IP Library Granted Patent US 11,654,449
Granted Patent B2
US 11,654,449 · App. 17/255,141 · Granted May 23, 2023

Device for supplying mist of liquid and assembly including the same

Inventors: Chin Kai Lee (Kawasaki, JP); Woo Ram Park (Kawasaki, JP); Vishal Sharma (Kawasaki, JP); Di Chen (Shanghai, CN)
Assignee: L'Oreal
B05B17/0653B05B17/0646
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,654,449
App. No.
17/255,141
Granted
May 23, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention relates to a device ( 10 ) for supplying a mist of liquid (F). The device ( 10 ) is used in combination with a container ( 20 ) with an opening ( 200 ) for containing the liquid (F). The device ( 10 ) includes a main body ( 100 ) comprising: (i) a center axis (C); (ii) a liquid chamber ( 110 ) formed inside the main body ( 100 ), into which a predetermined amount of liquid (F) can be taken up; (iii) a first port ( 112 ) formed in a base wall ( 114 ) of the main body ( 100 ) forming a bottom surface ( 116 ) of the liquid chamber ( 110 ) so as to face the opening ( 200 ) when the device ( 10 ) and the container ( 20 ) are combined with each other, through which the liquid (F) can flow; (iv) a second port ( 118 ) formed in the base wall ( 114 ) at a position different from the position where the first port ( 112 ) is formed so as to face the opening ( 200 ) when the device ( 10 ) and the container ( 20 ) are combined with each other, through which the liquid (F) can flow; and (v) an aperture ( 120 ) connected to the liquid chamber ( 110 ), through which a mist of liquid (F) can be released to the outside of the main body ( 100 ). The device ( 10 ) further includes: a connecting section ( 122 ) provided on the main body ( 100 ) so as to extend from it in a direction away from the base wall ( 114 ) and used for connecting the container ( 20 ) to the main body ( 100 ); an atomizing element ( 124 ) interposed between the liquid chamber ( 110 ) and the aperture ( 120 ) to atomize the liquid (F) taken up in the liquid chamber ( 110 ) and release a mist of the liquid (F) to the outside of the main body ( 100 ) from the aperture ( 120 ); a first valve ( 126 ) mounted on the main body ( 100 ) corresponding to the first port ( 112 ), wherein the first valve ( 126 ) permits the liquid (F) in the container ( 20 ) flowing into the liquid chamber ( 110 ) through the first port ( 112 ) under the influence of gravity, and prevents the liquid (F) in the liquid chamber ( 110 ) flowing into the container ( 20 ) under the influence of gravity; and a second valve ( 128 ) mounted on the main body ( 100 ) corresponding to the second port ( 118 ), wherein the second valve ( 128 ) prevents the liquid (F) in the container ( 20 ) from flowing into the liquid chamber ( 110 ) through the second port ( 118 ) under the influence of gravity, and selectively permits or prevents the liquid (F) in the liquid chamber ( 110 ) flowing into the container ( 20 ) through the second port ( 118 ) under the influence of gravity.

Claims (20)

1. A device ( 10 ) for supplying a mist of a liquid (F), the device ( 10 ) intended to be used in combination with a container ( 20 ) with an opening ( 200 ) for containing the liquid (F), the device ( 10 ) comprising:

a main body ( 100 ), the main body ( 100 ) comprising:

a center axis (C);

a liquid chamber ( 110 ) formed inside the main body ( 100 ), into which a predetermined amount of the liquid (F) can be taken up;

a first port ( 112 ) formed in a base wall ( 114 ) of the main body ( 100 ) forming a bottom surface ( 116 ) of the liquid chamber ( 110 ) so as to face the opening ( 200 ) of the container ( 20 ) when the device ( 10 ) and the container ( 20 ) are combined with each other, through which the liquid (F) can flow;

a second port ( 118 ) formed in the base wall ( 114 ) of the main body ( 100 ) at a position different from a position where the first port ( 112 ) is formed so as to face the opening ( 200 ) of the container ( 20 ) when the device ( 10 ) and the container ( 20 ) are combined with each other, through which the liquid (F) can flow;

an aperture ( 120 ) connected to the liquid chamber ( 110 ), through which a mist of liquid (F) can be released to the outside of the main body ( 100 );

a connecting section ( 122 ) provided on the main body ( 100 ) so as to extend from the main body ( 100 ) in a direction away from the base wall ( 114 ) of the main body ( 100 ) and used for connecting the container ( 20 ) to the main body ( 100 );

an atomizing element ( 124 ) interposed between the liquid chamber ( 110 ) and the aperture ( 120 ) to atomize the liquid (F) taken up in the liquid chamber ( 110 ) and release a mist of the liquid (F) to the outside of the main body ( 100 ) from the aperture ( 120 );

a first valve ( 126 ) mounted on the main body ( 100 ) corresponding to the first port ( 112 ), wherein the first valve ( 126 ) permits the liquid (F) in the container ( 20 ) flowing into the liquid chamber ( 110 ) through the first port ( 112 ) under the influence of gravity, and prevents the liquid (F) in the liquid chamber ( 110 ) flowing into the container ( 20 ) under the influence of gravity; and

a second valve ( 128 ) mounted on the main body ( 100 ) corresponding to the second port ( 118 ), wherein the second valve ( 128 ) prevents the liquid (F) in the container ( 20 ) flowing into the liquid chamber ( 110 ) through the second port ( 118 ) under the influence of gravity, and selectively permits or prevents the liquid (F) in the liquid chamber ( 110 ) flowing into the container ( 20 ) through the second port ( 118 ) under the influence of gravity.

2. The device ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the atomizing element ( 124 ) is a piezoelectric element.

3. The device ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the first valve ( 126 ) comprises a first flap ( 126 a ) which is disposed within the liquid chamber ( 110 ) and which is rotatable around a first flap axis (R 1 ) orthogonal or approximately orthogonal to the center axis (C), wherein the first flap ( 126 a ) of the first valve ( 126 ) blocks the flowing of liquid (F) by being pressed against the bottom surface ( 116 ) of the liquid chamber ( 110 ) by the weight of the liquid (F) in the liquid chamber ( 110 ).

4. The device ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the second valve ( 128 ) comprises a second flap ( 128 a ) which is disposed outside the liquid chamber ( 110 ) and which is rotatable around a second flap axis (R 2 ) orthogonal or approximately orthogonal to the center axis (C), wherein the second flap ( 128 a ) of the second valve ( 128 ) blocks the flowing of the liquid (F) from the container ( 20 ) to the liquid chamber ( 110 ) by being pressed against an outer surface ( 114 a ) of the base wall ( 114 ) of the main body ( 100 ) by the weight of the liquid (F) in the container ( 20 ).

5. The device ( 10 ) according to claim 4 , wherein the second flap ( 128 a ) is brought into abutment with an opening-side end ( 210 ) of the container ( 20 ) approaching the outer surface ( 114 a ) of the base wall ( 114 ) of the main body ( 100 ) when the container ( 20 ) is connected to the device ( 10 ), and wherein the second flap ( 128 a ) blocks the flowing of the liquid (F) from the liquid chamber ( 110 ) to the container ( 20 ) and vice versa by being pressed against the outer surface ( 114 a ) of the base wall ( 114 ) of the main body ( 100 ) by the opening-side end ( 210 ) of the container ( 20 ).

6. The device ( 10 ) according to claim 5 , wherein when the outer surface ( 114 a ) of the base wall ( 114 ) of the main body ( 100 ) and the opening-side end ( 210 ) of the container ( 20 ) are spaced apart from each other in order to detach the container ( 20 ) from the device ( 10 ), thereby occurring a clearance (D) between the second flap ( 128 a ) and the outer surface ( 114 a ) of the base wall ( 114 ), the second flap ( 128 a ) permits the liquid (F) in the liquid chamber ( 110 ) to flow into the container ( 20 ) through the second port ( 118 ) under the influence of gravity.

7. The device ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting section ( 122 ) of the device ( 10 ) and the opening-side end ( 210 ) of the container ( 20 ) are connected by screw-in connection.

8. An assembly ( 1 ) comprising:

a device ( 10 ) for supplying a mist of a liquid (F) according to claim 1 ; and

a container ( 20 ), which is connected to the device ( 10 ), for containing the liquid (F).

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 15, 2021
From: LEE, CHIN KAI; PARK, WOO RAM; SHARMA, VISHAL; CHEN, DI
To: L'OREAL
Reel/Frame 056868/0210 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2018-124352 · Jun 29, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210268533A1 · Sep 2, 2021