EP0916409B1 - Dual chamber dispensing device - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a two-chamber metering dispenser for liquid and / or paste-like media with two juxtaposed in parallel position containers made of plastic, which are each provided with a hand-operated metering pump and with a full circumference of its inner surface tight-fitting follower piston.

In dosing dispensers of the generic type, it is important that the chambers in which the metered dispensed media are located, have a cross-sectional shape, which favor the dense concerns of the trailing piston on the entire circumference of the inner surface.

For this reason, in the known two-chamber metering dispensers of the generic type (DE 41 20 644 C1, DE 42 12 413 C2, US 4,949,874 and US 4,438,871), the storage chambers are each cylindrical, wherein the Panels according to DE 42 12 413 and DE 41 20 644 are each used in the form of separate containers in a receiving housing, the head is provided with a two-medium metering pump or two each associated with a container metering pump, which can be actuated by a common actuator.

The two other cited documents relate to two-chamber metering dispensers in which the cylindrical storage chambers are arranged concentrically with each other, wherein the follower piston of the larger storage chamber sealingly abuts both the cylindrical inner surface of the peripheral wall and on the cylindrical outer surface of the smaller reservoir.

The concentric arrangement of the two reservoirs has the disadvantage that not both can have the same cross-sectional shape. The juxtaposition of the two cylindrical reservoir is disadvantageous, as between the two reservoir receiving pump housing, which advantageously has an elongated-round shape, and the two cylindrical reservoirs, relatively large unused space volumes are present, each between the parallel Side walls and the curves of the reservoir are.

It is also already known to provide single-dose dispenser with a cross-section at least approximately elliptical pantry. Such a cross-sectional shape of the storage chamber is preferred not only because of its visual appearance, but also because it is better in the hand and thus also has handling advantages. Two-chamber dispensers with an elliptical shape are not known.

If two cylindrical storage chambers were to be inserted into such an elliptical housing, the unused space volume would be even greater than in the case of the known two-chamber metering dispensers with an oblong-round housing shape.

The invention has for its object to provide a two-chamber metering dispenser of the type mentioned, in which on the one hand the given by the outer mold cavity volume is optimally utilized by the two containers and on the other hand, the inner surfaces of the container walls ensure a tight concern their trailing piston sure.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that the two containers have a common, in cross-section form elliptical outer shell and are separated by two symmetrically to the short ellipse axis against each other curved middle walls.

With the solution according to the invention a compromise is found, on the one hand optimally minimizes the unused space volume and on the other hand ensures by the curved central walls that a close concern of the trailing piston is guaranteed in this area of the center walls.

While the embodiment of claim 2 contributes to increasing the stability of the thinest possible central walls, the provided according to claim 3 radii of curvature in relation to the total size in cross-sectional shape of the two panes enclosing the outer wall in view of achieving a tight surrounding concern the two follower pistons on the inner walls the pantries are considered optimal.

With the embodiment according to claim 4, the possibility is created to produce the two pantries separately and in a simple manner to a two-chamber container join together seamlessly, the design of the snap connections according to claim 5 ensures a hand on the one hand technically easily manageable shape of the snap connection elements and on the other hand a good durable connection between the two individual chambers. In addition, when joining results in an outer shell, which forms a virtually jointless and stepless overall area in the region of the abutting edges.

By provided according to claim 6 support ribs, the snap connection can be stabilized or made insoluble in connection with ratchet teeth.

While it is in principle possible to equip the two storage chambers assembled as individual parts each with a separately operable, possibly provided with different discharge openings metering, is also provided by the embodiments according to claims 7 and 8, the possibility of the two assembled single storage chambers with two metering pumps provided, which are arranged on a common end wall and can optionally be operated together.

Fig. 1

einen Zweikammer-Dosierspender im Schnitt;

Fig. 2

eine Unteransicht II aus Fig. 1;

Fig. 3

den Nachlaufkolben einer Vorratskammer in Draufsicht;

Fig. 4

einen Schnitt IV-IV aus Fig. 3;

Fig. 5

einen aus zwei Einzelvorratskammern zusammengesetzten Zweikammer-Dosierspender im Schnitt;

Fig. 6

eine Ansicht VI aus Fig. 5;

Fig. 7

die beiden Vorratskammern als Einzelteile in der Ansicht gemäß Fig. 6;

Fig. 7a

in starker Vergrößerung die Elemente einer Schnappverbindung;

Fig. 8

einen Dosierpumpenkopf mit zwei gemeinsam zu betätigenden Dosierpumpen, die jeweils einer Vorratskammer zugeordnet sind;

Fig. 9

die Unteransicht des gemeinsamen Betätigungsorgans der beiden Dosierpumpen aus Fig. 8.

Reference to the drawings, the invention is explained in more detail below. It shows:

Fig. 1

a two-chamber dosing dispenser in section;

Fig. 2

a bottom view II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3

the follower piston of a pantry in plan view;

Fig. 4

a section IV-IV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5

a two-chamber dosing dispenser composed of two individual storage chambers in section;

Fig. 6

a view VI of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7

the two pantries as individual parts in the view of FIG. 6;

Fig. 7a

in high magnification the elements of a snap connection;

Fig. 8

a Dosierpumpenkopf with two jointly operated metering pumps, each associated with a storage chamber;

Fig. 9

the bottom view of the common actuator of the two metering pumps of Fig. 8.

1 and 2 serves for the separate dispensing of two different liquid or paste-type or gel-like media. It consists of two juxtaposed in parallel position containers 2 and 3 made of plastic, which are each provided with a hand-operated metering pump 4 and 5 and with a respectively on the entire circumference of its inner surface 6 and 7 tight-fitting follower piston 8 and 9, which also are made of plastic. The two containers 2 and 3 form a common, in cross-section at least approximately elliptical, composed of circular arc outer shell 10, and they are separated by two symmetrically to the short ellipse axis 12 mutually arched center walls 14 and 15 from each other.

To increase the stability, the two middle walls 14 and 15 are connected to form two symmetrical to the long ellipse axis 13 cavities 17 and 18 by a central connecting web 19. The radii of curvature R of the congruent and mirror image of each other arranged center walls 14 and 15 correspond approximately to the length a of the long ellipse axis 13 of the common outer shell 10. The ends of the middle walls 14 and 15 are connected by curves 16 einstükkig with the outer shell 10 whose Radii of curvature R1 should not fall below 3 mm, so that the lip-like Sealing edges 25 of the identical follower piston 8 and 9 can also tight in the region of these curves 16.

The two follower pistons 8 and 9 consist in a known manner of hollow bodies with one of the cross-sectional shape of the container 2 and 3 adapted basic shape and with a closed, trapezoidal in cross-section formed radial wall 26th

Above a planar ring section 27 of the radial wall 26, the circumferential, self-contained sealing lip 25 is arranged, while at the opposite end of the hollow body a conically shaped guide edge 28 is provided.

The two metering pumps 4 and 5 are respectively arranged on the upper end walls 21 and 22 of the two containers 2 and 3, wherein their movable, hood-like actuators 23 and 24 are guided in each case in integrally mounted ring walls 31 and 32 respectively.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 5 to 9, the two containers 2 and 3, each having a central wall 14 or 15, consist of two identically shaped, separate individual bodies, which are joined together by snap connections 35 and 36 without joints. In the assembled state thus form the two containers 2 and 3 a self-contained outer shell 10, as shown in Fig. 6 and also in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 is the case.

The two diametrically opposite snap connections 35 and 36 consist, as best seen in Fig. 7a, each of a coupling strip 40 which is integrally formed on the inside of a wall portion 41 which in the assembled state with the other container 2 and 3 each half of the cavity located between the middle walls 17 and 18 respectively bridge or bridge and which are each provided with a lying in the plane of the common central axis 39 end face 42.

The coupling strip 40 protrudes laterally beyond this common central axis 39 and is externally provided with a radially outwardly projecting latching or locking tooth 43, which expediently extends over the entire length or height of the container 2 or 3 and thus appears as a rib, which has the shape of a latching or locking tooth.

Furthermore, there are the snap connections 35 and 36 respectively of counter-detent or Gegensperrzähnen 45 which are integrally formed on the inside of a wall portion 46 which also has a radial end face 47 which rests in the assembled state of the two parts gap-free on the end face 42 of the wall portion 41. The wall section 46 thus bridges the other half of the hollow space 17 or 18 lying between the two middle walls 14 and 15.

As can be seen in Fig. 7, the two containers 2 and 3 made as individual parts have an absolutely identical cross-sectional shape in all details, i. it is therefore one and the same part that exists twice. When joining the container 3 is rotated relative to the container 2 only by 180 °, so that in each case the integrally formed on the two wall sections 41 and 46 snap connection elements can be positively joined together.

In order to secure the positive engagement between the locking or locking teeth 43 on the one hand and the Gegenrast- or Gegensperrzähnen 45 on the other hand, a support bar 48 is formed within the Gegenrast- or Gegensperrzahns 45 on the wall portion 46, at which the coupling strip 40th radially supported. Obtained in this way two very stable locking connections, in particular, if instead of locking teeth locking teeth 43 and 45 are provided which form a permanent connection.

As well as the latching or locking tooth 43, the Gegenrast- or Gegensperrzahn 45 can extend over the entire length or height of the container 2 and 3 and thus appear as a locking or locking rib in the cross-sectional shape of a latching or locking tooth.

While in the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6, the two containers 2 and 3, as in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively provided with upper end walls 50 and 51, on which two equal metering pumps 4 sit, can according to FIGS. 8 and 9 a pump head 55 with two equal metering pumps 56 and 57 are placed on the two assembled containers 2 and 3, which in this case have no upper end walls. Instead of the end walls 50 and 51, the two containers 2 and 3 are provided at their upper ends with the wall thickness inwardly offset wall portions 59 and 60, the sealed by an annular wall 58 which has the same cross-sectional shape as the common outer shell 10 enclosed are.

This annular wall 58 is part of a common end wall 53, on which the two metering pumps 56 and 57 are arranged. To actuate the two metering pumps 56 and 57 of the pump head 55, a hood-shaped actuator 61 is provided, which has two discharge openings 62 and 63 in adjacent arrangement. These discharge openings 62 and 63 are connected by delivery channels 64 and 65 with the metering pumps 56 and 57 in conjunction so that at each pump stroke of the actuator 61 from both containers 2 and 3 at the same time the media contained therein can be dispensed dosed.

In order to secure the annular wall extension 58 in a simple manner and at the same time sealingly connect with the inwardly offset wall sections 59 and 60 of the two containers 2 and 3, it is expedient also locking elements z. B. in the form of annular ribs 65 and 66, which engage in corresponding annular grooves of the wall sections 59 and 60 or vice versa.

Claims (9)

1. Dual chamber dispensing device (1) for liquid and/or paste-like media with two containers (2, 3) made of plastic arranged parallel to one another, which are each provided with a hand-operated dispensing pump and a follow-up plunger bearing tightly against the entire circumference of its inner surface, characterised in that the two containers (2, 3) form a common outer sleeve that is ellipsoid in cross section and are separated from one another by two middle walls (14, 15) that are curved opposite to one another symmetrically in relation to the short ellipsoid axis (12).
2. Dual chamber dispensing device according to claim 1, characterised in that the two middle walls (14, 15) are connected together with the formation of two hollow chambers (17, 18) that are symmetrical to the long ellipsoid axis by at least one connecting web (19).
3. Dual chamber dispensing device according to claim 1, characterised in that the radii of curvature (R) of the middle walls (14, 15) correspond approximately to the length (a) of the long ellipsoid axis (13) of the joint outer sleeve (10), and in that the ends of the middle walls are connected with the outer sleeve (10) by roundings (16) with radii of curvature (R1) of at least 3 mm
4. Dual chamber dispensing device according to claim 1 or 3, characterised in that the two containers (2, 3) each with a middle wall (14, 15) consist of identically shaped separate individual parts which are joined together without joints by snap connections (35, 36).
5. Dual chamber dispensing device according to claim 4, characterised in that the snap connections (35, 36) each comprise coupling straps (40) provided with locking or engaging teeth (43) which are formed on the inner sides of wall sections (41), which in the assembled state each half bridge on the outside a hollow chamber (17, 18) lying between the middles walls (14, 15), as well as counter locking or engaging teeth (45) which are formed on the inner sides of opposite wall sections (46) of the respective other container (2, 3), which bridge the respective other half of the said hollow chamber (17, 18).
6. Dual chamber dispensing device according to claim 5, characterised in that radially inside the counter locking or engaging teeth (45) support straps (48) are arranged, on which the coupling straps (40) of the respective other container (2, 3) are supported radially.
7. Dual chamber dispensing device according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterised in that the dispensing side end sections (59, 60) of the two joined containers (2, 3) are surrounded by an annular wall shoulder (58) having the same ellipsoid sleeve shape (10) of a common end wall (53) supporting two dispensing pumps (56, 57).
8. Dual chamber dispensing device according to claim 7, characterised in that the two containers (2, 3) are connected by snap connections (65, 66) to the annular wall shoulder (58).
9. Dual chamber dispensing device according to claim 7, characterised in that the two dispensing pumps (56, 57) are provided with a common activating element (61) which is provided with a common or with two separate discharge openings (62,63).

Images