EP1773443A2

EP1773443A2 - Improved administering element

Info

Publication number: EP1773443A2
Application number: EP05759793A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jan Philip Herweijer
Original assignee: Wartner Europe BV
Current assignee: Wartner Europe BV
Priority date: 2004-07-02
Filing date: 2005-07-04
Publication date: 2007-04-18
Also published as: WO2006004407A2; NL1026554C2; WO2006004407A3

Abstract

The invention relates to an administering element for administering a quantity of liquid treatment agent, comprising a carrier, a handle and a porous element with an administering surface, wherein the administering element extends in transverse direction of the administering surface, wherein the porous element has a smaller cross-sectional area on its administering surface than in the direct vicinity of the administering surface. According to a preferred embodiment, the porosity of the administering element differs in the axial direction of the administering element. According to another preferred embodiment, the administering element for administering a quantity of liquid treatment agent cooling through evaporation comprises a carrier, a handle and a porous element with an administering surface, wherein the administering element extends in transverse direction of the administering surface, wherein the administering elements are adapted to be thermally coupled to the legs of a pair of tweezers.

Description

Improved administering element

The invention relates to an administering element for administering a quantity of liquid treatment agent, comprising a carrier, a handle and a porous element with an administering surface, wherein the administering element extends in transverse direction of the administering surface.

Such an administering element is known from WO-A-99/49797.

This prior art administering element is suitable for co-action with a container of an administering agent. In the above stated literature reference this container is formed by an aerosol. The treatment agent is formed by a liquid evaporating quickly at room temperature and at human body temperature. The administering element is hereby suitable for removing warts by means of cooling.

Use is made here of cylindrical administering elements manufactured from foam.

It has been found by the inventor that the cylindrical shape of these administering elements is not always optimal. This is related to the ratio between the area of the administering surface and the volume of the administering element. In the prior art cylindrical shape this ratio can only be changed by adjusting the axial length of the administering element. This is of course only possible to a limited extent in respect of the speed of movement of the liquid to the administering surface.

The object of the present invention is to provide such an administering element, wherein the liquid flow from the administering element to the administering surface can be more readily controlled.

This is achieved in that the porous element has a smaller cross-sectional area on its administering surface than in the direct vicinity of the administering surface. As a result of these measures the liquid is concentrated on a smaller area so that a more precise use of the liquid is obtained. This better definition of the administering surface not only provides the possibility of administering a cooling agent against warts, but also offers the possibility of supplying other treatment agents so that the device can be applied in other disorders or for other treatments. The fact is noted, perhaps unnecessarily, that the invention can be applied not only with treatment agents having a cooling effect, but also with other treatment agents.

According to an embodiment the administering element comprises a substantially cylindrical part and a part adjacent to the administering surface having the form of a truncated cone.

This is a simple form which can be produced easily and with which a greater control of the administering of the liquid is achieved.

Another preferred embodiment provides the measure that the administering element comprises a substantially cylindrical part and a convex part adjacent to the administering surface.

This will of course require different manufacturing methods, but a particularly practical form is herein also obtained.

Warts have a convex shape. In order to adjust the administering surface to this convex shape, the administering surface is preferably concave.

According to the prior art the administering elements are formed by punching from sheets of foam material. It is indeed so that only cylindrical forms can be hereby obtained. The application of different forms requires other manufacturing methods.

A preferably applied method comprises laser cutting. It is after all possible to manufacture the most diverse forms owing to the good controllability of laser.

According to another preferred embodiment, the administering element is manufactured by means of curing in a mould. This method of manufacture can for instance be used with foam, but also with other porous materials, wherein fibres or flakes are carried into a mould together with a binder and the binder is cured in the mould.

Other methods of manufacture also provide the option of applying porous material, in particular although not exclusively foam with a varying degree of porosity. This does after all provide an additional measure of control of the flow of liquid from the administering element to the administering surface.

A particularly attractive embodiment is obtained when the ratio between space and substance increases in the direction toward the administering surface.

It is also attractive when the cell size of the cavities decreases in the direction toward the administering surface.

Both measures of course also depend on the porous material used on the one hand and the treatment agent being applied on the other. Particularly important here is the co- action between the two substances, particularly in respect of the capillary co-action.

The use of a porous administering element has the result that the treatment agent not only exits on the administering surface but also on the other surfaces of the administering element. This is of course undesirable since, particularly in the case of an evaporating treatment agent such as is used for treating warts, the treatment agent evaporates and the therapeutic effect thereof is thus lost.

In order to avoid this drawback, an attractive embodiment provides the measure that the administering element is provided with a liquid-tight casing on at least some of its surfaces.

It will be apparent that this casing does not extend over the administering element. Useless evaporation on the inactive surface of the administering element is hereby avoided.

Particularly, although not exclusively, in the application of evaporating treatment agents, it is important that the administering element itself also obtains a lower temperature. This can be achieved not only by transferring the liquid to that part of the skin which must be treated, but also by providing a part of the administering element with an evaporation surface.

It is then attractive when the liquid-tight casing extends over only a part of the porous element. Although not necessary per se, this latter measure provides for a great enlargement of the evaporation surface, so that evaporation, and thereby cooling, are optimal.

Administering elements applied heretofore have been formed by a foam-like material. It is of course possible to make use for this purpose of diverse plastics which can be made into a foam. It is however equally possible to make use of administering elements manufactured from other materials. An example of another material is cotton, for instance in the form of wadding. Other fibres of either natural or synthetic origin are not precluded. A particularly attractive embodiment provides the measure that the administering element comprises a wood fibre product, a material which is normally applied in nappies, bandaging means and so forth.

As stated above, the administering element is not only suitable for the treatment of warts, but also for other disorders of the skin or for the treatment of insect bites. The present invention can also be used successfully in the removal of ticks. Use is made here of the fact that a tick is easier to remove when it is cooled. As a result of the cooling the animal undergoes a kind of paralysis, so that when it is gripped it does not, as is usual, introduce its bodily fluids, which are often accompanied by unpleasant infections, into the blood. As a result of the cooling the animal will retract its tentacles and it can be removed easily.

In order to make use of this knowledge the present invention therefore provides an administering element for administering a quantity of liquid treatment agent, comprising a carrier, a hand grip and a porous element with an administering surface, wherein the administering element extends in the direction transversely of the administering surface, which administering element is characterized by the fact that the administering element is adapted to be thermally coupled to the legs of a pair of tweezers. The tick or other parasite can then be easily engaged by the tweezers while being cooled and be removed. The invention therefore provides a pair of tweezers suitable for medical use, wherein the legs are provided with means for thermal coupling of the gripping parts of the tweezers to the administering elements.

This will be implemented in many cases with the measure that the parts of the legs of the tweezers on which the administering elements are arranged are thermally conductive and are connected for thermal conduction to the gripping parts of the tweezers.

In order to prevent the cold from leaking away it is attractive that the legs of the tweezers between the part of the legs on which the administering elements are arranged and the connecting part of the two legs are manufactured at least partly from thermally insulating material.

The above described embodiments can all be applied in conjunction with an aerosol as described in WO-A-99/49797.

The invention can however also be applied in situations wherein the treatment agent is supplied to the administering element in a different way. It is thus for instance possible to immerse the administering element in a supply container with treatment agent. This seems a rather primitive manner of application, but particularly when an element with a considerable heat capacity, such as tweezers for removing a tick, must be cooled rapidly, it is attractive to arrange a large quantity of evaporating treatment agent, which can of course be obtained easily with an immersion procedure.

It is also possible in principle to supply the treatment agent from the rear side of the administering element. The administering element and the supply container in which the treatment agent is received are then combined to form a unit, wherein the treatment agent is fed to the operating element shortly before use.

Use is preferably made here of a measure that a valve which can be operated from outside the administering element is placed between the supply container and the administering element. It is however also possible that a cap which provides a hermetic seal between the cap and the housing of the administering element is placed on the administering element, so that evaporation is prevented.

Other attractive preferred embodiments are stated in the remaining claims.

The present invention will now be elucidated on the basis of the accompanying drawings, in which: figure 1 is a view of a first embodiment of an administering element according to the invention; figure 2 is a view corresponding to figure 1 of a second embodiment; figure 3 is a view corresponding to figure 1 of a third embodiment; figure 4 is a view corresponding to figure 1 of a fourth embodiment; figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a fifth embodiment of the invention; figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of a sixth embodiment of the invention; figure 7 is a side view, partly in the form of a cross-section, of a seventh embodiment of the invention; figure 8 is a perspective schematic view of a pair of tweezers provided with administering elements according to the invention; figure 9 is a partly broken-away perspective view of a second embodiment of a pair of tweezers provided with administering elements according to the present invention during moistening of the administering elements; figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of a tenth embodiment of the present invention; figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of an eleventh embodiment of the invention; figure 12 is a schematic perspective, partly broken-away view of a twelfth embodiment of the invention; and figure 13 is a schematic perspective view of an administering element according to the present invention during moistening in an aerosol.

As already stated in the preamble, the administering element is suitable for administering a treatment agent to a part of the skin, for instance to remove a wart. For the situation in which such an admim^'stering element is used, reference is made to WO- A-99/49797. Figure 1 shows an administering element designated as a whole with "1", which is formed by a foam part 2 and a carrier 3. Carrier 3 comprises a hand grip 4 and a support part 5. Foam part 2 is formed by a cylindrical part 6 and a part 7 with the form of a truncated cone. Part 6 and part 7 together form foam part 2. Foam part 2 is connected in any way to carrier 3. This is possible by means of glueing, by a clamping connection, or for instance by connecting the foam to carrier 3 during the formation of the foam.

Owing to this form the administering surface is more in accordance with the surface for treatment.

It is subsequently pointed out that other materials can be applied instead of foam, provided that they have a certain degree of porosity. It is thus possible to make use of wadding, mineral wool or porous structures of synthetic or natural fibres.

In the embodiment shown in figure 2 the cone-shaped part is not truncated in a straight line as in figure 1, but truncated at an angle, thus creating an oblique administering surface 8.

In the embodiment shown in figure 3 the administering surface has a concave form. A better contact with the generally convex irregularities of the disorder for treating is hereby achieved.

In figure 4 the cylindrical part 6 connects to a wholly spherical or convex part 9.

Although it is anticipated here that the contact with the surface for treating is not optimal, this can of course be enlarged by depressing the foam material.

Figure 5 shows an embodiment wherein a significant part of the outer surface of the cylindrical administering element 10 is covered by a casing 11. In this embodiment the casing 11 is formed integrally with support part 5. This does after all result in a more elegant construction. It is however possible to apply different constructions. This embodiment has a cylindrical administering element. It can be replaced by an administering element with a different form. Figure 6 thus shows an administering element in the form of a truncated cone, wherein casing 11 extends over the conical part 7. In this embodiment it is not particularly important how carrier 5 and hand grip 4 are embodied.

Figure 7 shows an embodiment of the invention, wherein the porosity of the administering element is not constant. Use is ideally made in an administering element of a slowly varying porosity, but this is very difficult to manufacture. It is easier to make use of pieces of porous material with a mutually differing porosity and have these connect to each other.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in figure 7 the left-hand part, i.e. cylindrical part 6 and the conical part 7 connecting thereto, is formed by porous material having a coarse structure, while the portion 12 of the conical part located more toward the tip has a finer porous structure. It is pointed out here that, instead of a differing porosity, other variables can also be varied, such as the ratio between cavities and material, the nature of the material, the fibre thickness and so forth.

Figure 8 shows a pair of tweezers which is for instance suitable for the removal of ticks from the skin. The pair of tweezers, designated as a whole with 13, comprises a connecting part 14 and two gripping parts 15a, 15b respectively, which are each connected to connecting element 14 by a leg 16a, 16b respectively and an insulating part 17a, 17b respectively. Components 15a, 15b, 16a, 16b and 14 are for instance manufactured from a thermally highly conductive material such as metal. This material is furthermore easy to clean, while part 17a, 17b is manufactured from a thermally poorly insulating material, for instance plastic.

The administering elements 18a, 18b respectively are placed connecting onto legs 16a, 16b respectively of tweezers 13. These administering elements are formed from porous material and they are attached to the tweezers by means of a random connection such as a clamping connection. This furthermore provides the option of removing the administering element after use and replacing thereof with new, clean administering elements. It is moreover possible to make use of only one administering element. During the use of such a pair of tweezers the whole pair of tweezers, including the administering elements, is immersed in a rapidly evaporating and thereby cooling liquid. The tweezers, which cools down in the meantime, can then be used for instance to remove a tick or other parasite. It is important here that the cooling body in the form of the administering element does not come into contact with the skin, but that only the gripping parts of the tweezers come into contact with the tick or the skin.

Figure 9 shows a similar pair of tweezers, the construction of which however differs somewhat due to the placing of the cooling elements. These cooling elements here take the form of a sleeve which is for instance pushed around the legs of the tweezers.

This pair of tweezers further differs due to the fact that it is dimensioned so as to be moistened by means of an aerosol. Reference is otherwise made to the previously cited document for the construction of the aerosol.

Instead of moistening the administering elements by means of an aerosol or by means of immersion, it is also possible to make use of a reservoir which is coupled to the actual administering element. Figure 10 thus shows an administering element wherein casing 10 takes a rigid form and is suitable to impart strength to the administering element.

Arranged in the casing is a wall 20, on the right-hand side of which the actual porous part 21 is situated. On the other side of wall 20 is situated a container 22. Arranged in wall 20 is an opening 23 which is normally closed by a pin 24 connected to a cover 25.

By pulling cover 25 outward the liquid present in container 22 is able to pass through opening 23 and into element 21. Moistening of element 21 thus takes place, so that it can be used to cool a wart 27 present on a skin 26.

Figure 11 shows an embodiment wherein a valve 28 is arranged between container 22 and porous element 21, which valve can be opened by bending the casing 10 in the direction of arrows 29 and 30. The liquid present in container 22 can hereby pass through valve 28 and reach porous element 21. In the embodiment shown in figure 12 the container is directly connected to porous element 21, so that this latter is at all times moistened by the treatment agent. In order to prevent evaporation a cap 31 providing a hermetic seal is arranged around casing 10. Use can herein be made of for instance screw thread. Figure 13 shows how a so-called cotton bud 34 can be used as administering element by means of a cap construction 32 of an aerosol 33 specifically adapted for this purpose. Owing to the specific form of cap 32, which provides, among other things, a guide channel 35, the wadding-encased tip 36 of the cotton bud can be placed in a moistening space 37 of the cap. By then pressing down the cap 32 in the direction of arrow 38, the treatment liquid will flow out of valve 39 and moisten the wadding-encased end 36 of cotton bud 34.

This can of course also be performed with other side 40 of the cotton bud. The cotton bud can then be used to carry out the treatment.

It will be apparent that there are numerous possibilities for varying the above described embodiments without departing from the invention.

Claims

1. Administering element for administering a quantity of liquid treatment agent, comprising a carrier, a handle and a porous element with an administering surface, wherein the administering element extends in transverse direction of the administering surface, characterized in that the porous element has a smaller cross-sectional area on its administering surface than in the direct vicinity of the administering surface.

2. Administering element as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the administering element is adapted to administer a treatment agent cooling through evaporation.

3. Administering element as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the administering element comprises a part adjacent to the administering surface having the form of a truncated cone.

4. Administering element as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the administering element comprises a convex part adjacent to the administering surface.

5. Administering element as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the administering surface is concave.

6. Administering element as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the administering element is formed by means of laser cutting.

7. Administering element as claimed in any of the claims 1-5, characterized in that the administering element is manufactured by means of curing in a mould.

8. Administering element as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the porosity of the administering element differs in the axial direction of the administering element.

9. Administering element as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the ratio between space and substance increases in the direction toward the administering surface.

10. Administering element as claimed in claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the cell size of the cavities decreases in the direction toward the administering surface.

11. Administering element for administering a quantity of liquid treatment agent cooling through evaporation, comprising a carrier, a handle and a porous element with an administering surface, wherein the administering element extends in transverse direction of the administering surface, characterized in that the administering element is provided with a liquid-tight casing on at least some of its surfaces.

12. Administering element as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the liquid- tight casing extends over only a part of the porous element.

13. Administering element as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the administering element is formed by a material other than foam.

14. Administering element as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that the administering element comprises a material manufactured from vegetable fibres such as cotton.

15. Administering element as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that the administering element comprises a wood fibre product.

16. Administering element for administering a quantity of liquid treatment agent cooling through evaporation, comprising a carrier, a handle and a porous element with an administering surface, wherein the administering element extends in transverse direction of the administering surface, characterized in that the administering elements are adapted to be thermally coupled to the legs of a pair of tweezers.

17. Pair of tweezers suitable for medical use, characterized in that the legs are provided with means for thermal coupling of the legs of the tweezers to the administering elements.

18. Pair of tweezers as claimed in claim 17, characterized in that the parts of the legs of the tweezers on which the administering elements are arranged are thermally conductive and are connected conductively to the gripping parts of the tweezers.

19. Pair of tweezers as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that the legs of the tweezers between the part of the legs on which the administering elements are arranged and the connecting part of the two legs are manufactured at least partly from thermally insulating material.

20. Administering element as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the administering element is adapted to be saturated with its porous element in a container with treatment agent.

21. Administering element for administering a quantity of liquid treatment agent, comprising a carrier, a handle and a porous element with an administering surface, wherein the administering element extends in transverse direction of the administering surface, characterized in that the administering element is adapted for saturation of the administering element from the side located opposite the administering surface.

22. Administering element as claimed in claim 21, characterized in that the administering element is coupled to a supply container for the treatment agent.

23. Administering element as claimed in claim 22, characterized in that a valve which can be operated from outside the administering element is placed between the supply container and the administering element.

24. Administering element as claimed in claim 23, characterized in that a cap which provides a hermetic seal is placed on the administering element.

25. Administering element as claimed in claim 24, characterized in that the . administering element has an elongate structure and that the valve is adapted to be opened by bending the structure.

26. Administering element as claimed in claim 25, characterized in that the administering element has an elongate structure, that the structure has a flexible casing at least at the position of the valve, and that the valve is adapted to be displaced from outside.