EP2583758A1 - Dispositif de distribution de fluide pouvant être actionné manuellement - Google Patents

Dispositif de distribution de fluide pouvant être actionné manuellement Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2583758A1
EP2583758A1 EP11185424.6A EP11185424A EP2583758A1 EP 2583758 A1 EP2583758 A1 EP 2583758A1 EP 11185424 A EP11185424 A EP 11185424A EP 2583758 A1 EP2583758 A1 EP 2583758A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
dispensing device
actuation
fluid dispensing
flexible
fluid
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP11185424.6A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Peter Svete
Matej Avanzo
Rade Injac
Iztok Golobic
Janez Diaci
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Lek Pharmaceuticals dd
Original Assignee
Lek Pharmaceuticals dd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Lek Pharmaceuticals dd filed Critical Lek Pharmaceuticals dd
Priority to EP11185424.6A priority Critical patent/EP2583758A1/fr
Publication of EP2583758A1 publication Critical patent/EP2583758A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
    • B05B11/00—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use
    • B05B11/01—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use characterised by the means producing the flow
    • B05B11/10—Pump arrangements for transferring the contents from the container to a pump chamber by a sucking effect and forcing the contents out through the dispensing nozzle
    • B05B11/1001—Piston pumps
    • B05B11/1009—Piston pumps actuated by a lever
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
    • B05B11/00—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use
    • B05B11/01—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use characterised by the means producing the flow
    • B05B11/10—Pump arrangements for transferring the contents from the container to a pump chamber by a sucking effect and forcing the contents out through the dispensing nozzle
    • B05B11/1042—Components or details
    • B05B11/1052—Actuation means
    • B05B11/1056—Actuation means comprising rotatable or articulated levers

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a manually operable fluid dispensing device.
  • the present invention relates to a fluid dispensing device which is used to dispense a liquid substance (e.g. a pharmaceutical product) which is applied in the spray form.
  • the dispensing device is designed to be operated manually in such a way that the force necessary to actuate the device is provided by the palm or fingers.
  • the dispensing device comprises an actuation mechanism which allows the direction of the actuating force (side actuation) to be perpendicular (or nearly so) to the axis of the spray leaving the device (longitudinal direction of the device).
  • the actuator mechanism includes at least one flexible element, which transmits/converts the applied actuating force in side direction into a longitudinal force for actuating a fluid dispensing mechanism having a fluid pump (in particular, the triggering of the fluid dispensing mechanism/activation of the fluid pump) is effected by lifting a fluid container comprising the fluid pump within a housing thereof by means of the transmitted force.
  • the object of the invention is solved with the fluid dispensing device according to the below items.
  • the flexible member (for example a leave spring) exclusively provides the conversion mechanism, i.e. only the flexible member is used to convert the movement of the actuation member (for example a single lever/button to be gripped/pushed by a user) in the side direction (below also called “horizontal direction”) into a movement of the movable member in the longitudinal direction (below also called “vertical direction”) for achieving the dispensing of fluid.
  • the actuation member for example a single lever/button to be gripped/pushed by a user
  • all parts/members of the fluid dispensing device can be made of plastics.
  • the fluid dispensing device can be manufactured at low production and assembly costs.
  • the solution according to item 3 has the advantage that the flexible member is of a very simple shape, i.e. of low complexity, so that the manufacturing costs can be reduced.
  • Fig. 1 is a simplified view of the fluid dispensing device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
  • the fluid dispensing device comprises a housing made up of two housing parts 10a, 10b which are in snap-engagement. Inside the housing a fluid container assembly 20 is accommodated.
  • the fluid container assembly 20 basically comprises a fluid container or reservoir 21, a closure 22 closing the fluid container 21, a dispensing mechanism 23 provided in the closure 22 and including a fluid pump for pumping out fluid from the fluid container 21, and a cap 24 which is fixed to the closure 22 via a ring 25 such that the cap 24 is integrally movable with the closure 22 and the fluid container 21, respectively.
  • a fluid container assembly and a dispensing mechanism, respectively, having such a configuration are known from the prior art, for example from WO 2009/153512 , WO 2005/087615 A1 or WO 2009/068877 .
  • the fluid container assembly 20 is guided in the housing, e.g. by means of guiding projections guiding the fluid container 21, such that it is movable in the longitudinal direction only.
  • the fluid dispensing device comprises an actuation button or lever 30 (movable member) which is attached at its lower end 31, constituting a pivot, to the lower housing part 10b such that it can be rotated about the pivot substantially in the side direction (actuation direction) being perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.
  • actuation button or lever 30 movable member
  • an elastically deformable, flexible beam 40 (flexible member) which is in engagement (direct contact) with the cap 24.
  • the flexible beam 40 projects upwardly such that it is inclined with respect to the actuation direction as well as the longitudinal direction, and engages with a portion (for example a projection or a recess) of the cap 24 so as to be able, in connection with a movement of the lever 30 in the actuation direction, to move the cap 24 in the longitudinal direction of the fluid dispensing device.
  • the flexible beam 40 is pre-curved (toward the inside of the housing as shown in Fig. 1 ) and mounted under pre-tension such that it urges the lever 30 towards its rest position, i.e.
  • a nozzle 50 for discharging fluid in the longitudinal direction from the device is provided at the top of the upper housing part 10a.
  • a user For dispensing fluid (for example a pharmaceutical product) from the fluid dispensing device, a user exerts a pushing force onto the lever 30 in the side direction (actuation direction). After a predetermined threshold force has been exceeded, the lever 30 moves, in the side direction, from its rest position toward the inside of the housing. Since the flexible beam 40 is, at its lower end, integrally connected to the lever 30 and is, at its upper end, in engagement with the cap 24 which is allowed to move in the longitudinal direction only (due to e.g. the guidance of the fluid container 21), with the flexible beam 40 being inclined with respect to the side direction as well as the longitudinal direction, the flexible beam 40 converts the applied pushing force in the side direction into a pushing force directed upwardly. I.e.
  • the upper end of the flexible beam 40 moves upwardly in the longitudinal direction under elastic deformation of the flexible beam 40, thereby moving the cap 24 and, thus, the fluid container assembly 20 upwardly.
  • the flexible beam 40 maintains its initial direction of curvature (curvature toward the radial inside of the housing throughout the whole movement range of the actuation member).
  • the flexible beam 40 elastically deforms continuously over the maximum possible movement range of the fluid container assembly 20, i.e. with increasing actuation distance of the lever 30 the elastic deformation of the flexible beam 40 constantly increases.
  • the dispensing mechanism 23 is activated (e.g. by a discharge tube of the dispensing mechanism 23 which abuts against the nozzle 50 so that it is relatively moved with respect to the fluid container 21, thereby actuating a fluid pump of the dispensing mechanism 23, as e.g. also exemplified in the above mentioned prior art documents), so that a certain dose of fluid is pumped out of the fluid container 21 and then dispensed in spray form via the nozzle 50 in the longitudinal direction.
  • the fluid container assembly 20 moves in the opposite direction (downwardly) toward its original rest position by means of an urging force exerted for example by a spring of the dispensing mechanism 23 or a spring mounted between the housing and the cap 24.
  • the lever 30 is urged in the outward direction toward its rest position.
  • This movement to the rest position is aided by the flexible beam 40 which, due to release of internal energy stored during its elastic deformation, urges the lever 30 toward the radially outside.
  • the flexible beam 40 elastically re-deforms so as to assume its original position.
  • a further urging means for example a spring provided between the lever 30 and the lower part 10b of the housing for urging the lever 30 to its rest position.
  • the flexible beam 40 can e.g. be in direct engagement with a part of the fluid dispensing mechanism 23, the closure 22 or the fluid container 21, i.e. the movable member can be any member which is to be moved in the longitudinal direction for dispensing fluid.
  • the device comprises a housing 110, a fluid container assembly 120, an actuation lever or button 130, a flexible curved beam 140 (flexible member) and a nozzle 150 as main parts.
  • the fluid container assembly 120 can be configured as in the first embodiment and basically includes a fluid container, cap, closure, and dispensing mechanism as in the first embodiment.
  • the housing 110, the fluid container assembly 120, the lever 130 and the other parts can be the same / have substantially the same shape as those parts of the first embodiment.
  • the fluid container assembly 120 is guided in the housing 110 so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction only, and the actuation lever 130 is, at its lower end, pivotally mounted to a lower portion of the housing, so as to be actuable in an actuation direction (side direction).
  • the difference with respect to the first embodiment lies in the arrangement of the flexible member, i.e. the flexible beam 140 which is pre-curved along its length direction.
  • the flexible beam 140 is fixed, at its lower end, to a bottom of the housing 110, whereas its other end engages with the cap of the fluid container, for example in the same manner as in the first embodiment.
  • a central portion of the flexible beam 140 is in sliding contact with a central portion of the actuation lever 130, as shown in Fig. 3a .
  • the flexible beam 140 is mounted under a certain pre-tension so that the actuation lever 130 is urged toward its rest position as shown in Fig. 3a and can not be moved until a certain threshold force has been applied onto the same.
  • Fig. 3a shows the fluid dispensing device in the non-actuated state with the actuation lever 130 being at its rest position.
  • the actuation lever 130 pivots around its pivoting axis toward the inside of the housing 110, thereby applying a side force onto the central portion of the flexible beam 140. Since the flexible beam 140 is, at its lower end, fixed to the housing 110 and is, at its upper end, in engagement with the fluid container assembly 120 which is allowed to move in the longitudinal direction only, in other words, since the ends of the flexible beam 140 cannot move in the side direction, the flexible beam 140 elastically deforms.
  • the flexible beam 140 elastically deforms under reduction of its initial amount of curvature (the direction of curvature does not change) such that its upper end moves in the longitudinal direction relatively to the housing 110, while slightly sliding relatively with respect to the lever 130, as can be seen from a comparison of Fig. 3a and 3b .
  • the flexible beam 140 pushes the fluid container assembly 120 upwardly in the longitudinal direction of the device, as shown in Fig. 3b .
  • the flexible beam 140 converts the side force applied to the actuation lever 130 into a longitudinal force for moving the fluid container assembly 120 in the longitudinal direction.
  • the dispensing mechanism provided in the closure of the fluid container is actuated (as described with respect to the first embodiment) so that fluid is pumped out of the fluid container and dispensed in the form of a spray through the nozzle 50.
  • the fluid container assembly 120 moves in the opposite direction back into the position shown in Fig. 3a under the influence of its own weight and the urging force exerted e.g. by a spring which is a part of the dispensing mechanism in the fluid container closure.
  • a spring which is a part of the dispensing mechanism in the fluid container closure.
  • the flexible beam 140 deforms back to its initial position due to its elasticity (due to release of energy stored during its elastic deformation), thereby also returning/urging the actuation lever 130 to its initial position as shown in Fig. 3a .
  • the second embodiment can achieve the same advantages as the first embodiment.
  • the force required for operating the flexible beam 240 via the lever 230 can be set by e.g. adjusting the contact point/portion between the flexible beam and the lever 230 (i.e. by adjusting the lever ratio).
  • FIGS 4, 5a and 5b are very simplified schematic illustration of the fluid dispensing device for explaining the configuration and function thereof in principle, and do not show all parts and the actual shape thereof, respectively, which actually would be designed in a manner taking into consideration ergonomic requirements.
  • the fluid dispensing device comprises as main parts a housing 210, a fluid container assembly 220 including basically the same parts as the fluid container assembly of the first and second embodiment (fluid container, cap, closure, fluid dispensing mechanism), a lever or button 230 as actuation member, a flexible plate 240, and a nozzle 250.
  • a major difference between the fluid dispensing device of the first and second embodiments lies in the configuration of the flexible member, which is in this embodiment the flexible plate 240.
  • the flexible plate 240 is arranged so as to substantially extend in the side direction of the fluid dispensing device, being substantially the actuation direction of the actuation button 230.
  • one end of the flexible plate 240 is fixed to the housing, whereas the other end is clamped by a clamping portion 231 of the button 230, which is a kind of projection extending from the button 230 in the lateral direction and supporting the flexible plate 240 from below.
  • the button 230 is pivotally attached to the housing 210 at its upper end, as exemplified illustrated in Figures 5a and 5b , so that it can be rotated toward the radial inside substantially in the lateral direction, when a user applies an actuation force thereon.
  • the flexible plate 240 comprises at its central portion a through hole into which the cap of the fluid container assembly 220 is inserted such that the fluid container assembly 220 is fixed to the flexible plate 240. With no force being applied to the actuation button 230, the flexible plate 240 has a slight S-shape, as shown best in Fig. 5a , with its central portion being slightly curved toward the inside of the housing 210 (toward the bottom of the housing 210).
  • the flexible plate 240 is configured and arranged such that, in case a load (axial load) is applied substantially in its extension direction substantially corresponding to the side direction, it impulse-like changes its direction of curvature by elastic deformation, i.e. results in a "snap-buckling" of the flexible plate 240, as exemplified by Figs. 5a and 5b .
  • the shape/configuration of the clamping portion 231 of the button 230 in combination with the pivoting point of the button 230 at the upper end thereof ensures that the flexible plate 240 reliably changes its direction of curvature, i.e. snaps into the upward direction, when being applied with a predetermined axial load.
  • the button 230 pivots, basically in the side direction, around its upper end, as can be seen from a comparison between Figures 5a and 5b .
  • the force F applied to the button 230 is transmitted onto the flexible plate 240 and causes an axial loading of the plate 240. After a predetermined axial loading has been reached, this leads to a snap-buckling of the flexible plate 240, i.e. the flexible plate 240 changes impulse-like its direction of curvature. As can be seen from Fig.
  • this impulse-like change of the direction of curvature results in a movement of the fluid container assembly 220 in the upward direction.
  • This in turn actuates the fluid dispensing mechanism of the fluid container assembly 220, thereby discharging a dose of fluid in spray form via the nozzle 250 from the fluid dispensing device.
  • the fluid container assembly 220 moves downward under the influence of its own weight and a force exerted by for example a spring which is part of the dispensing mechanism in the fluid container closure.
  • the flexible plate 240 which simultaneously elastically re-deforms to its initial position, as shown in Fig. 5a , aids the downward movement of the fluid container assembly 220, i.e. applies a downward urging force onto the fluid container assembly 220.
  • its elastic re-deformation also returns the button 230 back to its starting position.
  • the third embodiment can achieve the same advantages as the first embodiment.
  • the threshold force F that is necessary to dispense the fluid depends on the critical value of the axial load which initiates the snap-buckling of the flexible plate 240, and also on the geometric and elastic parameters of the flexible plate 240. By optimization of these parameters, it is possible to set a desired threshold force F. By using different flexible members, it is thus possible to finely set the threshold force F according to the requirements under consideration of different users (for example disabled people, children, etc.).
  • the spray characteristics do not depend on how slow/fast a user presses the button 230.
EP11185424.6A 2011-10-17 2011-10-17 Dispositif de distribution de fluide pouvant être actionné manuellement Withdrawn EP2583758A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP11185424.6A EP2583758A1 (fr) 2011-10-17 2011-10-17 Dispositif de distribution de fluide pouvant être actionné manuellement

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP11185424.6A EP2583758A1 (fr) 2011-10-17 2011-10-17 Dispositif de distribution de fluide pouvant être actionné manuellement

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2583758A1 true EP2583758A1 (fr) 2013-04-24

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ID=45093322

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EP11185424.6A Withdrawn EP2583758A1 (fr) 2011-10-17 2011-10-17 Dispositif de distribution de fluide pouvant être actionné manuellement

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Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2807954A1 (fr) * 2000-04-20 2001-10-26 Cmc Jean Louis Vermeil Vaporisateur a actionnement lateral
FR2832329A1 (fr) * 2001-11-20 2003-05-23 Valois Sa Dispositif de pulverisation a actionnement lateral
WO2004012799A2 (fr) * 2002-08-01 2004-02-12 Glaxo Group Limited Dispositif de distribution de fluide
WO2005087615A1 (fr) 2004-03-11 2005-09-22 Glaxo Group Limited Distributeur de liquide
WO2006097746A1 (fr) * 2005-03-17 2006-09-21 Glaxo Group Limited Inhalateurs
WO2009068877A1 (fr) 2007-11-29 2009-06-04 Glaxo Group Limited Dispositif de distribution
WO2009153512A1 (fr) 2008-06-17 2009-12-23 Valois Sas Dispositif de distribution de produit fluide

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2807954A1 (fr) * 2000-04-20 2001-10-26 Cmc Jean Louis Vermeil Vaporisateur a actionnement lateral
FR2832329A1 (fr) * 2001-11-20 2003-05-23 Valois Sa Dispositif de pulverisation a actionnement lateral
WO2004012799A2 (fr) * 2002-08-01 2004-02-12 Glaxo Group Limited Dispositif de distribution de fluide
WO2005087615A1 (fr) 2004-03-11 2005-09-22 Glaxo Group Limited Distributeur de liquide
WO2006097746A1 (fr) * 2005-03-17 2006-09-21 Glaxo Group Limited Inhalateurs
WO2009068877A1 (fr) 2007-11-29 2009-06-04 Glaxo Group Limited Dispositif de distribution
WO2009153512A1 (fr) 2008-06-17 2009-12-23 Valois Sas Dispositif de distribution de produit fluide

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