EP0151225A1 - Tamper-resistant protective overcap for a manually operated dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

1. Tamper-resistant protective overcap, which can be removed for use, for a manually operated dispenser having an active substance dispensing head (11) for mounting on active substance containers, such as containers for medical therapy and prophylaxis substances, whose dispensing head (11) projecting on the outside is covered by the protective overcap (17), which is fixed to a counterpart (15, 30) of the dispenser by at least one detachable connection, which has at least one predetermined breaking element and at least one self-locking snap connection (22) with interengaging connection elements of the two components to be fixed against one another, the snap connection being inacessibly covered with respect to the outside as a result of the fact that the connecting element (23) of the snap connection provided on the protective overcap (17) projects over the open end face (19) of said overcap (17) for the substantially completely surface-flush engagement in a frontal opening (31) of the connecting element provided on the counterpart, characterized in that one of the two interengaging connecting elements (23) of the particular snap connection (22) is directly secured by means of at least one of the predetermined breaking elements (34) on the associated component and that the connection of protective overcap (17) to the dispensing head (11) can only be broken by destruction.

Description

The invention relates to a manually operated discharge device, in particular a push piston pump, for placing on active substance vessels, such as vessels for medical therapy and prophylaxis active substances, with an active substance discharge head protruding on the outside and covered by a protective cap that can be removed for use is secured to a counterpart of the device with at least one connection which can be released only by destruction and has a predetermined breaking element.

Such safeguards are particularly useful for vessels with discharge devices, in which an immediate consumption of the entire rest of the vessel contents is indicated after the first use, or in which for the When using the device for the first time, it must be recognizable that no discharge from the vessel has taken place or that no foreign substances have been introduced into the vessel after the original filling.

The invention has for its object to provide a discharge device of this type so that a maximum level of security for the detection of the integrity of the closure is guaranteed by the protective cap with simple assembly of the protective cap.

This object is achieved in a discharge device of the type mentioned according to the invention in that the connection is designed as a self-engaging snap connection which is covered inaccessible to the outside. As a result, when the protective cap is put on, the snap connection is locked in such a way that it can then only be released by destruction; If the snap connection is destroyed, the user can clearly see that the discharge head was exposed after the original filling of the container and therefore unauthorized manipulation of the container cannot be ruled out.

According to a further feature of the invention, the connecting member provided on the protective cap is arranged on a hook body extending approximately in the removal direction of the protective cap, it having at least one hook surface lying transversely to the removal direction for contact with a counter surface of at least one further connecting member, so that the snap connection acts in the manner of a hidden or encapsulated positive connection, which ensures a particularly high level of security.

The encapsulation of the snap connection can in a simple manner, for. B. can be achieved in that the connection member of the protective cap is located at the open end thereof, which preferably lies flush in the cover position on a mating surface associated with the outlet head and / or surrounds the outlet head essentially without play, and that this connecting member projects in particular as a whole over the end face of the protective cap.

In the case of the discharge device being designed as a push-piston pump, as a valve for a pressurized active substance or the like, the discharge device generally has a cover cap which carries the outlet head and is usually provided for manual operation of the device. In this case, according to a further embodiment of the invention, it is provided that a connecting member is formed by an end wall of this cover cap which carries the outlet head and is provided in particular for manual operation of the device and which is provided with an opening for the substantially completely recessed engagement of the connecting member of the protective cap and preferably on its inside adjacent to the opening has the counter surface for this connecting member. As a result, the protective cap forms a component which can be preassembled with the cover cap and thus with the discharge device and which as a whole can be subsequently attached to the vessel in a simple manner.

Instead of the last-mentioned design, in particular in addition to this, however, it can also be expedient if a connecting member is attached to a fastening flange that is structurally combined with a device housing for fastening the device to the vessel, in particular to a vessel neck, for example to a screw cap, a crimp ring or The like. Provided and is preferably formed by an annular disc protruding collar, which in particular is within the cover cap and therefore inaccessible from the outside. As a result, the protective cap is secured via at least one snap connection directly with respect to the mounting flange, so that the snap connection is also destroyed when an attempt is made to pull off the outlet head together with the cover cap from the other parts of the discharge device.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the mating surfaces for the hook surfaces of the connecting member provided on the protective cap are on opposite sides of the hook body of the protective cap, the connecting member associated with the fastening flange preferably being provided on the side facing the center axis of the device.

This results in a particularly stable snap connection even with weak dimensions and the hook body is precisely aligned in its predetermined position by the counter-surfaces acting on it on both sides.

To further simplify the design of the subject matter of the invention, the predetermined breaking member is provided on the protective cap and is preferably formed by at least one web, in particular two side webs lying next to one another, which connect the associated end face of the hook body to the outer circumference of the protective cap. The two side webs ensure precise alignment of the associated connecting link with the protective cap, even with a flexible design.

The predetermined breaking link can be produced in one piece in a simple manner with the associated connecting link and with the associated component, whereby it is also possible to design the predetermined breaking link as a film-hinge-like joint which forms the connecting link with the associated component connects in an articulated manner, so that this connecting element can be brought into engagement with the connecting element provided as a counter element.

A particularly advantageous development of the subject matter of the invention is that the cover cap of the device overlaps the mounting flange essentially completely and preferably with a small gap distance so that it secures the mounting flange against detachment from the vessel, so that an attempt was made to detach the vessel Opening the mounting flange, can be easily recognized afterwards.

The object on which the invention is based can also be achieved in a device of the type mentioned at the outset or in the described device according to the invention, in particular when a fastening flange provided for fastening the device to the vessel is designed as a screw cap, this fastening flange and one of these overlapping cover cap are connected to one another in a rotationally locking manner and / or in a form-locking manner in the actuating direction of the device. As a result, the screw cap can be screwed onto a corresponding mating thread of the vessel and tightened relative to it by rotating the cover cap. If the shear strength of the shear member is exceeded with the torque applied during tightening, the shear member tears off at the end of the tightening process, as a result of which the positive connection between the cover cap and the screw cap is released, so that the screw cap is no longer detached from the vessel by turning the cover cap in the opposite direction. can be. However, it is also conceivable not to exceed the shear strength of the shear member when the screw cap is tightened, and to design the shear member so that it tears off under a lower force when rotating against the screw-on direction of rotation.

In this case, it can be seen from the fact that the connection has been destroyed by the shear member that either an attempt has been made to open the vessel or that the discharge device has been actuated, for example by pressing down the cover cap, and thus the original condition of the Container, as it was given immediately after filling and after closure, no longer exists. The shear member can be formed in a simple manner by a cam provided on the outer circumference of the mounting flange, which engages in a pocket-like depression on the inner circumference of the cover cap and is designed such that, after the device has been placed on the vessel during rotational and / or actuating movements of the Cover cap shears off.

Features of preferred developments of the subject matter of the invention emerge from the subclaims and the description in conjunction with the drawings, the individual features being able to be implemented individually or in groups in the form of subcombinations in one embodiment of the invention. Several embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings and are explained in more detail below.

• Fig. 1 eine erfindungsgemäße Austragvorrichtung in teilweise im Axialschnitt geöffneter Ansicht,
• Fig. 2 eine Draufsicht auf die Vorrichtung gemäß Fig. 1,
• Fig. 3 eine gegenüber der Ausführungsform gemäß den Fig. 1 und 2 geringfügig abgewandelte Ausbildung der Schnappverbindung in vergrößerter Darstellung e-t-sprechend einem Auschnitt der Fig. 1,
• Fig. 4 die Schnappvorrichtung gemäß Fig. 3 in Ansicht von linKS
• Fig. 5 eine weitere Ausführungsform einer Austragsvorrichtung in einer Darstellung entsprechend Fig. 1
• Fig. 6 eine weitere Ausführungsform in Axialschnitt
• Fig. 7 die Ausführungsform gemäß Fig. 6 in Ansicht von rechts

Show it:

• 1 is a discharge device according to the invention in a partially open axial section view,
• 2 is a plan view of the device of FIG. 1,
• 3 shows a slightly modified embodiment of the snap connection compared to the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 2 in an enlarged representation, corresponding to a section of FIG. 1,
• FIG. 4 shows the snap device according to FIG. 3 in a view from the left
• 5 shows a further embodiment of a discharge device in a representation corresponding to FIG. 1
• Fig. 6 shows another embodiment in axial section
• Fig. 7 shows the embodiment of FIG. 6 in a view from the right

The device 1 according to FIGS. 1 and 2 is a thrust piston pump which is essentially rotationally symmetrical to a central axis 3 and has a pump housing 2 which has an annular flange 4 with the interposition of a seal 5 against the central axis 3 transverse boundary surface of an opening of a vessel, not shown, is to be placed under tension that the only vessel opening is hermetically sealed. In this position, the housing 2 is fixed relative to the vessel by a fastening flange 6. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the fastening flange 6 is formed by a so-called crimp ring, which is preassembled and is structurally combined with the housing 2 and surrounds it tightly over most of its length protruding from the vessel and on the ring flange 4. After the housing 2 has been placed on the vessel, the crimp ring 6, which is initially still open below the seal 5, is angularly shaped over its entire circumference toward the central axis 3 in cross-section such that it engages behind an annular shoulder of the vessel and thereby the housing 2 is form-fitting and only by Destruction connects releasably to the vessel. The device 1 also has a part 7, which is arranged on the housing 2 and, in the exemplary embodiment shown, is in the form of a pump cylinder and has a suction hose 8 which projects into the vessel. In the cylinder part 7, a pump piston 9 is slidably arranged, the tubular end remote from the part 7 is designed as a plug 10. A nipple-shaped discharge head 11, which tapers conically towards its outer end, is plugged onto the plug-in socket 10, which has in the area of its outer end a discharge opening 12 lying in the central axis 3 for the active substance in the vessel. The discharge head 11 forms a one-piece component with a cover cap 13, which adjoins the end remote from the discharge opening 12 and overlaps the housing 2 with its cylindrical jacket-shaped wall 14 to such an extent that the mounting flange 6 after installation on the vessel from the outside without destroying the Cover cap 13 is no longer accessible.

The discharge head 11 has a cylindrical portion 16 on the outer circumference in the area of the transition into the annular disk-shaped end wall 15 of the cover cap 13. A slightly larger protective cap 17 is placed on the discharge head 11, which lies against the section 16 with ring ribs provided on the inner circumference with a medium-light sliding fit, hermetically seals the discharge head 11 to the outside and with the end face 19 provided at its open end 18 almost over the entire surface abuts the outer surface of the end wall 15. At the closed end, the protective cap 17 has support ribs 20 on the inner circumference, which rest against the outer circumference of the discharge head 11 with slight clamping and thereby exactly center the outer end of the protective cap 17 relative to the outer end of the discharge head 11. By pulling off the protective cap 17 in the direction of arrow 21, the discharge head 11 and thus the discharge opening 12 can be exposed.

The protective cap 17 is secured relative to the discharge device 1 by two diametrically opposed, identically designed snap connections 22 in its position such that it is removed from the discharge head 11 only after these snap connections 22 have been destroyed, but then again can be placed, it then holds only by circumferential clamping on section 16. The protective cap 17 has for each snap connection 22 a hook body 23 which extends approximately in the direction of arrow 21 and protrudes freely from the end face 19 of the protective cap 17 against this direction arrow 21 and which is provided with two connecting members 24, 25.

Each connecting link 24 or 25 is provided with a hook surface 26 or 27 lying at right angles to the central axis 3, which points in the direction of removal arrow 21 and which is each assigned a counter surface 28 or 29 for positively locked contact. The connecting member 24, which is closer to the end face 19 of the protective cap 17, is provided on the outside of the hook body 23 facing away from the central axis 3, and the counter face 28 associated with its hook face 26 is provided on the inside of the end wall 15 of the covering cap 13 and, for example, by the edge surface at least a stiffening rib is formed. The other connecting member 25 is located at the free end of the hook body 23 and the counter surface 29 associated with its hooking surface 27 is provided on a connecting disk 30 which projects radially outward and is designed as an end collar of the fastening flange 6 and in the region of the end of the housing 2 facing away from the vessel lies within the cap 13. For the engagement of each hook body 23 in the interior of the covering cap 13 - an opening 31 is provided in the end wall 15, into which the respective hook body 23 engages with its associated end section almost without play in the direction of rotation about the central axis 3. In the radial direction to the central axis 3, the opening 31 is so large that the connecting member 24 can dodge when the protective cap 17 is placed on the discharge head 11 until it snaps into its securing position engaging behind the counter surface 28.

In order for the connecting member 24 to be pressed back in a correspondingly resilient manner, including the hook body 23, during this assembly operation, it has on its side remote from the central axis 3 a deflecting surface 32 converging with the central axis 3 against the removal direction arrow 21. A corresponding deflecting surface 33 is also provided on the side of the connecting member 25 facing the central axis 3, so that when the protective cap 17 preassembled with the protective cap 17 is placed on the housing 2 by the connecting member 30, it is first pushed back until it jumps behind the counter surface 29 .

Each hook body 23 is connected in an articulated and resilient manner to the protective cap 17 by a nominal book member 34. Each predetermined breaking member 34 is formed by two parallel side webs 35, which start from the associated end face 36 of the associated hook body 23 and merge into the outer circumference 37 of the protective cap 17 immediately adjacent to its end face 19. The snap connections 22 are designed in such a way that the predetermined breaking members 34 can only be destroyed by turning the protective cap 17 relative to the discharge head 11, after which the protective cap 17 can be removed without hindrance and also replaced.

In FIGS. 3 to 5, the same reference numerals are used for parts that correspond to one another as in FIGS. 1 and 2, but in FIGS. 3 and 4 with the index "a" and in FIG. 5 with the index "b".

The embodiment according to FIGS. 3 and 4 differs from that according to FIGS. 1 and 2 essentially in that the hook body 23 is shorter. Furthermore, the connecting member 25a of the hook body 23a is chamfered on the side facing away from the deflecting surface 33a such that the hook body 23a at the free end in Side view according to FIG. 3 is pointed so that it easily finds itself in the associated opening 31a when the protective cap 17a is placed on the discharge head 11a.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 5, the mounting flange 6b is designed as a screw cap with an internal thread, with which it can be screwed onto a corresponding external thread of the vessel, for example a neck of the vessel, and tightened with a predetermined torque by compressing the seal 5b. The cylindrical jacket-shaped wall 14b of the cover cap 13b extends beyond the open end of the fastening flange 6b and surrounds it with a small gap distance. A cam-shaped shear member 38 is provided on the outer circumference 39 of the mounting flange 6b adjacent to its open end, which engages in a pocket-shaped recess 40 on the inner circumference 41 of the cover cap 13b without play or with only slight play. As a result, the fastening flange 6b and the cover cap 13b are positively connected to one another both in the two possible directions of rotation about the central axis 3b and also in and counter to the direction of arrow 21b. The shear member 38, which can also be provided on the cover cap 13b, passes via a predetermined breaking point into the associated component 6b, the predetermined breaking point being able to be designed such that when the fastening flange 6b is screwed onto the vessel it tears when the desired tightening torque is reached and thereby the positive connection between the mounting flange 6b and the cap 13b is released. However, it is also conceivable to choose the shear strength of the shear member 38 in the screw-on direction to be such that it is only torn off when the attempt is made to detach the fastening flange 6b from the vessel by rotating the cover cap 13b in the opposite direction, or that this tearing off takes place when the Cover cap 13b for executing a pumping movement of the piston 9b in the actuation direction arrow 42 is depressed.

In FIGS. 6 and 7, the same reference numerals as in FIGS. 1 to 5, but with the index “c”, are used for corresponding parts. The embodiment according to FIGS. 6 to 7 essentially corresponds to that according to FIG. 1. The part designed as arm 23c of the hook body and carrying the connecting member 25c is designed as an arm of a two-armed lever 46 which is located immediately above the upper, annular end wall 15c the cover cap 13c is pivotally mounted relative to all other parts of the device about a pivot axis 48 which is tangential to the circumference of the protective cap 17c and is at a short distance from this circumference. For storage, two spaced apart joint webs 35c are provided, which are formed both in one piece with the arm 23c and with the protective cap 17c and can have resilient properties such that the connecting member 25c automatically returns to its securing position when the lever 46 is relieved. The upper, linear or in the same plane to the lower arm 23 c adjoining arm 45 of the two-armed lever 46 is designed as a plate-shaped handle 43, which is at a distance from the circumference of the protective cap 17 corresponding to the length of the articulated webs 35c. Between the inner surface of this handle 43 and the circumference of the protective cap 17 c, a locking member 44 in the form of an elongated tear tab is provided essentially free of play, which projects freely over the upper end of the handle 43 and is in a plane perpendicular to the handle 43 level. The locking member 44 is formed in one piece with the lever 46, the joint webs 35 c and the protective cap 17 c and connected at its lower end to a joint web 35 via a line-shaped, weakened cross-section and parallel to the joint webs 35 c predetermined breaking point 34 c. As a result, the locking member 44 does not lie in the middle of the width of the handle 43, but adjacent to a side edge of the handle 43. By the locking member 44, the handle 43 can not be pivoted against the circumference of the protective cap 17 c. Only when the blocking member 44 is removed by tearing in the area of the predetermined breaking point 34c or at least by pivoting about the predetermined breaking point 34c perpendicular to the pivot axis 48, the handle 43 is free for actuation. With this actuation, the connecting member 35 c is pivoted away from the connecting member 30 of the fastening flange 6 c and thereby released, so that the protective cap 17 c can be removed. When replacing the protective cap 17, the connecting member 25 is pivoted back against the spring force by running the deflecting surface 33 onto the connecting member 30c, after which it jumps under the connecting member 30c in the securing position, so that the protective cap 17c can be repeatedly locked relative to the device in the attached position . The arm 23c is extended downward beyond the connecting member 25c, in such a way that a stop extension 47 is formed, the lower end face of which, when the protective cap 17c is in place, is directly opposite an end shoulder of the fastening flange 6c. If the cap 13c is actuated axially in the pumping direction when the protective cap 17c is in place, the stop extension 47 strikes the fastening flange 6c, ie no pumping stroke can be carried out with the protective cap 17c in place. The individual features resulting from the description and drawing, as well as from the claims, can each represent, individually or in groups, for example in the form of sub-combinations, advantageous and protectable versions, for which protection is claimed here.

Claims (16)

1. Removable protective and originality protection cap for use for a manually operated discharge device, in particular a thrust piston pump, for placement on active substance containers, such as containers for medical therapy and prophylaxis active substances, with an active substance discharge head protruding on the outside, which is from the Cap is covered, which is secured to a counterpart of the device with at least one connection which can only be destroyed by destruction and has a predetermined breaking member, characterized in that the connection designed as a self-engaging snap connection (22) is inaccessibly covered to the outside by the fact that the Connection member (24, 25) provided for the cap (17) for the substantially completely recessed engagement in an opening (31) of the device protrudes beyond the open end face (19) of the cap (17). 2. Cap according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting member (24, 25) provided on the protective cap (17) is arranged on a hook body (23) extending approximately in the removal direction (arrow 21) of the protective cap (17) and at least has a hook surface (26, 27) lying transversely to the removal direction (arrow 21) for contact with a counter surface (28, 29) of at least one further connecting member (15, 30). 3. Cap according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the connecting member (24, 25) of the protective cap (17) at its open end (18) projects as a whole over the end face (19) and that this end face (19) preferably in Cover layer lies flush against a mating surface associated with the outlet head (11) and / or surrounds the outlet head essentially without play. 4. Cap according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a connecting member by an end wall (15) of the outlet head (11) carrying, in particular for manual operation of the device provided cover cap (13) is formed, which with the opening (31 ) for the substantially completely recessed engagement of the connecting member (24, 25) of the protective cap (11) and preferably on its inside adjacent to the opening (31) has the counter surface (28) for the connecting member (24) of the protective cap. 5. Cap according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a connecting member (30) on a with a device housing (2) structurally united mounting flange (6) for fastening the device (1) provided on the vessel, in particular on a neck of the vessel, for example on a screw cap, a crimp ring or the like, and is preferably formed by a collar which protrudes in the form of an annular disk and lies in particular within the cover cap (13). 6. Cap according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the counter surfaces (28, 29) on opposite sides of the hook body (23) of the protective cap (17), preferably the fastening flange (6) associated connecting member (30 ) is provided on the side facing the device axis (3). 7. Cap according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the Sdlbruchlied (34) on the protective cap (17) is provided and preferably by at least one web (35), in particular two adjacent side webs (35) is formed, which Connect the associated end face (19) of the hook body (23) to the outer circumference (37) of the protective cap (17). 8. Cap according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the predetermined breaking member (35) is integrally formed with the associated connecting member (24, 25) and with the associated component (17) and that preferably the predetermined breaking member (34) as a film hinge-like A joint is formed, which connects the connecting member (24, 25) to the associated component (17) in an articulated manner. 9. Cap according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the connecting member (25c) of the protective cap (17c) with a freely accessible handle (43) in the release position can be transferred and secured with a tear-off arranged locking member (44). 10. Cap according to claim 9, characterized in that the handle (43) is formed by an arm (45) of a two-armed lever (46), the other arm (23c) carries the connecting member (25c). 11. Cap according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the handle (43) with a distance corresponding to the maximum pivoting distance is opposite the circumference of the protective cap (17c) and preferably formed in one piece with the protective cap (17c), hinge-like joint webs (35c) is connected to the protective cap (17c). 12. Cap according to one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the locking member (44) on the inside of the handle (43) and / or on the circumference of the protective cap (17c) rests and preferably via a predetermined breaking point (34c) with at least an articulated web (35c) is connected. 13. Cap according to one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that the locking member (44) is designed as a strip-shaped, preferably upwardly over the handle (43) protruding pull tab. 14. Cap according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the connecting member (25 ^c ) Protective cap (17c) has a downwardly projecting stop extension (47) which, when the connecting member (25c) is in the secured position, is opposite a counter-stop of the device, in particular a shoulder of the fastening flange (6c). 15. Cap according to one of claims 4 to 14, characterized in that the cover cap (13) of the device overlaps the fastening flange (6) substantially completely and preferably with a small gap distance and the vessel against opening to secure it. 16. Cap, in particular according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that, in particular when forming a fastening flange (6b) provided on the vessel for fastening the device (1b) as a screw cap, this fastening flange (6b) and an overlapping same Cover cap (13b) via a shut-off member (38) in a rotationally locking manner and / or in the actuating direction (arrow 42) of the device are positively connected to one another, which is formed in particular by a cam (38) provided on the outer circumference (39) of the fastening flange (6b), which a recess (40) engages on the inner circumference (41) of the cover cap (13b) and is designed such that it shears off when the device (1b) is placed on the vessel when the cover cap (13b) is rotated and / or actuated.

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