EP1830965B1 - Device for the dosed output of a medium - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for the dosed output of a medium from a container through an opening in an upper housing part. A valve piston tip is associated with said opening for the closing thereof. A piston surface, which is pressed against a spring, is adjacent to the valve piston tip and is used as part of a valve piston, which is sealingly guided in a piston chamber in the upper part of the housing and forms a filling chamber which is connected to the container, between the upper part of the housing and the opening.

Description

The invention relates to a device according to the preamble of claim 1.

STATE OF THE ART

For eye drops, for example, flexible vials are known, from which a drop can be dispensed into the eye like a pipette. This is awkward and inaccurate.

From the EP 0 688 608 A1 For example, a spraying device with the features mentioned in the preamble of claim 1 is known in which a discharge opening is closed by a valve piston tip. This valve piston tip is part of a valve piston which is supported supporting against a spring. The medium may be introduced through the interior of the valve piston and discharged through corresponding openings in the valve piston into a filling space, wherein a pressure is exerted on a piston surface, which causes the valve piston to move against a spring and the valve piston tip releases the discharge opening.

TASK

The present invention has for its object to provide a device of the above. To develop a way, with which a medium can be applied simply and exactly metered.

SOLUTION OF THE TASK

To achieve the object of the characterizing part of claim 1.

The compressible element provided in a development of the invention may be, for example, an air ring or the like. It is important that the element is compressible under pressure. The different possibilities of the embodiment of the compressible element, that is od as an air ring, as ball or the like, are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

If the medium now flows through the channel and the recess in the valve piston into the filling space due to the pressure exerted on the container, the element is compressed under the pressure of the medium. Subsequently, the compressed medium presses on the valve piston. At the same time, the compressed by the medium element can relax and the medium is forced out of the filling space through the opening to the outside.

In one embodiment of the invention, the connection between the container and the filling space is effected by a channel and a recess in the valve piston itself. This channel should be closable by the valve piston at the moment in which the filling space is filled and the opening is opened. If now the flow of the medium is interrupted, the spring-loaded valve piston is returned to its original position, wherein he ejects a precisely metered amount from the opening. For this purpose, the valve piston tip is also formed from two cones, wherein the first cone with a metering chamber, which is formed by the opening, cooperates. The second cone serves to seal the filling space relative to the external environment.

As a result, a hydraulic, pressure-controlled opening of the opening for discharging the medium is made possible. If the pressure is released, the opening closes automatically, which happens under the pressure of the spring. This creates a microbiologically dense metering system.

Furthermore, to be encompassed by the present invention is the possibility of using other energy accumulators instead of the springs in each embodiment, which can fulfill the function of a spring.

In order to simplify the application of the device for the metered dispensing of a medium, especially in the case of eye drops, provides a further embodiment of erfindungemässen device to arrange the container at an angle of approximately 90 ° to the upper housing part and the lower housing part. In the present case, the embodiment has been described by way of example only the embodiments of the device for the metered dispensing of a medium shown. However, of course, the other embodiments of the device for metered dispensing of a medium can be used.

It is also conceivable, depending on the field of application of the device, to provide an angle other than 90 °. For example, it is conceivable, with appropriate arrangement of the channel, to provide a vertical arrangement of the container on the upper housing part. The different possibilities of the arrangement of the container on or on the upper housing part or the lower housing part are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

• Figur 1 einen Längsschnitt durch eine Vorrichtung zum dosierten Ausbringen eines Mediums, die nicht Teil der vorliegenden Erfindung ist.
• Figur 2 einen teilweise dargestellten Längsschnitt durch ein weiteres Ausführungsbeispiel einer erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung zum dosierten Ausbringen eines Mediums;
• Figur 3 einen teilweise dargestellten Längsschnitt durch ein weiteres Ausführungsbeispiel einer erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung zum dosierten Ausbringen eines Mediums;
• Figur 4 einen vergrössert dargestellten Teillängsschnitt durch einen Öffnungsbereich der Vorrichtung gemäss Figuren 2 und 3 in Schliesslage;
• Figur 5 einen vergrössert dargestellten Teillängsschnitt durch den Öffnungsbereich gemäss Figur 4 in geöffneter Lage; und
• Figur 6 einen teilweise dargestellten Längsschnitt durch eine weitere Ausgestaltung der Vorrichtung zum dosierten Ausbringen eines Mediums gemäss Figur 1.

Further advantages, features and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments and from the drawing; this shows in

• FIG. 1 a longitudinal section through a device for metering a medium, which is not part of the present invention.
• FIG. 2 a partially illustrated longitudinal section through a further embodiment of an inventive device for the metered dispensing of a medium;
• FIG. 3 a partially illustrated longitudinal section through a further embodiment of an inventive device for the metered dispensing of a medium;
• FIG. 4 an enlarged partial longitudinal section through an opening portion of the device according to Figures 2 and 3 in closed position;
• FIG. 5 an enlarged partial longitudinal section through the opening area according to FIG. 4 in an open position; and
• FIG. 6 a partially illustrated longitudinal section through a further embodiment of the device for the metered dispensing of a medium according to FIG. 1 ,

According to FIG. 1 an apparatus for the metered dispensing of a medium, an upper housing part 1, which is a container 5 is placed. In this container 5 is the auszubringende medium, such as a liquid.

In the upper housing part 1 sits a valve piston 3, which closes an opening 17 with a valve piston tip 12. The valve piston 3 also has a piston surface 9, which sealingly bears against an inner wall 19 of an insert 20 inserted into the housing upper part 1. To the piston surface 9 includes a sleeve portion 21, which receives a spring 4, on the other hand is supported against an insert bottom 22. The sleeve portion 21 terminates with a projection 23 which also bears against the inner wall 19.

Above the piston surface 9, a filling space 18 is formed, which communicates via a channel 6 between insert 20 and upper part 1 and a channel portion 24 with the interior of the container 5 in connection.

• Durch das Betätigen des zusammenpressbaren Behälters 5 wird das Medium über den Kanalabschnitt 24 und den Kanal 6 in den Füllraum 18 eingedrückt. Das Medium drückt auf die Kolbenfläche 9, so dass der Ventilkolben 3 gegen den Druck der Feder 4 nach unten wandert und der Füllraum 18 vergrössert wird. Dabei verlässt die Ventilkolbenspitze 12 die Öffnung 17, wobei durch die Ausgestaltung der Ventilkolbenspitze und des Gehäuseoberteils 1 bzw. der Öffnung 17 der Flüssigkeitsstrom und das Ausbringvolumen gesteuert werden kann. Ferner ist ein Ventilkolbenanschlag 11 in dem Einsatz 20 vorgesehen, durch den im Zusammenwirken mit der Auskragung 23 ebenfalls der Öffnungsquerschnitt bestimmt und somit der Durchlass des Mediums gesteuert werden kann.

The operation of this device is as follows:

• By pressing the compressible container 5, the medium is pressed into the filling space 18 via the channel section 24 and the channel 6. The medium presses on the piston surface 9, so that the valve piston 3 moves downward against the pressure of the spring 4 and the filling space 18 is increased. In this case, the valve piston tip 12 leaves the opening 17, which can be controlled by the configuration of the valve piston tip and the upper housing part 1 and the opening 17 of the liquid flow and the application volume. Furthermore, a valve piston stop 11 is provided in the insert 20, through which, in cooperation with the projection 23, the opening cross-section is likewise determined and thus the passage of the medium can be controlled.

In the embodiment of an inventive device for the metered dispensing of a medium according to FIG. 2 located between the container 5 and the upper housing part 1 nor a lower housing part 2. At this Einrastrillen 16 are provided for connection to the upper housing part 1, via which a complete metering system is formed, ie, upper housing part 1 and lower housing part 2 are connected non-destructively.

A valve piston 3.1 here has the piston surface 9, which is supported directly against the housing lower part 2 via the spring 4. In this spring 4 also moves a sleeve portion 21.1 and a projection 23.1. However, this has a cross-sectional area which is considerably smaller than the piston surface 9. In addition, it cooperates with a cone 25 which rises from the lower housing part 2. On the cone 25, an exit window 7 of a channel 6.1 can be seen, can escape through the medium through the exit window 7 in the valve piston 3.1. The medium can flow through a recess 26 in the valve piston 3.1 and exits through a further window 8 into the filling space 18.

• Wird der Faltenbalg oder die Squeeze-Flasche als Behälter 5 mit Fingerdruck beaufschlagt, fliesst das verdrängte Medium über den Kanal 6.1 durch das Fenster 7 in die Ausnehmung 26 des Ventilkolbens 3.1 und über das Fenster 8 in den Füllraum 18. Die federbelastete grosse Kolbenfläche 9 mit Dichtlippe steht im Systeminnendruck gegen die kleine Kolbenfläche der Auskragung 23.1, so dass der ausgeübte hydraulische Druck das Ventil gegen die Federkraft öffnet.

The operation of this embodiment of the inventive device is the following:

• If the bellows or the squeeze bottle is acted upon as a container 5 with finger pressure, the displaced medium flows via the channel 6.1 through the window 7 into the recess 26 of the valve piston 3.1 and through the window 8 into the filling space 18. The spring-loaded large piston surface 9 with Sealing lip is in system internal pressure against the small piston surface of the projection 23.1, so that the applied hydraulic pressure opens the valve against the spring force.

The backward stroke of the piston surface 9 is limited by the stop of the projection 23.1 against the cone 25, whereby the medium flow is interrupted by the surface contact of the projection 23.1 on the cone 25 and the sealing lip action of the projection 23.1. As a result, in turn, the filling chamber 18 is depressurized, so that the spring force of the spring 4 can move the valve piston 3.1 in the starting position. Through the stroke of the valve piston 3.1 while medium is moved to the opening 17 and the valve piston tip 12 presses in a dosing chamber 13 (see FIG. 5 ) metered drops from the opening 17. By a drip edge 14 or surface 15 on the valve piston 3.1 and the upper housing part 1, the drop dissolves in the overhead position of the system. By the valve piston movement in the direction of the opening 17 of the metered drops is pressed from the upper housing part 1 and simultaneously closes the valve piston tip 12 via the spring 4, the system microbiologically tight.

Due to the geometry of the valve piston tip 12, which is formed from two cones, and the opening 17 or the Gehäusoberteils- 1, the drip edge 14 or surface 15 and the liquid outlet is set.

A further embodiment of the inventive device for the metered dispensing of a medium is in FIG. 3 shown. Here, an air ring 27 is arranged in the filling space 18 above the piston surface 9 to the valve piston 3.1 around. The air ring 27 is, as the name implies, filled in its interior 28 with air, whereby it is compressible.

For the remainder of the description, for the sake of simplicity, reference is made to the description FIG. 2 directed.

The operation of this embodiment of the inventive device is also similar to the operation of the embodiment described above, which is why reference is made to this point. However, it is novel in this exemplary embodiment that the air ring 27 is compressed when the medium enters the filling space 18. After overcoming the force of the spring 4, the medium also presses the valve piston 3.1 under bias, so that the air ring 27 can relax and supports the discharge of the medium from the filling space 18. Since the filling chamber 18 is now depressurized, the spring force of the spring 4 moves the valve piston 3.1 back to its original position. Due to the stroke of the valve piston 3.1, the valve piston tip 12 presses the drops located in the dosing chamber 13 out of the opening 17. The drip edge 14 or surface 15 on the valve piston 3.1 and the housing upper part 1 dissolve the droplet

in overhead position of the system. As a result of the valve piston movement in the direction of the opening 17, the metered drop is pressed out of the housing upper part and at the same time the valve piston tip 12 is sealed off microbiologically via the spring 4 of the system.

In order to simplify the application of the device for the metered dispensing of a medium, in particular in the case of eye drops, provides a further embodiment of erfindungemässen device to arrange the container 5 at an angle w of approximately 90 ° to the upper housing part 1, as in FIG. 6 is shown. In the present case, the embodiment has been described only by way of example with reference to the device for metered dispensing of a medium FIG. 2 shown. However, of course, the embodiments of the apparatus for the metered dispensing of a medium after the Figures 2 and 3 be used. In this case, the container 5 would then be arranged on the housing lower part 2.

This embodiment does not provide for a change in the mode of operation, so reference is made to the above descriptions at this point.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 Housing top 34 67 2 Housing bottom 35 68 3 plunger 36 69 4 feather 37 70 5 container 38 71 6 channel 39 72 7 window 40 73 8th window 41 74 9 big piston area 42 75 10 43 76 11 Valve piston stop 44 77 12 Valve plunger tip 45 78 13 metering 46 79 14 Drip edge or surface 47 15 area 48 16 snap groove 49 17 opening 50 18 filling space 51 19 inner wall 52 w angle 20 commitment 53 21 sleeve section 54 22 use ground 55 23 projection 56 24 channel section 57 25 cone 58 26 recess 59 27 air ring 60 28 Inner 61 29 62 30 63 31 64 32 65 33 66

Claims (12)

1. A device suitable for the dosed output of a medium from a receptacle (5), having an opening (17) in a housing upper-part (1), wherein a valve plunger tip (12) is associated with the opening (17) for the closing thereof and a plunger surface (9), supported against a spring (4), is adjacent to the valve plunger tip (12) as part of a valve plunger (3, 3.1), which plunger surface (9) is guided in a plunger chamber in the housing upper-part (1) in a sealing manner and forms, between itself and the opening (17), a filling chamber (18) connected to the receptacle (5), wherein the connection between the receptacle (5) and the filling chamber (18) is produced by a channel (6.1) and a cut-out (26) in the valve plunger (3.1), characterised in that the valve plunger (3.1) has a rear plunger surface (23.1) in an operative connection with a cone (25) projecting upwards from a housing lower-part (2), so that the channel (6.1) can be closed by the valve plunger (3.1, 23.1).
2. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that a compressible element (27) is arranged in the filling chamber (18), wherein in particular

   - the compressible element (27) is an air ring.
3. A device according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the plunger surface (9) has, facing the filling chamber (18), a larger surface than the rear plunger surface (23.1) of the valve plunger (3.1).
4. A device according to at least one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the valve plunger tip (12) has two cones.
5. A device according to at least one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that a casing portion (21, 21.1) is adjacent to the plunger surface (23, 23.1).
6. A device according to claim 6, characterised in that the casing portion (21) receives the spring (4).
7. A device according to claim 7, characterised in that the spring (4) moves in the casing portion (21.1).
8. A device according to at least one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the spring (4) is supported against an insert base (22).
9. A device according to at least one of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the spring (4) is supported against the housing lower-part (2).
10. A device according to at least one of claims 3 to 11, characterised in that the housing lower-part (2) is connected to the housing upper-part (1) via engagement grooves (16).
11. A device according to at least one of claims 1 to 11, characterised in that the receptacle (5) is arranged at an angle (w) to the housing upper-part (1) or the housing lower-part (2), as the case may be.
12. A device according to claim 12, characterised in that the angle (w) is approximately 90°.

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