FR2862620A1 - Container/dispenser assembly for liquid medication has neck with retaining member for security ring attached to cap - Google Patents

Abstract

The assembly (1), comprising a container with a neck (9) closed by a screw cap (33) and a security ring (35) attached to the cap by a breakable zone (37), has the neck made with a disc-shaped retaining member (22) to engage with at least one projection (45) on the security ring and hold it in place after the cap has been unscrewed and the breakable zone ruptured. The projections (45) can be spaced at regular intervals and shaped to engage with teeth on the retaining member.

Description

The present invention relates to a packaging and

  dispensing a liquid, the assembly being of the type comprising:

  a container having a dispensing neck extending along a longitudinal axis, and a device for closing the container, the closure device itself comprising: a plug intended to be screwed onto the dispensing neck; and E a tamper-evident ring disposed under the plug and made of material with the plug via a frangible region, the tamper-evident ring comprising bearing elements and the dispensing collar comprising stops on which the support elements are intended to support during the unscrewing of the plug in order to lock the tamper-proof ring in rotation about the longitudinal axis with respect to the dispensing neck and to cause the rupture of the frangible region. .

  The invention applies, for example, to the packaging and dispensing of medicaments for oral administration.

  It will be observed that the invention relates to an assembly whose tamperproof ring is formed integrally with the plug, as opposed to the case where these two elements are separate parts.

  In an assembly of the aforementioned type, the tamperproof ring makes it possible to ensure that the packaging and distribution assembly has not already been used.

  Indeed, the frangible region is broken at the first use, thus making it easy to distinguish already used sets from unused sets.

  A liquid, such as one of the above-mentioned drugs, must not be contaminated after it has been packaged and before the first use of the packaging and dispensing unit containing it.

  Thus, tamper rings, whose break is obtained by simple longitudinal retention of the ring relative to the neck during unscrewing of the cap, are not used in such an application.

  Indeed, these tamper-evident rings, which are separated from the plugs after purely longitudinal stretching of the frangible region, allow a relative rotation between the plug and the neck before too much break.

  Typically, the plug can rotate at an angle of between about 90 and 120 about the longitudinal axis before the frangible region breaks.

  This relative rotation is large enough to allow contamination of the conditioned liquid in the container. That is why such tamper-evident rings are not used in the field of application mentioned above.

  It has been preferred to use in the state of the art for tamper-proof rings whose separation with respect to the plug is caused, during the unscrewing of the plug, by a locking in rotation of the tamper-proof ring with respect to the neck of the container.

  The frangible region, which is generally formed by bridges, is then subjected to stretching not only longitudinally but also laterally.

  These tamper-proof rings thus make it possible to guarantee the sterility of the liquid contained in the container before the first use of the packaging and dispensing assembly.

  However, the risks associated with the use of such packaging packages are still too great.

  An object of the invention is to solve this problem by providing a set of the aforementioned type which limits the risks associated with its use, especially for the oral administration of a drug.

  For this purpose, the invention relates to a packaging and dispensing assembly of the aforementioned type, characterized in that the dispensing neck further comprises at least one retaining member and the tamper-evident ring comprises at least one projection intended to engage under the retaining member so that it retains longitudinally the tamper-evident ring on the dispensing neck after rupture of the frangible region.

  According to particular embodiments, the assembly may comprise one or more of the following characteristics, taken in isolation or in any technically possible combination: the retaining member is disposed longitudinally under the abutments; a longitudinal clearance between the support elements and the retaining member when the projection is engaged under the retaining member, the stops are arranged on the retaining member, the retaining member is a disk, the stops are notches, the assembly comprises a plurality of projections spaced angularly around the longitudinal axis and intended to engage under the retaining member, and the projection or each projection comprises a suitable lower ramp surface. to allow the crossing of the stops and the retaining member in one and the same movement of the closure device relative to the neck.

  The invention will be better understood on reading the following description, given solely by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, lateral and partially sectional view; of a liquid conditioning and dispensing assembly according to the invention, - Figure 2 is a schematic, partial, enlarged and sectional view, taken along the line II-II of Figure 1, and illustrating the notches of locking in rotation and the retaining disk of the tamper-evident ring of the assembly of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a schematic view, in longitudinal and enlarged section, of the closure device of the assembly of FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is an enlarged schematic view of part V of the assembly of FIG. 1 before use, and FIG. 6 is a view similar to Figure 4 after separation of the bou chon of the whole of Figure 1 for use.

  Figure 1 schematically illustrates a set 1 of packaging and dispensing a drug for oral administration.

  This assembly 1 comprises a container 3 and a device 5 for closing the container 3.

  The container 3 is in the example shown a plastic bottle. This vial 3 contains the drug in liquid form which has not been shown in the figures.

  The bottle 3 comprises a body 7 extended by an upper neck 9 of liquid distribution. The neck 9 extends along a longitudinal axis L. This axis L is oriented vertically when the bottle 3 rests on the bottom 11 of the body 7, as illustrated in FIG.

  Conventionally, the walls of the body 7 are elastically deformable under the action of a transverse force to cause a decrease in the internal volume of the body 7 and thus allow the expulsion of the liquid through the neck 9.

  A dropper tip 13 is disposed at the upper end of the neck 9.

  A passage 15 extends longitudinally in the nozzle 13. In a conventional manner, the passage 15 has a downstream orifice 17 (at the top in FIG. 1) intended to allow the liquid to leave the bottle 3 and the inlet of air inside the bottle 3.

  The neck 9 has several external reliefs including upper threads 19, intermediate notches 21 and a lower disc 22.

  As shown more particularly in FIG. 2, the neck 9 comprises several notches 21, 10 in the example shown, which are distributed angularly around the axis L. The notches 21 have large sliding faces 23 and small ones. blocking faces 25 which meet to form outer ends 27 of the notches 21.

  The sliding surfaces 23 extend from the inside towards the outer ends 27, in the clockwise screwing direction shown by the arrow V in FIG. 2.

  It will be noted that two diametrically opposite regions 29 of the neck 9 are devoid of notches in order to allow demolding of the bottle 3 during its production.

  Except for these two regions 29, the notches 21 are distributed angularly regularly around the axis L. The notches 21 are arranged just in front of the disk 22, that is to say on it as seen in FIG. 1 .

  Specifically, the notches 21 extend upwardly from the upper surface 31 of the disc 22. Thus, the disc 22 and the notches 21 are integral and form a block.

  The disk 22 is centered on the axis L and is oriented horizontally. Its diameter is such that its outer edge 32 is flush with the outer ends 27 of the notches 21, as can be seen in FIG. 2. As a variant, the diameter of the disk 22 may be greater for its wafer 32 to be radially spaced towards the outside relative to the ends 27 of the notches.

  Typically, the longitudinal height h of the notches 21 may be about 1.6 mm. The longitudinal thickness e of the disk 22 may be about 0.5 mm. These quantities h and e are visible in FIG.

  As illustrated by FIGS. 3 and 4, the closure device 5 comprises an upper plug 33 and a lower tamperproof ring 35. The plug 33 and the ring 35 are connected, as will be seen later, by a frangible region. formed by frangible bridges 37. Only 3 bridges 37 are visible in Figure 3 but the device 5 comprises 5 in the example shown. These bridges 37 are regularly angularly distributed around the longitudinal axis L. The bridges 37 are integral with the plug 33 and with the tamper-proof ring 35 so that the closing device 5 is formed in one piece. piece.

  The plug 33 comprises internal reliefs in the form of an upper pin 39 for closing the passage 15 of the nozzle 13. This pin 39 projects downwards from the upper wall of the plug 33.

  The plug 33 further has internal threads 41 arranged in its central section. These threads 41 are complementary threads 19 provided on the neck 9. In the vicinity of each bridge 37, the plug 33 is extended downwardly by tabs 38 inclined outwardly.

  The tamper-proof ring 35 also has internal projections including tabs 43 and ribs 45.

  The tongues 43 are for example uniformly distributed angularly around the longitudinal axis L. In the example shown, the tamper-proof ring 35 comprises five tabs 43.

  Each tongue 43 is inclined and extends from its outer end 47 integral with the ring 35 towards its inner end 49, in the opposite direction V. The lower ends of the bridges 37 are integral with the inner ends 49 tabs 43.

  The ribs 45 are disposed longitudinally at a distance below the tabs 43 and are angularly offset from the latter. These ribs 45 have an angular extent so that they form arcs of a circle. These ribs 45, 5 in number in the example shown, are for example regularly distributed angularly about the longitudinal axis L. The ribs 45 have a convex section and thus have a lower ramp surface 51 inclined downwards and towards the outside and an upper surface 53 inclined in the opposite direction.

  Initially, the bottle 3 and the closing device 5 are supplied separately, the bridges 37 then being intact.

  After filling the bottle 3 and attaching the tip 13 to the latter, the closure device 5 is assembled on the neck 9.

  This assembly is ensured by screwing the plug 33 on the neck 9, that is to say by rotating the plug 33 about the axis L in the direction V with respect to the neck 9. During this movement, the external threads 19 collar 9 and the inner threads 41 of the plug 33 cooperate to cause the downward movement of the closure device 5 with respect to the bottle 3.

  When the ramp surfaces 51 of the ribs 45 meet the notches 21, it is necessary to exert a greater torque and a downward thrust on the plug 33. The tabs 38 then come to bear on the inviolability tab 35 which encounters, because of the notches 21, resistance to its longitudinal descent. Due to the thrust exerted, the notches 21 cause, thanks to the inclination of the ramp surfaces 51, a slight elastic expansion of the ring 35 which will allow the ribs 45 to pass around the notches 21 and the disc 22.

  The overall height of the block formed by the notches 21 and the disc 22 is small enough that a single downward movement allows the ribs 45 to cross this block.

  The ribs 45 are then passed under the disk 22 and the languet-10 tes 43 are opposite the notches 21.

  The assembly 1 is then in its assembled configuration before use illustrated by FIGS. 1 and 5.

  In FIG. 5, which is an enlarged view of the part V of FIG. 1, it can be seen that there is then a clearance J between the upper surface 31 of the disc 22 and the lower ends of the tongues 43. tabs 43 were not damaged during assembly of the closure device 5 and the bottle 3.

  If the plug 33 is rotated about the axis L with respect to the neck 9 in the direction opposite to the direction V, the inner ends 49 of the tongues 43 bear against the locking faces 25 of the notches 21. contacting is typically performed after a rotation less than 30.

  If the relative rotation is then interrupted, it has not been sufficient for contaminating agents to have been able to penetrate inside the bottle 3 via the passage 15 of the dropper tip 13. If the relative rotation continues, the tabs 43 are braced against the retaining faces 25 of the notches 21.

  The notches 21 then block the ring 35 in rotation about the axis L in the direction opposite to the direction V with respect to the neck 9.

  The unscrewing of the plug 33, that is to say the rotation in the opposite direction in the direction V, is continued, the bridges 37 are then subjected to longitudinal and lateral drawing forces which very quickly cause them to rupture.

  The plug 33 is then separated from the tamperproof ring 35. The unscrewing of the plug 33 can then continue freely until it is completely free of the neck 9.

  Figure 6 illustrates the assembly 1 at the end of this release. If it is desired to administer the liquid contained in the bottle 3, the assembly 1 is turned over in order to dispose the tip 13 facing the open mouth of a patient, for example a young child.

  Then press the side walls of the body 7 of the bottle 3 until administering the desired number of drops. During this distribution, the upper surfaces 53 (as seen in FIG. 5) of the ribs 45 bear against the lower surface 57 (as seen in FIG. 5) of the dis-22.

  The disc 22 then retains the ring 35 relative to the neck 9 against the effect of gravity.

  The risk of the ring 35 of the bottle 3 dropping and of ingestion of the latter by the patient are therefore eliminated.

  In addition, the assembly 1 makes it possible to ensure good sterility of the liquid before dispensing and to ensure that it has not already been used.

  The costs associated with the assembly 1 are reduced because the closure device 5 is in one piece. This advantage is further increased by the one-piece construction of the disc 22 and the notches 21 which allows the ribs 45 to pass through the notches 21 and the disc 22 during a single movement of the closure device 5.

  As a variant, it will be observed that this last characteristic can be absent.

  In other variants also, the disc 22 of longitudinal retention of the tamperproof ring 35 after separation of the plug 33 may be replaced by a retaining member separated from the notches 21 and having a shape different from that of a disc.

  In particular, this retaining member may comprise several sections angularly distributed about the axis L. Similarly, the ribs 45 may be replaced by a continuous ring or discontinuous, or have other forms than those described above.

  Note also that the liquid contained is not necessarily a drug for oral application. In general, the invention can be applied to the preservation and distribution of any type of liquid.

Claims (8)

  1. Set (1) for packaging and dispensing a liquid, the assembly being of the type comprising: - a container (3) having a dispensing neck (9) extending along a longitudinal axis (L ), and - a device (5) for closing the container (3), the closing device (5) comprising itself: É a plug (33) intended to be screwed onto the dispensing neck (9), and a tamperproof ring (35) disposed under the plug (33) and integrally formed with the plug (33) via a frangible region (37), the tamper-evident ring (35) comprising elements support (43) and the dispensing neck (9) comprising abutments (21) on which the support elements (43) are intended to bear when the stopper (33) is unscrewed in order to lock the ring inviolability (35) in rotation about the longitudinal axis (L) with respect to the dispensing neck (9) and causing rupture of the frangible region (37), characterized in that ue the dispensing neck (9) further comprises at least one retaining member (22) and the tamperproof ring (35) comprises at least one projection (45) for engaging under the retaining member (22). ) so that it retains longitudinally the tamperproof ring (35) on the dispensing neck (9) after rupture of the frangible region (37).   2. An assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the retaining member (22) is disposed longitudinally under the stops (21).   3. An assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that there is a longitudinal clearance (J) between the support elements (43) and the retaining member (22) when the projection (45) is engaged under the retaining member (22).   4. Assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stops (21) are arranged on the retaining member (22).   5. Assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the retaining member is a disc (22).   6. Assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stops are notches (21).   7. Assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of projections (45) spaced angularly about the longitudinal axis (L) and intended to engage under the retaining member (22). .   8. Assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the projection or each projection (45) comprises a lower ramp surface (51) adapted to allow the crossing of the stops (21) and the retaining member ( 22) in a single movement of the iron-setting device (5) relative to the neck (9).