COSMETIC PRODUCT

The present invention relates to devices for packaging and dispensing a fluid product, in particular a powder.

For certain uses, it may prove desirable to be able to dose the quantity of product removed from a receptacle.

Packaging and application devices permitting dosed dispensing have already been proposed.

The applications CA 2062956, FR 2777867 and FR2627750 disclose devices suitable for the dosed dispensing of a liquid from the bottom of the receptacle via a dip tube. However, these devices are not adapted to the dosing of a powdery substance.

The application CA 2032494 discloses a device having a dispensing head with a dosing chamber equipped, at the outlet orifice, with a valve which is normally closed and on which the user can act in order to dispense the content of the dosing chamber.

The application FR 2641760 describes a receptacle equipped with a removable dosing stopper which is provided with an internal baffle system in order to dispense granules in a limited manner. Such a device is unsuitable for dispensing a finely divided powder.

DE 2939124 discloses a chassis-mounted machine for dispensing granules, comprising a hopper and a dose-transporting mechanism which is driven by an industrial electrical geared motor.

There is therefore a need for a packaging and dispensing device by which it is possible to dispense a dose of a fluid product, in particular a powder, in a relatively simple and cost-effective manner.

The invention achieves this object by virtue of a device for packaging and dispensing a product, having:

- a receptacle containing the product,

- a dispensing head fixed on the receptacle, having:

o a body provided with at least one admission orifice for the product and with at least one dispensing orifice,

o a movable part having a chamber for accumulation of product, also called the dosing chamber, which can be moved manually relative to the body at least between a product-charging position, in which the product can flow from the receptacle to the chamber through the admission orifice, and a dispensing position, in which the movable part closes the admission orifice and in which the chamber communicates with the dispensing orifice.

The movable part can be driven manually relative to the body, for example using one hand, while the other hand holds the receptacle.

The invention affords a means which is particularly attractive to the consumer and effective in dispensing a predefined dose of the product contained in the receptacle.

According to other advantageous features of the invention, considered separately or in combination:

- the movable part is movable in rotation between the charging and dispensing positions, in particular about a rotation axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the receptacle, the rotation course of the movable part between the charging and dispensing positions being preferably between 30 and 120°;

- the movable part occludes the dispensing orifice when it is in the charging position;

- the body is provided with an opening, particularly in the form of a slit, through which an actuation member of the movable part extends, the charging and dispensing positions being preferably defined by abutment of the actuation member against an edge of the opening;

- the chamber is defined at least in part by a wall that is sufficiently transparent to allow the product level therein to be seen;

- the body has an annular part inside which the movable part is moved; the movable part is, for example, fixed by snap-fitting in this fixed annular part;

- the chamber is delimited at least in part by a tubular wall, in particular a tubular wall with an axis coinciding with a longitudinal axis of the receptacle when the movable part is in the charging position;

- the movable part has an annular part, in particular with an axis coinciding with a rotation axis of the movable part when the latter is movable in rotation;

- the chamber is defined at least in part by a tubular wall extending in a diametral direction inside the movable annular part; - the chamber has an elongate shape on a longitudinal axis, being open at one end and closed at the opposite end by an end wall, the latter forming a space with a zone opposite the movable annular part;

- the dosing chamber is delimited at least in part by a cylindrical wall, in particular with an axis coinciding with the rotation axis of the movable part when the latter is movable in rotation;

- the cylindrical wall is in contact, at its periphery, with the body of the dispensing head; alternatively, the dosing chamber is delimited at least in part by a wall which forms a quasi-annular space with the body of the dispensing head;

- the device has a means for modifying the volume of the dosing chamber, in particular a nozzle fixed adjustably on the body of the dosing chamber or a nozzle chosen from among several that modify the volume of the dosing chamber differently; this nozzle can serve, if appropriate, as an actuation member for moving the movable part relative to the body of the dispensing head;

- the receptacle contains a powder;

- the device is portable and can be held in one hand;

- the receptacle is open only at its end equipped with the dispensing head, the movable part being able to adopt a position in which it closes the receptacle. In particular, the receptacle can have, at the upper part, a neck on which the dispensing head is mounted.

Another subject of the invention is a method for dispensing a product with the aid of a device according to the invention, said method comprising the steps of:

- positioning the movable part in the position for filling of the dosing chamber,

- filling the dosing chamber with the desired quantity of product,

- manually moving the movable part to the dispensing configuration, - emptying the content of the dosing chamber.

The filling of the dosing chamber can be effected by gravity, likewise its emptying. If appropriate, the user acts on an element for modifying the internal volume of the dosing chamber, for example a nozzle mounted on a wall which at least in part delimits the dosing chamber.

The movable part can be moved alternately between the filling and emptying positions. The invention may be better understood on reading the following description of non-limiting implementation examples thereof, and on examining the attached drawing, in which:

- Figure 1 schematically shows an elevation view of an example of a device according to the invention,

- Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the dispensing head of the device from

Figure 1,

- Figure 3 shows the dispensing head in the configuration for dispensing the product,

- Figure 4 shows a section on IV-IV from Figure 1,

- Figure 5 shows a section on V-V from Figure 3,

- Figures 6A and 6B show a variant of the dispensing head permitting adjustment of the dose that is dispensed, and

- Figures 7 to 9 show views, similar to Figure 1, of variant embodiments. The packaging and dispensing device 1 shown in Figures 1 to 5 comprises a receptacle 10 containing the product to be dispensed, and a dispensing head 20 fixed on the receptacle 10.

The receptacle 10 has a longitudinal axis X and, for example in the upper part, has a neck on which the head 20 is fixed by screwing or by snap-fit connection or in some other way.

The head 20 has a body 21 which has a mounting skirt 23 and a fixed annular part 25.

The mounting skirt 23 serves for fixing the head 20 to the receptacle 10. Alternatively, the mounting skirt of the head 20 is hidden by an outer skirt, which serves to dress the neck of the receptacle.

The body 21 has an admission orifice 26 which has, for example, an axis X as illustrated in Figure 5 and leads into the inner space of the receptacle where the product to be dispensed is contained.

The head 20 has a movable annular part 30 which is arranged inside the fixed annular part 25 and which can turn relative to the latter about a rotation axis Y perpendicular to the axis X in the example in question. The movable annular part 30 carries a dosing chamber 31 which extends on a diameter by a distance corresponding to about ¾ of the internal diameter of the movable annular part 30 in the example in question.

The dosing chamber 31 is in the form of a tubular body, closed at its free end by a dome 32.

The fixed annular part 25 has a slit 27 through which there extends an actuation member 33 molded with the movable annular part 30, allowing a user to turn the movable part 30 relative to the fixed part 25 between two end positions in which the actuation member 33 abuts against a corresponding end of the slit 27, namely a charging position shown in Figures 1 and 2 and a dispensing position shown in Figure 3.

In the dispensing position, the dosing chamber 21 is aligned with a dispensing orifice 28 formed in the fixed annular part 25.

The fixed part 25 and movable part 30 can cooperate in such a way as to permit a rotation of the movable part 30 about the axis Y, while having the movable part 30 retained in the fixed part 25. To this end, the fixed and movable parts can have cooperating reliefs, for example one or more annular ribs 38 snap-fitted into one or more corresponding annular grooves 29, as is illustrated in Figure 4.

The product contained in the receptacle 10 is, for example, a cosmetic powder, for example a haircare product.

Preferably, the movable part 30 is made entirely of a transparent plastic, which allows the user to visualize the filling and emptying of the dosing chamber. Alternatively, only the dosing chamber is made at least in part of a transparent plastic.

To use the device 1, the user begins by positioning the opening of the dosing chamber 31 in line with the admission orifice 26, as illustrated in Figure 1, then turns the receptacle 10 over such that the product flows by gravity into the dosing chamber 31.

Then, with the receptacle 10 still upside down, the user uses his or her fingers to turn the movable part 30 relative to the fixed part in order to close the orifice 26.

In the example in question, the dispensing orifice 28 is oriented on an axis Z which encloses an angle alpha of approximately 60° with the axis X, as is illustrated in Figure 3. Thus, the user can close the admission orifice 26 by rotating the movable part about halfway, i.e. through about 30°. The dosing chamber 31 is then occluded by the fixed annular part 25.

To dispense the product dose contained in the dosing chamber 31 , the user brings the opening of the latter into position opposite the dispensing orifice 28, as is illustrated in Figure 3.

As the dispensing orifice 28 is oriented upward when the axis X is vertical, the product contained in the dosing chamber 31 does not flow out of the latter as long as the receptacle 10 is not inclined downward in order to cause the product to leave the dosing chamber 31 by gravity by flowing through the orifice 28.

In the example in Figures 1 to 5, the actuation member 33 is situated in the continuation of the dosing chamber 31, but the two are separated by a space 69, as can be seen in Figure 1 in particular.

In the variant illustrated in Figures 6A and 6B, the dosing chamber 31 is joined to the actuation member 33. The latter can be in the form of a nozzle which is fixed removably on the tubular body of the dosing chamber 31, for example by being screwed onto the end of the latter.

The nozzle 33 is movable relative to the tubular body of the dosing chamber 31 between a position in which the nozzle is screwed to the maximum extent, in order to minimize the internal volume of the dosing chamber serving to receive the product, and a position in which the nozzle is unscrewed to the maximum extent, in order to maximize the internal volume of the dosing chamber.

Thus, by screwing the nozzle 33 on to a greater or lesser extent, it is possible for the user to adjust the internal volume of the dosing chamber and the product dose that is dispensed.

In one variant, several different nozzles are made available for one and the same tubular body of the dosing chamber. When mounted on the tubular body of the dosing chamber, these nozzles engage to a greater or lesser extent in said chamber or continue it to a greater or lesser extent, such that the accumulated dose can be varied by selecting the corresponding nozzle. In the variant illustrated in Figure 7, the movable part 30 is actuated by maneuvering the dosing member 31 , which extends diametrically inside the movable part 30.

In this variant, the fixed annular part 25 no longer has the slit 27, and the angular course of the movable part 30 can be effected without being limited, i.e. by 360°.

In a variant that is not illustrated, the dosing member is partitioned internally, for example at a quarter or a third of its length, in order to define two compartments of different internal volumes, such that it is possible to dispense two different doses selectively, depending on which compartment is charged.

The variant in Figure 8 differs from the embodiment in Figures 1 to 5 in terms of the shape of the dosing member, which is no longer entirely tubular with an axis extending on a diameter of the movable part, but partially tubular, with a neck 31a extending on a diameter and leading into a cylindrical chamber 31b, having an axis coinciding with the rotation axis of the movable part 30, which defines the major part of the internal volume of the dosing member.

The mode of operation is otherwise similar to that of the embodiment in Figures

1 to 5.

In the variant in Figure 8, the chamber 31b defines an annular space with the fixed annular part 25, the neck 3 la passing through this space.

In the variant in Figure 9, this space is reduced to nothing, and the neck 31a omitted. The internal volume of the dosing chamber occupies substantially the entire space inside the movable annular part 30.

Needless to say, the invention is not limited to the examples that have just been described.

Thus, the invention is not restricted to the dispensing of a cosmetic product, make-up product or care product and applies to the dispensing of any fluid product, preferably a powder.

The dispensing head can be provided, if appropriate, with a dispensing cannula, of which the base is connected to the fixed annular part and defines, at its free end, the dispensing orifice.

The dispensing head can comprise markers permitting easier adjustment of the position of the movable part relative to the fixed part, for example along the slit 27. These markers can be associated, if appropriate, with one or more points of resistance, which the user can sense being overcome as he or she maneuvers the movable part.

The dosing chamber can comprise graduations or indications concerning its filling level.

If appropriate, the dosing chamber is fixed removably on the movable part; it is then possible, for one and the same movable part of a dispensing head, to provide several sizes of dosing chamber corresponding to different respective doses.