Dispenser for creamy products, comprising an axially sunk cap

Abstract

The invention relates to a dispenser/applicator ( 100 ) comprising a recipient consisting of a body ( 105 ) and a distribution head ( 120 ) which is provided with at least one opening ( 121 ) and a cap ( 110 ) for blocking said distribution head by being axially sunk thereinto. According to the invention, a) the arrangement of the openings ( 121 ) is not revolutionally symmetrical to any other axis A parallel to the sinking direction, b) the cap comprises a bottom ( 112 ) provided with a single axial projection or a plurality of n axial projections ( 111 ) having a cross-section which is adapted to that of the openings in order to block the same, and c) said cap is provided with a first orientation means ( 115; 215 and 217 ) and said head is provided with a second orientation means ( 125 and 127; 225 ), the first and second orientation means co-operating during the axial sinking process in such a way as to orient by rotation and then axially displace the cap towards the head such that the axial projections extend up to the hole of said openings and block the same. In another embodiment of the inventive dispenser/applicator, the arrangement of the openings has an n order symmetry in relation to the axis A.

1 - 15 . (canceled)  
   
   
       16 . Dispenser—applicator for dispensing—applying a fluid or powder product onto a support, comprising: 
 a receptacle for containing the product the receptacle comprising a body and a distribution head provided with a wall having at least one orifice and a cap for blocking the distribution head by being sunk along a direction D,    the cap including a first means of reversible fixing by being axially sunk along the direction D, and    the head including a second means of reversible fixing, the first and second reversible fixing means cooperating such that the cap can block the head after having been axially sunk along the direction D, the head having a sidewall with a symmetry of revolution about an axis A parallel to the sinking direction D, the single orifice or the plurality of n orifices not having a symmetry of revolution about the axis A, wherein:    a) the cap includes a bottom with a single axial projection or a plurality of n axial projections with a section adapted to the section of the single orifice or the plurality of n orifices, such that the orifice(s) is (are) closed off by the axial projection(s) at the end of the axial sinking process;    b) the cap is provided with a first orientation means and the head is provided with a second orientation means, the first and second orientation means cooperating during the axial sinking process so as to:    b1) first orient the cap with respect to the head by relative rotation about an axis A parallel to the sinking direction D, such that the single axial projection or the plurality of n axial projections faces the single orifice or the plurality of n orifices without touching the wall provided with the orifice(s), then    b2) control axial displacement of the cap towards the head such that the axial projections close off the orifice(s).    
   
   
       17 . Dispenser—applicator according to claim  1 , wherein the distribution head has a top wall provided with the single orifice or the plurality of n orifices, substantially perpendicular to the axis A, in that the bottom of the cap, substantially perpendicular to the axis A, reaches close to the top wall of the head, at the end of the sinking process, and in that the axial projection(s) form a sealing pin or a plurality of n sealing pins capable of closing off the single orifice or the plurality of n orifices due to a section adapted to the section of the corresponding orifice.  
   
   
       18 . Dispenser—applicator according to  claim 16  wherein the head has a top wall with a circular peripheral contour, the substantially cylindrical sidewall bearing on the circular peripheral contour, and wherein the cap is provided with a skirt or a sidewall also substantially cylindrical, that matches the shape of the sidewall of the head, the sidewall of the head and the skirt or sidewall of the cap being provided with the second and first orientation means.  
   
   
       19 . Dispenser—applicator according to  claim 16  comprising several orifices arranged with a symmetry of order n about the axis A, where n is an integer number greater than 1, and wherein the first and second orientation means are advantageously arranged respecting a symmetry of order n/k, where k is an integer greater than or equal to 1, about axis A.  
   
   
       20 . Dispenser—applicator according to  claim 16  wherein first and second orientation means are systems combining substantially helical ramps acting as a stop to radial projections to perform function b1), and axial grooves guiding the radial projections at the end of axial sinking to perform function b2).  
   
   
       21 . Dispenser—applicator according to  claim 20  wherein the substantially helical ramps have a slope along the circumferential direction that corresponds to an angle (a) between 20° and 70° measured from a plane perpendicular to axis A.  
   
   
       22 . Dispenser—applicator according to  claim 20  wherein the radial projections and the substantially helical ramps have corresponding radial heights such that, regardless of their dimensional manufacturing tolerances, there is a sufficient radial overlap to assure that the radial projections stop on the ramps.  
   
   
       23 . Dispenser—applicator according to  claim 20  wherein the substantially helical ramps are twice as numerous as the radial projections and the axial grooves because they are associated in pairs, descending or rising with the same slope profiles as far as an axial groove, thus imposing a rotation of the cap in the clockwise or anticlockwise direction, depending on the point at which the radial projection reached the stop on the helical ramp.  
   
   
       24 . Dispenser—applicator according to  claim 20  wherein the spatial configuration of the first and second orientation means is defined such that during axial sinking process of the cap into the receptacle head, the ends of axial projections remain above the top wall of the receptacle head before the radial projections leave the substantially helical ramps to engage into the axial grooves.  
   
   
       25 . Dispenser—applicator according to  claim 16  wherein the sidewall of the dispenser head and the skirt or sidewall of the cap are also provided with the second and first reversible fixing means, bearing on the form of a torus with axis A as axis of revolution.  
   
   
       26 . Dispenser—applicator according to  claim 16  wherein the dispenser head is created by the assembly of an insert molded separately then fixed onto a receptacle head provided with a neck, the insert carrying the top wall provided with the orifice(s) and the skirt or sidewall provided with orientation means and optionally the reversible click fit means of the cap, on the outside.  
   
   
       27 . Dispenser—applicator according to  claim 26  wherein the skirt or sidewall of the insert is also provided with a second irreversible fixing means on its inside surface designed to cooperate with a first means of irreversible fixing arranged on the outside surface of the receptacle neck.  
   
   
       28 . Dispenser—applicator according to  claim 26  wherein the skirt or sidewall of the insert is also provided with a second anti-rotation means on its inside surface designed to cooperate with a first anti-rotation means arranged on the outside surface of the receptacle neck.  
   
   
       29 . Cap to close off the head of a receptacle of the dispenser according to  claim 16  comprising a skirt or a sidewall provided with n axial grooves and  2   n  substantially helical ramps, n being an integer strictly greater than 1, the ramps being associated in pairs with one of the axial grooves, arranged on each side of the axial groove and having profiles with slopes symmetric about a plane passing through axis (A) of the cap and the axial groove.  
   
   
       30 . Dispenser head for a dispenser—applicator according to  claim 16 , having a sidewall provided with n axial grooves and  2   n  substantially helical ramps, n being an integer greater than 1, the ramps being associated in pairs with one of the axial grooves, arranged on each side of the axial groove and having profiles with slopes symmetric about a plane passing through axis (A) of the head and the axial groove, wherein the n axial grooves and  2   n  substantially helical ramps are placed on the outside surface of the sidewall.