EP2046657B1 - Closure cap for a container filled with medicinal fluid, and container having a closure cap - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a closure cap for a container filled with medicinal fluid, which container has an aperture piece which is sealed off by a diaphragm which can be punctured. The closure cap has a cap-shaped closure body (1) and a drinking neck (4) with a drinking opening (4a) which is pivotable between a first position, in which the drinking neck bears against the closure cap, and a second position, in which the drinking neck projects from the closure cap. In addition, the closure cap has means (20, 22) for puncturing the diaphragm which seals off the aperture piece of the container, which means (20, 22) interact with the drinking neck in such a way that, as the drinking neck (4) is pivoted, the diaphragm is punctured such that a connection is produced between the opening (4a) of the drinking neck and the container interior. The closure cap is characterized in that the closure body has, in addition to the opening (4a) of the drinking neck (4), an opening (20a, 24) for ventilating the container during drinking.

Description

The invention relates to a closure cap for a container filled with a medicinal liquid, in particular an enteral nutrition liquid, which has a mouthpiece sealed by a pierceable membrane. Moreover, the invention relates to a container for receiving a medical fluid, in particular an enteral nutrient solution, which has a mouth piece which is sealed by a pierceable membrane, wherein the mouthpiece of the container is closed with such a closure cap.

For enteral nutrition, liquid nutrient solutions are offered in containers, for example bottles or bags. It is known to aseptically fill the medical containers for receiving the enteral nutrient solutions. In bottling, it is also known to seal the mouthpiece of the container with a membrane, such as an aluminum or plastic film.

In order to drink from the nutrient solution containers, straws are generally used, with which the sealing film is pierced. Alternatively, the contents of the container after removing the sealing film may also be poured into a drinking vessel. But drinking with a straw has certain disadvantages. So nutrient solution containers opened with straws are not resealable, so there is a risk that the contents may leak out due to improper handling. Moreover, drinking from non-collapsible containers, such as plastic bottles or containers also referred to as Tetra Pak, is often not easy, as there is insufficient ventilation of the container. Especially for weakened, old and / or sick people is the piercing of the sealing film with a straw and drinking with the straw often no longer possible.

A closure system, which has an upright drinking spout (drinking spout) is from the US-A-5,961,010 known. However, the known closure system has no device for piercing a sealing film. Likewise, ventilation of the sealed container with the closure system is not provided.

The EP-A-1 125 854 describes a cap with a pivotable spout, which is designed as a piercing dome. When erecting the spout, a membrane disposed in the cap is pierced. However, the known cap is not intended to be screwed onto a container already sealed with a sealing film. Rather, the pierceable membrane is part of the cap. Furthermore, the known cap does not provide ventilation.

A not designed as a screw cap cap with spout is from the FR-A-2 789 659 known, which punctures a sealing foil when erecting. Also, the closure capsule does not provide ventilation.

The US-A-6,167,728 describes a closure capsule with spout and cutting device, which can be used for example for foil-sealed beverage bottles. The cutting device is two knives. The disadvantage is that the production is relatively complicated and expensive. In addition, a ventilation is not provided again.

From the EP-A-1 353 853 is a closure for liquid and bulk container with spout and cutting device for opening foil-sealed container known. A ventilation opening is missing here.

From the WO 02/26583 A1 a container with a closure is known, which has a cylindrical approach, which is closed by a cap. The cylindrical projection can be pivoted from a first position adjacent to the container into a second position protruding from the container. The cylindrical extension receives a spout which extends outwardly and inwardly beyond the cylindrical extension. When the cylindrical projection is pivoted to the upright position, the inner end portion of the drinking nozzle pierces a membrane occluding the container.

The WO 2006/057536 describes a foil-sealed bottle with a cap that has a drinking spout. A disadvantage again proves that a ventilation of the bottle is not provided. As a result, the handling, especially for weakened persons difficult.

The object of the invention is to provide a closure cap that is easy to handle, especially for weakened persons, with which a container filled with a medicinal liquid, in particular an enteral nutrient solution, can be sealed, which is sealed with a pierceable membrane. The solution of this object is achieved according to the invention with the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

Another object of the invention is to provide an easy-to-handle container with such a cap. The solution of this object is achieved with the features of claim 14.

The closure cap according to the invention has a cap-shaped closure body and a drinking spout with an opening for drinking, which can be pivoted between a first position in which the drinking spout rests against the closure body and a second position in which the drinking spout protrudes from the closure body.

In addition, the cap has means for piercing the mouthpiece of the container sealing membrane, which cooperate with the drinking spout such that upon pivoting of the drinking nozzle, the membrane is pierced, so that a connection between the opening of the drinking nozzle and the container interior is made.

The cap according to the invention is characterized in that the closure body has an opening for venting the container while drinking next to the opening of the drinking nozzle for drinking. The means for piercing the membrane cooperate with the drinking spout so that when pivoting the drinking spout not only a connection between the container interior and the opening of the drinking nozzle, but also between the container interior and the ventilation opening is made. Since both connections can be made to the interior of the container by pivoting the drinking nozzle, handling is simplified,

The invention provides that for drinking and aerating the membrane is pierced only at one point.

In the closure cap according to the invention, in which the membrane is punctured only once, the means for piercing the membrane are formed as a tubular body, the opening of which is the ventilation opening. The tubular body is arranged with the drinking spout pivotally mounted on the closure body, that upon pivoting of the drinking nozzle, the membrane is pierced by the tubular body, so that both a connection between the drinking opening and the ventilation opening and the container interior is made.

The production of the closure cap according to the invention is preferably simplified in that the drinking nozzle is an integral part of the closure body. Therefore, it is possible to inexpensively manufacture the cap in a one-step production process. Preferably, the closure body in the region of the foot part of the drinking nozzle is so weakened for this purpose that the molded-on drinking nozzle is pivotable between the first and second position. Against inadvertent opening of the cap of the drinking spout is preferably secured in the first position of a tamper-evident closure on the closure body. The tamper-evident closure is advantageously a tab which can be torn off by the closure body and which engages over a projection projecting from the drinking nozzle. To open the cap so the tab only needs to be demolished and the drinking spout erect. But it is also possible to connect the drinking spout in the first position via a weakening zone on the closure body, which ruptures when erecting the nozzle.

A further preferred embodiment of the cap according to the invention provides that the drinking spout is arranged in the first position in a recess or depression of the cover part of the closure body. As a result, the drinking spout does not appear disturbing. Preferably, the drinking spout is set in the recess latching.

For screwing the closure cap onto a container with a screw cap, the edge part of the closure body preferably has a section with an internal thread. But the cap does not necessarily have to be designed as a screw cap.

Since the puncturable membrane is not part of the cap, but of the container, to seal the cap relative to the container, a conventional sealing bead find only limited use, which is generally inserted between the cap and mouthpiece. In the closure cap according to the invention, the seal is made Rather, a cylindrical sealing surface on the inside of the edge portion of the closure body. This cylindrical sealing surface comes sealingly when placing the closure cap into contact with a cylindrical sealing surface on the outside of the mouthpiece of the container.

While the closure cap according to the invention is preferably an injection molded part made of plastic, in particular polypropylene or polyethylene, the container is preferably produced by injection blow molding. The manufacture of the container in the injection blown process permits, compared to extrusion blown containers, process-related lower tolerances, so that the pretensions of the sealing surfaces can be set exactly. As a result, lower preloads of the sealing surfaces can be realized, so that the appropriate torques for weakened people can be met without the sealing effect is lost. This type of seal, which is only possible through the use of injection blow molded containers, requires no additional sealing elements and no further process steps. But it is also possible in principle that the container is produced by extrusion blow molding, for example, is an extrusion blown bottle.

In principle, however, it is also possible to provide a seal between the closure cap and the upper edge of the membrane. Solutions for sealing against a sealing film, for example, in the WO 2005049446 . GB 2311283 . WO 03011699 . US2003 / 0057176 . EP 0179498 and US 4531649 described. The documents suggest to press sealing lips, ribs or the like by the contact force occurring during screwing on the threaded collar. These sealing elements usually consist of a soft polymer material which can seal against the threaded neck, which has a relatively large surface roughness.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the edge portion of the closure body on a tamper-evident closure, which preferably integrally formed over a weakening zone to an upper portion of the edge portion Locking ring is. If the lock ring is torn off the lock body, it can be seen that the lock cap has been removed from the lock body.

In the following two embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings.

Figur 1

Eine Ansicht eines ersten Ausführungsbeispiels der erfindungsgemäßen Verschlusskappe in perspektivischer Darstellung vor dem Aufrichten des Trinkstutzens,

Figur 2

eine perspektivische Darstellung der erfindungsgemäßen Verschlusskappe von Figur 1 nach dem Aufrichten des Trinkstutzens,

Figur 3

die perspektivische Darstellung der Verschlusskappe von Figur 1 in der Ansicht von unten,

Figur 4

die erfindungsgemäße Verschlusskappe in der Seitenansicht,

Figur 5

einen Schnitt durch die Verschlusskappe von Figur 4 entlang der Linie V-V,

Figur 6

einen Schnitt durch die Verschlusskappe von Figur 5 entlang der Linie VI-VI,

Figur 7

ein Ausführungsbeispiel der Verschlusskappe in geschnittener Darstellung, das nicht Gegenstand der Erfindung ist und

Figur 8

den Behälter ohne Verschlusskappe in der Seitenansicht.

Show it:

FIG. 1

A view of a first embodiment of the cap according to the invention in a perspective view before the erection of the drinking nozzle,

FIG. 2

a perspective view of the cap according to the invention of FIG. 1 after raising the drinking nozzle,

FIG. 3

the perspective view of the cap of FIG. 1 in the bottom view,

FIG. 4

the closure cap according to the invention in side view,

FIG. 5

a section through the cap of FIG. 4 along the line VV,

FIG. 6

a section through the cap of FIG. 5 along the line VI-VI,

FIG. 7

an embodiment of the closure cap in a sectional view, which is not the subject of the invention and

FIG. 8

the container without cap in the side view.

The following is with reference to the FIGS. 1 to 6 a preferred embodiment of the closure cap according to the invention described, which is designed as a screw cap and screwed onto a bottle with a screw cap. The bottle with screw cap shows FIG. 8 ,

The closure cap is a plastic injection-molded part, preferably made of polypropylene or polyethylene. The closure cap has a cap-shaped closure body 1, with a cover part 2 and a substantially cylindrical edge part 3. On the closure body 1, a drinking spout 4 is formed, which abuts from a first position in which the drinking spout against the closure body 1 ( FIG. 1 ) can be pivoted to a second position in which the drinking spout protrudes from the closure body ( FIG. 2 ). The drinking nozzle 4 can be pivoted on the closure body by 90 degrees.

The cover part 2 of the closure body 1 has a recess 5 with a middle side part 5a and two opposite outwardly extending side parts 5b, 5c and a bottom part 5d. At the bottom part 5d of the recess 5 of the drinking nozzle 4 is formed.

The drinking spout 4 is a tubular body with an opening 4a for drinking at the upper end and an opening 4b on the bottom part 5d of the recess 5. The spout has an oval cross-section to easily surround the neck with the mouth. The dimensions of the recess 5 substantially correspond to those of the drinking nozzle 4, so that the drinking nozzle can be pivoted into the recess 5, without standing up or to the side.

The one-piece cap is injection-molded with upright drinking nozzle 4. Immediately after injection, the upright drinking nozzle 4 is bent by 90 degrees, so that the drinking nozzle is located in the recess. This is a material weakening in the area of the foot part 4c connected to the drinking nozzle, so that the foot part of the drinking nozzle enclosing weakening zone 6 is formed. While the cover part of the closure body is bent in the region facing the depression 5, the region of the cover part is stretched in the opposite region when the drinking nozzle is pivoted. This material deformation results automatically according to the strength of the material and the material properties when kinking the drinking nozzle.

At the opposite side surfaces 5b and 5c of the recess 5, two opposing lugs 7 are formed, which secure the drinking nozzle 4 in the recess. An additional security is a tamper-evident 8 on the side of the cap.

The tamper-evident closure 8 is a plastic bottle, which is integrally formed on both sides by weakening zones 9 on the upper section of the edge part 3 of the closure body 1. The tear-off tab 8 partially closes the lateral opening 10 of the recess 5. Below the tear-off tab 8, the drinking nozzle 4 has a projection 25 which engages under the tear-off tab 8.

To erect the drinking nozzle 4, the tear-off tab 8 is torn off, the weakening zones 9 tearing open. Then the latching in the recess 5 set drinking nozzle 4 is erected, wherein deforms the material of the closure body in the region of the foot part of the nozzle.

The edge part 3 of the closure body 1 has below the bottom part 5d of the recess 5 on the inside a cylindrical sealing surface 11, with which the closure cap seals against a corresponding cylindrical sealing surface on the outside of the mouthpiece of the container. The seal will be described in detail with reference to the second embodiment.

Below the cylindrical sealing surface 11 is located on the inside of the cover part 3, an internal thread 12 with a pitch corresponding to the pitch of the external thread of the mouthpiece of the container.

Below the internal thread 12, a closure ring 14 is integrally formed on the upper portion of the edge part 3 via a peripheral weakening zone 13. The annular closure ring forms another tamper-evident closure 13, 14 which secures the closure cap to the mouthpiece of the container. This will also be described in detail with reference to the second embodiment.

FIG. 8 shows the container, which is an injection-blown bottle, which is aseptically filled with an enteral nutrient solution. The bottle (preform) produced in two working steps has an inflated bottle body 15 with an injection-molded mouth piece 16. The mouth piece 16 having an external thread 17 is sealed after filling the container with a pierceable membrane 18, for example an aluminum foil. The aluminum foil serves to close the container as it were gastight (barrier) and aseptically. Above the external thread 17, the mouth piece 16 on the outside of a cylindrical sealing surface 19, which comes sealingly when screwing the cap with the cylindrical sealing surface 11 of the edge part 3 of the closure body 1 to rest.

Due to the injection blow molding method, very small tolerances, for example values of up to +/- 0.1 mm, are possible in the area of the outer sealing surface 19 of the mouthpiece, so that a small but sufficient prestressing of the sealing surfaces 11, 19 can be maintained.

The top of the caps and the bottom part of the bottles are designed so that the sealed bottles stack on top of each other and thus store and transport with high packing density.

The functional principle of the closure cap according to the invention will be described in detail below.

At the drinking nozzle 4 of the cap a tubular body 20 is formed in the region of the foot part 4c, which extends on the one hand on the cover part 2 of the closure body 1 also upwards and on the other hand over the bottom part 5d of the recess 5 also down. The tubular body 20 has at its upper end a ventilation opening 20a and is provided at its lower end with a cutting edge or a mandrel 20b. Furthermore, the tubular body is provided with two lateral webs 20c, 20d which extend over the entire length of the tubular body. The two webs 20c, 20d form additional tearing aids.

The length of the tubular body 20 is dimensioned such that, when the drinking nozzle 4 is erected, its pointed end 20b pierces the membrane 19 of the container when the closure cap is screwed onto the container.

The filled container with enteral nutrient solution is generally delivered with screwed cap, the nozzle 4 is located within the recess 5. To remove the nutrient solution, the tear-off tab 8 is torn off, and the drinking nozzle 4 is erected. During the erection of the drinking nozzle, the tubular body 20, which is formed on the nozzle 4 pierces the membrane 18, with which the mouthpiece 16 of the container is sealed. The tubular body intersects with the sharpened end 20b and the two lateral webs a slot in the membrane with a sufficient width, so that the nozzle and the tubular body is in communication with the container interior. Since the container is adequately ventilated, the container generally runs by itself, with air flowing through the vent 20a via the tubular body 20 into the container interior. For very viscous liquids, however, it may be necessary to assist leakage by suction on the drinking spout (drinking spout) and / or pressing the container.

In principle, it is also possible to unscrew the closure cap according to the invention after loosening the tamper-evident closure 13, 14 so that the puncturable membrane is exposed. The membrane can then be removed or punctured to drink the nutrient solution with a straw or to refill a glass.

Hereinafter, an alternative embodiment of the closure cap with reference to FIG. 7 described, which provides a ventilation, which is not the subject of the invention. The alternative embodiment differs from that with reference to FIGS FIGS. 1 to 6 described embodiment only by the type of ventilation. Otherwise, both caps are identical. Therefore, the corresponding parts are provided with the same reference numerals.

The alternative embodiment does not have the tubular body 20 for piercing the membrane. In this embodiment, the lower portion of the drinking nozzle 4 itself is formed as a cutting edge 21, with which the membrane 18 of the container pierced when erecting the nozzle and the liquid connection is made to the container interior.

The ventilation of the container takes place in the alternative embodiment via an additional ventilation opening. For this purpose, in the bottom part 5d of the depression 5 of the cover part 2 of the closure body 1, a piercing mandrel 22 is formed over a weakened zone 23, the tip 22a of which is directly above the pierceable membrane when the closure cap is screwed on.

When the drinking nozzle 4 is located in the recess 5, the upper edge 22b of the piercing mandrel 22 bears against the underside of the drinking nozzle. First, the spout is pressed slightly from the horizontal position down, whereby the spike 22 is also pressed down and pierceable membrane 18 is pierced. Subsequently, the Dispensing nozzle 4 erected, whereby its pointed end 21 pierces the membrane 18 again at a different location.

The weakening zone 23, which connects the tapping mandrel 22 to the lid part 2 of the closure body 1, is formed as a lattice-like structure with a plurality of perforations 24, which serve as a ventilation opening, so that air can flow into the container interior, while enteral nutrient solution from the container interior drain the drinking spout.

FIG. 7 shows next to the cap nor the mouthpiece 16 of in FIG. 8 illustrated container. In FIG. 7 the system of the two sealing surfaces 11, 19 of the closure body or container can be seen. Furthermore, it can be seen that the retaining ring 14 engages under a circumferential shoulder 26 on the mouthpiece of the container 16 below the external thread 17.

Claims (17)

1. Closure cap for a container which is filled with a medicinal fluid and has a mouthpiece sealed by a pierceable membrane, comprising
   a cap-shaped closure body (1) which has a lid part (2) and an edge part (3),
   a drinking stub (4) with an opening (4a) for drinking purposes, said drinking stub being pivotable between a first position, in which the drinking stub bears against the closure body, and a second position, in which the drinking stub protrudes from the closure body,
   means (20, 22) for piercing the membrane, said means interacting with the drinking stub (4) in such a manner that, when the drinking stub (4) is pivoted, the membrane is pierced, and therefore a connection is produced between the opening (4a) in the drinking stub (4) and the container interior, wherein
   the closure body (1) has an opening (20a, 24) for ventilating the container during drinking, and the means (20, 22) for piercing the membrane interact with the drinking stub (4) in such a manner that the membrane is pierced when the drinking stub is pivoted, in order to produce a connection between the ventilation opening (20a, 24) and the container interior,
   characterized in that the means (20) for piercing the membrane are designed in the form of a tubular body, the opening of which is the ventilation opening (20a), wherein the tubular body is arranged pivotably with the drinking stub (4) on the closure body (1) in such a manner that, when the drinking stub is pivoted, the membrane is pierced by the tubular body, and therefore a connection is produced between the container interior and the drinking opening (4a) and the ventilation opening (20a), wherein the drinking stub (4) extends above the lid part (2) beyond the tubular body.
2. Closure cap according to Claim 1, characterized in that the means (22) for piercing the membrane has a piercing spike (22) which is arranged in the lid part (2) of the closure body (1) via a zone of weakness (23), which is provided with the ventilation opening, in such a manner that, by pivoting of the drinking stub (4), the piercing spike is pressed onto the membrane, and therefore a connection is produced between the container interior and the ventilation opening (24).
3. Closure cap according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the drinking stub (4) is an integral part of the closure body (1).
4. Closure cap according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the closure body (1) is weakened in the region of the base part (4c) of the drinking stub (4) in such a manner that the drinking stub is pivotable between the first and second position.
5. Closure cap according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the drinking stub (4) is secured in the first position on the closure body (1) by a tamper-evident closure part (8).
6. Closure cap according to Claim 5, characterized in that the tamper-evident closure part is a tab (8) which can be torn off from the closure body (1) and engages over a lug (11) projecting from the drinking stub (4).
7. Closure cap according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the lid part (2) of the closure body (1) has a recess (5) for receiving the drinking stub (4) in the first position.
8. Closure cap according to Claim 7, characterized in that the drinking stub (4) is fixed in a latching manner in the recess (5).
9. Closure cap according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the edge part (2) of the closure body (1) has a section with an internal thread (12).
10. Closure cap according to one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the edge part (2) of the closure body (1) has a cylindrical sealing surface (11) on the inside.
11. Closure cap according to one of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the edge part (2) of the closure body (1) has a tamper-evident closure part (13, 14).
12. Closure cap according to Claim 11, characterized in that the tamper-evident closure part is a closure ring (14) which is integrally formed on an upper section of the edge part (2) via a zone of weakness (13).
13. Closure cap according to one of Claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the closure cap is an injection-moulded part made of plastic, preferably of polypropylene or polyethylene.
14. Container for receiving a medicinal fluid, which container has a mouthpiece (16) sealed by a pierceable membrane (18), characterized in that the mouthpiece (16) of the container is closed with a closure cap according to one of Claims 1 to 13.
15. Container according to Claim 14, characterized in that the container is a container produced by injection blow moulding.
16. Container according to Claim 14 or 15, characterized in that the container is a bottle.
17. Container according to one of Claims 14 to 16, characterized in that the outside of the mouthpiece (16) of the container has a cylindrical sealing surface (19) against which the inner cylindrical sealing surface (11) of the closure cap bears in a sealing manner.

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