Ring for securing a pouch in a pressurized dispenser and method of pressurizing a pressurized dispenser provided with such a ring

Abstract

A fastening ring for a pressurized dispenser includes a central portion ( 31 ) on the exterior face of which is fastened a pouch and whose diameter is smaller than the opening ( 11 ) of the container, and a flange ( 32 ) for fastening the ring between the edge of the container opening ( 11 ) and the peripheral edge ( 231 ) of the cup of the container valve. The ring is further provided, on its exterior face, between the central portion ( 31 ) and the flange ( 32 ), with at least one passage ( 361 ), dimensioned so that, when the ring is placed in the opening ( 11 ) of a container with its passage(s) situated at the height of the edge of the opening ( 11 ) of the container, the passage(s) extend on both sides of the edge of the opening ( 11 ) and each passage forms a path setting in contact the outside and inside of the container.

1 . Fastening ring for a pressurized dispenser made up of a container provided with an opening, a valve mounted on a cup provided with a peripheral edge and a fastening ring on which is fastened a pouch,
 wherein the fastening ring comprises:   a central portion having an exterior face adapted for fastening a pouch, a transverse cross-section of the central portion being smaller than the opening of the container for which the ring is intended,   a flange for at least one of (i) fastening the ring between the edge of the opening of the container and the peripheral edge of the cup of the valve, (ii) ensuring sealing between the ring and the cup of the container, and (iii) ensuring sealing between the ring and the edge of the opening of the container, a diameter of the flange being greater than a diameter of the opening of the container for which the ring is intended, and   a junction portion located between the central portion and the flange and having an exterior face,   wherein at least one passage is formed on the exterior face of the junction portion, the passage or passages not extending beyond the junction portion and being dimensioned so that, when the ring is placed in the opening of a container with the passage or passages located at the height of the edge of the opening of the container, the passage or passages extend on both sides of the edge of the opening and each passage forms a path setting in contact the portion of the exterior face of the ring located outside the container and the portion of the exterior face of the ring located inside the container.   
     
     
         2 . The fastening ring according to  claim 1 , wherein the flange is dimensioned so as to ensure sealing between the ring and the peripheral edge of the cup when the ring is placed in the opening of a container with its passage or passages located at the height of the edge of the opening of the container and gas is introduced into the container through the passage or passages. 
     
     
         3 . The fastening ring according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one passage is a single annular passage which extends completely around the ring. 
     
     
         4 . The fastening ring according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of the following elements: (i) a tenon for attaching a dip tube, (ii) a tenon for attaching anti-collapse means, (iii) anti-collapse means, (iv) fins to facilitate fastening a pouch. 
     
     
         5 . The fastening ring according to  claim 1 , further comprising a flexible pouch fastened to the central portion. 
     
     
         6 . The fastening ring according to  claim 1 , wherein the exterior face of the junction portion comprises, at the passage or passages, a shoulder parallel to the flange an outer diameter of the shoulder being greater than the diameter of the opening of the container and a height of the shoulder being so that the passage or passages extend on both sides of the shoulder. 
     
     
         7 . The fastening ring according to  claim 1 , further comprising a valve equipped with means for fastening the valve on the fastening ring so that when the valve is mounted in the ring, the valve is immobilized with respect to the ring at least in axial direction. 
     
     
         8 . The fastening ring according to  claim 7 , wherein the fastening means of the valve on the ring are constituted by an end-piece attached to a lower end of a stem of the valve, the end-piece being provided with at least one hook dimensioned so that, when the valve is mounted in the ring with a peripheral edge of the cup of the valve bearing against the flange of the ring, the hook or hooks are snapped behind bearing surfaces formed on the ring. 
     
     
         9 . Method of pressurizing a pressurized dispenser made up of a container, a valve mounted on a cup, and a fastening ring according to  claim 1 , on which is fastened a pouch,
 wherein the method comprises:   (a) introducing the ring in the container so that the pouch is located inside the container;   (b) filling the pouch with a product to be packaged;   (c) placing the valve in the ring so that a peripheral edge of the cup of the valve bears against the flange of the ring;   (d) moving the ring if necessary so that the passage or passages for the gas extend on both sides of the edge of the opening of the container;   (e) introducing gas into the container through the passage or passages;   (f) pushing down the assembly constituted by the ring and the valve until the peripheral edge of the cup and the flange are in contact with the container;   (g) sealingly fastening the cup on the container while wedging the flange of the ring between the cup and the container.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein, for fastening the cup on the container in step (g), the cup is swaged, crimped or welded to the container. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein, in step (a), the ring is introduced into the container until the passage or passages are at the height of the edge of the opening of the container while extending on both sides of the edge so that it is not necessary to move the ring in step (d). 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein, in step (a), the ring is introduced into the container until the flange bears against the edge of the opening of the container and wherein, in step (d), the ring is partially taken out of the container until the passage or passages are at the height of the edge of the opening of the container while extending on both sides of the edge. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the pressurized dispenser is equipped with a valve provided with fastening means, and wherein, in step (c), the valve is fastened to the ring by its the fastening means. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein, in step (c), the valve is fastened to the ring by snap-fastening hooks behind bearing surfaces made in the ring. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein, in step (d), for partially taking the ring out of the container, a traction is exerted on the cup of the valve. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein, in step (d), for partially taking the ring out of the container, a traction is exerted on the cup of the valve. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein, in step (a), the ring is introduced into the container until the passage or passages are at the height of the edge of the opening of the container while extending on both sides of the edge so that it is not necessary to move the ring in step (d). 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein, in step (a), the ring is introduced into the container until the flange bears against the edge of the opening of the container and wherein, in step (d), the ring is partially taken out of the container until the passage or passages are at the height of the edge of the opening of the container while extending on both sides of the edge. 
     
     
         19 . The fastening ring according to  claim 8 , wherein, when the valve is mounted in the ring with the peripheral edge of the cup of the valve bearing against the flange of the ring, the hook or hooks are snapped behind a lower edge of the central portion of the ring. 
     
     
         20 . The fastening ring according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one passage is a single annular passage which extends completely around the ring.