The present invention relates to a device for packaging and applying a product, and more particular but not exclusively a cosmetic product, intended in particular to be applied to the skin, including the scalp, or the hair.

Numerous packaging and application devices exist, these having been proposed for dispensing a dose of a product contained in a container, by virtue of a flexible wall of the container, said wall being deformed in order to deliver the dose of product.

FR 2 684 569 discloses a packaging and application device comprising a dispensing end piece which is connected to the body of the container by a flexible wall in the form of a bellows. The device comprises flexible tabs which the user can press with his fingers in order to deform the bellows and dispense the product, when the device is disposed head-down.

FR 2 800 640 discloses a device also comprising a flexible wall in the form of a bellows, which the user deforms in order to force the product to flow through a dispensing orifice in order to be dispensed for example directly onto the scalp.

FR 2 630 712, US 5 544 789 and US 5 328 060 disclose packaging and dispensing devices also comprising a flexible wall in the form of a bellows, having a dip tube extending inside the container so as to allow a dose of product to be dispensed when the device is oriented head-up.

Also known are devices with a flexible wall and an applicator held in a removable manner in a housing in order to be filled with product therein when the user exerts an action on the container in order to reduced its internal volume.

In particular, FR 2 816 181 discloses a device for packaging and applying a product, comprising a container containing the product, having a base and a neck connected to the base by a flexible wall such that a movement of the neck in the direction of the base causes the internal volume of the container to decrease and product to be fed to a housing in which an applicator is held.

In this known device, the applicator is carried by a gripping member which also constitutes a cap for closing the housing. A drawback with such a device is the requirement for sealed closure of the housing by the gripping member of the applicator in order to avoid leakage of product, if the container is overturned, for example.

In order to be able to fill the applicator with product, it may be necessary to open the housing by disassembling the gripping member and the neck of the container so as to allow the air to escape from the housing as the product rises therein. If the housing is not open, excess pressure is created in the housing as the product rises, and this can decrease the quantity of product with which the applicator is filled.

FR 2 647 034 discloses a packaging and application device comprising an applicator member fixed to a container and a valve system for establishing or closing communication between this applicator member and the internal space of the container containing the product.

There is a need to further improve the devices for packaging and applying a product, having a container containing the product, and comprising an applicator held in a removable manner in a housing and able to filled with product in response to a decrease in the internal volume of the container.

The present invention achieves this by virtue of a device for packaging and applying a product, comprising:

- a container containing the product, comprising a base and a neck connected to the base, preferably by a flexible wall, such that a movement of the neck in the direction of the base causes the internal volume of the container to be decreased,

- a stopper that moves with the neck and is preferably attached thereto,

- a cover, comprising one or more dispensing orifices, which is able to move relative to the stopper between a closed position of the dispensing orifice(s) and an open position allowing the product to be delivered through the dispensing orifice(s) in response to a decrease in the internal volume of the container, the cover defining a housing into which the dispensing oriflce(s) lead(s),

- an applicator held in a removable manner in the housing and able to be filled with product delivered through the dispensing orifice(s).

By virtue of the invention, the housing that holds the applicator can be isolated from the internal space of the container containing the product by closing the dispensing orifice(s) by simply acting on the cover. Thus, any risk of product leaking is avoided, regardless of the manner in which the applicator is held in the housing and the manner in which the housing is closed when not in use.

In particular, the applicator can be filled with product when the applicator is not closing the housing in a sealed manner. This can make it easier for the product to rise in the housing and for the applicator to be filled with product.

Preferably, the cover is able to rotate relative to the stopper between said open and closed positions, the rotation taking place preferably about the axis of the neck. Thus, the user can easily open or close the container. More preferably, the cover rotates without the cover moving axially relative to the stopper. This can simplify the construction of the device and the obtaining of sealing.

Also preferably, the container and the cover have reliefs which, when the cover is in the closed position, bear against one another in order to limit the depression travel of the neck relative to the base. The risk of accidental actuation of the device is thus reduced, this otherwise being likely to create excess pressure in the container and possibly to cause a leak of product through assembly gaps.

To this end, the cover may have an extension, in particular at its periphery, over at least one angular sector, and the base of the container at least one corresponding notch into which the extension can be inserted when the cover is in the open position and the neck is moved axially relative to the base, the extension coming into abutment against a relief outside the notch when the cover is in the closed position, so as to limit the movement of the cover in the direction of the base. This relief is preferably formed by a shoulder of the container base. If need be, the extension may come into abutment against the bottom of the notch when the cover is in the open position, at the end of the depression travel of the neck relative to the container.

The cover may comprise an external tubular skirt and the extension may be formed by a continuation over a limited angular sector of said skirt.

The stopper preferably comprises a dip tube for feeding product to the dispensing orifice(s), while the housing is oriented so as to be upwardly open. The cover is advantageously fixed to the stopper so as to be held axially on the stopper while allowing it to rotate relative thereto. The cover preferably comprises fixing tabs which are designed to be snap-fastened to the dip tube, in particular to a recess therein. The dip tube is preferably produced in one piece by being moulded together with the rest of the stopper. It is particularly advantageous for the dip tube to bear against the bottom of the container at the end of the movement of the neck towards the base, thereby limiting this movement. Depending on the given length of the tube, it is possible to modify the volume by which the container varies on each use, and thus to modify the volume dispensed.

It is more advantageous to limit the downward travel with the aid of the dip tube than with the aid of the abovementioned extension when the cover is in the open position, since this makes it possible to regulate the dose more easily, it being easier to adjust the length of the tube, by cutting it for example, than to vary the engagement of the abovementioned notch and extension. It is preferred for the dip tube to be rigid so as to play this role of travel limiter.

Properly controlling the height of liquid in the housing, as a result of the dose of product dispensed into the latter, is important, in particular for haircare applications, for which avoiding an excess of product on the applicator is desirable.

The cover preferably comprises a peripheral flange against which the applicator bears when it is in position in the housing.

The applicator may comprise a body and applicator elements extending towards the bottom of the housing.

The flange is preferably positioned such that the applicator elements all extend at a non-zero distance from the wall defining the bottom of the housing, when the applicator is in position in the housing.

The presence of a flange within the cover, against which the applicator bears, is advantageous in that it allows the user to press the applicator in order to vary the internal volume of the container, without any risk of damaging the applicator elements, which are not subjected to the push exerted by the user.

The flexible wall may be in the form of a bellows.

The stopper may comprise a central part having an annular wall provided with at least one notch, this wall closing off the dispensing orifice(s) when the cover is in the closed position and the notch being superposed on a dispensing orifice in the open position, the product coming from the container flowing through the notch.

There are preferably two dispensing orifices. The housing may be radially delimited on the outside by a tubular skirt, and the device may comprise a lid that is able to be fixed to this skirt, in particular by snap- fastening.

The product contained in the container may be a cosmetic product. Another subject of the invention is a cosmetic treatment method with the aid of a device according to the invention as defined above, comprising the steps of:

- bringing the cover into the open position,

- pressing the applicator in order to force the neck of the container to move towards the base thereof and to decrease the internal volume thereof,

- removing the applicator from the housing and applying the product present on the applicator to the surface to be treated.

During this method, the lower end of the dip tube can be brought into abutment against the bottom of the container.

A further subject of the invention, according to another of its aspects, is a device for packaging and applying a product, comprising:

- a container containing the product, comprising a base and a neck connected to the base such that a movement of the neck in the direction of the base causes the internal volume of the container to be decreased,

- a housing,

- an applicator held in the housing,

- a dip tube for feeding the housing with product coming from the container, this dip tube being rigid and moving with the neck and coming into abutment against the bottom of the container in order to limit the variation in the internal volume of the container. This device may furthermore have all the other features defined above.

The invention may be better understood on reading the following detailed description of a non-limiting implementation example thereof and on examining the appended drawing, in which:

- Figure 1 shows a schematic view in axial section of an example of a packaging and application device according to the invention, the cover being in the position closing off the dispensing orifices,

- Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, following removal of the lid, - Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, after the movable cover has passed into the open position,

- Figure 4 illustrates the feeding of the housing containing the applicator in response to a decrease in the internal volume of the container,

- Figure 5 shows the stopper mounted on the container, on its own,

- Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5, with the movable cover in position on the stopper, in the closed position, and

- Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6, with the movable cover in the open position.

The packaging and application device 1 shown in Figures 1 to 7 comprises a container 10 having a neck 11 on which a stopper 20 is mounted. The latter is surmounted by a cover 30 defining a housing 31 for receiving an applicator 40 for applying the product contained in the container 10 to a surface to be treated, for example the skin, the scalp and/or the hair.

The device 1 comprises a lid 50 which can be fixed to the cover 30.

The applicator 40 may be of any type and comprise for example, as illustrated in the figures, a row of spikes 41 that are attached to a body 42, which may be surmounted by a handle 43 that defines with the body 42 a space 44 for inserting fingers in order to handle the applicator 40.

The lid 50 may rest against or extend a short distance away from the back 46 of the handle 43 when the applicator 40 is in position in the housing 31 , in order to immobilize it axially therein.

The lid 50 may be fixed to the cover 30 in various ways, for example by snap- fastening as illustrated, by virtue of a lip 51 that is snap-fastened over a corresponding bulge 32 of a tubular skirt 34 of the cover 30.

The wall 33 of the cover 30 defining the bottom of the housing 31 may have the overall shape of a dish, as illustrated, and be attached peripherally to the tubular skirt 34 by a flange 35. The body 42 of the applicator 40 may rest against the flange 35 when the applicator 40 is in position in the housing 31 , as can be seen in particular in Figure 1 ,

The height of the skirt 34 above the flange 35 is sufficient to contain the body

42. When the lid 50 is in position, it can come into contact, with its lower edge, against the body 42, thereby helping to immobilize the applicator 40 in the housing 31.

The wall 33 is extended downwards by an annular sealing lip 36 and by a central extension 37 comprising two diametrically opposed fixing tabs 70.

The stopper 20 is produced with a dip tube 23 which extends towards the bottom of the container.

The dip tube 23 has an annular shoulder 22 close to its lower end, it being possible for teeth 38 produced on the fixing tabs 70 to be coupled to said annular shoulder 22. Thus, said fixing tabs 70 can be snap-fastened into the dip tube 23. The latter is produced in one piece by being moulded together with the stopper 20 and leads at the top into a chamber 24 of the stopper 20, more particularly visible in Figure 3, this chamber 24 being defined by a central part 27 of the stopper 20.

The stopper 20 comprises an upper wall 25 which closes the top of the neck 11 and which connects a mounting skirt 26, for fixing the stopper to the neck 11, to the central part 27. The dip tube 23 is connected at the top to the central part 27. The latter has an annular groove 28 into which the sealing lip 36 is inserted. The presence of the lip 36 prevents product exiting through the gap between the walls 33 and 25.

The upper wall 25 bears an annular sealing lip 29 which presses against the radially inner surface of the neck 1 1.

The slope of the wall 25 matches that of the wall 33 so as to give the cover 30 mechanical stability.

In the example illustrated, the cover 30 comprises two, diametrically opposed, dispensing orifices 39, visible in particular in Figure 6, which each extend through around twenty or thirty degrees about the axis X of the container.

The cover 30 is able to rotate about the axis X between a closed position of the orifices 39, corresponding to Figures 2 and 6, and an open position of the dispensing orifices 39, corresponding to Figures 3 and 7.

The central part 27 of the stopper 20 has an annular part which internally delimits the groove 28 and is provided with two diametrically opposed notches 60 which are superposed on the dispensing orifices 39 in the dispensing position, as illustrated in Figure 3, so as to allow the product flowing through the dip rube 23 to reach the bottom of the housing 31 and to fill the applicator 40 with product. In the closed position of the cover 30, the annular wall of the central part 27 closes off the orifices 39, as illustrated in Figure 6.

The container 10 comprises a base 12 which has an annular shoulder 14 that serves as an abutment for an extension 63 of the cover 30 when the latter is in the closed position, as is visible in Figure 6, in particular. Thus, the skirt 34 cannot move in a substantially axial manner along the axis X relative to the base 10 when the cover is in the closed position, and the container 10 is thus kept in its initial configuration. The base 12 comprises a notch 63 which interrupts the shoulder 14 and into which the extension 63 can be inserted.

When the cover 30 is brought into the open position, as illustrated in particular in Figure 3, the extension 63 extends beyond the notch 13 and can be inserted into the latter when the movable cover 30 is moved axially downward relative to the base 12.

The neck 1 1 is connected to the base 12 by way of a flexible wall 15, for example in the form of a bellows. This flexible wall 15 can deform by folding, as illustrated in Figure 4, when the movable cover 30 is moved downward. This deformation of the flexible wall 15 is accompanied by a decrease in the internal volume of the container, and the product can rise in the dip tube 23 so as to reach the bottom of the housing 31 through the recesses 60 and the dispensing orifices 39, as illustrated in Figui'e 4.

The flexible wall 15 can be produced in one piece by being moulded together with the neck 11 and the base 12 of the container, by choosing to produce the container from a material having sufficient deformability. However, preferably, the flexible wall 15 is produced from an elastically deformable material while the neck 11 and the base 12 are produced from a more rigid material. In this case, the flexible wall 15 is for example injection-moulded onto a portion of the neck and of the base 12.

When the applicator 40 is in position in the housing 31, it can bear, by way of the edge of the body 42, against the peripheral flange 35. This can make it possible for the user to press the handle 43 downwards in order to deform the flexible wall 15, the force applied to the handle being transmitted to the neck via the peripheral flange 35, thereby making it possible to prevent the applicator elements 41 from being compressed against the wall 33 defining the bottom of the housing. The dip tube 23 is sufficiently rigid to serve as a depression limiter by coming into abutment against the bottom of the container when the user presses the handle 43 in order to depress the neck 1 1.

The length given to the dip tube makes it possible to control the dose of product with which the housing 31 is filled, and thus to prevent an excess of product being present on the spikes 41 of the applicator, this being very particularly advantageous when the product is intended to be applied to the hair.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiment which has just been described.

In particular, it is possible to fix the stopper 20 to the neck 11 in some other way than by screw-fastening, for example by snap-fastening. If need be, the stopper is produced by being moulded together with the neck. In this case, the mounting skirt 26 is no longer necessary. It is possible to provide other forms of reliefs for preventing the cover 30 from moving relative to the base 12 when it is in the closed position.

It is possible to replace the applicator 40 with any other applicator suitable for applying the product to the desired surface, for example an applicator of which the application surface is defined by a foam, a frit, a felt or a flocked membrane.

The flexible wall 15 may be replaced by a means that allows the neck to move in a sealed manner relative to the base, for example of the interlocking type with an interposed seal.

The expression "comprising a" should be understood as being synonymous with "comprising at least one", unless specified to the contrary.