EP1721588B1 - Single-use dispensing device - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a disposable dispensing device for liquid, pasty and other flowable or free-flowing materials.

Disposable dispensing devices for the materials mentioned, which may also comprise gels, powdery material and material mixtures, are used in particular in the field of cosmetics and medicine. Such disposable dispensing devices should, for one thing, be as inexpensive to produce as possible and, on the other hand, be reliable and easy to operate. They should also have sufficient resistance and tightness to withstand storage and transportation without damage.

From the US 4,982,838 or the DE 100 09 629 A1 In each case, a disposable container is known which comprises an applicator and a receiving space for a flowable material and application chambers which can be opened by means of a perforation or peeling device and in which the applicator is arranged. The peeling or peeling process or else the tearing of the perforation can lead to undesired splashing of the material. This is not wanted.

From the GB 1 297 302 For example, a disposable dispenser for liquid materials is known, which comprises a plastic container sealed in its edge regions, which has a receiving section for receiving the material and a closure section which is separated from the receiving section by a tear seam. In the plastic container further comprises a discharge tube is arranged, which leads to an application opening and forms a channel for discharging the material from the plastic container. The application opening can be closed by means of a stopper-like closure. When the closure section is torn off, the closure is pulled out of the application opening.

From the US 3,993,223 is an ampoule-like container known which is made of plastic and used to hold liquid medicines. An outlet opening of the container is closed by means of a twist-off closure, which is formed like a tab.

From the DE 31 22 237 A1 is a packaging for liquid product is known, which has a deep-drawn part and the deep-drawn part up close tight cover sheet. Furthermore, the packaging comprises an insert for dispensing liquid. The packaging has a predetermined breaking point, which is arranged such that when breaking off one part of the packaging from the remaining part of the insert is exposed, so that liquid is discharged through a passage channel from the liquid space through the insert.

Furthermore, from the EP 0 299 562 A1 a container for a liquid or a paste-like substance is known, which is constructed of two shells and in which a dispensing opening can be released by separating a tab.

The invention has for its object to provide a disposable dispensing device of the type mentioned in the introduction, with which a targeted removal of the material is possible without it comes when opening a spontaneous and unwanted splashing of material.

This object is achieved by the disposable dispensing device having the features of patent claim 1.

The disposable dispensing device according to the invention for liquid, paste-like and other flowable or free-flowing materials thus comprises a plastic container which can be filled and sealed with a receiving section having a receiving space for receiving the material, which has, for example, a neck end and a filling end facing away from it, as well as lateral sealing seams. and a closure portion separated from the receiving portion by a tear or perforation seam, and applicator means received by the plastic container and having a channel for discharging the material from the plastic container. Furthermore, a closure device for the channel of the applicator device is provided, which is integrally formed on the applicator device via a separating region representing a predetermined breaking point, for example, and can be detached from the applicator device by means of the separating region for dispensing the material via the channel.

Thus, the disposable dispensing device according to the invention comprises a separately sealed applicator device formed in particular of plastic, wherein a high tightness is ensured by the preferably one-piece molding of the closure device on the applicator device. It can thus, for example, no material from the receiving space penetrate into any existing cavities of the closure portion of the plastic container and escape uncontrollably from there when opening the disposable dispensing device.

Such a disposable dispensing device is particularly suitable for medical and / or cosmetic applications, for example for the application of nasal drops, eye drops, an iodine solution, a tissue adhesive or a wound adhesive, a flower tincture and / or the like.

The Berriff tear seam is in its broadest sense and thus to be understood that so that a line is defined, along which the plastic container can be preferably separated. The tear seam may be formed by a weakening of material, a perforation or the like.

In the disposable dispensing device according to the invention, the separation region is offset from the tear seam or line in the direction away from the receiving space.

By virtue of this arrangement of the separation region formed, for example, as a material taper between the applicator device and the closure device for the applicator device and the tear seam between the receiving section and the closure portion of the plastic container can be effectively prevented from causing accidental spontaneous spattering of material upon opening of the disposable dispenser, ie, when separating the closure portion from the receiving portion and the closure means from the applicator means. When the disposable dispensing device according to the invention is opened, the closure device for the applicator device is released simultaneously with the closure section of the plastic container. In this case, should a drop emerge from the applicator device, this is absorbed by the staggered arrangement of the separation region and the tear seam is received by the closure section of the plastic container. The drop thus remains in the disposable dispenser. This is particularly desirable in the field of cosmetic and / or medical applications.

In a preferred embodiment of the disposable dispensing device according to the invention, the closure device for the applicator device comprises an actuating tab, which preferably represents a flattened or a pin-like end of the closure device. The formation of a flattened, formed in the manner of a paddle end of the closure device for the applicator leads to a good embedding of the closure device in the closure portion of the plastic container. By such a design, a large engagement surface for the closure portion of the plastic container is provided, so that a substantially simultaneous release of the closure device for the applicator and the closure portion of the plastic container is further promoted.

The closure device for the applicator device can be particularly easily released if the actuating device of the closure device is connected in a form-fitting manner to the closure section. Turning off the preferably designed with a certain stiffness closure portion of the receiving portion of the plastic container thus directly causes a loosening or twisting the closure device of the applicator.

To produce the disposable dispensing device according to the invention, essentially two components are to be connected to each other: First, the applicator device provided with the closure device is to be inserted into the plastic container. Subsequently, it requires a sealing of the plastic container, so that the applicator is securely received in the plastic container. Furthermore, the tear seam or line between the closure portion and the receiving portion of the plastic container must still be formed, but this can be done quickly, precisely and reliably by using conventional tools.

The plastic container is preferably formed from two films sealed together. Under seal in the present case, any measure is understood that is suitable for the connection of plastic or other material formed areas of the disposable dispensing device. For example, a heat-sealing method, a cold-sealing method, a welding method such as an ultrasonic welding method, or another cold-working method suitable for bonding plastic sheets or the like may be used for sealing.

Preferably, the plastic container of disposable dispensing device according to the invention of a thermoplastic material, which is made in the manner of a conventional suppository packaging of plastic films, which are drawn after peripheral sealing by means of negative pressure or alternatively overpressure with a compressed gas in container form. As a result, a particularly inexpensive disposable dispensing device can be produced, which can be provided in a simple manner with sealing seams and also with the tear seam.

The plastic container can be made in ampoule-like form open top and bottom of two films and after being fitted with the desired applicator on which the closure device is formed, are provided with the tear seam and other sealing seams. A plastic container produced in this way usually has a curved shape on both sides, which offers the advantage that the plastic container for activating the disposable dispensing device can be compressed elastically deformable with a suitable selection of the material for the plastic container and a suitable selection of the wall thicknesses. In this way, after tearing off the closure section from the receiving section of the plastic container along the tear seam and the resulting tearing off of the closure device from the applicator device by compressing the plastic container once or several times, the applicator device can specifically act upon the applicator device with the material received in the receiving space that this is discharged from the disposable dispensing device.

The applicator device is preferably formed substantially pin-shaped, so that it can be inserted in the manufacture of the disposable dispensing device in a simple manner by an upper or lower and then to be closed opening in the plastic container.

The applicator device may have an enlarged or reduced in use insert end, which fits into the filling of the plastic container facing away from neck area and preferably has a groove, which engages the plastic container, so that a secure recording of the applicator is ensured in the plastic container.

The applicator device may further comprise a collar on which it is supported in the axial direction of the plastic container. This ensures a defined axial positioning of the applicator device.

In the simplest case, the applicator device is a tube-like discharge device, which is fitted into the neck end of the plastic container. But there are many forms of applicator conceivable. For example, the applicator device may comprise a diffuser, a brush, a tapered outlet nozzle and / or the like.

In a further specific embodiment of the disposable dispensing device according to the invention, the applicator device is provided with an application section which is connected to a holding section of the applicator device. Such an application section, for example, when used with the skin of the respective Person comes into contact, may be a separate component or be made in one piece with the applicator.

The application section may comprise a brush unit or else a foam unit. In particular, in this case, the channel of the applicator device preferably terminates in the region, i. at the level of the brush unit or the foam unit, so that the separation area between the closure device and the applicator device is also received by the brush unit or the foam unit. The brush unit or the foam unit is used in this case when opening the disposable dispenser as a splash guard.

The disposable dispensing device according to the invention can also be designed so that the receiving space receives a first material component and the applicator device receives a second material component. In particular, the second material component, which may be powdery, pasty or liquid, may be accommodated by the application section associated with the applicator device, for example by a brush hair or a showpiece. When opening the disposable dispensing device and subsequent discharge of the first material component from the receiving space this is then mixed with the second material component. The mixing ratios can be determined by appropriate design of the receiving space and the application section.

Further advantages and advantageous embodiments of the article according to the invention are the description, the drawings and the claims removed.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Darstellung einer erfindungsgemäß ausgebildeten Einmal-Spendevorrichtung mit einer Applikatoreinrichtung;

Fig. 2

eine schematische Darstellung einer erfindungsgemäß ausgebildeten Einmal-Spendevorrichtung mit einer Applikatoreinrichtung, die mit einer Pinseleinheit versehen ist; und

Fig. 3

eine schematische Darstellung einer erfindungsgemäß ausgebildeten Einmal-Spendevorrichtung mit einer Applikatoreinrichtung, die mit einer Schaumeinheit versehen ist;

Three embodiments of the disposable dispensing device according to the invention is shown schematically simplified in the drawing. It shows

Fig. 1

a schematic representation of an inventively designed disposable dispensing device with an applicator;

Fig. 2

a schematic representation of an inventively designed disposable dispensing device with an applicator, which is provided with a brush unit; and

Fig. 3

a schematic representation of an inventively designed disposable dispensing device with an applicator, which is provided with a foam unit;

In Fig. 1 a disposable dispensing device 10 is shown, which comprises a plastic container 12 and a recorded in the plastic container 12 applicator 14 and is suitable for example for applying nasal drops or eye drops.

The plastic container 12 is formed from two films sealed together and comprises a receiving portion 16, in which a receiving space 18 is formed. In the present case, the receiving space 18 thus serves to receive a liquid. Furthermore, the plastic container 12 comprises a closure portion 20, which is formed integrally with the receiving portion 16 and is separated therefrom by a tear line or seam 22.

As a material for the plastic container of the disposable dispensing device according to the invention, a plurality of plastics can be used. Thermoplastic plastics and in particular composite films made of thermoplastics with barrier effect are preferably used in a production by a deep drawing process, such as films made of PE, PET, PVDC, COC, aluminum interlayers and the like.

The receiving portion 16 comprises a neck end 24 and a filling end 26 facing away from the latter, via which the liquid is introduced into the receiving space 18 during production of the disposable dispensing device 10 and which is then closed by means of a sealing tool. Laterally, the plastic container 12 is provided with sealing seams 28 and 30 which extend over the receiving portion 16 and the closure portion 20.

The illustrated plastic container 12 is formed substantially ampoule or vial-like and thus arched. However, the contours of the container 12, its filling end 26 and its neck region 24 can be designed differently from the embodiment shown here in many different ways.

The applicator device 14 is of tubular construction and has a diameter-enlarged insert end 32 which is inserted into the neck region 24. Furthermore, the applicator device 14 has an annular collar 34, via which it is supported on the plastic container 12 for axial positioning. For further fixation, an annular groove is provided on the applicator device 14 36 formed, in which engages the material of the plastic container 12.

On the side facing away from the receiving space 18, the applicator device 14 is provided with a closure device 38, which is manufactured in one piece with the applicator device 14 and serves to close an axial channel 40 of the applicator device 14. For this purpose, the closure device 38 is integrally formed on the applicator device 14 via a separating region 42 that forms a predetermined separation point and forms a predetermined separation point.

The closure device 38 has a tab-like, flattened end region 44, which represents an actuating device and is positively encompassed by the plastic container 12. The positive connection is produced by means of a provided on the plastic container 12, extending in the transverse direction sealed seam 46.

In order to avoid splashing of liquid when opening the disposable dispensing device, the separating region 42 is offset from the tear seam 22 in the direction away from the receiving space 18.

In manufacture, a plurality of disposable dispensers may be juxtaposed, with the single disposable dispensers being separable from one another via perforation dividing lines, resulting in an entire chain of disposable dispensing devices associated with the foils. A user then tears off a copy each time. It is also possible to punch out the disposable dispensing devices or within the chain the plastic film areas between the disposable dispensing devices except for connecting bridges.

In Fig. 2 a disposable dispensing device 50 is shown, which is substantially the disposable dispensing device according to Fig. 1 but differs therefrom in that it comprises an applicator device 52 which is provided with an application section 54 representing a brush unit. The application section 54 is formed from an annular carrier 56 and a hair region 58 and is pushed onto a cylindrical portion 60 of the applicator device 52 facing away from the receiving space 18.

Furthermore, the applicator device 52 is provided with a closure device 62, which is designed like a pin and according to the training according to Fig. 1 is formed on the applicator 52 via a separation region 42 and thus closes the axial passage 40. The separation region 42 is arranged at the height of the hair region 58 of the brush unit 52 and thus encompassed radially by it.

Alternatively, the hair region can also be fixed directly to an integrally formed annular collar of the applicator device 52.

Incidentally, the structure of the disposable dispensing apparatus 50 is the same as that of the disposable dispensing apparatus Fig. 1 ,

In Fig. 3 a disposable dispenser 70 is shown, which is substantially the disposable dispenser according to Fig. 2 corresponds to, but differs from, this instead of an applicator device provided with an application section representing a brush unit, it comprises an applicator device 72 which is provided with an application section 74 which is designed as a tube-piece-like foam unit.

In use, the closure portion 20, together with the closure means 62, is separated from the receiving portion 16 and applicator means 72, respectively. Then, by pressure on the receiving portion 16, the liquid material contained in the receiving space 18 is conveyed through the axial channel 40 of the applicator, so that the foam unit 74 is impregnated with the material and this can be applied. In the embodiment according to Fig. 2 So the hair area 58 is soaked.

Claims (15)

1. Single-use dispensing device for liquid, pasty or other materials capable of flowing or trickling, comprising a plastic container (12) that can be filled and sealed and having a holding section (16) having a holding space (18) to hold the material and a closure section (20), which is separated from the holding section (16) by a tear-off seam (22), an applicator device (14, 52, 72), which is held by the plastic container (12) and has a channel (14) connected to the holding space (18) in order to discharge the material from the plastic container (12), and a closure device (38, 62), which closes the channel (40) and is held by the closure section (20) of the plastic container (12),
   characterized in that the closure device (38, 62) is integrally moulded onto the applicator device (14, 52, 72) via a separating region (42) and, in order to discharge the material via the channel (40) of the applicator device (14, 52, 72), can be detached from the applicator device (14) by means of the separating region (42), the separating region (42) between the closure device (38, 62) for the channel (40) and the applicator device (14, 52, 72) being offset with respect to the tear-off seam (22) between the closure section (20) and the holding section (16) of the plastic container (12) in the direction facing away from the holding space (18).
2. Single-use dispensing device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the closure device (38, 62) has an actuating device (44), which preferably constitutes a flattened or tap-like end of the closure device (38, 62).
3. Single-use dispensing device according to Claim 2, characterized in that the actuating device (44) is connected to the closure section (20) by a form fit.
4. Single-use dispensing device according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the applicator device (14, 52, 72) is formed substantially like a pin.
5. Single-use dispensing device according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the applicator device (14, 52, 72) has an insert end (32) which fits into an inner neck region (24) facing away from the holding space (18) of the plastic container (12) and preferably has a groove (36) in which the plastic container (12) engages.
6. Single-use dispensing device according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the applicator device (14, 52, 72) has an annular collar (34), on which it is supported in the axial direction on the plastic container (12).
7. Single-use dispensing device according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the applicator device (14) is a discharge device like a piece of tube.
8. Single-use dispensing device according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the applicator device comprises a diffuser or a nozzle.
9. Single-use dispensing device according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the applicator device (52, 72) is provided with an application section (54, 74).
10. Single-use dispensing device according to Claim 9, characterized in that the application section (52) comprises a brush unit.
11. Single-use dispensing device according to Claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the application section (72) comprises a foamed material unit.
12. Single-use dispensing device according to one of Claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the holding space holds a first material component and the applicator device holds a second material component.
13. Single-use dispensing device according to one of Claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the plastic container (12) consists of a thermoplastic which is fabricated from plastic films in the manner of a pack which is usual in the case of suppositories and which, following peripheral sealing, is drawn into container form by means of negative pressure or alternatively positive pressure with a pressurized gas.
14. Single-use dispensing device according to one of Claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the plastic container (12) can be compressed with elastic deformation in the region of the holding space (18) in order to discharge the material.
15. Single-use dispensing device according to one of Claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the holding section (16) comprises lateral sealing seams (28, 30) and preferably a neck end (24), and the tear-off seam (22) runs substantially transversely with respect to the lateral sealing seams (28, 30).

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