EP0641720B1 - Holder for dosing accessories fixable to a bottle - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a holder (10) for dosing accessories (12, 13) fixable to a bottle (14). This holder (10) includes a front wall (16), a rear wall (18), two side walls (20, 22), an open top end (24) and a bottom end (26), and has a housing (28) adapted to receive, at least partially, a dosing accessory (12, 13) engaged via the said open top end (24). The housing (28) is delimited by the front, rear and side walls which are made in a single piece. The rear wall is capable of being glued to the bottle and, like the side walls, can be deformed elastically for fitting to bottles of different curvature. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a case for dosing accessories fixable on a bottle, comprising a front wall, a rear wall, two side walls, an open upper end and a lower end, said case having a housing adapted to receive, at least partially, a metering accessory engaged by said open upper end.

Many products packaged in vials, such as medication in the form of solutes, should be used in doses. For this purpose, one or more dosing accessories are generally available in the packaging of the vials. A known mode of packaging of these dosing accessories, which can be spoons, pipettes or dosing syringes, consists simply in sliding them against the vials, in the box used as packaging.

This method of packaging has practical drawbacks since it makes it relatively tedious to extract the accessory from the packaging and store it therein.

In addition, it does not meet satisfactory hygiene conditions since it does not provide any protection for the accessory against possible contamination.

We have already tried to remedy these drawbacks.

Thus, French patent FR-A-993 774 discloses a support for a dropper comprising a fastening strip stuck to the bottle, a cup intended to receive the dropper and a collar, fixed on the fastening strip, and now the bucket.

This support does not constitute a satisfactory solution, insofar as it comprises several elements which must be assembled prior to its attachment to the bottle.

This presents, on the one hand, the drawback of requiring manipulations which increase the manufacturing costs. On the other hand, the assembly zones constitute as many zones of weakness.

US Patent 2,744,649 shows a case for dosing accessories or the like, which has a rear wall which can be glued to a bottle and which is bordered by two end wings, as well as a housing comprising a lower base and two middle wall elements . These wall elements each constitute a side wall and a front wall portion. The two front wall portions are separated by a slit through which one can remove the metering accessory from the housing by elastically deforming the two middle wall elements.

The case is made in one piece. It can be fixed on bottles of different curvatures thanks to the ability of the wings which border the rear wall of the housing to deform elastically.

The housing of this case is very wide open, so that the accessory is not properly protected against possible contamination. In addition, the need to remove this accessory by deformation of the two front wall portions is not compatible with certain types of accessories.

It should also be noted that with such a case, the risk of inadvertent exit from the dosing accessory is great and that the case does not effectively protect this accessory.

The object of the present invention is to remedy the drawbacks of the aforementioned prior art by proposing a case in which the dosing accessory can be engaged by the open upper end of the housing and which allows storage which is both practical and hygienic for dosing accessories, without obliging manufacturers to modify the packaging of the vials.

To this end, the invention applies to a case of the type defined in the preamble of claim 1 and proposes that the front wall is closed and substantially rigid and that the side walls be elastically deformable with the rear wall to adapt to bottles of different curvatures.

Such a case does not have dimensions appreciably greater than those of the dosing accessory, which allows it to be used in pre-existing packaging boxes, for example by arranging to stick it on a part of the bottles intended for be in a corner of the boxes.

This case allows bottles and dosing accessories to be removed in a single gesture from the box and it constitutes a unique storage place for the accessory, protected from possible contamination. Furthermore, thanks to this case, the use of the packaging box as a storage method is no longer an absolute necessity, and the user can therefore eliminate this box while remaining certain not to lose or soil the accessory. dosing.

Furthermore, the case is made in one piece, preferably by molding, which avoids any tedious assembly step prior to its attachment to the bottle.

In addition, the front wall is closed, that is to say that the front, rear and side walls are formed in continuity, only the upper end and, optionally, the lower end being open.

This avoids any untimely exit of the dosing accessory from the case following improper handling. The case can also act as a protective device for the accessory.

The fact that the rear wall and the side walls of the case are elastically deformable is a definite advantage for manufacturers, who can only make one type of case to adapt it to bottles of different shapes, for example on flat bottles or on bottles whose wall has any radius of curvature, in particular on bottles with circular section, of different diameters.

In order to preserve the integrity of the housing when the rear and side walls are deformed to adapt to bottles of different curvature, the front wall of the case is advantageously substantially rigid. This can for example be achieved by providing the front wall with a thickness greater than the thickness of the side walls and the thickness of the rear wall.

Depending on the material used and the amplitude of the expected deformation, the thickness of the deformable walls (rear and side) is typically located in the range of 30% to 70% of that of the front wall, substantially rigid.

According to a preferred embodiment, the case further comprises two elastically deformable tongues extending in the housing, substantially towards the rear wall. These two tabs separate the housing into a front part and a rear part. Each of them has a first side secured to the case at the junction of the front wall with one of the side walls and a second free side.

These elastically deformable tabs allow metering accessories of different shapes to be kept in the case. For example, a spoon can be used as a dosing accessory, the handle of which will be slid into the rear part of the case housing and will be held against this rear part by the free side of each of the two tongues which, being elastically deformed, will come pressing against this handle.

You can also use the front part of the case housing to insert a dosing accessory, for example a generally cylindrical pipette which will be held against the front wall of the case by the free side of each of the two lateral tabs which come in the same way by pressing against this pipette. It is obviously possible to use only the front part or only the rear part of the housing to slide a single metering accessory there, but it is also possible to use these two parts simultaneously to collect two metering accessories.

Most of the dosing accessories have to be brought into contact with the dosing liquid, at least on one part, it is important to ensure that the wet part can dry after use. In the case where the dosing accessory used is a spoon of which only the handle is threaded into the case, this poses no problem since the useful part of the spoon is, in fact, placed in the open air.

On the other hand, in the case where it is precisely the wet end of the dosing accessory, for example a pipette, which is engaged in the case, provision is advantageously made for air circulation means around this wet end . To this end, the lower end of the case is open and has means for retaining the dosing accessory.

• la figure 1 montre un flacon muni d'un étui selon l'invention recevant une cuillère de dosage,
• la figure 2 montre un étui selon l'invention reçevant une pipette de dosage,
• la figure 3 représente en perspective un étui vide selon l'invention,
• la figure 4 représente, en vue de dessus, I'étui de la figure 3.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge more clearly on reading the detailed description which follows, given by way of non-limiting examples. The description refers to the appended figures in which:

• FIG. 1 shows a bottle provided with a case according to the invention receiving a dosing spoon,
• FIG. 2 shows a case according to the invention receiving a dosing pipette,
• FIG. 3 shows in perspective an empty case according to the invention,
• FIG. 4 represents, in top view, the case of FIG. 3.

In FIG. 1, a bottle 14 can be seen on the wall of which is stuck a case 10 receiving a dosing accessory constituted by a dosing spoon 12. This bottle 14 is intended to contain a product to be dispensed in liquid form. This product can for example be a syrup or another liquid medication to be dosed.

As shown in FIG. 2, the dosing accessory can also consist of a dosing pipette or syringe 13. In fact, the case 10 is suitable for receiving any dosing accessory of generally elongated shape and of reduced bulk. , of the type commonly used.

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, it can be seen that the case for a dosing accessory according to the invention comprises a front wall 16, a rear wall 18, two side walls 20 and 22, an open upper end 24, and a lower end 26. The rear wall 18 can be glued to the bottle 14, and this rear wall, as well as the side walls 20 and 22, are elastically deformable to adapt to bottles of different curvatures.

In fact, it can be seen in FIG. 1 that, once the case 10 is stuck to the bottle 14, the curvature of the rear wall 18 is the same as the curvature of the wall of the bottle. This is precisely achieved thanks to the fact that the rear wall 18 and the side walls 20 and 22 are elastically deformable.

Thanks to this property, the case according to the invention can even be adapted to bottles whose horizontal section has a variable curvature. The fact that not only the rear wall, but also the side walls are elastically deformable makes it possible to pass on the deformations of said rear wall to the side walls and, thereby, actually makes it possible to adapt the case according to the invention to bottles of different curvatures. Thanks to this property, the position of the junction of the rear wall with each of the two side walls can slightly change, while preserving the housing.

According to a preferred embodiment, and precisely with a view to preserving the housing 28, the front wall 16 is substantially rigid. As can be seen in particular in FIG. 4, this can be made possible by the fact that the thickness of this front wall 16 is greater than the thickness of the side walls 20 and 22 and the thickness of the rear wall 18. Although this is not essential, it is also possible to choose the same thickness for the rear wall and the side walls.

Figure 4 is a top view of a case according to the invention, in which appear in solid lines the walls in an undeformed position and, in broken lines possible deviations of deformation of these walls. It can be seen in this figure that, seen from above or in horizontal section, the rear wall 18 has an average radius of curvature greater than the average radius of curvature of the assembly formed by the front wall 16 and the side walls 20, 22. In done, this assembly is generally convex, and the rear wall 18 can also be convex with a greater radius of curvature, or even planar.

In all of the figures, it can be seen that the case 10 for a dosing accessory further comprises two tongues 30a and 30b extending in the housing 28, substantially towards the rear wall 18, by separating this housing 28 into a front part. 28a and in a rear part 28b. These tongues 30a and 30b are elastically deformable as can be seen in FIG. 4 which shows them in solid lines in an undeformed position and, in broken lines, in a deformed position. Each of the tongues 30a, 30b has a first side 32a, 32b secured to the case 10 at the junction of the front wall 16 with one of the side walls 20, 22 and a second free side 34a, 34b.

The rear part 28b of the housing 28, located behind the tongues 30a and 30b, is adapted to receive a first metering accessory 12 capable of being held in place against the rear wall 18 by the elastically deformable tongues 30a and 30b. The dosing accessory 12 which can for example be constituted by a dosing spoon whose handle is relatively flat. When this handle is engaged in the rear part 28b of the housing 28, because of its thickness, it slightly pushes the free sides 34a and 34b of the elastic tabs 30a and 30b towards the front wall of the case 10. So, under the effect of the elastic return, these elastically deformable tongues 30a and 30b come to bear against the front face of the handle of the accessory 12 and push it against the rear wall 18 of the case 10.

The front part 28a of the housing 28 is also adapted to receive a metering accessory, capable of being held in place against the front wall 16 by the elastically deformable tongues 30a and 30b. In the example shown, this front part 28a is particularly suitable for receiving a metering accessory of generally cylindrical shape such as a syringe or metering pipette 13. When such an accessory is engaged in the front part 28a of the housing 28, it pushes the side tabs 30a and 30b backwards, as shown in phantom in Figure 4, and the front faces of these tabs come to bear against the accessory, under the simple effect of the elastic return.

In some cases, you may want to use the two parts 28a and 28b of the housing 28, to accommodate two dosing accessories. One can also, of course, only use the front part 28a or only the rear part 28b.

When the lower end 26 of the case 10 is closed, it is preferable that the lower ends of each of the two tabs are not welded to this lower end 26, in order to allow their elastic deformation. One can for example provide that these tongues extend only in an upper part of the case 10.

However, as can be seen in Figures 3 and 4, the lower end 26 of the case 10 is advantageously open and has means 36, 38 for retaining the dosing accessory. As previously mentioned, this open lower end 26 allows air circulation around the lower end of the metering accessory, which is particularly useful for accessories such as pipettes or dosing syringes 13 whose tip engaged in the case 10 is wet.

The means for retaining the metering accessory advantageously comprise a first abutment member 36 projecting towards the interior of the housing 28 from the rear wall 18, and a second abutment member 38 projecting towards the interior of the housing 28 from the front wall 16. In the example shown, the first stop member 36 is a single tab while the second stop member 38 has a crescent shape. We can obviously foresee other forms of realizations, it is however important to ensure that the abutment members remain reduced in size, so as to allow the circulation of air in the lower part of the case.

According to a preferred embodiment, the case 10 has lugs 40 extending it downwards beyond its lower end 26. These lugs 40 simply allow the case 10 to be positioned when it is bonded to the wall of the bottle. , keeping it slightly away from the surface of the worktop. They obviously have a particular advantage when, the lower end 26 of the case 10 being open, it is desired to provide air circulation around the bottom of the accessory. The case shown by way of example has three tabs 40, two of which are located towards the rear wall and one is placed on the front wall. We can provide a different number of legs.

According to a preferred embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the rear wall 18 is at least partially coated with an adhesive substance 42 and the case 10 also comprises a removable protective film 44 which initially covers said adhesive substance 42 , and which can be removed when the case 10 is bonded to the bottle 14.

Of course various modifications can be made to the case which has just been described without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (10)

1. A case (10) for a dosing accessory (12, 13) adapted to be fixed on a bottle (14), comprising a front wall (16), a rear wall (18), two side walls (20, 22), an open upper end (24) and a lower end (26), said case having a housing (28) adapted to receive, at least partially, a dosing accessory (12, 13) engaged via said open upper end (24), the housing (28) being delimited by the front wall (16), the rear wall (18) and the side walls (20, 22), said walls (16, 18, 20, 22) being integral with one another, the rear wall (18) being capable of being adhered to the bottle (14) and being elastically deformable to fit bottles of different curvatures,
      characterised in that the front wall (16) is closed and substantially rigid, and in that the rear wall (18) and the side walls (20, 22) are elastically deformable to fit bottles of different curvatures.
2. The case according to claim 1, characterised in that the thickness of the front wall (16) is greater than the thickness of the side walls (20, 22) and than the thickness of the rear wall (18).
3. The case according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterised in that, in the non-deformed state, the rear wall (18) has a mean radius of curvature greater than the mean radius of curvature of the assembly constituted by the front wall (16) and the side walls (20, 22).
4. The case according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that it further comprises two elastically deformable tongues (30a, 30b) extending in the housing (28), substantially towards the rear wall (18), separating said housing (28) into a front part (28a) and a rear part (28b), each one of said tongues (30a, 30b) having a first side (32a, 32b) that is fast with the case (10) at the level of the join of the front wall (16) with one of the side walls (20, 22) and a second free side (34a, 34b).
5. The case according to claim 4, characterised in that the rear part (28b) of the housing (28) is adapted to receive a first dosing accessory (13) capable of being maintained in place against the rear wall by the elastically deformable tongues (30a, 30b).
6. The case according to one of claims 4 and 5, characterised in that the front part (28a) of the housing is adapted to receive a second dosing accessory (13) capable of being maintained in place against the front wall (16) by the elastically deformable tongues (30a, 30b).
7. The case according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the lower end (26) is open and has means (36, 38) for retaining the dosing accessory (12, 13).
8. The case according to claim 7, characterised in that the means for retaining the dosing accessory (12, 13) comprise a first stop member (36) projecting towards the inside of the housing (28) from the rear wall (18), and a second stop member (38) projecting towards the inside of the housing (28) from the front wall (16).
9. The case according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that it comprises tabs (40) extending it downwardly beyond the lower end (26) thereof.
10. The case according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the rear wall (18) is at least partially coated with an adhesive substance (42), and in that it comprises a removable protective film (44) initially covering said adhesive substance (42).

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