EP0206185A2 - Dispensing container - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a dispenser with a transport dispensing device, in particular for dispensing medicinal strips (3) from a storage space (2) of the dispenser that can be divided into individual sections during dispensing, and proposes to achieve a hygienically perfect, functionally reliable dispensing dispenser, that the transport dispenser (V), which can be operated with respect to the strip (3) without finger contact and has a closed storage space, consists of an encapsulated transport wheel (8) which can be actuated by means of a button (13) and which, according to one, has the same cross-section of the dispenser dispensing shaft (5) and strip (3) of the strip (3) itself is largely closed output slot.

Description

The invention relates to a dispenser with a transport dispensing device, in particular for dispensing medicament-containing strips which can be divided into individual sections during dispensing from a storage space of the dispenser.

The object of the invention is to design a generic dispenser in a technically simple, advantageous manner in such a way that a hygienically perfect drug administration is given.

This object is achieved by the invention specified in claim 1.

The subclaims are advantageous developments of the dispenser according to the invention.

As a result of such a configuration, a use-advantageous, hygienically perfect drug administration is realized: the drug-coated, separable "tablet" strip is optimally protected. Finger contact to the stock is excluded. The donor can thus act as an effective protective pack with regard to storage; on the other hand, the locked storage space also has advantages when carrying the dispenser, for example in the jacket pocket. In addition to an only stretched strip storage, a roll strip storage can also be realized, so that from the range of contents such a dispenser is then available as a large pack can be used. In addition to the space-saving assignment — in contrast to loose tablets — the use of a “tablets” strip also has the advantage of low noise generation; the immobility of the tablets combined into a strip also reduces the degree of attrition. There is no longer any disadvantageous abrasion or the need for tighter binding of the tablet substance. A correspondingly drug-coated or soaked strip can consist of so-called edible paper as a carrier. Gelatin-like strips are also conceivable. In order to optimize the hygienic conditions, the dispenser is further designed in such a way that the transport dispensing device consists of an encapsulated transport wheel which can be actuated by means of a button and which lies in front of a dispensing chute itself which is largely closed due to the cross-section of the dispenser dispensing shaft and the strip itself being largely closed. The transport wheel itself covers the strip without contact. The associated button, which enables an indirect transport wheel actuation, is advantageously included in the protective cover, since it forms part of the dispenser housing, the only open path through the strip, which consequently acts as a stopper, being closed itself. Furthermore, the procedure is such that the transport-dispensing device engaging the strip is controlled intermittently in such a way that the tear-off line of the strip lies in the dispensing position of a strip section within the dispensing shaft. Consequently, when the strip section ready for dispensing is removed, the next following strip section is not touched by the user's finger. The output-side end of the dispenser housing is overlaid by a closure cap which, with the formation of a child lock, engages in a latching connection to the dispenser housing. It is also advantageous that the child safety catch and a pawl which interacts with the transport wheel which is designed as a ratchet wheel are located opposite one another from the same wall section of the dispenser housing. Both functional parts are rooted in a practically mutually stiffening zone of the housing. A use-advantageous transport operation results with structurally simple means in that the end wall of the closure cap lies at a distance from the mouth end of the delivery shaft and the key rotating the transport wheel sits as a driving finger on the inner wall of the closure cap. By pushing on the sealing cap, the next section of the strip is transferred to the tear-off board position. The distance left prevents this section from kinking. Finally, according to the invention, it is also advantageous that an upward ramp is arranged in front of the discharge shaft on the storage space side, which ramp then passes into the discharge shaft lying parallel to the housing support base for the strip.

• Fig. 1 den Spender gemäß dem ersten Ausführungsbeispiel in Seitenansicht,
• Fig. 2 die Draufsicht hierzu,
• Fig. 3 die Rückansicht,
• Fig. 4 den Schnitt gemäß Linie IV-IV in Fig. 5,
• Fig. 5 die Draufsicht auf Fig. 4, jedoch bei abgezogener, zugleich die Kindersicherung bildender Verschlußkappe,
• Fig. 6 den Schnitt gemäß Linie VI-VI in Fig. 7 unter Veranschaulichung des zweiten Ausführungsbeispieles (Teilschnitt) ,
• Fig. 7 die zugehörige Draufsicht bei wiederum entfernter Verschlußkappe,
• Fig. 8 den Schnitt gemäß Linie VIII-VIII in Fig. 9 unter Veranschaulichung des dritten Ausführungsbeispieles und
• Fig. 9 die Draufsicht auf Fig. 8 bei teilweise weggebrochener, hier über die Kindersicherung hinaus die Betätigungstaste bildender Verschlußkappe.

The subject matter of the invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of three illustrative exemplary embodiments. It shows

• 1 shows the dispenser according to the first embodiment in side view,
• 2 is a top view of this,
• 3 shows the rear view,
• 4 shows the section along line IV-IV in FIG. 5,
• 5 shows the top view of FIG. 4, but with the closure cap removed, which at the same time forms the child lock,
• 6 shows the section along line VI-VI in FIG. 7, illustrating the second exemplary embodiment (partial section),
• 7 shows the associated top view with the closure cap again removed,
• Fig. 8 shows the section along line VIII-VIII in Fig. 9, illustrating the third embodiment and
• Fig. 9 is a top view of Fig. 8 with the cap partially broken away, here beyond the child lock forming the actuating button.

The dispenser has an elongated housing 1. Its predominant length section forms a storage space 2 for a medicine designed in the form of a strip 3.

In the area of the dispenser head 4 shown on the left in the drawing, the housing forms a horizontally running, relatively short discharge shaft 5 at the bottom left. Its end on the storage space side adjoins a ramp 7 that slopes at an acute angle to the likewise horizontal support base 6 of the housing 1. The pitch angle is approximately 30 °. The length of the run-up ramp corresponds approximately to twice to three times the length of the output shaft 5.

The long rectangular cross section of the shaft corresponds to that of the strip 3, so that it fills the shaft cross section.

The vertical perpendicular xx established above the ramp 7 intersects the axis position of a transport wheel 8. The latter is part of a transport output device V in the area of the dispenser head 4. The transport wheel 8 extends over the entire clear width of the discharge shaft 5 and has a closed gear rim in the central plane 9 on. The ring gear has a sawtooth structure, i. H. one flank 10 'of the teeth 10 extends radially to the horizontal transport wheel axis 11 lying transversely to the dispensing direction y, while the other flank 10' 'rises from the circumference of the narrow spider web 12. The flank 10' is shown in the drawing with a slight undercut. The tooth tips engage in the strips guided tangentially via the ramp 7.

A transport button 13 also belongs to the transport output device V. The latter is used by one in the first and second exemplary embodiments from the ceiling 14 of the housing 1 cut-out tab 15 formed the same. The cut lines are designated 13 '. The free end of the flap grooved transversely according to FIG. 6 has a tongue 16 directed downwards. Their angled driving finger 17 in the direction of the transport wheel 8 engages in the tooth gaps 18 of the ring gear 9. The tongue 16 has a slight pretension which must also be taken into account during the spraying process, as a result of which a spring-loaded tooth engagement is present. In the first and second exemplary embodiments, the tooth lies approximately at the level of the wheel axis 11. When pressed downward, the driving finger 17 loads the steep flank 10 'while rotating the transport wheel in the direction of the arrow z until the finger 17 extends after an angular path of approximately 30 ° the tooth gap emerges.

The light spring load lies transversely to two vertical, upwardly open insertion shafts 19 for the transport wheel, laterally projecting stub of the wheel axle 11. The insertion shafts lying in the vertical, parallel side walls 20 of the housing 1 are inward, that is to say open to one another. Above the bearing trough, locking projections 21 extend on both sides, which overlap the stub axles to secure the position.

The tip circle of the teeth 10 sweeps over the run-up ramp 7 at such a distance that the strip 3 is dragged along with the cyclical key actuation. In order to avoid that the transport wheel 8 runs in the opposite direction of the arrow z when the key is returned, the transport wheel designed as a ratchet wheel interacts with a ratchet 22 in the manner of a ratchet ratchet. The latter is formed from a resilient wall section 23 of the dispenser housing 1. According to the exemplary embodiments in FIGS. 4 to 7, this wall section 23 extends diametrically opposite the driving finger 17. The pawl 22 is also slightly pretensioned. Your jack head is supported on the radially aligned or slightly undercut flank 10 'of the teeth. In the embodiment according to FIGS. 8 and 9, however, the pawl goes 22 on the inside from the ceiling 14 of the housing 1. There the jack head is not angled radially inwards, as illustrated in FIG. 4; rather, the tapered front end blocks in FIG. 8 against the steep or undercut flank 10 '.

The transport-dispensing device V engaging the strip 3 is controlled cyclically in such a way that the tear line 24 of the strip 3, realized for example by transverse perforation, in the dispensing position (FIGS. 5, 7 and 9) of a strip section 3 'is still inside the output shaft 5. The portion which is ready for dispensing therefore extends freely over three quarters of its length in front of the mouth end 5 'of the delivery chute 5. In this way it is avoided that the next strip portion 3' comes into contact with the operating hand.

To actuate the button 13, a closure cap 25 overlapping the housing 1 from five sides must first be removed. The latter also acts as a child safety device and is held on the dispenser housing 1 by means of the latching connection. The latter forms a locking projection 26 on the top of its ceiling 14. This interacts with a recess or opening 27 on the closure cap side. In the stop-limited insertion position, the steep latching flank 26 'of the latching protrusion 26 locks in front of the corresponding recess edge 27 ¹ : in order to release the childproof lock, the latching connection must be released in a special manner, but this is not readily recognizable as such. To facilitate removal of the latching connection, the section of the closure cap cover 28 opposite the ceiling 14 in the latching connection area is cut free from the open end. The cut-out lines designated with 29 can be clearly seen from FIG. 2. In the area of the cut end, which is located just behind the opening 27 on the dispenser head side, a transverse bead 30 is provided for swiveling up the formed locking tab 31 without breaking. The front edge surface of the unlockable closure cap 25 is flush with the back of a stopper 32, which closes a refill opening 33 on the side of the housing opposite the dispensing shaft 5. The stopper 32 has a small pit 34 below the locking tab 31. The fingernail of the operating hand can be inserted into this and thus grasp the free end of the flap from the inside and swivel up against the restoring force about the film hinge point 35 produced by the bead 30. For the convenient insertion of the fingernail or the fingertip, as can be seen in FIG. 5, said pit is rounded. The plug 32 is designed as a hollow plug, so that the storage space 2 is not restricted. The adaptation to the width of the strip 3 also makes it possible, for example, to clamp the supply roll in the hollow plug and to insert it comfortably into the dispenser housing after the free end of the strip has been inserted into the output shaft 5 via the ramp 7 beforehand with the aid of the button 13. This is favored by the upper shaft wall projecting roof-shaped in the feed direction.

To hold the housing 1 when pulling off the closure cap, its side walls 36 are cut out in a semicircle in the region of the end having the refill opening. The corresponding niches bear the reference symbol 37. Gripping jaws 38 of the dispenser housing 1, which have a contour and protrude into them, protrude into the housing. The grooves have the reference number 39. The groove continues without interruption in the plug head 40 of the same width. Since the stopper is held in the clamped position, willful pulling forces are required; on the other hand, since the stopper is not recognizable as a separate component and only forms a relatively narrow gripping area close to the edge, pulling forces that become effective across the joints in the middle of the jaws, i.e. across the joints, do not easily lead to a loosening of the stopper, which is why it is an effective one Child lock is favored.

The somewhat modified exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 8 and 9 uses a closure cap 25 of shorter length. Some of the reference numbers are used analogously without repeating the text. The locking projection 25 holding the locking projection 26 extends in the immediate vicinity of the transport wheel 10 designed as a ratchet wheel, so that the pawl and child safety catch (locking projection 26) proceed from the same wall section of the ceiling 14, but in opposite directions. The root areas of both functional parts are mutually stabilized. This is also beneficial for demolding.

There is also a modification with respect to the button 13, which is designed here as a driving finger of the closure cap 25 which interacts directly with the ring gear 9. Thus, when this stopper cap is pushed open, the strip section 3 'is pushed into the position ready for dispensing. When the cap is closed, the steep, here vertical flank 13 "of the button 13 comes into contact with the steep flank 10 'of the respective tooth 10. On the return stroke, the button 13, on the other hand, slides with its only slightly rising back flank without taking the transport wheel 8 over the back of the teeth 10, the pawl 22 securing this wheel against entrainment.

The slide-on stop is formed by a projection 41 formed on the outside of the support base 6.

The recess comparable to the pit 34 for easier lifting of the locking tab 31 is molded onto the locking tab itself in this exemplary embodiment.

A further variant could consist in that this latching tab 31 is realized as a section which is not cut free, that is to say it is rigid, and the section having the latching projection 26 and the pawl 22 is cut out in a tongue-like manner. Here could be the pawl 22 as a button by sliding the cap 25 be moved downward, this also during the return stroke as the second half of the stroke, so that the strip is output in this way. A ratchet-type pawl would then, as explained in relation to FIG. 4, be molded on.

8 and 9, the end wall 42 of the closure cap 25 extends at a distance A from the mouth end 5 'of the delivery shaft 5, so that the section 3' is not in its free forward position is affected.

The storage space 2 contains only one strip which extends over the entire length of the housing and which changes into a loop turn. This degree of filling corresponds to a small package. A large package, as it were, could be achieved simply by fully utilizing the volume of the winding stock. After the plug 32 has been inserted, the contents are also closed from this end and are therefore not readily accessible by touch. If a cap is placed over the transport wheel 8, there is not even an indirect contact.

All the new features mentioned in the description and shown in the drawing are essential to the invention, even if they are not expressly claimed in the claims.

Claims (6)

1. Dispenser with a transport-dispensing device, in particular for dispensing medicinal-containing strips (3) which can be divided into individual sections during dispensing, from a storage space (2) of the dispenser, characterized in that the one which can be operated with respect to the strip without finger contact, one Transport dispensing device (V) having a closed storage space comprises a transport wheel (8) which is encapsulated and can be actuated by means of a button (13) and which, according to a cross-section, has the same dispenser discharge shaft (5) and strip (3) from the strip (3) even largely closed output chute. 2. Dispenser according to claim 1, characterized in that the transport dispensing device (V) acting on the strip (3) is controlled in cycles such that the tear line (24) of the strip (3) in the dispensing position of a strip section (3 ') within the Output shaft (5) is. 3. Dispenser according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the output-side end of the dispenser housing (1) is overlaid by a closure cap (25) which occurs in child-resistant snap connection (locking projection 26, opening 27) to the dispenser housing (1). 4. Dispenser according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the child safety catch and a pawl (22) cooperating with the transport wheel designed as a ratchet wheel (8) are located opposite one another from the same wall section (ceiling 14) of the dispenser housing (1). 5. Dispenser according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the end wall (42) of the closure cap (25) is at a distance (A) from the mouth end (5 ') of the dispenser shaft (5) and the transport wheel (8) rotating button (13) as a driving finger on the inner wall of the guided slide cap (25). 6. Dispenser according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the discharge chute (5) on the storage space side is preceded by a ramp (7), which then lies in the discharge chute (3) lying parallel to the housing support base (6) for the strip (3). 5) passes.

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