JPS6160468A - Folding vessel - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION AND THE PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the packaging of liquids in that the sterility of the liquid within the packaging can be maintained for an extended period of time. One example of the utility of such packaging is in the storage and dispensing of liquid drugs, particularly in so-called multi-dose packages where several doses of the drug are sequentially dispensed over a period of time. . Essentially, sterility of liquid medicaments is maintained during the period of dispensing, and in the past it has been necessary to incorporate preservatives within the liquid medicament to accomplish this. Mixing preservatives can make prescribing a liquid drug more difficult and may lead to undesirable side effects for users of the liquid drug. The present invention aims to provide improved packaging for liquid pharmaceuticals and other liquids that need to be protected from contamination. Further examples of such liquids include sterilizing liquids used for storage and cleaning of contact lenses, such as saline liquids and portable liquids such as milk and wine. In the latter case, the contamination to be minimized includes the ingress of oxygen into contact with the wine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a collapsible container for holding a liquid that needs to be protected from contamination, wherein as the liquid contained therein is dispensed, the container collapses and a valve assembly for permitting the exit of liquid from the container but generally inhibiting the ingress of contaminants into the container, the valve assembly comprising: (a) a hollow protrusion extending outwardly from the container; the protrusion, the interior of the protrusion is in communication with the interior of the container, and the protrusion outer end is closed and adjacent the outer end to permit liquid passage from the interior of the protrusion to the exterior. (b) a resiliently extensible closure element retained on the protrusion, the protrusion comprising one or more radially extending apertures that can
covering the outermost ends of the one or more apertures and being in sealing contact with the outer surface of the protrusion around the one or more apertures, said contact releasing liquid between the closure element and the protrusion. A collapsible container is provided comprising a closure element which may be at least partially destroyed by compressing the container for ejection.

The elastic closure element is preferably a sleeve, made of latex or silicone rubber, for example, surrounding the protrusion, so that liquid expelled from the container through the one or more openings is confined between the protrusion and the sleeve. and flows between them to the outer end of the protrusion.

Advantageously, the sleeve is fitted onto the projection such that its outer end is flush with the nine seats of the projection. Preferably, the outer end of the projection is provided with a device for reducing the retention of water droplets. The device is advantageously provided as a concave surface to the outer end of the projection and a sharp edge formed around the periphery of the outer end of the projection. The protrusion may be circular or otherwise shaped to provide a generally flat or slightly convex surface about the outermost end of the or each radially extending aperture.

Preferably, the cover comprises a sealing member and is movable from a first position in which it contacts the closure element and prevents the escape of liquid and a second position in which the sealing member is spaced from the closure element. be. Conveniently, the sealing member is a finger which exerts pressure on that part of the sleeve overlapping the outermost end of the one or more openings in the first position.

The valve assembly includes a cover to enclose it when not in use. The container may include a pouch formed from a sheet plastic material or from pressed flat (Iay41at) tubing, and a valve assembly affixed to one end or one side of the pouch. The sachet may also be contained within an outer container that is adapted to collapse as the contents of the sachet are released, or the sachet may be secured to a collapsible support such that the support collapses. The pouch is placed so that it is compressed between the folded parts of the support as the container is folded.
It is manufactured by blow molding in a shape such as a concertina shape or a bellows shape.

The present invention also provides a collapsible container for holding a liquid drug or other liquid that needs to be sterilized, the container collapsing as the liquid contained therein is dispensed; and a valve assembly for permitting the exit of liquid from the container but preventing the ingress of air into the container, the valve assembly being (a) a hollow projection extending outwardly from the container; , in which the interior of the projection is in communication with the interior of the container and the outer end of the projection is closed and adjacent the outer end, the liquid can be passed from the interior of the projection to the outside. a protrusion having one or more radially extending openings; and (b)
) a resilient material surrounding the protrusion and in sealing contact with the outer surface of the protrusion along at least a portion of its length adjacent to the outermost end of the one or more radially extending ports; A collapsible container containing a sleeve is provided.

The invention will now be explained in detail by the following description of some embodiments. The description refers to the accompanying drawings and is given by way of example only.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows a valve assembly 1 connected to a flexible container 2. The valve assembly 1 is shown in FIG. Valve assembly 1 includes a projection 3 extending from an annular flange 4 and an annular wall 5 extending from the face of flange 4 opposite the projection. The wall 5 is connected to the neck 6 of the container.
watertightly fitted in and held there by joint action between an annular tapered enlargement 7 around the outer surface of the wall 5 and an annular matching tongue and groove II 48 around the inner surface of the neck 6. There is. The lower surface of the annular flange 4 abuts the outer end of the neck 6.

The projection 3 is hollow and closed at its outer end. The interior space of the protrusion 3 communicates with the interior of the container. A radially extending opening 9 in the wall of the projection allows liquid to pass from the interior space. The projection 3 has a circular cross-section, but is preferably generally flat or slightly convex in the plane of the projection 3. The elastic sleeve 1o is, for example, silicone rubber or latex, preferably with a hydrophobic surface, and extends around the protrusion 3 or along its entire length. The sleeve 12 is preferably fitted over the projection 3 such that its outer end is flush with the outer end of the projection 3. The outer end of the projection 3 is advantageously concave and the periphery of the outer end is preferably formed with a sharp edge.

The protrusion 3 comprises an annular raised portion 11 which helps to hold the sleeve 1o in place thereon. Advantageously, the sleeve is held in position by an annular retainer, which may be an integrally formed annular bead (not shown in FIG. Alternatively, the sleeve may be sealed to the projection 3 adjacent the flange 4.

When the sleeve 1o is in a stretched state and pressure is applied to the container, the liquid contained therein will flow through the opening 9.
through and then between the outer surface of the projection and a sleeve that is elastically stretched to allow passage of liquid. To allow the liquid to be dispensed to flow to the dispensing outlet of the valve assembly, the protrusion 3 is tapered along its length;
or sleeve 1 in its unstretched state
o may be of larger diameter at the end which overlaps the outer part of the projection 3 in use.

Once the pressure in the container is released, the liquid flow stops and the elastic sleeve returns to its original shape and the opening 9
cut off. Since the sleeve 10 hugs the protrusion, it prevents the ingress of air and potential contamination from the atmosphere.

Furthermore, to minimize the risk of contamination, the protrusion is surrounded by a cover 12 comprising an annular flange 13 and an inwardly directed annular flange 14 around the base of the annular side wall. An inwardly directed annular flange 14 is positioned between the lower surface of the annular flange 14 and an outwardly directed annular flange 15 about the neck θ adjacent the outer end of the neck. be done. The outer end of the cover 12 is attached to the side wall 13 by an integrally molded hinge 17.
It is closed by a hinged closure 16. The inner surface of the closure 16 has a central annular sealing member 18 which contacts the outer end of the projection 3 when in its closed position as shown in FIG. The outer end of the projection includes a frustoconical surface underlying the sleeve 10. When the cover is in place on the container as shown in FIG. 1, the sealing member 18 engages the sleeve at this point to provide a secondary seal.

The inner surface of the R11 plug 16 inside the sealing member 18 may be provided with an absorbent pad-like device, perhaps impregnated with a preservative to reduce droplet formation and localized contamination during dispensing. .

The projection 3.7, the flange 4 and the wall 5 may be molded in one piece from any suitable synthetic plastics material, for example by injection molding. The neck 6 is formed, for example, by blow molding, or the neck 6 is attached, for example, to the container by a flange 19, which may be formed separately from the container and sealed to the container, for example by welding or gluing. Cover 12 may also be molded from a molded synthetic plastic material. Sleeve 10 may be formed from natural or synthetic rubber, such as latex or silicone rubber, or a suitable elastic synthetic plastic material. The container and its contents are sterilized, for example by gamma radiation after filling.

Container 2 may take any convenient shape provided that it can be compressed to release its contents. Preferably, the container should be collapsible so that all contents can be released. In its simplest form, the container consists of two sheets of synthetic plastic material sealed together, for example by welding around their edges, or the so-called “
A flexible pouch formed from "1ay-flat" tubing may be included. A valve assembly may be attached to one end of such a pouch, or the valve assembly may be It may also be attached to one side of the pouch.

The pouch may be contained within an outer pouch. Examples of containers of this type are shown diagrammatically in FIGS. 2 to 4.

In these figures, a flexible pouch 20 formed from two sheets of PlusDeck material 21, 22 sealed together by a weld 23 is surrounded by an outer container 24, conveniently made from 19 paper. ing. A valve assembly 25 attached to one side of the pouch 2o extends outwardly through an opening in the wall of the outer container. The end wall of the outer container is grooved and cut as shown in FIG.
The outer container can be folded to compress the pouch and release the liquid contained therein when the outer container is folded, as shown in FIG.

Another dispensing container is illustrated in FIG. 5, in which a pouch 30 containing the liquid to be dispensed is connected to a valve assembly 33.
a foldable support 31 having an opening 32 through which the
is attached to. The pouch 3° may be attached, for example, by adhesive or, for example, double-sided adhesive tape. The support part is
It may be formed from cardboard with a central fold 34 or from a molded synthetic plastic material with a reduced thickness central hinge portion 34. One end of the support part 31 is provided with an apertured flange 35 by the device from which the support part 31 is suspended. Before use, the support 31 with its attached pouch may be suspended by the flange 35 in its unfolded state as shown in FIG. This provides a convenient display feature for packaging at the retail outlet where it is to be sold. In use, the liquid within the pouch 30 is released by folding the two parts of the support together and compressing the pouch between them.

The folded package may be suspended from the flange 35 or placed on the table with an opening on the top of the table and a support half containing a valve assembly 33 extending downwardly adjacent the edge of the table. It may also be used on a table by placing the folded package on the table. Downward pressure on other parts of the support causes liquid to be released.

Initially, containers had a more rigid shape;
There is therefore no need for an external container or support as previously described. Such containers need to be collapsible and release their liquid contents in rough use. However, the actual shape of these rigid but collapsible containers is not suitable for use where liquid is to be filled or to provide an attractive package that attracts potential consumers to the package. It may be of any shape. Suitable containers can be fabricated by well known techniques such as blow molding into various shapes. FIG. 6 shows that a valve assembly such as that previously described is attached to the proximal extension 4 of a concertina-like container 42.
1 shows a concertina-like container attached to 1. Figures 7 and 8 show a round-shaped container 43 with a valve assembly attached to the neck. The container is 2
It includes two generally flat triangular surfaces 45a and 45b. The sides of the container have fold lines 46, 47 and 48 as shown in FIG.
As 5b is moved together, the sides can be folded inward. The base of the container also includes a central fold line (not shown) to facilitate folding of the container.

The liquid contents are released by compressing the container by pushing the two surfaces 45a and 45b towards each other.

In another embodiment shown in FIGS. 9-10,
The protrusion 3 has a single opening 9 and the closure 16 is
In its closed position it is intended to exert a lateral pressure on the sleeve at the point where it overlaps the opening 9 and forms an effective seal before the first use and during subsequent use. There is. In FIG. 9, the sleeve 10 is held in place by an annular retainer 5o formed integrally with the sleeve 10. In FIG. The cover 12, which has an annular wall 16 surrounding the projection 3, also has a closure 16 hinged to the annular wall by an integrally molded hinge 17, said hinge 17 being in the closed position shown in solid lines. Alternatively, it may include an integrally molded spring portion 51 of a type known in the art for biasing the cover into either of the released positions shown in dashed lines. The lower side of the closure 16 is provided with downwardly depending fingers 52 which are pressed into contact with the portion of the sleeve 1o overlapping the outlet of the opening 9 in the closed position. The contact surface of the fingers 52 and the surface for the projection 3 accommodating the outlet of the aperture 9 are such that in the closed position the fingers exert a lateral pressure on the sleeve, sealing the outlet of the aperture 9; Complementary contours are formed to prevent spillage of liquid prior to initial use and during subsequent use.

10, the cover 12 is similar to that shown in FIG. 9, except that the hinged cover 16 extends only over a portion of the outer wall 53 of the cover 12. It is shown that Other components shown in FIG. 10 have reference numerals used for corresponding components in FIG. 1st
1, the cover 12 is shown in a sealed position (shown in solid lines) in which the downwardly depending fingers 52 are in contact with the portion of the sleeve 1o overlapping the outlet of the opening 9;
It is noted that the end wall 53 of the cover carries a slidable closure 54 which is movable from a dispensing position (shown in dashed lines) located adjacent the annular wall 13 of the cover 12. It is shown.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 is a sectional view of the valve assembly; FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a dispensing container according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the container of FIG. 2; FIG. 5 is an exploded view of another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 6 is a perspective view of yet another embodiment in which the container is shaped like a concertina; FIG. 7 8 is a perspective view of another embodiment in which the container has a bellows shape, and FIGS. 9, 10, and 11 are sectional views of still other embodiments of the present invention. 1.25.33.40.44... Valve assembly, 2...
1 elastic container, 3... protrusion, 9... opening extending in the radial direction, 10... elastic sleeve, 16... IVl blocking part, 18
...Sealing member.

Claims (11)

[Claims] (1) A collapsible container holding a liquid that needs to be protected from contamination, the container collapsing as the liquid contained therein is dispensed and allowing the liquid to flow out of the container. , but generally includes a valve assembly for preventing ingress of contaminants into the container, the valve assembly comprising: (a) a hollow projection extending outwardly from the container; is in communication with the interior of the container and the outer end of the protrusion is closed, and adjacent to the outer end is one
(b) a protrusion comprising one or more radially extending apertures, the apertures being capable of passing liquid from the interior of the protrusion outwardly; and (b) the most of the one or more apertures. covering the outer end and being in sealing contact with the outer surface of the protrusion about the one or more openings, said contact compressing the container to release liquid between the closure element and the protrusion; 1. A collapsible container comprising an elastically stretchable closure element held on a projection so as to be at least partially rupturable. (2) A collapsible container according to claim 1, wherein the resilient closure element is a sleeve surrounding the protrusion, whereby liquid expelled from the container through the one or more openings is directed to the protrusion. and a sleeve flowing to the outer end of the protrusion. (3) A collapsible container according to claim 2, wherein the sleeve is made of latex or silicone rubber. (4) A collapsible container according to claim 2 or 3, in which the sleeve is fitted over the protrusion such that its outer end is flush with the end of the protrusion. A collapsible container consisting of (5) A collapsible container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a device for reducing the retention force of water droplets is provided at the outer end of the protrusion. possible container. (6) In the collapsible container according to claim 3, the device for reducing the retention of water droplets is formed on a concave surface to the outer end of the protrusion and around the periphery of the outer end. A collapsible container that is provided with sharp edges. (7) In the collapsible container according to any one of claims 1 to 6, the cross section of the protrusion has an entirely flat or slightly convex surface at each radius. A collapsible container adapted to be disposed about an outer edge of an opening extending in a direction. (8) A collapsible container according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the valve assembly is provided with a cover for enclosing it when not in use. Collapsible container. (9) A collapsible container according to claim 8, wherein the cover comprises a sealing member, the sealing member contacting the closure element to prevent liquid from flowing out. A collapsible container comprising a position and a second position movable from a second position in which the sealing member is spaced from the closure element. (10) A collapsible container according to claim 8, in which the sealing member acts in a first position on the portion of the sleeve that overlaps the outermost end of the one or more openings. A collapsible container consisting of fingers. (11) A collapsible container for holding a liquid drug or other liquid that needs to be sterilized, the container collapsing as the liquid contained therein is dispensed and the liquid being removed from the container. comprising a valve assembly that allows air to flow out but prevents air from entering the container;
The valve assembly comprises: (a) a hollow projection extending outwardly from the container, the interior of the projection communicating with the interior of the container, and the outer end of the projection being closed; (b) a protrusion having one or more radially extending apertures adjacent its outer end through which liquid can pass from the interior of the protrusion to the outside; comprising a resilient sleeve in sealing contact with the outer surface of the protrusion and surrounding the protrusion along at least a portion of its length adjacent to the outermost end of the radially extending aperture; Collapsible container.