The invention relates to a system for dispensing a foam of a fluid product, in particular liquid, used in perfumery, in cosmetics or for pharmaceutical treatments. The invention further relates to a bottle for dispensing comprising such a system mounted on a reservoir wherein the product and the air are conditioned.

In order to allow for the dispensing of the foam, the system comprises a head wherein a mixing chamber of the product with the air is formed, as well as a unit for foaming which has a passage for the supply of mixture coming from said chamber and a passage for dispensing the foam.

The supplying of the mixing chamber is carried out by passages respectively for product and for air, said passages being in communication with the reservoir in order to be supplied respectively with product and with air. As such, by providing a deformable reservoir, in particular manually, the air and the product conditioned are pressurised in said reservoir in order to supply the mixing chamber by the intermediary of passages, so as to dispense the product foam without using a pump.

Furthermore, the deformation of the reservoir is reversible in order to allow for the air return in the reservoir in compensation for the volume dispensed. To do this, a passage for return air is provided between the reservoir and the exterior of the bottle, said passage being provided with an anti-return valve which is arranged to be opened under the effect of the vacuum induced by the returning of the reservoir to its initial shape.

In particular in relation with bottles that can be inclined head downwards during storage and/or during dispensing, it is required to provide a supply valve for the mixing chamber in order to prevent product leakage via the head in the absence of stress on the reservoir. Indeed, when the head is arranged underneath the product, i.e. the bottle is arranged between the horizontal and vertical directions head downwards, simple gravity can suffice to provoke a flow of product via the head.

The supply valve conventionally comprises a product valve and an air valve provided respectively on the passage for product and the passage for air, each of said valves being arranged to open the passage for product - respectively for air - in order to supply the mixing chamber using a pressure that the product - respectively the air - exerts on it. As such, in the absence of deformation of the reservoir, the supplying of the mixing chamber is closed in a sealed manner, the pressurising of the air and of the product in said reservoir actuating the dispensing of the foam.

However, the use of an air return valve and of a supply valve according to prior art is not entirely satisfactory, as it is complex to carry out and requires a substantial number of components. Furthermore, the stresses for opening / closing the different valves are difficult to reconcile, which can lead to product leakage and/or to the dispensing of a foam of which the quality is not always satisfactory. The invention aims to improve prior art by proposing in particular a system that makes possible, even in relation with a use inclined with the head downwards, the dispensing of a foam of good quality, wherein the opening / closing functions of the passages for the product, for air and for air return are carried out simply and reliably.

To this effect, and according to a first aspect, the invention proposes a system for dispensing the foam of a fluid product comprising:

- a head wherein a mixing chamber of said product with the air is formed, said chamber having a passage for product intended to be in communication with a source of product and a passage for air intended to be in communication with a source of air;

a unit for foaming which has a passage for the supply of mixture coming from the chamber and a passage for dispensing the foam; a supply valve of the mixing chamber which comprises a product valve and an air valve is provided respectively on the passage for product and the passage for air, each of said valves being arranged to open the passage for product - respectively for air - in order to supply the mixing chamber using a pressure that the source of product - respectively of air

- exerts on it;

with the mixing chamber having a passage for return air which is provided with an anti-return valve arranged to be opened under the effect of a vacuum in the mixing chamber, the supply valve being arranged to open the passage for air using a vacuum that the source of air exerts on it in order to allow for the air return in said source through the mixing chamber.

According to a second aspect, the invention proposes a bottle for dispensing the foam of a fluid product comprising a reservoir wherein said product and air are conditioned, said bottle comprising such a system for dispensing which is mounted on said reservoir, said reservoir able to be deformed reversibly between a pressurised state of the valves for the air and for the product in order to dispense the foam through the unit for foaming and a vacuum state of the supply valve in order to allow for the air return in said reservoir through the mixing chamber.

Other purposes and advantages of the invention shall appear in the following description, made in reference to the annexed figures, wherein:

- figure 1 is a longitudinal cross-section view of a bottle for dispensing according to an embodiment of the invention, said bottle shown in closed state;

- figure 2 is an enlarged view of figure 1 showing more particularly the system for dispensing in closed state;

- figures 3a and 3b are diagrammatical drawings of the front of two possible configurations for the supply valve according to the invention;

- figures 4 and 5 are views similar to figure 2 wherein the system for dispensing is respectively in dispensing state (figure 4) and in air return state (figure 5). In relation with the figures, a bottle for dispensing the foam of a fluid product P, in particular liquid, is described hereinbelow, said product able to be of any nature, for example used in perfumery, in cosmetics or for pharmaceutical treatments.

The bottle comprises a reservoir 1 surmounted by a neck 2 whereon a system for dispensing is mounted, the product P and air A being conditioned in said reservoir in order to be mixed for the purpose of dispensing them in the form of foam.

To do this, the system for dispensing comprises a head 3 wherein is formed a mixing chamber 4 of the product P with the air A, as well as a unit for foaming 5 which has a passage for supplying 6 with mixture coming from said chamber and a passage for dispensing 7 the foam to the exterior of the bottle. In particular, the unit for foaming 5 allows for the expansion of the foam and its dispensing to the geometry of the passage for dispensing 7.

In the embodiment shown, the head 3 comprises a support 8 which has an outer plate 9 provided with an inner annular skirt 10 and an outer annular skirt 1 1 . The skirts 10, 1 1 are concentric in order to form a space wherein the neck 2 is arranged, the inner skirt 10 being in sealed contact on the interior of said neck and the outer skirt 1 1 being snap-fitted onto the exterior of said neck. Other methods for the sealed fastening of the head 3 onto the neck 2 can be used, for example by screwing or by crimping.

The outer plate 9 comprises a downstream opening 12 formed inside a central wall 13 which extends interiorly by delimiting exteriorly the mixing chamber 4. The head 3 further comprises a base 14 which has an inner plate 15 provided with an outer skirt 16, said skirt being associated around the central wall 13 so that said inner plate delimits the mixing chamber 4 opposite the downstream opening 12. The head 3 comprises a lid 17 for closing the downstream opening 12 between two dispensings, said lid being mounted by the intermediary of a hinge 18 on an edge of the outer plate 9 between a closed position (figures 1 and 2) and an open position (figures 4 and 5). In particular, the lid 17 comprises an inner edge 19 which, in closed position, is engaged on the central wall 13 in order provide the seal for the closing of the downstream opening 12 during storage.

The system for dispensing comprises a casing 20 wherein the unit for foaming 5 is formed. The casing 20 comprises the passages for supplying 6 and for dispensing 7 between which a foaming chamber 21 is formed, in particular in order to allow for the expansion and the dispensing of the foam formed by the mixture of the product P and of the air A. In order to create a foam of high quality, the passage for supplying 6 and/or for dispensing 7 can be provided with a foaming grid 22 having pores through which the product P - air A mixtures passes under pressure in order to best expand the foam.

The casing 20 is mounted in the downstream opening 12 of the mixing chamber 4 by sealed fitting to the interior of the central wall 13 in such a way that said casing delimits the mixing chamber 4 opposite the inner plate 15. In particular, the passage for supplying 6 is arranged in the mixing chamber 4 and the passage for dispensing 7 is arranged inside the downstream opening 12 in such a way as to be closed by the lid 17 between two dispensings.

The mixing chamber 4 has a passage for product 23 in communication with a source of product 24 formed in the reservoir 1 and a passage for air 25 in communication with a source of air 26 formed in said reservoir. In relation with the figures, each passage 23, 25 is formed in the inner plate 15 in the form of an orifice. Alternatively, a passage 23, 25 can include several orifices and/or be formed in another wall of the mixing chamber 4.

The passage for air 25 is provided with an extension 28 wherein one end of a tubing 27 is mounted, with the other end of said tubing being arranged in the source of air 26 in order to allow for the transport of the air A between said source and said passage for air through the source of product 24. Alternatively, other means for supplying the passage for air 25 can be considered.

In the embodiment shown, the bottle is intended to be used head 3 inclined downwards, the source of product 24 being formed in the portion of reservoir 1 located in the extension of the neck 2 and the source of air 26 in that located in the bottom 29 of said reservoir. In particular, this use implies that the head 3 is arranged under the product P, in particular with the bottle arranged between the horizontal and vertical directions head 3 downwards during the dispensing and/or storage. In the embodiment shown, the lid 17 has a flat upper wall whereon the bottle is intended to be placed head 3 downwards during its storage (figure 1 ).

The system for dispensing comprises a supply valve 30 of the mixing chamber 4 which comprises a product valve 31 and an air valve 32 provided respectively on the passage for product 23 and the passage for air 25. Each of the valves 31 , 32 is arranged to open the passage for product 23 - respectively of air 25 - in order to supply the mixing chamber 4 using a pressure that the source of product 24 - respectively of air 26 - exerts on it. As such, in the absence of sufficient pressure on the valves 31 , 32, in particular via simple gravity, the supplying of the mixing chamber 4 is closed in a sealed manner in order to prevent leaking and the pressurising of the valves 31 , 32 from actuating the dispensing of the foam. The supplying of the mixing chamber 4 is carried out separately for product P and for air A, with a kinematics and in a ratio that can be determined. Advantageously, the opening pressure of the passage for air 25 is less than that of the passage for product 23, for example being respectively 20 mbar and 30 mbar in such a way that the supplying of the mixing chamber 4 starts with the air A only and then continues with the air A and with the product P.

In the embodiment shown, the dispensing of the foam is actuated by the intermediary of the reservoir 1 which is deformable, in particular manually. Indeed, this deformation induces a pressurising of the air A and of the product P which is exerted respectively on the valves for air 32 and for product 31 in such a way as to supply the mixing chamber 4 then the unit for foaming 5. Alternatively, the source of product 24 and/or of air 26 can be pressurised by other means than the deformation of the reservoir 1 , or via a non-manual deformation of said reservoir.

In order for the bottle to recover its initial shape between two dispensings, the deformation of the reservoir 1 is reversible, in particular by providing to carry out said reservoir with a shape memory material and/or by providing said reservoir with added elastic means. The dispensing of a volume of foam must then be compensated by an air return of equivalent volume in the reservoir 1 . In particular, during the return to its initial shape, the reservoir 1 is in a vacuum state of the supply valve 30 by the intermediary of the passage for air 25.

In order to allow the air return through the mixing chamber 4, the supply valve 30 is arranged to open the passage for air 25 using a vacuum that the source of air 26 exerts on it. As such, a vacuum is formed in the mixing chamber 4 which has a passage for return air 33 provided with an anti-return valve 34 arranged to be opened under the effect of this vacuum in order to supply the reservoir 1 with air A in compensation for the volume dispensed.

The air return through the mixing chamber 4 makes it possible to manage the opening / closing functions of all of the passages, i.e. for the product 23, air 25 and air return 33, by means of the supply valve 30 which is provided at the interface between the reservoir 1 and said mixing chamber, which can be done simply and reliably, in particular in relation with a dispensing of foam of quality with a bottle head 3 downwards. In particular, the supply valve 30 can be arranged in order maintain the passage for product 23 closed during the air return so that the air A is introduced into the reservoir 1 only by the intermediary of the passage for air 25, in particular without passing through the source of product 24. In the embodiment shown, the casing 20 comprises a lateral extension 35 wherein the passage for return air 33 is formed outside of the unit for foaming 5. In particular, the passage for return air 33 is carried out on the downstream opening 12, the lid 17 closing said passage for return air between two dispensings.

Advantageously, the air return is not carried out through the unit for foaming 5 but in parallel of the foaming chamber 21 . More precisely, the pressure in the mixing chamber 4 during the dispensing maintains the air return valve 34 in closed position in order to supply the foaming chamber 21 with the mixture, with the vacuum in the mixing chamber 4 during the air return opening said valve in order to supply the reservoir 1 with air A without passing through the foaming chamber 21 . In the figures, the passage for return air 33 comprises an orifice whereon is mounted a sealing element 34, said element being arranged in the mixing chamber 4 between a thrust closed position of the orifice (figures 2 and 4) in order to allow for storage and dispensing, and a separated open position of said orifice (figure 5) in order to allow for the air return.

More precisely, the element is formed of a ball 34 which is mounted in a sealed manner on a seat of the orifice 33 by the intermediary of a retaining cage (not shown in the figures). The pressure in the mixing chamber 4 maintains the ball 34 on the seat, the vacuum in said mixing chamber raising said ball in the cage.

Advantageously, at least one valve 31 , 32 comprises a membrane 36 made of sealed elastomeric material wherein lips 37 are formed. In particular, all the valves 31 , 32 can include lips 37, for example made in the same membrane 36 or each in a different membrane 36.

In the embodiment shown, each valve 31 , 32 is carried out with a membrane 36, said membranes being overmoulded on a rigid armature 38 for fastening the supply valve 30 in the mixing chamber 4. By way of example, the armature 38 can be carried out with a polyolefin base such as Polypropylene or Polyethylene, and the membranes 36 with a silicone or thermoplastic elastomeric (TPE) base.

In relation with figures 3, the rigid armature 38 has orifices 39 in each of which a membrane 36 is overmoulded, said orifices being arranged in such a way as to be able to be arranged across from respectively a passage 23, 25 when the supply valve 30 is mounted in the mixing chamber 4. In particular, each orifice

39 has an protruding edge between which the membrane 36 is arranged, said edge pressing under the inner plate 15.

The fastening of the supply valve 30 in the mixing chamber 4 is provided by the fastening of the base 14 around the central wall 13, in particular via a pinch seal of the outside edge of the armature 38 between the inner plate 15 and the end of the central wall 13.

In the embodiment shown, the supply valve 30 comprises an air return valve 40 which is provided on the passage for air 25, said valve being arranged to open said passage for air using a vacuum that the source of air 26 exerts on it. In figure 3a, the air valve 32 also forms an air return valve 40, said valve being double-acting in order to open the passage for air 25 when the source of air 26 exerts a pressure or a vacuum on it. In particular, the lips 37 of the air valve 32,

40 are then able to be displaced reversibly under the effect of a pressure or of a vacuum of air between a sealed joined state (figure 2) and a separated open state of the passage for air 25 (figures 4 and 5).

Advantageously, the air valve 32, 40 has a dome whereon the lips 37 are formed, said dome being oriented outwards from the mixing chamber 4. As such, the opening pressure of the passage for air 25 must be sufficient in order to turn the dome over, while the opening vacuum is lower since it must induce only a rising of the lips 37. In particular, the opening vacuum for the air return can be from 5 to 10 mbar and the opening pressure for the supplying with air of 20 mbar. Likewise, the product valve 31 has a dome of similar geometry and of which the lips 37 can be displaced reversibly under the effect of a pressure of product P between a sealed joined state (figures 2 and 5) and a separated open state of the passage for product 23 (figure 4).

The diameter of the dome of the product valve 21 can be lower than that of the air valve 32 so that the opening pressure of the passage for air 25 is less than that of the passage for product 23. Furthermore, the opening vacuum of the air return valve 40 is less than that of the product valve 31 so that the air return is carried out substantially by the intermediary of the passage for air 25.

In figure 3b, the air return valve 40 is separate from the air valve 32, each being formed from a membrane 36 wherein lips 37 are formed, each of said membranes being overmoulded in an orifice 39 of the rigid armature 38.

In this embodiment the passage for air 25 can include two orifices provided respectively with the air valve 32 and with the air return valve 40, each of said orifices being in communication with the source of air 26.

Each of the valves 32, 40 is single-acting, i.e. their lips 37 can be opened under the effect of a pressure for the air valve 32 and under the effect of a vacuum for the air return valve 40. In particular, the opening vacuum for the air return valve 40 is less than those for the valves for air 32 and for product 31 so that the air return is carried out substantially by the intermediary of said air return valve.

In the embodiments shown, each valve 31 , 32, 40 comprises four lips 37 formed around a cross-shaped slot. In particular, a slot can be carried out by cutting, in particular after extension of the dome so as, after release of said extension, improve the sale conferred in joined state.