in Figures 12C and 12D.

In this regard, upper portion 102 fits onto the upper surface of base portion 101 to define an interior chamber 201, as previously described. During use, fluid is introduced into the chamber 201 through the inlet 108 when the chamber is inflated, and is expelled through the outlet 403 when the chamber is compressed. In order to reach the outlet, the fluid in the chamber must first reach a pressure sufficient to dislodge the valve member 2610 from the valve seat/recess 2611 so that the fluid can flow along the outlet channel defined between the upper portion 102 and the base 101 . Various spray altering features, represented by chambers 2602, 2603 and 2604, are formed in the channel so that, during use, fluid flowing through the channel is atomized into small droplets.

A top cover or pan handle 2001 is fitted over the upper portion 102 to define an air chamber 2600 therebetween. The top cover is pivotally mounted to upper portion 102 about connector 2605 . The top cover 2001 is also rigid so that it provides a firm surface for the operator to press on.

Pressing down on the top cover 2001 may cause the top cover to be pushed to the upper surface of the upper part 102, thereby causing elastic deformation of the side walls 2606 of the cavity 2600 formed by the upper part 102, as shown in FIG. 12D. This movement squeezes air chamber 2600 thereby causing air to be expelled into chamber 2602 through outlet groove 2607 . In addition, the protrusion 2004 engages the upper portion 102b and causes it to expand inwardly thereby compressing the chamber 201 causing the fluid therein to be expelled. Fluid expelled from chamber 201 mixes with airflow expelled from air chamber 2600 in chamber 2602 , which results in further atomization of fluid droplets expelled through outlet 403 . As shown in Figure 12C, when the applied compression is removed, the top cover 2001 is pushed away from the upper portion 102 as the sidewalls 2606 deform back to their original resiliently biased configuration. This increases the volume of chambers 201 and 2600, thereby causing the pressure therein to decrease. This reduction in pressure causes more fluid to be drawn into chamber 201 through inlet 108, and more air to be drawn into the air through outlet 403 and passage 2607, or through a separate one-way air inlet valve (not shown). chamber 2600.

A pre-compression valve (not shown) is provided in the outlet channel to ensure that gas flow is only expelled from the chamber 2600 when the pressure in the chamber 2600 exceeds a predetermined minimum threshold. This valve may be configured to open simultaneously with the valve formed by valve member 2610 and valve seat 2611 so that fluid from chamber 201 and gas flow from chamber 2600 may be released into the outlet channel simultaneously.

Although not shown, the embodiments shown in Figures 12A-12D often include a lock to prevent accidental actuation of the device. Any suitable locking device may be used.

While the device shown in Figures 12A-12D is suitable for producing a spray, it is equally suitable as a dispenser for discharging a volume of liquid in non-spray form at low pressure. Air from chamber 2600 will mix with the fluid being expelled from the chamber, and pre-compression valves individually appropriate for each chamber are also preferably present.

The main difference between these embodiments of the invention and those previously described is that the actuating member presents a solid surface on which the operator presses. This surface does not deform in the same way as the deformed surface is pressed in the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 9, and no cooperating finger pressure is required. Therefore, the device equipped with the actuator is more user-friendly and easier to operate. Furthermore, the operator can use any part of their hand or even the arm to cause the fluid to be dispensed from the container.

Another advantage of the embodiment shown in Figures 10, 11 and 12A-12D is that the top cover 2001 has increased mechanical efficiency due to the leverage mechanism provided about the pivot point of the actuator,

Air chambers may be used in embodiments of the invention that include two liquid containing chambers and are adapted to drain both liquids simultaneously. An example of such an embodiment is shown in FIG. 10 . Air from the air chambers 2600 may be mixed with a liquid or two liquids dispensed from these chambers before being expelled through the device outlets.

As another option, another liquid may be provided in the air chamber 2600 instead of air. The chamber 2600 may be its own reservoir of liquid, and the amount of liquid dispensed per actuation may be defined by the size of the outlet groove 2607 . Alternatively, chamber 2600 may introduce fluid into a compartment attached to the container in a container in a manner similar to that in which chamber 201 refills after each actuation.

The embodiments shown in Figures 12A-12D are made from one integrally formed member, or may be made from several separate members that are assembled together to form the device. The device is usually molded from rigid plastic. The necessary deformability of specific parts of the structure can be provided by having these required sections with a lower thickness, which imparts the necessary deformability characteristics to the design.

The embodiments shown in these figures are generally fitted to a container which is a reservoir for the liquid to be introduced into the chamber 201 . In some cases, however, the liquid reservoir may be integrally formed with the device.

Figures 13A and 13B show another alternative embodiment of the invention provided with an alternative form of actuator in the form of a modified top cover 2001 . The cap 2001 shown in Figures 13A and 13B is fitted to the upper part 102 of the nozzle structure and is slidably fitted to the body of the nozzle assembly. Therefore, the nozzle device is constructed so as to be slid downward from the uppermost part in the upper position shown in FIG. deforming it, thereby squeezing the chamber 201 and causing any fluid present therein to be expelled as a spray through an orifice 2102 formed in the cap (this orifice is aligned with the outlet 403 when the cap is pressed down ). The top cover 2001 can then be slid back to its original position by the operator lifting the top cover, or by a resilient means which pushes the top cover upwardly once any downward pressure is removed. An annular lip 2105 abuts an annular detent 2107 formed on the base to limit upward movement of the top cover. The cap 2001 can also be twisted (as shown by arrow 2108 in FIG. 13B ) so that the ridge is further engaged preventing any downward movement, thereby locking the cap 2001 to prevent accidental disabling of the nozzle structure. move.

Another variation of the spray dispenser shown in Figures 13A and 13B is shown in Figure 14A. This embodiment also includes a compressible air chamber 2201 defined between the top cover 2001 and the upper body portion 102 . Thus, when the top cover 2001 is depressed, the air in the chamber is expelled through the air chamber outlet 2202 so that it mixes with the fluid expelled from the chamber 201 .

In an alternative embodiment, as shown in FIG. 14B , the air chamber outlet 2202 may be provided with a one-way outlet valve 2205 . When the pressure in the air chamber 2201 exceeds a predetermined minimum threshold, the arms of the valve member 2205 will deform away from each other to define an opening through which air can flow into the outlet channel. In this case, air cannot flow back into the air chamber through valve 2205, so a separate air inlet must be provided. Such an inlet would include a one-way inlet valve adapted to allow air to flow through the air inlet when the pressure in chamber 2201 drops below the external pressure by at least a minimum threshold amount.

Figure 15 shows another embodiment of the invention which does not utilize an elastically deformable portion of the body to cause the chamber to be compressed, but instead comprises a piston cylinder 2301 which is an integral part of the body defining the chamber. A piston 2302 is slidably fitted in the piston cylinder 2301 . In the embodiment shown in Figure 15, the movement of the piston is easily achieved by depressing the actuator 2303 on which the piston 2302 is mounted, in the direction of the arrow 2310, thereby squeezing the chamber 201 and thereby expelling the stored its contents. The actuator is connected to the base 101 by an elastically deformable hinge 2304 . When the pressure applied to arm portion 2303 is subsequently released, arm portion 2303 will return to the position shown in FIG. 15 because of the inherent resilience of hinge 2304 .

It will be appreciated that the description of the embodiments of the invention described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings is by way of example only and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention.

Claims (32)

1. A pump-action nozzle device configured to enable fluid to be dispensed from a container, said nozzle having a body defining an interior chamber having an inlet and an outlet through which fluid is drawn into the chamber, the fluid present in the chamber is expelled from the nozzle through the outlet, the inlet comprises an inlet valve adapted to reduce the pressure in the chamber to the point to which the nozzle is attached When the internal pressure of the container of the device is below at least a predetermined minimum threshold amount, fluid is only allowed to flow into the chamber through the inlet, the outlet including an outlet valve configured to exceed the pressure outside the outlet by at least Fluid is only allowed to flow out of the chamber and to be expelled from the nozzle when a predetermined threshold amount is reached, wherein at least a portion of the body defining the chamber is configured to: (i) elastically deformable from an initial resiliently biased configuration to an expanded or deformed configuration in response to the application of pressure, whereby when said portion of the body deforms from said initial configuration to said expanded or deformed configuration, The volume of the chamber defined by the portion is reduced, the reduction in volume causing an increase in pressure in the chamber and causing fluid to be expelled through the outlet valve; and (ii) subsequently, when the applied pressure is removed, return to its original elastically biased configuration, thus causing the volume of the chamber to increase and the pressure therein to decrease so that fluid is drawn into the chamber through the inlet valve; The nozzle assembly further includes an actuator extending over at least a portion of said elastically deformable portion of the body and configured to engage said elastically deformable portion of the body when a pressure is applied to the actuator. part, and cause it to deform out of its resiliently biased structure; characterized in that said body comprises two parts joined together to define said cavity, one of said parts of said body integrally comprising a rigid frame and said resiliently deformable portion, said frame defining a an abutment surface in contact with a corresponding rigid abutment surface on the other of said parts of said body, said two parts of said body comprising plastic material and permanently fixed together by welding. 2. Nozzle assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that said actuating member is an arm which, when pushed by an operator, causes said elastically deformable portion of the body to deform. 3. The nozzle assembly of claim 1, wherein the actuating member is a cap extending over the resiliently deformable portion of the body to form a surface that can be depressed by an operator to to cause said portion of the body to deform and thereby facilitate the dispensing of fluid from the chamber of the device. 4. Nozzle arrangement according to claim 3, characterized in that the surface formed by the cover is a rigid or substantially rigid non-deformable surface. 5. Nozzle arrangement according to claim 4, characterized in that the surface is a continuous surface. 6. The nozzle assembly of claim 1, wherein the actuator is slidably mounted to the body of the nozzle assembly so that when pressure is applied to the actuator, the actuator can move relative to the The body of the nozzle arrangement slides and causes said resiliently deformable portion of the body to deform from its resiliently biased configuration. 7. The nozzle device of claim 1, wherein the actuator is pivotally mounted to the device body so that when pressure is applied to the actuator, it is pivotally connected about it The member pivots and deforms said resiliently deformable portion of the body from its resiliently biased configuration. 8. A nozzle arrangement according to any preceding claim, wherein the actuator is integrally formed with the body. 9. The nozzle device of claim 8, wherein the actuator member is connected to the device body by a foldable connection and is configured to pivot about the connection so that all parts of the body The above part is deformed. 10. The nozzle arrangement of claim 1, wherein the nozzle is adapted to be fitted over a container opening to enable fluid stored in the container to be dispensed during use. 11. The nozzle assembly of claim 1, wherein the nozzle is integrally formed with the container to facilitate dispensing of fluid stored in the container during use. 12. The nozzle arrangement of claim 1 wherein one of said parts of said body is a base and the other of said parts of said body is an upper part. 13. Nozzle arrangement according to claim 12, characterized in that the upper part comprises said resiliently deformable portion of the body defining the chamber. 14. The nozzle device of claim 1, wherein the device outlet comprises an outlet valve, an outlet hole, and an outlet channel connecting the chamber to the outlet hole. 15. The nozzle arrangement of claim 1, wherein the two parts of the body defining a chamber also define at least a portion of an outlet passage. 16. The nozzle arrangement of claim 1 wherein the inlet, inlet valve, outlet, outlet valve and chamber are all defined by the body. 17. The nozzle arrangement of claim 1, wherein the nozzle arrangement comprises a maximum of three components. 18. The nozzle arrangement of claim 1, wherein the nozzle arrangement comprises a maximum of two separate components. 19. The nozzle arrangement of claim 1, wherein the nozzle arrangement consists of a single component. 20. The nozzle assembly of claim 1, wherein the nozzle assembly includes a locking device configured to prevent accidental dispensing of the fluid. 21. A nozzle arrangement according to claim 20, wherein the locking means is integrally formed with the main body. 22. The nozzle assembly of claim 1, further comprising a leak valve through which air can flow to equalize any pressure differential between the interior of the container and the external environment if It also prevents any fluid from leaking out of the container if the container is inverted. 23. The nozzle assembly of claim 1, wherein the outlet passage includes one or more internal spray modifying features configured to reduce the number of droplets dispensed through the nozzle outlet orifice during use. size of. 24. A nozzle arrangement according to claim 23, characterized in that the internal spray altering feature is selected from the group consisting of one or more expansion chambers, one or more vortex chambers, adapted in use to generate A set of one or more internal spray holes and one or more venturi chambers for the spray of fluid flowing through the channel. 25. The nozzle arrangement of claim 1, wherein at least a first part of the body is formed by means of a double injection process in which the frame is molded from rigid plastic , at least said elastically deformable portion is formed by overmolding a flexible plastic material onto said frame. 26. A nozzle arrangement according to claim 25, wherein at least a part of the inlet valve and a part of the outlet valve are also formed from a flexible plastics material. 27. A container having a pump-action nozzle arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 26, said nozzle arrangement being fitted to the container opening so as to enable fluid stored in the container to be released during use. Dispensed from the container through the nozzle device. 28. A container having a pump-action nozzle arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 26, said nozzle arrangement being integrally formed with the container to facilitate passage of fluid stored in the container during use The nozzle arrangement is dispensed from a container. 29. A method of manufacturing a nozzle arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 26, said method comprising the steps of: (i) molding a frame for a first of said parts of the body with a first plastics material in a first processing step; (ii) overmolding a second plastics material onto said frame in a second processing step to form said elastically deformable portion; (iii) molding another of said parts of said body; (iv) welding together the first part of the body and the other part of the body to form the body of the nozzle arrangement. 30. A method of manufacturing a nozzle arrangement as claimed in claim 29, said method comprising: (i) Molding the actuator as a separate part and fitting the actuator to the body. 31. A method of manufacturing a nozzle assembly as claimed in claim 29, said method comprising the steps of: (i) the frame for the first part of the body, the other part of the body and the actuator are molded in a first processing step using a first plastics material, while the frame, the other part and the actuator the moving parts are connected to each other by connecting parts, so that the parts can move relative to each other; (ii) overmolding a second plastics material onto said frame to form said resiliently deformable member; (iii) moving the first part and the other part of the body into engagement with each other and welding the first part and the other part of the body together to form the body of the nozzle arrangement; as well as (iv) moving the actuator into engagement with the body to form the nozzle arrangement. 32. A method of manufacturing a nozzle arrangement according to any one of claims 30 to 31, characterized in that a blowing agent is introduced into the mould, together with the plastic.

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