EP0510388B1 - Resilient squeeze dispenser for viscous products - Google Patents

Resilient squeeze dispenser for viscous products Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0510388B1
EP0510388B1 EP92105510A EP92105510A EP0510388B1 EP 0510388 B1 EP0510388 B1 EP 0510388B1 EP 92105510 A EP92105510 A EP 92105510A EP 92105510 A EP92105510 A EP 92105510A EP 0510388 B1 EP0510388 B1 EP 0510388B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
outer container
bag
plate
opening
container
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP92105510A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0510388A3 (pt
EP0510388A2 (en
Inventor
Piero Battegazzore
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Guala SpA
Original Assignee
Guala SpA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Guala SpA filed Critical Guala SpA
Publication of EP0510388A2 publication Critical patent/EP0510388A2/en
Publication of EP0510388A3 publication Critical patent/EP0510388A3/xx
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0510388B1 publication Critical patent/EP0510388B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D83/00—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents
    • B65D83/0055—Containers or packages provided with a flexible bag or a deformable membrane or diaphragm for expelling the contents
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D2231/00—Means for facilitating the complete expelling of the contents
    • B65D2231/001—Means for facilitating the complete expelling of the contents the container being a bag

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a dispenser of viscous products, such as toothpaste products, cosmetic creams, food juices, and the like, in which a container is squeezed to deliver the product out and then released.
  • viscous products such as toothpaste products, cosmetic creams, food juices, and the like
  • the invention relates to a dispenser of viscous products which comprises an outer container, extending along a longitudinal axis which would generally lie vertical, with at least one elastically deformable side wall, a closed bottom, and a top provided with an opening defined by a rim, a flexible bag placed inside said outer container, said bag having a mouth and being intended for containing the viscous product, a plate-like element positioned across the opening in the container top and being connected to the rim of the latter, said plate-like element being provided with an axial passageway, parallel to the longitudinal axis of the outer container, having a collar projected inwardly of said outer container, said bag having its mouth sealed around said collar, a head provided in its inner side with a viscous product delivery conduit which has one end provided with a delivery orifice and an opposite end provided with an inlet orifice in communication with the axial passageway through said plate-like element, said head including connecting means for being connected to the rim of the opening in the top of said outer container, a first one
  • Dispensers of the type mentioned above are also shown and described, for example, in US-A-4,469,250; 4,909,416; and 4,842,165.
  • the flexible bag intended for containing a viscous product to be dispensed out is only firmly secured at the location of the open mouth of the container with elastically deformable walls by means of a holding element disposed across the mouth and being fixed to the container.
  • This arrangement has a drawback in that, not even after repeatedly squeezing and releasing the elastic walls of the outer container, does it allow the bag to be emptied completely and, therefore, the full amount of product charged into the bag to be used.
  • the bag of viscous product is instead secured directly on the outer container, both at the location of its mouth and of a peripheral region halfway the height of the container.
  • the bag emptying is falicitated and full amount of viscous product contained therein can be used.
  • the bag connection to the middle region of the inner wall of the outer container, as well as at the location of its mouth involves manufacturing technologies which are quite complicated, adversely affect the dispenser manufacturing cost, and disallows any filling of the bag with the product to be dispensed, and subsequent handling thereof, while separate from the container.
  • the continuous seal of the bag to the middle region of the outer container requires that the valve means for admitting air to the container inside, as should occur at the end of each compressive action on the container, be positioned in the container bottom or, at least in an area underlying the seal region in order to be active onto the free portion of the flexible bag.
  • a further object is to avoid the need to have the air-admitting valve means located on the walls of the outer container, and this for the benefit of the dispenser manufacturing economy and of the bag filling procedure, which can be now carried out even without the presence of the outer container.
  • an outer container made of plastics material, e.g. of the polyolefinic type.
  • It is substantially elliptical in plan view and has a closed bottom 2, serving as a rest base, and a top 3 formed with an opening 4 defined by the edge 5.
  • the container 1 extends along a longitudinal axis X-X, generally arranged to lie upright, and has at least one of its walls, 6 and 7, with a greater radius of curvature made deformable elastically under a pressure force from outside, e.g. finger pressure from the fingers of one user's hand.
  • a plate-like element 8 also made of a plastics material, which is connected with its peripheral edge 9 to the edge 5 defining the opening 4.
  • This plate-like element 8 is formed with a passageway 10, coaxial with the axis X-X, around which a collar 11 is provided.
  • Said collar 11 is made in one piece with the element 8 and extends inwardly of the container 1.
  • the bag 13 Connected to the outer surface of the collar 11, as by welding, is the mouth 12 of a flexible bag 13 intended to contain a product, such a toothpaste, to be dispensed.
  • the bag 13 is generally formed from a laminated film whose inner layer comprises a heat-sealable material which is compatible with that of the collar 11.
  • the circumference of the bag 13, in the fully extended condition when filled with the viscous product to be dispensed is such that an interspace 14 is formed between the bag and the wall of the outer container 1.
  • a support 15 which, in the embodiments shown, is in the form of an annular element coaxial with the collar 11 and secured on the interior of the latter. From the support 15 there extend, inwardly of the bag 13, opposite leg pairs 16, 17 and 16a, 17a, which are elastically divergent and have ends 18, 19 and 18a, 19a arranged to push, as a retractor on the bag 13 toward the outer container 1, thereby keeping the bag under a tension force, directed from the inside out, even as the bag, due to the product dispensing action, gradually empties itself and its bottom portion is folded up toward the mouth 12, as shown by the dash line in Figure 2.
  • the spreading tension from the legs 16, 17 and 16a, 17a is applied to the bag 13 in a peripheral region located substantially halfway of the container 1 length along a substantially perpendicular direction to the axis X-X.
  • the ends 18, 19 and 18a, 19a of the legs 16, 17 and 16a, 17a which may be conveniently formed from a polyolefinic or polyamidic plastics material, are shaped as arcuate segments having a radius of curvature which corresponds to that of the respective confronting walls of the container 1, and extend in height over a predetermined distance parallel to the axis X-X.
  • slots 20 are formed between the leg pairs 16, 17, 16a, 17a and their respective ends 18, 19, 18a and 19a, there are formed slots 20 sized to allow the elastic movement of the legs on the container 1 being squeezed and released, while preventing, however, the bag 13 from getting in between and forming pockets of non-dispensable product.
  • a one-way valve means for admitting external air to the container 1 interior following the suction effect created by the elastic recovery of the container 1 walls at the end of a product dispensing action.
  • This valve means comprises a hollow seat 21 defined by a frusto-conical side wall 22 and a top wall 23, with the taper pointing away from the container 1 and the cavity open into the inner side of the container.
  • the frusto-conical side wall 22 is provided with a plurality of openings 24.
  • a bell-shaped element 25 Located inside the seat 21 is a bell-shaped element 25, made of an elastomeric material and being, therefore, elastically flexible, which is connected to the top wall 23 by a peduncle 26.
  • This bell-shaped element 25 will cling elastically against the openings 24 and hold them normally closed, especially when a pressure is exerted on the walls 6 and 7 of the container 1.
  • the air can also flow beneath the bag 13 past the position of the ends 18, 19 and 18a, 19a of the opener legs and gradually cause the bag to overturn until emptied completely.
  • the dispenser of this invention includes a head, generally indicated by numeral reference 27.
  • This head has, on its inner side, a delivery conduit 28 provided with a delivery orifice 29 at its end 30, and an inlet orifice 31 at its opposite end 32.
  • the inlet orifice 31 is into communication with that axial passageway 10 of the plate-like element 8 by means of a front connection of the edge of the end 32 with an annular groove 33 formed on the element 8 around the axial passageway 10.
  • the profiles of the cross-section of the groove 33 and of the edge of the end 32 mate with each other interlocked relationship.
  • a plurality of holes 8a is provided in the bottom of annular groove 33.
  • Said holes 8a which can be seen in Figure 2, go across the thickness of the plate-like element 8 and open into the interspace 14.
  • the delivery conduit 28 is provided with a one-way valve means which opens in the direction toward the delivery orifice 29.
  • This valve means comprises a cap 34 made from polypropylene, for example, which can be displaced angularly (see Figure 2) about a point 35 of attachment to a ring 36 which bears sealingly on an annulus 36a against which said cap 34 abuts in the sealing position.
  • the hinge-like point 35 of attachment is sized to hold, in its rest condition, the cap 34 in the closed position.
  • the head 27 is further provided with connecting means for connection to the open top 3 of the container 1.
  • This means comprises a ring-like rib 37 formed around the edge 38 of the head and a counter-rib 39 formed on the edge 5 of the aperture 4 of the container 1.
  • the head 27 includes a thread-down cap 40 with a tamper-proof band 41, for closing the delivery orifice 29.
  • the rib 37 for connection of the head 27 to the container 1 is shown formed on a ring-like band 42 which is connected axially to the head 27 by a self-hinge flexible bridge 43 and interlockingly matched profiles 44 and 45 formed along the confronting edges of the head 27 and the band 42, respectively, in regions extending laterally of the bridge 43.
  • the plate-like element 8 is provided with a grip ring 46, concentrical with the axial passageway 10, which is substantially co-planar with the plate-like element 8, in the rest position, and is connected to the latter by a self-hinge flexible bridge 47.
  • the grip ring 46 can be raised by angular displacement about the bridge 47, as shown in Figure 7, and used to pull out of the container 1 the structural assembly formed by the plate-like element 8 and the flexible bag 13 when the latter has been emptied completely, and replace it with another assembly with a full bag 13.
  • the embodiment just described enables repeated use of the container 1 and its head 27 by replacing emptied bags 13 with full bags in a refill-like fashion.
  • the flexible bag 13 requires no direct connection to the interior walls of the outer container 1, either at the mouth or any intermediate peripheral region thereof.
  • the bag 13 being held under constant tension by the ends 18, 19 and 18a, 19a of the opener legs placed inside it, enables exhaustive delivery of the product contained therein.
  • the bag 13 can be filled, where required, separately from the container 1, thereby to provide a separate refill item and affording all the advantages mentioned hereinabove.
  • the leg pair 16 and 17 is replaced by a pair of smaller legs 160 and 170 which are connected to each other by a flexible strip-like annular element 171, at their farthest position from the support 150.
  • Said annular element 171 is flat and substantially thick as the legs 160 and 171. Its outline, when inserted in the bag 13 and not pressed, is such to mate the outline of the inner side of the container 1 whereas its axial extension or wedth is symmetrically decreasing from the location of the legs 160 and 170 to the opposite locations 172 and 173.
  • the axial width at said opposite locations 172 and 173 is such to allow the annular element 171 to pass through the opening 4 of the container by means of a tilting movement during the assembling steps of the dispenser, as shown in Figure 10.
  • a dispenser after removing the protective cap 40 and while holding the outer container 1 in one hand, by application of a pressure force to the resilient walls 6 and 7 one will cause the bag 13 and the elastic opener leg pair 16 and 17 or 160 and 170 to become compressed.
  • the opener leg pair 16 and 17 or 160 and 170 will develop a lateral thrust force inside the bag 13 and again stretch it to its maximum diameter as allowed by the transverse dimensions of the bag 13 before it contacts the inside surfaces of the walls 6 and 7 of the container 1.
  • the bell-shaped element 25 will deform elastically toward the hollow seat 21 and allow the air present in the cavity 27a of the head 27, which is not sealed off around its outer edge, to flow from the outside into the container 1 and the lower areas of the bag 13 through the interspace 14.
  • the dispenser of this invention is assembled by first connecting the support 15 for the opener legs to the plate-like element 8, specifically by attaching it to the inner wall of the collar 11.
  • the elastic legs 16, 17 and 16a, 17a are engaged with the tool and held gathered together in a converging condition.
  • Specially useful to this aim is the recess 48 provided in the interconnection region of the ends 18, 19 and 18a, 19a to the respective legs 16, 17 and 16a, 17a.
  • the assembly including the plate-like element 8 and the opener legs 16, 17 and 16a, 17a held gathered by the tool is brought toward the bag 13, and the legs, while still held in the tool, are inserted through the mouth 12 until the latter locates around the outer surface of the collar 11.
  • the mouth 12 of the bag is now welded to the collar 11 using conventional welding equipment.
  • the assembly On completion of the welding step, the assembly is inserted into the container 1 and the plate-like element 8 is air-tight fixed with its edge 9 to the edge 5 of the container 1.
  • This seal may be enhanced by a wall section 9a fitting as a stopper inside the mouth 4 of the container 1.
  • the opener legs 16, 17 and 16a, 17a are released from the holding tool and the tool is taken out axially through the passageway 10, thereby the opener legs will spring to their bag 13 stretching positions.
  • the holes 8a provided in the bottom of the groove 33, allow the exit of the air from the interspace 14, whereas when the head 27 is fitted on the container 1, they become air-tight closed by the end 32 of the delivery conduit 28 which is inserted into the groove 33.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Containers And Packaging Bodies Having A Special Means To Remove Contents (AREA)
  • Closures For Containers (AREA)
  • Coating Apparatus (AREA)
  • Tubes (AREA)
  • Manufacturing Of Micro-Capsules (AREA)
  • Confectionery (AREA)
  • Telephone Function (AREA)
  • Artificial Filaments (AREA)
  • Control And Other Processes For Unpacking Of Materials (AREA)
EP92105510A 1991-04-26 1992-03-31 Resilient squeeze dispenser for viscous products Expired - Lifetime EP0510388B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP91830168 1991-04-26
EP91830168 1991-04-26

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0510388A2 EP0510388A2 (en) 1992-10-28
EP0510388A3 EP0510388A3 (pt) 1994-02-16
EP0510388B1 true EP0510388B1 (en) 1996-04-24

Family

ID=8208943

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP92105510A Expired - Lifetime EP0510388B1 (en) 1991-04-26 1992-03-31 Resilient squeeze dispenser for viscous products

Country Status (9)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0510388B1 (pt)
JP (1) JPH05112376A (pt)
AT (1) ATE137193T1 (pt)
AU (1) AU643608B2 (pt)
BR (1) BR9201525A (pt)
CA (1) CA2065824A1 (pt)
DE (1) DE69210082T2 (pt)
ES (1) ES2086571T3 (pt)
MX (1) MX9201845A (pt)

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5305920A (en) * 1991-11-20 1994-04-26 The Procter & Gamble Company Bag-in-bottle package with reusable resilient squeeze bottle and disposable inner receptacle which inverts upon emptying without attachment near its midpoint to squeeze bottle
US5823387A (en) * 1993-05-18 1998-10-20 Colgate-Palmolive Company Method and apparatus for simultaneously dispensing viscous materials
ITMI940055A1 (it) * 1994-01-18 1995-07-18 Bracco Spa Contenitore per soluzioni contrastografiche diagnostiche
NL2028309B1 (en) 2021-05-27 2022-12-08 Daklapack Europe B V Spout-cap unit, pouch comprising such a spout-cap unit, and method for manufacturing the spout-cap unit.
WO2022250537A1 (en) 2021-05-27 2022-12-01 Daklapack Europe B.V. Spout-cap unit, pouch comprising such a spout-cap unit

Family Cites Families (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
NL128149C (pt) * 1963-02-11 1900-01-01
US3656660A (en) * 1969-11-17 1972-04-18 Air Ject Corp Closure member and dispensing device
FR2081244A1 (pt) * 1970-03-23 1971-12-03 Bouet Bernard
US3767078A (en) * 1970-11-03 1973-10-23 N Gortz Bladder type dispenser
WO1986001489A1 (en) * 1984-08-23 1986-03-13 Hafina Treufinanz Ag Container provided with a closure
US4842165A (en) * 1987-08-28 1989-06-27 The Procter & Gamble Company Resilient squeeze bottle package for dispensing viscous products without belching
US5012956A (en) * 1989-08-07 1991-05-07 Stoody William R Squeeze bottle with bag, dispensing system

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE69210082T2 (de) 1996-11-21
EP0510388A3 (pt) 1994-02-16
CA2065824A1 (en) 1992-10-27
ATE137193T1 (de) 1996-05-15
BR9201525A (pt) 1992-12-01
DE69210082D1 (de) 1996-05-30
AU643608B2 (en) 1993-11-18
MX9201845A (es) 1992-10-30
EP0510388A2 (en) 1992-10-28
ES2086571T3 (es) 1996-07-01
JPH05112376A (ja) 1993-05-07
AU1402492A (en) 1992-10-29

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
AU594927B2 (en) Packaging
US4892231A (en) Pump chamber dispenser
US5108007A (en) Valve controlled squeezable fluid dispenser
US4457454A (en) Two-compartment dispenser
US4798311A (en) Container provided with a closure
US6581808B2 (en) Cap for dispensing container having separate dispensing orifice and air intake passage
EP0395754B1 (en) Dosing cap
US5154328A (en) Unit for dispensing at least one fluid product, in particular a cosmetic or pharmaceutical product, having a pressure actuated, self-sealing, closure outlet
US3549050A (en) Pressurized dispenser having a valve extension
US5578019A (en) Eye drop applicator
US5950878A (en) Dispensing tube valve assembly
US20030029890A1 (en) Deformable dispensing valve
US20050035157A1 (en) Pump for dispensing flowable material
GB1573587A (en) Valve squeeze bottle for viscous products
MXPA02008986A (es) Sistema surtidor con un sello de embarque liberable interno y una punta extendida que contiene una valvula capaz de abrirse por presion.
US3450314A (en) Dispensing valve having rubber-like dispensing head
IE42875B1 (en) Dispensing pump
JPH085509B2 (ja) 加圧容器の分配装置
AU2004213215A1 (en) Dispenser pump
US5115949A (en) Flexible liquid container with a sliding closure cap
EP1102706B1 (en) Container valve
AU674969B2 (en) Closure with two-part slidable dispensing cap
EP0510388B1 (en) Resilient squeeze dispenser for viscous products
FR2824539A1 (fr) Dispositif pour le conditionnement separe de deux produits, et leur distribution sous pression, de maniere separee ou en melange
CA1200785A (en) Dispenser with self-sealing applicator

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A2

Designated state(s): AT BE CH DE DK ES FR GB GR IT LI LU MC NL PT SE

PUAL Search report despatched

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009013

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A3

Designated state(s): AT BE CH DE DK ES FR GB GR IT LI LU MC NL PT SE

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 19940217

17Q First examination report despatched

Effective date: 19950822

GRAA (expected) grant

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009210

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: B1

Designated state(s): AT BE CH DE DK ES FR GB GR IT LI LU MC NL PT SE

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: NL

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 19960424

Ref country code: LI

Effective date: 19960424

Ref country code: GR

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 19960424

Ref country code: DK

Effective date: 19960424

Ref country code: CH

Effective date: 19960424

Ref country code: BE

Effective date: 19960424

Ref country code: AT

Effective date: 19960424

REF Corresponds to:

Ref document number: 137193

Country of ref document: AT

Date of ref document: 19960515

Kind code of ref document: T

REF Corresponds to:

Ref document number: 69210082

Country of ref document: DE

Date of ref document: 19960530

ET Fr: translation filed
REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: ES

Ref legal event code: FG2A

Ref document number: 2086571

Country of ref document: ES

Kind code of ref document: T3

ITF It: translation for a ep patent filed
PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: SE

Effective date: 19960724

Ref country code: PT

Effective date: 19960724

NLV1 Nl: lapsed or annulled due to failure to fulfill the requirements of art. 29p and 29m of the patents act
REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: CH

Ref legal event code: PL

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: GB

Payment date: 19970220

Year of fee payment: 6

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DE

Payment date: 19970224

Year of fee payment: 6

PLBE No opposition filed within time limit

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009261

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: NO OPPOSITION FILED WITHIN TIME LIMIT

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: ES

Payment date: 19970318

Year of fee payment: 6

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: FR

Payment date: 19970327

Year of fee payment: 6

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: LU

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 19970331

26N No opposition filed
PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: MC

Effective date: 19970930

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: GB

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 19980331

Ref country code: FR

Free format text: THE PATENT HAS BEEN ANNULLED BY A DECISION OF A NATIONAL AUTHORITY

Effective date: 19980331

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: ES

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 19980401

GBPC Gb: european patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 19980331

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 19981201

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: FR

Ref legal event code: ST

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: ES

Ref legal event code: FD2A

Effective date: 20010503

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: IT

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES;WARNING: LAPSES OF ITALIAN PATENTS WITH EFFECTIVE DATE BEFORE 2007 MAY HAVE OCCURRED AT ANY TIME BEFORE 2007. THE CORRECT EFFECTIVE DATE MAY BE DIFFERENT FROM THE ONE RECORDED.

Effective date: 20050331