EA040182B1 - PRODUCT PACKAGING AND DOSING DEVICE CONTAINING A DOSING TIP WITH A CLEAN END ON THE OUTER SIDE - Google Patents

Description

The field of technology to which the invention belongs

The present invention relates to the field of packaging, and more specifically to the packaging and dosing of a product in liquid, semi-liquid or suspension form, which is intended to be kept sealed and sterile without the addition of preservatives and dispensed in exact unit doses via a dosing unit.

More precisely, the object of the invention is a device for packaging and dispensing a product, which contains a container designed to receive the product to be dispensed through the release device, which is equipped with a container, and this device contains a tip.

Prior Art

Conventional packaging devices are known which allow the product to be stored and dispensed in the form of calibrated doses or drops or in any other form and at the same time to maintain its purity or sterility throughout the entire period of use.

Such devices are used in particular in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries, and more particularly in the field of ophthalmology.

Devices are thus known in which the product is pushed through an elastic tip forming a fixture fitted to the container, and which are opened by pressure generated by squeezing the walls of the container containing the product or by squeezing the tip itself, and which are closed again by their own action. elasticity. In such a device, a bacterial filter is located at the bottom of the container, connected to a check valve, and the container is equipped with an opening that provides air exchange.

All such devices containing a bacterial filter which is connected to a non-return valve and which provides sterile filtration of the replenished air, ensure the sterile preservation of the product inside the container for the duration of its use, and can be considered effective from this point of view.

On the other hand, these devices have a major disadvantage in that ideal bacteriological cleanliness is not ensured on the outside of the container, and more particularly at the end of the tip.

Indeed, when a calibrated drop of product is displaced by one of the means provided in these devices in accordance with their purpose, a part of this calibrated drop, which is hereinafter referred to as the residual drop, remains at the end of the tip.

Experience has shown that, regardless of the device and the means for ejecting a calibrated drop of product, it is impossible to avoid the formation of a residual drop that will remain at the end of the tip until the next use of the device.

The formation and then the presence of such a residual drop constitutes a major drawback since, unlike the product which is inside the container and which can be kept clean and sterile, the residual drop is in contact with the outside air which is likely to contaminate it.

The goal pursued by such existing devices, which is to keep the product they contain and dispense clean or sterile without the use of preservatives, is not achieved, because if the product is actually kept clean or sterile inside the container, then it can be contaminated at the end of the dispenser. tip.

One solution to this problem is disclosed in French patent FR 0900433, which consists either in suction of the residual drop into the cavity, where it will dry, or in removing the drop from the end of the tip by blowing it off.

However, it should be noted that no device of this type has been manufactured to date for removing the residual drop by suction or blowing, and that the specific implementation of the provisions of this patent has proven to be very difficult.

Indeed, the proposed technology is to use the same pressure of the dispensing device to simultaneously or alternately dispense a calibrated drop and remove the residual drop.

The essence of the invention

It is an object of the present invention to enable the use of devices which produce calibrated drops of pure or sterile product, but which do not suffer from the risk of contaminating the outside of the device.

To this end, the invention proposes a device for packaging and dispensing a product, usually a liquid, semi-liquid or suspended product, containing a container designed to accommodate the product, and a dosing device equipped with a tip and configured to actuate to release the specified product in the form of doses. or established drops, preferably in the form of pure or sterile calibrated drops, the device containing a dosing chamber for storing a certain amount of product, and

- 1 040182 one end belonging to the tip, in which a central channel is formed to communicate with the dosing chamber when the dosing device is actuated and ensure the release of a dose or a set drop, the tip additionally contains one or more side channels opening into the central channel and capable of transmitting air laterally into the central channel and/or allowing the residual droplet present at said end to be blown away after a dose or set droplet has been released.

Thus, the device allows the release of calibrated doses or drops of a pure or sterile product, usually by simply pressing on the device or on the tip with which the device is equipped, while ensuring that no residual drop will remain at the end of the tip after the release of the calibrated drop or dose. , which would probably be contaminated.

With such a tip design, in which the central channel is able to communicate with one or more side channels (channels offset from the direction of release of the calibrated drop, i.e. channels extending at an angle relative to the central channel), the removal of residual product, which can stay at the end of the tip. The device may remain clear at its front end where the central channel leads. It should be understood that the residual drop that is likely to be present at the end of said device may be blown towards the periphery through the side channel(s), typically by overpressure generated when the cap is pushed on. With a certain geometry at the end of the tip, the device can deliver the specified calibrated dose or droplet, without allowing any residual droplet to form in the area of the transition to the side channels due to the air circulation in this area (the airflow lines that are created by the side channel (s) during the release of a calibrated drop, coincide with the surface on which the product could settle).

As mentioned above, the side channels are channels offset from the direction of release of the calibrated drop, i.e. channels extending at an angle relative to the central channel. The side channels can be oriented, for example, perpendicular to the direction of the calibrated drop, which is substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the central channel. The side channels can also be oriented at a different angle, preferably towards the base of the tip, i.e. to the container.

The side channels may be located at an angle less than 90° but greater than 10° relative to the central channel, for example at an angle in the range of 10° to 50°, and preferably in the range of 20° to 30°.

Preferably, the side channel has a diameter of at least 25% of the diameter of the central channel and preferably no more than 70% of the diameter of the central channel.

For example, the diameter of the side channel may be from 30% to 60% of the diameter of the central channel.

Optionally, a filtration unit can be provided.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the tip comprises a rigid part cooperating with an elastic part, said parts being assembled to form a dispensing chamber for dispensing a fixed and calibrated drop or dose.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the additional piece surrounds the elastic part and, together with the latter, forms a collection chamber provided with several openings.

Optionally, an air inlet can be provided to form a pressure equalization hole. The device may also contain a filtration unit for cleaning the air entering the container and transmitted through the pressure equalization hole.

According to an example, a device that allows the product to be stored and dispensed in the form of calibrated sterile drops or doses comprises a container equipped with a refillable air intake and a corresponding filter with a non-return valve (i.e., a one-way valve) that allows cleaning to a state sterile air that reaches the inside of the container. The product is stored inside the container and is released through an elastic (at least partially) tip forming a device that the container is equipped with. The tip contains a dispensing chamber which allows the volume of the calibrated drop or dose to be set and which, when compressed, allows said drop or dose to be released to the outside of the container by opening another check valve which prevents outside air from entering the dispensing chamber.

The filter can be installed in a container or fixture. The pressure equalization port can open laterally, while the dispensing end forms an axial protrusion arranged symmetrically around the central axis of the device.

An advantage of the invention is that an additional part or part can be placed outside the elastic part of the dispensing tip in order to form a chamber between the additional part and the elastic part.

- 2 040182

Another non-return valve located between the dosing chamber and the inside of the container prevents any return of product from the inside of the dosing chamber to the inside of the container when the dosing chamber is squeezed, but allows the filling of the dosing chamber by drawing in the product contained in the container when the dosing chamber the camera is released.

According to the first embodiment of the present invention, the end of the nozzle is provided with a longitudinal central channel which allows product to be discharged when the dosing chamber is compressed, and two additional side channels provided at the base of said central channel, which serve to transfer the residual drop into the cavity formed by the remaining space between the outer side of the elastic part and the additional part. According to this embodiment, the end of the accessory seals against the inner skirt of the protective cap in a hermetic manner. Thus, when the protective cap is put in place, an environmentally isolated chamber is formed around the longitudinal central channel at the end of the tip where the residual drop is formed. The volume of this insulated chamber is reduced when the cap is pushed over the tip and thus overpressure is created which forces the residual drop out of the central channel through the side channels and finally into the chamber between the outside of the elastic tip and the additional piece.

This makes it possible in a simple manner to provide a device which allows the residual drop of product to be blown outward from the end of the dosing tip towards the open space in which the residual drop will dry.

According to another embodiment, another check valve is installed between the outer side of the end of the elastic tip and the inner side of the additional part, so as to prevent the passage of the product into the side channels when the calibrated drop is released, and to allow the residual drop to be pushed out towards the cavity formed by the remaining space between the outside of the dispensing tip and the accessory when the cap is put back in place and to prevent that residual droplet from returning to the side channels when the device is ready to dispense a new dose of product.

According to embodiments of the present invention, one or more of the following features may be provided, alone or in combination with each other:

the tip is equipped with a collecting chamber for collecting the residual drop, bounded by the outer wall of the tip and the tubular wall of the tip, wherein the collecting chamber is configured to collect the product of the residual drop through the side channel(s), the tip is equipped with an elastic part that limits the dosing chamber from the outside, the outer wall of the tip formed at least partially by a piece separate from the elastic part, the tip is equipped with a collection chamber for collecting residual drop, limited by the outer wall of the tip and the tubular wall of the tip, at least partially included in the elastic part, the collection chamber is an internal space made with the possibility of collecting the residual drop through the side channel (s), the device includes a cap configured to create air pressure on the side of the exit to the outside of the Central channel, when the cap is pushed on the dispenser, tip k comprises an outer surface that extends to said end of the tip, wherein the cap is provided with an inner skirt that interacts with said outer surface and/or is capable of being axially supported by the end and thereby pressurizing the volume that is adjacent to the central channel and is internal to the cap, when the cap is pushed over the dispensing device, said part, separate from the elastic part, contains at the end of the tip one or more barrier elements (for example, protrusions) interacting with one end of the tubular wall formed by the elastic part, so, in order to prevent leakage of a part of the product between the elastic part and said part, when a dose or set drop is released, the elastic part of the tip is equipped with valve means, optionally in the form of one or more elastic ridges, cooperating with the inner surface of said part, which (selectively) give allowing the residual drop to flow into a collection chamber which extends internally between the elastic part and the part when the volume (adjacent to the central channel) is compressed by bringing the cap closer to the dispenser and pushing the cap towards the dispenser; it should be understood that such a device with external elastic ridges (external elastic ridge) can prevent the passage of product from the dosing chamber to the collection chamber (prevents the product from the calibrated drop from passing into the collection chamber) when the dose or calibrated drop is dispensed, and prevents the passage of product from the collection chamber to the side channel(s) (prevents product from the residual drop from passing from the collection chamber to the side channel(s) when a new dose or calibrated drop is released,

- 3 040182 valve means refers to valves with resilient return action, the valve means usually has an initial shape in which an annular contact is made between the outer wall (typically made in the form of a separate part) and the elastic part of the tip, which can be actuated, and this valve means is only movable by deformation in case of overpressure on the side channel(s) side (the seat surface on which this valve means rests prevents the valve means from moving in the other direction in case of pressure on the side channel(s) side )), the valve means is made integral with one of the following components or is fixedly fixed on one of the following components: the specified part or on the elastic part, the specified part is equipped with one or more holes that provide air exchange between the collecting chamber and the external environment (so thus allowing the residue to dry), the tip comprises a rigid part cooperating with an elastic part, wherein the rod (usually straight, axially directed) of the rigid part is surrounded by an elastic part that can be actuated, at the active site, by means of pressure, applied radially inward in the direction of the specified rod, the tip contains a rigid part surrounded by an elastic part, which can be actuated by pressure applied radially inward in the direction of the specified rigid part, the device contains a pressure equalization hole and a filtration unit configured to clean the air, entering the container through the pressure equalization hole.

List of figures

Other distinctive features and advantages of the invention will be disclosed in the following description of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, which, by way of non-limiting examples, represent embodiments and realizations of the purpose of the invention. In these drawings, FIG. 1 is a schematic axial sectional view of the device of the present invention when no load is applied, showing a container containing the product to be dispensed, an assembly for replenishing air in the container (via a sterile filter and check valve), a dispensing device tip , containing an elastic part interacting with a rigid part, forming a metering chamber and containing an additional part, partially surrounding the specified elastic part;

fig. 2 is an axial sectional view of the device shown in FIG. 1, after application of a load, release of a calibrated drop, and formation of a residual drop;

fig. 3 is an axial sectional view of the device according to the present invention, showing a dispensing tip having an end equipped with a central channel, side channels, and a non-return valve located between the end of the elastic tip and an additional piece, with no load applied to the device;

fig. 4 shows a dispensing tip corresponding to FIG. 3, when a load is applied to the elastic part, allowing a drop of product to be released and a residual drop formed inside the central channel of the end of the elastic part;

fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the end of the dispensing tip, showing the central channel as well as the side channels;

fig. 6 shows a cross section of the dosing tip in the region of the dosing chamber;

fig. 7 shows the device according to the invention when the elastic part is no longer loaded, when a residual drop is present in the central channel of the end of the dispensing tip, and when the protective cap is present and in position before being pushed over the tip;

fig. 8 shows a device similar to FIG. 7, when the protective cap has been slid over the tip, the residual drop has been expelled from the inside of the central channel towards the collection chamber located between the elastic part and the additional part, and the check valve is in the open state, allowing the residual drop to pass.

In the various figures, like elements in the various embodiments shown and described are assigned the same reference numerals. In the drawings, certain thicknesses may be shown exaggerated for purposes of clarity.

Information confirming the possibility of carrying out the invention

As shown in FIG. 1, the device (to which no load is applied) comprises a container 1 containing a product 2 to be dosed, a filtration unit 3 (optional), a dosing device or an assembly containing a tip 4, consisting of a rigid part 6 and an elastic part 5, wherein said the assembly forms a dosing chamber 7.

The filter unit 3 comprises a filter element installed, for example, in a dosing device, as shown in FIG. 1 and allowing air to pass into the container 1 through the pressure equalization opening 25.

It should be understood that the dosing unit may comprise an element forming an outer wall separate from the elastic part 5, so that this outer wall is located on the periphery of the tubular wall of the elastic part 5, which defines the dosing chamber 7. An additional part 8 is optionally provided, which partially surrounds the dosing knot so as to form the outer wall.

The pressure equalization hole 25 may extend transversely, for example into the intermediate region of the device between the outer wall of the tip 4 and the body as a whole (usually rigid, as shown in Fig. 1) forming the container 1.

As can be clearly seen in FIG. 1 and 3, in particular, an additional piece 8 forming said outer wall of the tip 4, for example, is provided with an opening 19 which allows the compression of the elastic part 5 so as to cause the dosing chamber 7 to contract and release the dose of the product and return to its original state. the state when the compression stops. The opening 19 may be partially covered by the drive portion, which allows the user to press and apply pressure to the elastic portion 5.

The hole 19 and/or other hole in the outer wall of the tip 4 also allows connection with the atmosphere of the collection chamber 18, bounded by the outer side of the elastic part 5 and the inner side of the additional part 8.

Fig. 2 shows the same device when the elastic part 5 is under pressure, the dosing chamber 7 is compressed, the dose 9 of the product is released from the tip 4 and a residual drop 10 has formed at its end.

Fig. 3 shows a fragment of the end of the dosing unit when no load is applied to the latter. You can see the longitudinal central channel 13 (the boundaries of which are defined by the part of the annular wall extending from the tubular wall of the elastic part 5), provided at the end of the elastic part 5, for the passage of the product when the dose is released, and one or more side channels 11 located at the base a central channel 13. The collection chamber 18 is delimited by an elastic part 5 and an additional piece 8 provided with one or more holes 19 which allow pressure on the elastic part 5 and allow the collection chamber 18 to communicate with the outside. The end of the elastic part 5 contains a check valve 12 (i.e. a one-way valve allowing fluid to flow in only one direction) which, when at rest, provides an airtight seal against the inner surface of the part 8. The end of the part 8 includes a circular ledge 20 or a similar element with a barrier effect which forms a seal against the end of the elastic part 5.

Fig. 4 shows the device corresponding to FIG. 2, when it was pressurized by pressing on the elastic part 5. The dosing chamber 7 was compressed, the calibrated drop 9 of the product was released and a residual drop 10 was formed, which is stored in the longitudinal central channel 13.

In accordance with the Tait equation, the fall of a calibrated drop depends on its mass and the diameter of the hole at the end of which the drop is formed, while the fall occurs due to the breakage of the liquid jet (i.e., separation of the liquid jet) that creates the specified calibrated drop liquid, as well as a residual drop.

The existence of side channels 11 provided at the base of the central channel 13 may allow (under certain conditions of viscosity and surface tension of the product to be dispensed, as well as the corresponding relative sizes of the side channels 11 and the central channel 13) to avoid the operation of the Tate equation and to release a calibrated drop 9 without formation residual drop. The lack of product settling at the tip end is due to flow lines and/or reduced pressure conditions (air near the central channel 13) which are unfavorable for residual product settling in the axial zone.

As shown in FIG. 4, a residual drop 10 is formed and exists in the channel 13. A dose 9 of the product can be discharged through the central channel 13. The protrusion 20 is provided to prevent the passage of the product between the end of the elastic part 5 and the additional piece 8. A check valve 12 is provided in order to to prevent the passage of the product in the direction of the collecting chamber 18. The pressure that is generated due to the separation of the dose 9 of the product is not enough to overcome the elastic resistance of the said valve 12.

Fig. 7 shows the metering unit when it is no longer compressed. The product enters the dosing chamber 7 for the subsequent release of a new dose of the product, while the residual drop 10 is present in the central channel 13, and the dosing tip 4 is closed with a protective cap 14.

The cap 14 is equipped with an inner skirt 15, the geometry of which allows it to be hermetically pushed over the end 17 of the additional part 8 to form a closed chamber 16.

When the protective cap 14 is pushed over the dispenser tip as shown by arrow A in FIG. 8, skirt 15 engages end 17 of accessory 8 to pressurize chamber 16. Under the influence of this overpressure, the residual droplet 10 is driven inside the collecting chamber 18 after the valve 12 is opened, the elastic properties of which are insufficient to withstand the said overpressure.

The residual droplet 10, 10' then ends up in a collection chamber 18, the opening(s) 19 of which allows the passage of outside air, which allows the residual droplet 10,

10' dry. Drying out the residual drop 10, 10' will prevent the development of bacteria.

If the device is used before the residual drop 10 is completely dry, then the check valve 12 will prevent the return of the residual drop to the side channel 11 and the central channel 13 and its possible capture by a calibrated dose of the product during subsequent dosing.

Thus, a simple device is obtained that does not require additional actions on the part of the user and makes it possible to avoid contamination of successive doses of the product either by preventing the formation of a residual drop or (if a residual drop is formed) by preventing contamination of subsequent sterile doses produced.

Other embodiments of the invention are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. In this way, devices can be made containing dosing chambers in different numbers and different sizes.

Claims (14)

CLAIM 1. A device for packaging and dispensing a product, containing a container (1) designed to accommodate the product (2), a dosing device equipped with a tip (4) and configured to actuate to release the specified product in the form of doses or set drops (9 ), a dosing chamber (7) for storing a predetermined amount of product (2) and one end (17) belonging to the tip (4), in which a central channel (13) is formed for communicating with the dosing chamber (7) when the dosing device is driven into action, and ensuring the release of a dose or an installed drop (9), characterized in that the tip (4) additionally contains one or more side channels (11) opening into the central channel (13) and capable of transmitting air in the transverse direction to the central channel and/or allow the residual drop (10) present at said end (17) to be blown off after the dose or set drop (9) has been released. 2. The device according to claim 1, in which the tip (4) is equipped with a collecting chamber (18) for collecting the residual drop (10), a limited wall of the tip (4) and a tubular wall of the tip (4), and the collecting chamber (18) is made with the possibility of collecting the product (2) of said residual drop (10) through said one or more side channels (11). 3. The device according to claim 1, in which the tip (4) is equipped with an elastic part (5), which limits the dosing chamber (7) from the outside, and the outer wall of the tip (4) is formed, at least in part, by a part (8), separate from the elastic part (5), while the tip (4) is equipped with a collecting chamber (18) for collecting the residual drop (10), limited by the outer wall and the tubular wall of the tip (4), at least partially included in the elastic part (5 ), and the collecting chamber (18) is an internal space configured to collect the residual drop (10) through said one or more side channels (11). 4. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a cap (14) configured to create air pressure on the outlet side of the central channel (13) when pushing the cap (14) onto the dosing device. 5. The device according to claim 4, in which the tip (4) contains an outer surface that extends to the specified end (17) of the tip (4), while the cap (14) is equipped with an inner skirt (15) interacting with the specified outer surface and /or made with the possibility of axial bearing on the end (17) and thereby creating excess pressure in the volume (16), which is adjacent to the Central channel (13) and is internal to the cap (14), when the cap (14) is pushed on dosing device. 6. The device according to any one of claims 3-5, characterized in that said part (8), separate from the elastic part (5), contains at the end (17) of the tip (4) one or more barrier elements (20) interacting with one end of the specified tubular wall formed by the elastic part (5) so as to prevent leakage of the product (2) between the elastic part (5) and the specified detail (8) when releasing the dose or the installed drop (9). 7. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that the elastic part (5) of the tip (4) is equipped with valve means (12), optionally in the form of one or more elastic ridges interacting with the inner surface of said part (8), which enable residual drop (10) to enter the collection chamber (18) which runs internally between the elastic part (5) and the part (8), while compressing the volume (16) by bringing the cap (14) closer to the dosing device and pressing the cap into direction of the dosing device, but prevent - 6 040182 the passage of the product (2) from the dosing chamber (7) into the collecting chamber (18) when releasing a dose or a set drop (9) and prevent the passage of the product (2) from the collecting chamber (18) into the specified one or more side channels ( 11) when releasing a dose or a fixed drop (9). 8. Device according to any one of claims 3 to 7, characterized in that the part (8) is equipped with one or more holes (19), which allow communication between the collecting chamber (18) and the environment external to the device. 9. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the tip (4) comprises a rigid part (6) surrounded by an elastic part (5) which can be actuated by pressure applied radially inward towards said rigid part (6). 10. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein said one or more side channels run at an angle relative to the central channel, said angle being in the range of 10° to 90°, preferably in the range of 10° to 50°, even more preferably in the range of 20° to 30°. 11. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein said one or more side channels run perpendicular to the central channel. 12. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, containing a pressure equalization hole (25), a filtration unit (3) configured to filter the air entering the container (1) through the pressure equalization hole (25). 13. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, configured to package and dispense a liquid, semi-liquid or suspended product. 14. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the dosing device is configured to dispense the product in the form of pure or sterile calibrated drops.