Spray dispenser
The invention relates to a dispenser 20 for the spray delivery of a preparation 18 . The dispenser comprises: a reservoir 22 suitable for containing the preparation 18 , a mechanical pump 24 , a load chamber 26 , a nozzle 28 having a delivery axis, and a delivery cone 30 having an axis. The mechanical pump is able, whenever operated: to take a predetermined amount of preparation from the reservoir, to supply said amount of preparation to the load chamber upstream of the nozzle, and to create a delivery pressure in the load chamber. The nozzle is able to deliver said amount of preparation in the form of an aerosol spray 180 . The dispenser according to the invention is characterized in that the delivery cone comprises, in the proximity of the nozzle, at least one through-hole 320 suitable for putting the inside of the delivery cone into communication with the surrounding environment.
1. Dispenser ( 20 ) for spray delivery of a preparation ( 18 ), comprising:
a reservoir ( 22 ) suitable for housing the preparation ( 18 );
a pump ( 24 );
a load chamber ( 26 );
a nozzle ( 28 ) having a delivery axis (X);
a delivery cone ( 30 ) having an axis (X′); wherein the pump ( 24 ) is suitable, at each operation:
for drawing a predetermined quantity of preparation ( 18 ) from the reservoir ( 22 ), for supplying such quantity of preparation ( 18 ) to the load chamber ( 26 ) upstream of the nozzle ( 28 ), and
for creating a delivery pressure in the load chamber ( 26 ), and wherein the nozzle ( 28 ) is suitable for delivering said quantity of preparation ( 18 ) in the form of an aerosol spray ( 180 ),
wherein the delivery cone ( 30 ) comprises a contact rim ( 300 ) and, in the proximity of the nozzle ( 28 ), at least one through hole ( 320 ) suitable for putting into communication an inside of the delivery cone ( 30 ) with a surrounding environment, characterized in that the at least one through hole ( 320 ) is positioned entirely downstream of the nozzle and within the first 20% of a distance/as measured from the nozzle ( 28 ) to the contact rim ( 300 ); wherein the dispenser ( 20 ) is configured so that when the contact rim ( 300 ) of the delivery cone ( 30 ) is positioned on a patient's skin such that there is a closed space formed by the delivery cone ( 30 ), air within the closed space is arranged to flow out of the at least one through hole ( 320 ) in response to the spray delivery of the preparation.
2. Dispenser ( 20 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the delivery cone ( 30 ) further comprises a first portion ( 302 ) and a second portion ( 304 ) having different taper ratios from one another.
3. Dispenser ( 20 ) according to claim 2 , wherein a generatrix of a surface of the first portion ( 302 ) forms with axis (X′) an angle α and a generatrix of a surface of the second portion ( 304 ) forms with axis (X′) an angle β, wherein angle β is smaller than angle α.
4. Dispenser ( 20 ) according to claim 2 , wherein a generatrix of a surface of the first portion ( 302 ) forms with axis (X′) an angle α comprised between 40° and 50°.
5. Dispenser ( 20 ) according to claim 2 , wherein a generatrix of a surface of the second portion ( 304 ) forms with axis (X′) an angle β comprised between 6° and 16°.
6. Dispenser ( 20 ) according to claim 2 , wherein in a cross-section lengthways through the delivery cone ( 30 ) along the axis (X′) of the delivery cone ( 30 ), a surface of the first portion is at an angle α to the axis (X′) of the delivery cone ( 30 ), and a surface of the second portion is at an angle β to the axis (X′) of the delivery cone ( 30 ), wherein angle β is smaller than angle α.
7. Dispenser ( 20 ) according to claim 2 , wherein in a cross-section lengthways through the delivery cone ( 30 ) along the axis (X′) of the delivery cone ( 30 ), a surface of the first portion is at an angle α to the axis (X′) of the delivery cone ( 30 ) and is between 40° and 50°.
8. Dispenser ( 20 ) according to claim 2 , wherein in a cross-section lengthways through the delivery cone ( 30 ) along the axis (X′) of the delivery cone ( 30 ), a surface of the second portion is at an angle β to the axis (X′) of the delivery cone ( 30 ), wherein angle β is between 6° and 16°.
9. Dispenser ( 20 ) according to claim 2 , wherein the first portion ( 302 ) extends up to 15%-25% of the distance/between the nozzle ( 28 ) and the contact rim ( 300 ).
10. Dispenser ( 20 ) according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one through hole ( 320 ) is comprised in the first portion ( 302 ) of the delivery cone ( 30 ).
11. Dispenser ( 20 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the delivery cone ( 30 ) comprises a plurality of through holes ( 320 ).
12. Dispenser ( 20 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the delivery axis of the nozzle and the axis of the delivery cone coincide in one single axis (X), even during operation of the dispenser ( 20 ).
13. A method of dispensing a volume of fluid onto a skin surface comprising:
a. positioning on the skin surface a contact rim ( 300 ), said contact rim defined with a dispenser comprising:
a reservoir ( 22 ) suitable for housing a preparation ( 18 );
a pump ( 24 );
a load chamber ( 26 );
a nozzle ( 28 ) having a delivery axis (X);
a delivery cone ( 30 ) having an axis (X′); wherein the pump ( 24 ) is suitable at each operation:
for drawing a predetermined quantity of preparation ( 18 ) from the reservoir ( 22 ) for supplying such quantity of preparation ( 18 ) to the load chamber ( 26 ) upstream of the nozzle ( 28 ), and
for creating a delivery pressure in the load chamber ( 26 ), and wherein the nozzle ( 28 ) is suitable for delivering said quantity of preparation ( 18 ) in the form of an aerosol spray ( 180 ),
wherein the delivery cone ( 30 ) comprises the contact rim ( 300 ) and, in the proximity of the nozzle ( 28 ), at least one through hole ( 320 ) suitable for putting into communication an inside of the delivery cone ( 30 ) with a surrounding environment, characterized in that the at least one through hole ( 320 ) is positioned entirely downstream of the nozzle and within the first 20% of a distance/as measured from the nozzle ( 28 ) to the contact rim ( 300 ); and
b. dispensing the preparation from the dispenser, wherein the dispenser ( 20 ) is configured so that when the contact rim ( 300 ) of the delivery cone ( 30 ) is positioned on a patient's skin such that there is a closed space formed by the delivery cone ( 30 ), air within the closed space is arranged to flow out of the at least one through hole ( 320 ) in response to the spray delivery of the preparation.
14. Dispenser ( 20 ) for spray delivery of a preparation ( 18 ), comprising:
a reservoir ( 22 ) suitable for housing the preparation ( 18 );
a pump ( 24 );
a load chamber ( 26 );
a nozzle ( 28 ) having a delivery axis (X);
a delivery cone ( 30 ) having an axis (X′); wherein the pump ( 24 ) is suitable, at each operation:
for drawing a predetermined quantity of preparation ( 18 ) from the reservoir ( 22 ), for supplying such quantity of preparation ( 18 ) to the load chamber ( 26 ) upstream of the nozzle ( 28 ), and
for creating a delivery pressure in the load chamber ( 26 ), and wherein the nozzle ( 28 ) is suitable for delivering said quantity of preparation ( 18 ) in the form of an aerosol spray ( 180 ),
wherein the delivery cone ( 30 ) comprises a contact rim ( 300 ) and, in the proximity of the nozzle ( 28 ), at least one through hole ( 320 ) suitable for putting into communication an inside of the delivery cone ( 30 ) with a surrounding environment, characterized in that the at least one through hole ( 320 ) is positioned entirely downstream of the nozzle and within the first 20% of a distance/as measured from the nozzle ( 28 ) to the contact rim ( 300 ).