ES2398775T3 - Single-dose container for improved liquid products - Google Patents

Abstract

Updated single-dose container (1) especially for liquid products, comprising: a hollow body container (2) for a liquid product, a neck (3) extending from said body of the container (2) and is provided with a dispensing mouth (4) for said product, said neck (3), comprising a substantially cylindrical first section (5) disposed near said container body (2) and coaxial with said dispensing mouth (4), a substantially cylindrical second section ( 6), smaller than said first section (5), arranged near said dispensing mouth (4) and substantially coaxial with said first section (5) and a substantially cylindrical third section (7) placed between said first section (5) ) and the said second section (6); closing means (8) for the closure of said dispensing mouth (4), said closing means (8), comprising a grip (9) that integrally supports a sealing element (10) of said dispensing mouth ( 4) and with a first threaded portion (20) suitable for cooperation with a second threaded portion (21), mounted on the external surface of said third section (7) of said neck (3) and a ring-shaped collar (11 ) disposed in said neck (3) by interposing coupling means (12) and removably associated with said gripping means (9) along predetermined areas of rupture (23), wherein said coupling means (12 ) are of the interlocking type and include locking means (13) for locking said ring-shaped collar (11) in a direction substantially parallel to the demarcated neck axis (3) and anti-rotation means (14) of said shaped collar ring (11) on said neck (3), in the said fracture zones (23) they are irreversibly lacerated with the consequent removal in said ring-shaped collar (11) of said gripping means (9), when said container (1) is opened for the first time unscrewing said closure means (8) with the mentioned gripping means (9) from said neck (3) with said dispensing mouth (4), wherein said blocking means (13) comprise: at least a first circular protuberance ( 15) or housing, formed externally in said first section (5) of said neck (3), which is provided to be coupled to at least a second circular protuberance (16) or housing, substantially coaxial with said dispensing mouth (4), formed on the inner surface of said ring-shaped collar (11); and at least one stop element (17), for detenerally said ring-shaped collar (11), placed externally and transversely to said first section (5) of said neck, under said ring-shaped collar (11 ) and substantially coaxial with said dispensing mouth (4) and characterized by those anti-rotation means (14) including at least one tooth (19) extending below said ring-shaped collar (11) and which is associable with a notch side (18) in said stop element (17).

Description

Single-dose container for improved liquid products

Technical Field

The present invention is related to a single dose container for liquid products

State of the Art

With special reference to the field of packaging of pharmaceutical or cosmetic products, it is known to manufacture containers of polymeric material for the packaging of liquid, viscous or powder products.

In particular, the manufacture of suitable containers for packaging a single dose of product is known.

In fact, a fast and growing number of users need to keep a sealed pharmaceutical substance in their packaging in order to ensure its integrity and effectiveness, preferring the practicality of the single dose to the multi-dose container.

 Known containers typically comprise an elongated empty body that acts as a tank for the product.

At one end of the body, there is a neck that has an opening out where the product comes out.

The other end, in the early stages of packaging is an open container, which allows the desired product to be introduced into the container; After filling, the lips at the end of the body are moved and joined using techniques known in this field, for example sealing.

The opening through which the product has the outlet is sealed with removable associable closure means with the container in the neck.

In particular, the closing means must be able to be repositioned on the opening even after repeated use of the container.

The container body also has a pair of fins that are available to make it easier for the user to hold the bottle and extend, in a completely opposite direction, from the surface of the outer face of the container body.

Known bottles can be produced in isolated or associated units in series (strips); In the latter case, the fins of the bodies of the container of two consecutive bottles are temporarily associated with each other, each with the following, along predefined break lines.

Different types of bottles are known, with special reference to the closing means and their shape according to the different use and production procedures.

A first type of known bottle involves, for example, the use of a cap that has a fixed part to the neck, during the molding phase and along pre-established breakage areas, to close the supply mouth.

The lid also comprises a cavity suitable to accommodate the neck of the bottle, which has a sealing element of the dispensing mouth and initially rotates outward, on the opposite side with respect to the part initially fixed to the neck.

The bottle is opened for the first time by separating the cap from the dispensing mouth in the fracture areas and, after using the product, the bottle is closed again by screwing the lid and placing the neck in the cavity, positioning the sealing element inside from the dispensing mouth.

The particular shape of the lid can, however, cause the possible exposure of the cavity and the sealing element to external pollutants before the first use of the bottle, not guaranteeing the integrity of the product during subsequent uses.

To limit the possibility of contamination of the product, a second type of bottle that can be resealed is known, made in a one-piece body, which includes closure means with a sealing element, of the type of plug or the like, placed sealed inside the dispensing mouth and with deformable or breakable elements that connect, without interruption, the closing means to the body of the bottle.

These deformable or breakable elements are suitable to indicate to the user the possible presence of product contamination due to the possible manipulation or accidental opening of the product and therefore have a safe sealing function.

A third type of bottle is still known in which the closing means and the containment body are made in separate pieces, then assembled together.

The closure means of these bottles generally comprise a gripping element with a sealing element, of the type of plug or the like that can be mounted sealed inside the dispensing mouth and a ring-shaped collar that can be coaxially placed and interlocked in the containment body neck.

The grip element is removably associated on the outer surface of the collar by means of a suitable weakened area made, for example, by pre-break lines, or tear-off joints, of reduced sections, etc.

The gripping element, the collar and the plug, therefore, are constructed as a single piece, separately from the container body and the collar is subsequently fixed nailed to the neck, closing the dispensing mouth by means of the plug, such as, for example, It is disclosed in WO2007 144742, document under Art. 54 (3) EPC. Another example is disclosed in DE 19617350.

These known bottles are, however, susceptible to other improvements.

The small size of the dispensing mouths, the caps and the closing elements are in fact a problem for some categories of users.

For people with vision problems or the elderly, for example, who find it difficult to keep their hands still and safe, it may be difficult to replace the lid correctly on the container body to re-close the dispensing opening

In addition, difficulties may also arise in the event that the container is used for the self-application of an eye drops; visual difficulties caused by the use of the pharmaceutical product complicate the correct execution of the closure of the dispensing mouth.

In fact, generally, a small sealing pin has to be mounted in the dispensing mouth, an operation that is often not easy for some categories of users.

Disclosure of the invention

The main objective of the present invention is to provide a special single-dose container for liquid products that can be easily opened and closed, always maintaining the highest hygienic and quality standards

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a special single-dose container for liquid products that allows to overcome the previously mentioned drawbacks of the prior art as part of a simple, easy, rational and efficient use solution that is also cheap.

All of the above objectives are achieved by the present advanced special single-dose container for liquid products according to the attached Claim 1.

Brief description of the drawings

Other additional features and advantages of the present invention will become even more apparent from the description of the preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of a special single-dose container for liquid products, illustratively illustrated by a non-limiting example in the drawings attached here,

Figure 1 is an exploded front view of a container according to the invention; Figure 2 is an exploded side view of a container according to the invention; Figure 3 is a view of the front section of a container according to the invention; Figure 4 is a side sectional view of a container according to the invention; Figure 5 is a front view of a set (strip) of containers according to the invention; Figure 6 is an axonometric view of a set (strip) of containers according to the invention. Ways to carry out the invention

With reference number 1, a special single-dose container for liquid products and usable for the packaging of pharmaceutical, cosmetic or similar products has been globally named, with special reference to the mentioned figures

The container 1 is composed of one or more polymeric materials such as polyethylene or polypropylene, for example, realizable and formable using techniques known as molding or injection.

The container 1 is composed of a hollow container body 2 to contain a liquid product and a neck 3 that extends from the hollow body 2 having a dispensing mouth 4 at its end.

The hollow body 2, in the particular embodiment shown in the figures, has an elongated shape to allow the desired amount of liquid product and to make subsequent closure of the lower part of the container 1 easier (for example, by sealing in warm of the lower lips).

The neck 3 is located at the non-removable end of the hollow body 2 and is composed of a first section 5 arranged in contact with the hollow body 2, a second section 6 of smaller dimensions than those of the first section 5 and a third section 7 placed between the first section 5 and the second section 6. The sections 5, 6 and 7 are, in the particular embodiment shown in the figures, cylindrical and coaxial with the mouth 4.

At the upper end of the second section 6 the dispensing mouth 4 allows the liquid to pass out of the container 1; usually, the small diameter of the second section 6 is suitable to favor controlled dosing of the liquid product for example, when the application of drops is necessary.

The container 1 includes the closing means 8 for closing the dispensing mouth 4 that are removable and associated with the hollow body 2 in the neck 3 and that include a gripping system 9, a sealing element 10 and a ring-shaped collar 11 .

The grip system 9 has a shape that favors the grip with the user's hands and to make it easier to open the container 1; In the preferred embodiment shown in the figures, the grip 9 is composed of two curvilinear faces that define a suitable elongated shape to ensure easier use by visually impaired or elderly people.

It cannot be ruled out that the gripping element 9 is made in the form of a plate, in a rounded form or at the same time with flat or rounded parts

Nor can it be ruled out that the grip system includes gripping elements, such as, for example, horizontal fins to make easier use of the force required for its removal.

The sealing element 10 consists of a vertical cylindrical nail or a cylindrical body integrally supported by the gripping system 9 in coaxial position with respect to the dispensing mouth 4, where it is suitable to be hermetically fixed when the closing means 8 are in the container tightening configuration 1. In particular, the sealing element 10 seals the dispensing mouth 4 by inserting into the second section 6 of the neck

3.

The ring-shaped collar 11 is associated with the neck 3 by interposing coupling means which, in the Embodiment shown in the figures, are the locking means 12.

Advantageously, the locking means 12 are composed of locking means 13 and anti-rotation means 14, the combination of which locks the ring-shaped collar 11 by fixing it to the neck 3.

The locking means 13 block the ring-shaped collar 11 vertically and parallel to the neck 3 and consist of a primary circular protuberance 15 located in the neck 3 that can be grooved to a secondary circular protuberance 16 on the inner surface of the collar-shaped ring 11 and a stop element 17.

The first circular protuberance 15 and the second circular protuberance 16 are coaxial with the dispensing mouth 4.

The stop element 17 is located externally and transversely to the neck 3 near the first section 5, under the ring-shaped collar 11 and coaxial 11 with the dispensing mouth 4.

In particular, the stop element 17 is constructed as a single body piece with the hollow body 2 and has two notches 18 on its side edge; The ring-shaped collar 11, moreover, has a smaller diameter compared to the dimensions of the stop element 17.

Advantageously, the stop element 17 blocks the ring-shaped collar 11 in the direction not prevented by the coupling between the first and the second circular protuberances 15 and 16.

However, other Embodiments should not rule out that the blocking means 13 consist of one or more protuberances of the type of the circular protuberances 15 and 16, installed in the neck 3 and additionally or alternatively in the ring-shaped collar 11 and having the possibility of being associated with the respective circular housing in the ring-shaped collar 11 when the protuberance is in the neck 3 or vice versa.

The coupling means also includes anti-rotation means 14 which are convenient to prevent rotation of the ring-shaped collar 11 around the neck 3 and consist of two teeth 19 protruding downward from the bottom surface of the ring-shaped collar 11 and which are associated with the two notches 18 of the stop element 17

By means of the locking means 13 and the anti-rotation means 14, the ring-shaped collar 11 can neither be removed nor turned and is therefore locked in the neck 3; To properly remove or fit the ring-shaped collar 11, sufficient force must be applied to overcome the recess of the locking means 13.

Advantageously, the gripping means 9 comprises a first threaded portion 20 which is convenient to be associated with a second threaded portion 21 arranged in the neck 3.

The first threaded portion 20 is located within a cover 22 contained in the gripping means 9; the second threaded part 21 is placed externally in the third section 7, in a convenient position to receive the corresponding first threaded portion 20 when the gripping means 9 is associated with the body 2, in order to produce the correct seal between the two parts

The particular shape of the gripping means 9 ensures easier closing of the dispensing mouth 4, because it is no longer necessary to place the sealing element 10 exactly in the dispensing mouth 4, but it is sufficient to couple the second section 6 with the lid 22 obtaining the closure of the dispensing mouth 4 by the sealing element 10 by simply screwing the gripping means 9 into the neck 3.

In addition, the closure of the container, 1 thus achieved, is safer than traditional threadless closures, because screwing the gripping means 9 into the neck 3 creates an airtight seal of the dispensing mouth 4 capable of withstanding any accidental effort that It often causes the removal of the seal and, therefore, the accidental opening of traditional containers.

Advantageously, the ring-shaped collar 11 can be removed associated with the gripping means 9 along pre-established break zones consisting of four tear-off joints 23.

The tear-off joints 23 are arranged on the upper surface of the ring-shaped collar 11 and join the lower surface of the gripping means 9.

In particular, the tear-off joints 23 can be placed on a frame 24 around the ring-shaped collar 11, represented in the figures as two points protruding from the ring-shaped collar 11 and arranged parallel to the gripping means 9. Usually , the container 1 can be equipped with a zone 25, for the support of information, data or logos in the form of labels, engravings or reliefs, whereby the user can be easily informed about the contents of the container 1, on the origin or the expiration date; for example, the area 25 can be located in the body 2 or in the gripping means 9.

When container 1 is opened for the first time or in the case of handling, the tear joints 23 are irreversibly broken, so that the user would be informed that it could happen that the liquid product contained inside has not possibly maintained the quality standards guaranteed by the manufacturer.

The container 1 may be associated in series with other similar or identical containers 1 as shown in Figures 5 and 6, in order to produce the desired length assemblies (strips) that are easy to store, transport and use.

For this purpose, each container 1 has a pair of side projections 26 that are convenient to be associated with the respective side protrusions of the adjacent container 1 and breakable at the time of separation.

The containers 1 can also be associated by means of special pre-break lines along the outer edge of the gripping means 9.

It has been proven, in fact, how the described invention achieves the proposed objectives.

In particular, the fact that the container according to the invention solves the problems linked to the difficulty of closing small-sized containers, in particular when used by certain types of users, such as the elderly or visually impaired, is underlined.

In fact, the presence of the thread makes the positioning operations of the gripping means easier and ensures the perfect closing and sealing of the dispensing mouth in order to better protect the characteristics of the product.

In addition, the presence of various solutions such as a ring-shaped collar fixed on the neck of the bottle and the control means to control the integrity of the product makes the container suitable to fully meet the needs of all users and exceeding demanding quality criteria that should

10 meet the packaging of liquid products such as pharmaceutical or cosmetic products. The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the attached Claims.

All details can also be replaced with other technically equivalent ones. In practice, the material used, as well as the shapes and dimensions can be any according to the requirements without leaving the

15 scope of the appended claims.

Claims (13)

1. Updated single-dose container (1) especially for liquid products, comprising: a hollow body container (2) for a liquid product, a neck (3) that extends from said container body (2) and is provided with a dispensing mouth (4) for said product, said neck (3), comprising a substantially cylindrical first section (5) disposed near said container body

(2)

and coaxial with said dispensing mouth (4), a substantially cylindrical second section (6), smaller in size than said first section (5), disposed near said dispensing mouth (4) and substantially coaxial with said first section (5) and a substantially cylindrical third section (7) placed between said first section (5) and said second section (6); closing means (8) for closing said dispensing mouth (4), said closing means (8), comprising a grip (9) that integrally supports a sealing element (10) of said mouth of dispensing

(4)

 and with a first threaded portion (20) suitable for cooperation with a second threaded portion (21), mounted on the external surface of said third section (7) of said neck (3) and a ring-shaped collar

(eleven)

 disposed in said neck (3) by interposing coupling means (12) and removably associated with said gripping means (9) along predetermined areas of rupture (23), wherein said coupling means (12 ) are of the interlocking type and include locking means

(13)

 to block said ring-shaped collar (11) in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of said neck (3) and anti-rotation means (14) of said ring-shaped collar (11) on said neck (3), in the said fracture zones (23) are irreversibly lacerated with the consequent elimination in said ring-shaped collar (11) of said gripping means (9), when said container (1) is opened for the first time by unscrewing said means of closure (8) with said gripping means (9) from said neck (3) with said dispensing mouth (4), wherein said locking means (13) comprise:

at least a first circular protuberance (15) or housing, formed externally in said first section (5) of said neck (3), which is provided to be coupled to at least a second circular protuberance (16) or housing, substantially coaxial with said dispensing mouth (4), formed on the inner surface of said ring-shaped collar (11); and at least one stop element (17), for axially stopping said ring-shaped collar (11), placed externally and transversely to said first section (5) of said neck, below said ring-shaped collar (11) and substantially coaxial with said dispensing mouth (4) and characterized by those anti-rotation means (14) including at least one tooth (19) extending below said ring-shaped collar (11) and which it is associable with a lateral notch (18) in said stop element (17).

2.

Container according to Claim 1, characterized in that said stop element (17) is adapted to block said ring-shaped collar (11) in the direction not defined by the coupling between said first and second protuberances (15, 16).

3.

Container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said stop element (17) is made in a single body piece with said neck (3).

Four.

Container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said gripping means is substantially plate-shaped.

5.

Container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said gripping means includes at least one substantially flat outer face.

6.

Container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said gripping means comprises at least one substantially curvilinear outer face.

7.

 Container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said gripping means (9) is integrally associated with a lid (22) that includes said sealing element (10) and said first thread portion (20) .

8.

Container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said gripping means (9) includes at least one substantially horizontal gripping element.

9.

Container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said sealing element (10) includes at least one substantially cylindrical nail suitable for being installed in sealed form within said dispensing mouth (4).

10.

 Container according to one or more of the preceding Claims, characterized in that said pre-established areas of rupture include at least one tear-off joint (23) installed between said gripping means (9) and said ring-shaped collar (11).

11. Container according to claim 10, wherein said ring-shaped collar (11) includes a frame (24) 5 around its upper face, characterized in that said tear-off joint (23) is located in said frame (24)

12.

 Container according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the unions (23) are four.

13.

 Container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of said container bodies (2) and said gripping means (9) includes at least one area (25) as support for the information, data or logos.

10 14. Set (strips) of single-dose containers, especially for liquid products, according to any of the preceding claims, wherein each container (1) has a pair of lateral protuberances (26) that are connected to the respective lateral protrusions of the containers adjacent and adapted to be broken to be broken at the time of separation of the containers (1) from said assembly.