Cartridge dispenser

Abstract

Cartridge dispenser including a cartridge including a casing including a pierceable membrane and containing solid, cosmetic or health care or food product granules, powder, or powder granules, a container defining a casing housing and an opening facing the membrane when the cartridge is in the container, a piercer for membrane piercing when pushing the membrane against the piercer, a dispenser downstream of the opening to receive solid product when the membrane is pierced and including a collection compartment to contain a volume of solid product and movable along or around a predetermined direction relative to the opening to define a loading configuration, wherein the collection compartment and opening communicate, collects the solid product and is inaccessible from the outside, and an unloading configuration, wherein the collection compartment does not communicate with the opening, and is accessible from the outside, and a block obstructs solid product passage through the opening.

1 . A cartridge dispenser comprising:
 a cartridge comprising a casing including at least one port and containing a solid, cosmetic or health care or food product in the form of either granules, powder, or powder granules;   a container defining a housing configured to house said casing and an opening configured to face said port when said cartridge is inserted in said container;   dispensing means arranged downstream of said opening so that the dispensing means can receive said solid product from said port and including:   a collection compartment configured to contain a predetermined volume of said solid product and movable along or around a predetermined direction relative to said opening to define at least one loading configuration, in which said collection compartment communicates with said opening, collects said solid product and is inaccessible from the outside, and an unloading configuration, in which said collection compartment does not communicate with said opening and is accessible from the outside, and   a block integral with said collection compartment and configured to completely obstruct the passage of said solid product through said opening at least when said collection compartment is in the unloading configuration;   wherein said dispensing means is manipulatable from the outside of said dispenser and are configured to control the direct movement, from the outside, of said collection compartment along or around said predetermined direction in both directions, hence to move said collection compartment from said loading configuration to said unloading configuration, and vice versa, to be able to instantly determine the position of said collection compartment, along or around said predetermined direction, relative to said opening in proportion to a manual stimulus by a user.   
     
     
         2 . The dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein said casing includes at least one pierceable membrane occupying said port; said dispenser further comprises piercing means protruding from said opening towards the inside of said housing and configured to pierce said membrane when said membrane is pushed against said piercing means; and said dispensing means receive said solid product when said membrane is pierced by said piercing means. 
     
     
         3 . The dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein said cartridge extends predominantly along a central axis, and said casing comprises side walls extending around said central axis and faces arranged at opposite ends of said casing, along said central axis, and wherein one of said faces comprises said port. 
     
     
         4 . The dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein said housing extends predominantly along a main axis, said container comprises side bulkheads delimiting said housing and extending around said main axis, and wherein said opening is arranged at one end of said housing, and said container further comprises an inlet arranged at one end of said housing, opposite said opening, and configured to allow the insertion of said cartridge into said container. 
     
     
         5 . The dispenser according to  claim 3 , wherein said axes are mutually aligned when said cartridge is inserted in said container, and said housing is counter-shaped to said casing so as to define a guide through which said cartridge can translate along said axes. 
     
     
         6 . The dispenser according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein said casing includes at least one pierceable membrane occupying said port; said dispenser further comprises piercing means protruding from said opening towards the inside of said housing and configured to pierce said membrane when said membrane is pushed against said piercing means; and said dispensing means receive said solid product when said membrane is pierced by said piercing means,   wherein said container comprises a pusher configured to occupy said inlet and allow a user to push said cartridge towards said piercing means through said pusher.   
     
     
         7 . The dispenser according to  claim 2 , wherein said piercing means comprise at least one bottom wall configured to plug part of said opening, a through hole arranged on said bottom wall, and one or more sharp elements extending around said hole and protruding towards said housing. 
     
     
         8 . The dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein said predetermined direction is transversal to said main axis, and said dispensing means comprise a first chamber arranged adjacent to said opening, and a slider movable along said predetermined direction relative to said first chamber so that said slider can be inserted or extracted, at least partially, into/from said first chamber and comprising said collection compartment and said block located adjacent to each other along said predetermined direction, said collection compartment communicating with said opening through said opening when in the loading configuration. 
     
     
         9 . The dispenser according to  claim 8 , wherein said dispensing means comprise opposing means arranged between said first chamber and said slider and configured to oppose the movement of said slider when said collection compartment changes from said loading configuration to said unloading configuration. 
     
     
         10 . The dispenser according to  claim 8 , wherein said first chamber comprises a first outlet configured to communicate with said collection compartment in said unloading configuration, so that said collection compartment is accessible from the outside via said first outlet and can unload said solid product outside said dispensing means. 
     
     
         11 . The dispenser according to  claim 10 , wherein said dispensing means further comprise a chute arranged downstream of said first outlet and configured to convey said solid product along a predetermined path. 
     
     
         12 . The dispenser according to  claim 7 , wherein said predetermined direction is aligned with said main axis, said dispensing means comprise a first chamber arranged adjacent to said bottom wall, separated from said housing by said bottom wall,
 defining a cylindrical cavity therein and including:   a first outlet configured to communicate with said collection compartment in said unloading configuration, so that said collection compartment is accessible from the outside via said first outlet and can unload said solid product outside said dispensing means, and   a cylinder configured to rotate around said predetermined direction relative to said first chamber within said cylindrical cavity and including a through slit off-centre relative to said main direction and forming said collection compartment.   
     
     
         13 . The dispenser according to  claim 7 , wherein said predetermined direction is aligned with said main axis, said piercing means are in one piece with said dispensing means, and said container comprises a partition wall including a slot through which said dispensing means communicate with said opening. 
     
     
         14 . The dispenser according to  claim 13 , wherein said container comprises a second chamber arranged adjacent to said partition wall and separated from said housing by said partition wall and including a second outlet configured to make said second chamber accessible from the outside, and said dispensing means comprise a screw extending along said predetermined direction from said second chamber to said housing and loosely connected to said second chamber so that the screw can be rotated around said predetermined direction relative to said housing. 
     
     
         15 . The dispenser according to  claim 14 , wherein said screw comprises an end punch forming said piercing means, and a helical barrier forming said block and defining, for each complete revolution of said helical barrier around said predetermined direction, said collection compartment, and wherein said slot is counter-shaped to said helical barrier. 
     
     
         16 . The dispenser according to  claim 6 , wherein said axes are mutually aligned when said cartridge is inserted in said container, and said housing is counter-shaped to said casing to define a guide through which said cartridge is translatable along said axes.