The invention relates to a system for dispensing a foam of a fluid product, as well as a bottle for dispensing comprising such a system mounted on a reservoir wherein at least the product is conditioned.

In a particular application, the product is of the lotion, gel or creme type, for example for a use in cosmetics, for pharmaceutical treatments or for food products.

In order to use such a product, it is known to condition it in a jar having a wide opening through which the user can recover the product easily, in particular by plunging her finger inside.

However, in addition to the absence of dosage for the product recovered as such, this type of dispensing poses problems of contamination for the conditioned product, in particular by bacteria, yeast or mould which can be provided by the finger.

Dispensing of a product in the form of a foam having a generous volume is also known, for example by using a system for dispensing comprising a device for sampling a product, a device for sampling air and a chamber for foaming the sampled product with the sampled air.

Furthermore, as for example described in document EP-0 853 500, the system can include a joint actuating head of the devices for sampling, said head having a passage for dispensing the foam which is in communication with the foaming chamber.

The invention aims to improve prior art by proposing in particular such a system which is arranged to allow for the dispensing of a substantial volume of product, said volume being arranged in such a way as to be able to be recovered, in particular by means of a finger, without the risk of contaminating the conditioned product.

To this effect, and according to a first aspect, the invention propose a system for dispensing a foam of a fluid product comprising a device for sampling a product, a device for sampling air and a chamber for foaming the sampled product with the sampled air, said system further comprising a joint actuating head of the devices for sampling, said head having a passage for dispensing the foam which is in communication with the foaming chamber, the head having an upper surface comprising a cup wherein emerges the dispensing passage, said cup and said dispensing passage being arranged in order to allow, during the actuating of the head, for the receiving of the dispensed foam in said cup.

According to a second aspect, the invention proposes a bottle for dispensing a foam of a fluid product comprising a reservoir wherein at least said product is conditioned, said bottle comprising such a system for dispensing which is mounted on said reservoir in order to allow for the sampling of product and of air in order to form a foam of the product, with the cup being directed upwards so that said foam is dispensed in said cup during the actuating of the head.

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

- figures 1 are views at rest of a bottle for dispensing according to an embodiment of the invention, respectively in perspective (figure 1 a) and as a longitudinal cross-section (figure 1 b);

- figures 2 are views in driven positions of the bottle for dispensing according to figures 1 , respectively in perspective (figure 2a) and as a longitudinal cross-section (figure 2b), showing the volume of foam dispensed which is arranged in the cup;

- figure 3 is a front view of the realisations for a dispensing passage according to the invention; - figures 4 are partial representations as a longitudinal cross-section showing respectively the carrying out of a dispensing passage according to the invention:

- figures 5 are partial representations as a longitudinal cross-section showing a dispensing passage according to the invention, respectively at rest (figure 5a) and in dispensing state (figure 5b).

In relation with the figures, a bottle for dispensing a foam M of a fluid product P is described hereinbelow, said product able to be of any nature, for example used in cosmetics, for pharmaceutical treatments or for food products. In particular, the product P can be of the lotion, gel or creme type.

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

To do this, the system for dispensing comprises a device for sampling a product, a device for sampling air and a chamber 3 for foaming the sampled product P with the sampled air, said system being mounted on the reservoir 1 in order to allow for the sampling of conditioned product P and of air in order to form a foam M of product P. In particular, the foaming chamber 3 allows for the mixing of the product P and of the air which are brought under pressure in said chamber by respectively a device for sampling.

The system for dispensing further comprises a joint actuating head 4 of the devices for sampling, said head having a dispensing passage 5 for the foam M which is in communication with the foaming chamber 3. In the embodiment shown, each device for sampling comprises a chamber 6, 7 respectively for product P and for air, each of said chambers being provided with a piston which is can be displaced reversibly by actuating of the head 4 over an axial stroke of supplying the foaming chamber 3. However, the invention is not limited to a particular sampling and/or supply mode of the product P or of the air.

In the embodiment shown, the devices for sampling are separate and integrated into the same body 8. Alternatively, the sampling of air and of product can be carried out by a single device forming the device for sampling air and the device for sampling a product.

The body 8 is mounted in the neck 2 of the bottle by the intermediary of a sealed fastening sleeve 9. In particular, the devices for sampling are arranged concentrically with the air piston arranged around the product piston, said pistons able to be displaced jointly by the actuating head 4 over an axial stroke between a position at rest (figures 1 ) and a driven position (figures 2). The sleeve 9 comprises a ring 10 having an upper surface 1 1 under which an edge 12 of the body 8 is arranged. The ring 10 is screwed around the neck 2 in order to provide for the sealed thrusting of the edge 12 onto the locking ring of the neck 2 by the intermediary of the upper surface 1 1 , possibly with interposition of a seal 13. Other methods of sealed fastening of the system for dispensing on the neck 2 can be used, for example via snap-fitting or by crimping.

The air piston comprises a sealing crown 14 which is mounted slidingly inside the body 8 in order to define under it the air chamber 7, said crown being formed around a support 15 whereon the actuating head 4 is mounted by the intermediary of a well 16 in order to form the foaming chamber 3 between said well and said support.

The support 15 has an upper tubing 15a wherein the foaming chamber 3 is formed, with the well 16 being mounted on the upper end of said tubing. The dispensing passage 5 is arranged inside the well 16 in order to be in communication with the foaming chamber 3. Moreover, the well 16 is surrounded by an armature 17 which is mounted in a bore formed in the upper surface 1 1 in order to axially guide the relative translation of the actuating head 4 in relation to the sleeve 9.

The body 8 further has a lower extension 8a wherein the product chamber 6 is formed, said product chamber having a diameter less than that of the air chamber 7. In particular, the supply of the foaming chamber 3 can be carried out separately with product P and with air, with a kinematics and in a ratio that can be determined. In the embodiment shown, the product chamber 6 is formed inside a jacket 18 which is mounted slidingly inside the extension 8a in order to form the product piston. The chambers 6, 7 for product P and for air are each provided with an intake valve allowing for the filling of said chamber with product or with air and with an outlet valve allowing the product or the air pressurised by the piston to supply the foaming chamber 3.

In the embodiment shown, the product chamber 6 is in communication with the interior of the reservoir 1 by the intermediary of an orifice 19 which is provided with a ball 20 forming the product intake valve. The jacket 18 is provided with a valving element 21 having a rod of which the lower end is mounted slidingly inside an armature 22, the upper end of said rod having a bell socket 23 qui is mounted in an upper seat 24 of the jacket 18 in order to form the product outlet valve. The support 15 is mounted on the seat 24 of the jacket 18 by putting the product outlet valve in communication with the foaming chamber 3. In the embodiment shown, the foaming chamber 3 comprises an upstream portion wherein emerges the intake valve and a downstream portion which is provided with a unit for foaming 25 allowing in particular for the expansion of the foam and dispensing of it by the intermediary of the passage 5.

The unit for foaming 25 is sealably mounted on the upper end of the tubing 15a, the well 16 being sealably mounted on said upper end and on said unit. The unit comprises an upstream passage 25a in communication with the upstream portion of the foaming chamber 3 and a downstream passage 25b arranged axially opposite the dispensing passage 5. In order to create a foam of high quality, the upstream 25a and/or downstream 25b passages can be provided with a foaming grid having pores - through which the product P - air mixture passes under pressure in order to best expand the foam M.

A return spring 26 is arranged in the product chamber 6 between the jacket 18 and a base of the armature 22 under which the ball 20 is arranged. As such, via axial bearing on the actuating head 4 over the dispensing stroke, the jacket 18 can be displaced in the extension 8a in order to pressurise the product P contained in the chamber 6 by closing the intake valve by bearing on the ball 20 and by opening the outlet valve by relative displacement of the valving element 21 in the jacket 18 in order to detach the bell socket 23 from the seat 24. The spring 26 returns the head 4 and the jacket 18 into the position at rest over a suction stroke of the product P in the chamber 6 by closing the outlet valve and opening the intake valve.

The support 15 is mounted on the seat 24 by forming a channel 27 for communication between the air chamber 7 and the upstream portion of the foaming chamber 3, said channel being provided with the outlet valve 28 which is arranged to open - respectively close - said channel over the dispensing stroke - respectively suction stroke. Moreover, the air piston has a channel 29 for putting the air chamber 7 into communication with the exterior, said channel being provided with the intake valve 30 which is arranged to open - respectively close - said channel over the suction stroke - respectively dispensing stroke.

In the embodiment shown, the inlet 30 and outlet 28 valves are formed by respectively a flexible lip seal which can be thrust against or detached from a surface by application on it of a pressure or of an air vacuum.

The actuating head 4 has an upper surface 31 whereon an axial bearing can be exerted in order to displace said head over its dispensing stroke. In relation with the figures, the upper surface 31 is surrounded by an annular lateral skirt 32 which is coaxial and arranged around the well 16 and the armature 17.

The skirt 32 is arranged around an external wall 33 of the sleeve 9, said external wall surrounding the ring 9 and coming substantially in the axial continuity of the bottle by masking the neck portion 2 while still allowing for the sliding of the skirt 32 in relation to the external wall 33 over the dispensing stroke. The system for dispensing can include a lid that covers the actuating head 4, in particular the upper surface 31 , between two dispensings, said lid being mounted for example by snap-fitting on the external wall 33.

The upper surface 31 comprises a cup 34 wherein emerges the dispensing passage 5, said cup and said dispensing passage being arranged to allow for, during the actuating of the head 4, the receiving in said cup of the dispensed foam M. In particular, the bottle is intended to be used with the cup 34 directed upwards so that the foam M is dispensed in said cup during the actuating of the head 4. As such, the possibility of dispensing a substantial volume of product P in the form of a foam M is combined with its arrangement in a cup 34 allowing in particular for it to be recovered with the finger without risk of contaminating the conditioned product P.

In the embodiment shown, the cup 34 is formed as a hollow in the upper surface 31 having a wall 35 extending between a bottom 35a and an upper edge 35b, said wall having a smooth concave shape favouring the sliding of the finger along said wall during the recovering of the foam M. In particular, the volume of the cup 34 between its bottom 35a and its upper edge 35b can be greater than that of the dispensed foam M, in particular having a height higher than that of said foam. It can be provided that at least the wall 35 of the cup 34 comprises an antimicrobial agent for the dispensed foam M, for example with a copper metal base which has microbiostatic properties, in particular by being made of copper metal or of synthetic material, for example of the polyolefin type, which is metallised and/or loaded with copper metal. Alternatively, another microbiostatic agent and/or microbiocide can be used.

Advantageously relatively to the receiving and the recovering of the dispensed foam M in the cup 34, the dispensing passage 5 emerges into the bottom 35a. In particular, the well 16 is covered by the bottom 35a in order to place in communication the foaming chamber 3 with the cup 34 by the intermediary of the dispensing passage 5. For example, the dispensing passage 5 can be positioned at the centre and at the lowest point of the wall 35 of the cup 34, with the well 16 being centred in relation to said passage.

In the embodiment shown, the distribution of the dispensed foam M is improved with a cup 34 having a hollow geometry which has a rotational symmetry, in particular in relation to an axis of symmetry of the dispensing passage 5. In particular, the axis can extend axially and be shared with that of the well 16 and with the tubing 15a in order to form the axis of dispensing.

The upper surface 31 further comprises an actuating surface 36 of the head 4 by axial bearing, in particular by means of at least one finger of the user. In particular, the gesture of dispensing and of recovering is satisfactory when the actuating surface 36 surrounds the cup 31 at least partially.

In the embodiment shown, the upper edge 35b is radially extended towards the exterior by the actuating surface 36 in order to connect said edge to the skirt 32. In particular, the actuating surface 36 has a planar annular geometry.

In order to slow down the speed of the foam M arriving in the cup 34 and as such improve the filling of said cup with said foam, the dispensing passage 5 can be provided with means of interference with the dispensed foam M which comes from the foaming chamber 3 during the actuating of the head 4. In particular, the means of interference can be arranged in order to direct the dispensed foam M towards the wall 35 of the cup 34, in particular tangentially. According to an embodiment, the dispensing passage 5 is provided with a valve which comprises at least one lip 37 forming means of interference, said lip able to be deformed towards an open state of the dispensing passage 5 by application on it of the pressure of the foam M coming from the foaming chamber 3. This embodiment avoids oxidation, contamination and also the drying out of the conditioned product which could clog the unit for foaming 25.

In relation with the figures 5, the dispensing passage 5 comprises a central lug 38 connected to a peripheral edge 39, an element 40 made of flexible material being fixed to said lug. A lip seal 37 extends around the element 40 so as, in position at rest, to be a sealed bearing on the edge 39 so as to block the dispensing passage 5 between two dispensings (figure 5a). The lip 37 is arranged in order to be raised by the pressure of the foam M on it, said rising opening a passage 5 substantially tangent to the bottom 35a of the cup 34 in order to improve its filling with the dispensed foam M (figure 5b).

According to another embodiment, possible complementary, the dispensing passage 3 comprises at least one orifice 41 through which the foam M is dispensed and at least one bridge of material 42 forming means of interference. In particular, the section of passage of the foam M in the cup 34 can then be less than the section of passage of the foam M in the downstream portion of the foaming chamber 3.

In relation with figures 3, the dispensing passage 5 can include a cross-shaped bridge of material 42 delimiting four orifices 41 (figure 3a) or three orifices 41 (figures 3b). The dispensing passage 5 can further comprise a discrete network of orifices 41 separated by bridges of material 42 (figure 3c), said orifices able to have a different section of passage (figure 3d). The figures 4 show the carrying out of a central bridge of material 43 which is connected to a peripheral edge 44, the inscribed diameter of said edge being less than the diameter of the downstream passage of the foaming chamber 3 in order to form an annular bridge 45 forming means of interference. In particular, the inscribed diameter of the edge 44 is less than the inside diameter of the well 16, the edge 44 being formed as an internal projection in said well.

Moreover, in relation with figure 4b, the central bridge 43 and/or the edge 44 can be bevelled in order to form between them a dispensing passage 5 directed towards the wall 35, in particular by being substantially tangent to the bottom 35a of the cup 34, in order to improve its filling by the dispensed foam M.