EP2428141A1

EP2428141A1 - Predosed dispenser with mixer

Info

Publication number: EP2428141A1
Application number: EP11180504A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Antonino Rotilio
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-09-10
Filing date: 2011-09-08
Publication date: 2012-03-14
Also published as: IT1401716B1; ITRC20100007A1

Abstract

The present invention refers to a device allowing to mix two substances, of which at least one is provided in a perfectly dosed amount, without use of other articles or tools.

Description

The present invention refers to a device allowing to mix two substances, of which at least one is provided in a perfectly dosed amount, without use of other articles or tools.
In particular, the device according to the present invention could advantageously be used to provide doses of any substance, liquid, soluble, in powder or granules, to be mixed with other liquid or powder substances or to be sprinkled on various surfaces (foods or other).
Therefore, the present invention is intended to find application in a large number of fields, from the food sector to pharmacology, etc.

State of the art

In order to mix two components in a precise manner it is necessary to resort to preliminary steps such as weighing, dosing, etc., which beside requiring losses of time, especially for repetitive operations, can mislead the operator.
Moreover, even when the dose of component to be mixed is predefined, to mix two components the use of a tool for mixing the two elements by rotation or stirring becomes necessary.

Object of the Invention

An object of the present invention is to provide a single device that can be used for providing and mixing sugars, spices, medications in granules, oil, thickeners, catalysing agents, etc., with other substances. The mixer subject of the invention allows to mix two components in a precise manner because it already contains the defined dose, and in use it needs no preliminary steps, such as weighing, dosing, etc.
Therefore, object of the present invention is to provide an innovative solution to the problems still left open by the known art, by providing a device as set forth in independent claim 1.
Secondary features of the present invention are instead set forth in the corresponding dependent claims thereof.
As will be illustrated hereinafter in the description, the present invention entails several advantages which, as well as the features and operation steps of the present invention, will be made apparent in the following detailed description of embodiments thereof, given by way of example and not for limitative purposes. Reference will be made to the figures of the annexed drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a first embodiment of a device according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of a first embodiment of a device according to the present invention;
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section view of the device of Figure 1, in a first closed configuration;
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section view of the device of Figure 1, in a second open configuration;
Figure 5 is a front perspective view of a second embodiment of a device according to the present invention;
Figure 6 is a rear perspective view of a second embodiment of a device according to the present invention;
Figure 7 is a longitudinal section view of the device of Figure 5, in a first closed configuration;
Figure 8 is a longitudinal section view of the device of Figure 5, in a second open configuration; and
Figures 9 to 12 illustrate a possible operation and use mode of a device according to the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention

The present invention will be detailed hereinafter, making reference to the above-indicated figures.
Referring initially to Figures 1 to 4, these refer to a first embodiment of a device according to the present invention.
A single-dose dispenser device 1, according to said first embodiment, comprises a preferably elongated main body.
The main body has a hollow portion 2, better seen in the section view of Figure 3 or Figure 4.
A first opening 3 allows access to said hollow portion 2 and, advantageously, the device comprises first closing means 4 for closing said first opening 3.
According to the present invention, moreover, the device comprises a blade- like portion 6, 7, 8, of substantially elongated shape, integral to the main body.
The hollow portion 2 is utilizable to contain a substance in granules, in powder or in a liquid or semiliquid form, preferably predosed and ready to be mixed with other substances.
Purely by way of example, the device according to the present invention might be used for packaging single doses of a soluble drug, to be dissolved, e.g., in water.
The predefined dose of drug would therefore be introduced inside the hollow portion 2 in the production stage. The first closing means 4 guarantee hermetic seal and therefore perfect storage of the product inside the device.
Preferably, the first closing means 4 is of removable type and can comprise a foil-like element 4 adhered along the edges of the first opening 3 to seal the same. Such foil-like element is preferably removable by tearing off, to expose the first opening 3.
Advantageously, the main body of the device 1 can further comprise a second opening for accessing to the hollow portion 2.
For instance, at one end of the main body a second opening may be provided, useful for the initial filling of the hollow portion 2 with the content predose.
Of course, related second closing means 5 can be provided also for such second opening.
Such second closing means is preferably removable and may, e.g., be comprised of a sealing cap-like element 5, of pressure or screw type.
In order to facilitate gripping of the device 1, the main body may comprise a gripping region 9 having a knurling and/or shaped so as to improve the gripping of the device itself.
According to the present invention, moreover, the device 1 comprises a blade- like portion 6, 7, 8, of substantially elongated shape, integral to said main body.
Such a blade-like portion can be advantageously used to mix the content of the device once it has been extracted and blended to other substances; e.g., in the case of the soluble drug, after having poured it into a glass with water.
Preferably, the blade-like portion comprises a first elongated section 6 and an end section 7, by way of example illustrated in the form of a teaspoon, to improve mixing effectiveness. However, it has to be understood that the end portion 7 can take on different shapes, depending on the specific use that is to be done of the device. Therefore, it could be shaped like a teaspoon, or a fork, or even like a blade; this in no way modifies the inventive concept at the basis of the present invention.
Moreover, there can advantageously be provided a groove 8 extending substantially along the longitudinal extension of the blade-like portion, for facilitating and improving the descent of the product from the hollow portion towards its destination, e.g. into a glass.
Next Figures 5 to 8 illustrate a second embodiment of a device according to the present invention.
According to such second embodiment, a device 11 is substantially similar to that falling within the first preferred embodiment.
Therefore, hereinafter a description will be given exclusively of the parts differing therefrom.
In particular, the second embodiment differs from the first one owing to the first means for closing the first opening. In this case, such first closing means comprises a slider element 14, slidable along the main body between a first position in which the slider element 15 seals the first opening 13 (see Figures 5, 6 and 7) and a second position in which instead the first opening 13 is exposed and therefore outletting of product is allowed (see Figure 8).
Figures 9 and 10 show, by way of example, a possible filling mode for filling the device with a predosed amount of a certain product. Product introduction can be advantageously carried out through the second closing means, i.e. the cap-like element.
Said cap-like element, in principle removable, may also be provided such as not to be removable after filling, just to avoid that the device be used again and/or arbitrarily filled with wrong doses and/or with products not initially envisaged.
Next Figures 11 and 12 show instead the actual use of the device. In particular, Figure 11 shows how the first opening present on the main body can be exposed, merely by tearing off the foil-like element sealing it. Of course, it is preferable that also this tearing off may be carried out only once, and that there be no way of restoring the closure of the opening after use, always in order to avoid a repeated use of the device.
Once poured the content of the (predosed) device, together with the other substances to which it should be blended (water or other), the device could advantageously be used to mix the substances themselves, making use of the blade-like portion as if it were a teaspoon.
The present invention has hereto been described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof. It is understood that there might exist other embodiments falling within the concept of the same invention, and all comprised within the protective scope of the claims hereinafter.

Claims

A single-dose dispenser device comprising a main body having a hollow portion (2;12), a first opening (3; 13) for accessing to said hollow portion (2; 12) and related first closing means (4; 14) for closing said first opening (3; 13); the device further comprising a blade-like portion (6, 7, 8; 16, 17, 18), of substantially elongated shape, integral to said main body.
The device according to claim 1, wherein said first closing means (4; 14) is of removable type.
The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said first closing means (4; 14) comprises a slider element (14), slidable along said main body between a first position in which said slider element (14) seals said first opening (13) and a second position in which said first opening (13) is exposed.
The device according to claim 2, wherein said first closing means (4; 14) comprises a foil-like element (4) adhered along the edges of said first opening (3) to seal the same and removable by tearing off to expose said first opening (3).
The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said main body comprises a second opening for accessing to said hollow portion (2) and related second closing means (5; 15) for closing said second opening .
The device according to claim 5, wherein said second closing means comprises a sealing cap-like element (5; 15), of pressure or screw type.
The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said main body comprises a gripping region (9; 19) having a knurling and/or shaped so as to improve the gripping of the device.
The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said blade-like portion (6, 7, 8; 16, 17, 18) has a groove (8; 18) along its longitudinal extension.