WO1998030469A1

WO1998030469A1 - Dispensing device

Info

Publication number: WO1998030469A1
Application number: PCT/GB1998/000022
Authority: WO
Inventors: Edward Craig Stevenson
Original assignee: University Of Aberdeen
Priority date: 1997-01-07
Filing date: 1998-01-06
Publication date: 1998-07-16
Also published as: GB2324576A; GB9700184D0; AU5490398A; GB9800232D0

Abstract

A dispensing device (10) for dispensing fluid from a pressurised fluid container (50) provided with a depressable dispensing nozzle (54). The dispensing device comprises a body (14) for receiving a pressurised fluid container, and an actuating member (12) pivotally connected in relation to the body. The actuating member is movable between a nozzle actuating position and nozzle non-actuating position for selective actuation of the depressable dispensing nozzle on the fluid container.

Description

DISPENSING DEVICE

This invention relates to a dispensing device for use with a pressurized fluid container. In particular the invention concerns a dispensing device for use with a pressurized fluid container having a depressable nozzle for dispensing pharmaceutical products, personal hygiene products or cosmetics for example.

Pressurized fluid containers having a depressable nozzle for dispensing pharmaceutical products, personal hygiene products or cosmetics are well known. For the vast majority of users these devices present no problem at all since the product contained within the container is dispensed by the user by depressing the nozzle against a relatively small biasing force. In general, these devices are designed so that the biasing force is sufficient to prevent the nozzle from being depressed inadvertently, for example when the container is being carried.

For users who suffer medical conditions such as arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease and other neuro-degenerative and/or disabling disorders, the force required to depress the nozzle of these devices can be too great or may cause the user to experience extreme pain. There is usually a lack of manual dexterity associated with these conditions and this can cause further problems for users with these conditions. In particular, it can be difficult for such users to control the direction in which the product is dispensed. In this respect, it is often impractical or inconvenient for individuals who suffer from these and similar medical conditions to administer pharmaceutical products, personal hygiene products or cosmetics from such devices without the assistance of a helper.

An object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing device for use with a pressurized fluid container having a depressable nozzle which assists the user in applying sufficient downward force on the nozzle of the container to dispense the product contained therein without the assistance of a helper.

According to the present invention, there is provided a dispensing device for use with a pressurised fluid container having a depressable nozzle for dispensing fluid therefrom, the dispensing device comprising a body portion for receiving a pressurised fluid container therein, and an actuating member pivotally connected in relation to the body portion, said actuating member being movable between a nozzle actuating position and nozzle non-actuating position for selective actuation of a depressable dispensing nozzle on said container.

In this way, the actuating member can apply a mechanical advantage to the nozzle so that the nozzle can be depressed by the application of a significantly lower force. Preferably, handle means are provided for manual manipulation of said actuating member to said actuating position. This provides for improved control of the dispensing device by the user.

Conveniently, said handle means includes a first elongate element fixed in relation to said body portion and a second elongate element fixed in relation to said actuating member. In this way, the force required to depress the nozzle can be applied at a point remote from the nozzle so that the mechanical advantage of the actuating member can be maximized. In preferred embodiments, said second elongate element is provided at the distal end of said actuating element and a downwardly extending actuating element is provided adjacent to and spaced from the proximal end thereof for engagement with said nozzle. This further increases the mechanical advantage of the actuating member and thereby further reduces the force required to depress the nozzle.

Preferably, said body portion is provided with centering means for centering a pressurised fluid container retained within said body portion. In this way, the dispensing device can be used for a range of pressurized fluid containers having different diameters.

Conveniently, said centering means includes a plurality of elongate resilient elements disposed in spaced relation about an internal periphery of said body portion. In this way, the pressurized fluid container can be restrained within the body portion at a plurality of points on an outer surface thereof.

In preferred embodiments, said elongate resilient elements are arcuate. In this way, the pressurized fluid container can be readily inserted and removed from the body portion of the dispensing device. Preferably, said body portion has a lattice framework structure. In this way, the overall weight of the dispensing device can be minimized.

Conveniently, said body portion is transparent. This allows the user to identify the container within the body portion without removing the container.

In preferred embodiments, said actuating member is detachably mounted to said body portion. In this way, the actuating member can be detached from the body portion to allow insertion and removal of a pressurized fluid container from the body portion.

Preferably, said body portion includes a base member for engagement with a base of said pressurised container, and adjustment means for varying the dimension between said base member and said actuating member. This allows the dispensing device to be used for a range of pressurized fluid containers having different lengths.

Conveniently, said adjustment means comprises a screw thread. This allows the dimension between the base member and the actuating member to be altered by relative rotation of the base member and the actuating member.

In preferred embodiments, said body portion is cylindrical. In this way, the dispensing device can be compact and light weight.

It will be understood that the term pressurised fluid container used herein defines containers in which the contents are continually pressurised and containers in which the contents are normally unpressurised and pressurised only immediately before being dispensed, for example a pump dispenser.

In addition, it will be understood that the term fluid used herein is used for liquid and gaseous fluids and also finely powdered solid particles which can behave as a fluid when dispersed in a fluid medium.

The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: - Figure 1 is an exploded part section view of a dispensing device according to one aspect of the invention;

Figure 2 shows the dispensing device of Figure 1 in an assembled condition; and

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 of a dispensing device according to another aspect of the invention; With reference to Figure 1, a dispensing device 10 for use with a pressurized fluid container includes an actuating member 12 and a main body portion 14. The actuating member 12 is pivotally connected to a mounting ring 16 by a hinge 18 having an axis 20 tangential to the periphery of the mounting ring 16. The actuating member 12 includes an element 22 between the hinge 18 and an element 24 which extends between diametrically opposing sides of the mounting ring 16. The element 24 has a downwardly extending actuating element 26 disposed at a mid-point between the element 22 and an element 27 which is disposed between the element 24 and an elongate element 28. The elongate element 28 constitutes one part of a handle means of the dispensing device. The mounting ring 16 is provided with an internal thread portion (not shown) for attachment to an external threaded portion 30 at an open end 48 of the body portion 14. The mounting ring 16 has a knurled outer surface 31 for manual attachment to the body portion 14. The mounting ring 16 includes an annular end plate 46 on a side 48 thereof. The end plate 46 is provided with a central aperture 51 for receiving a depressable nozzle of a pressurized fluid container located in the body portion 14. The body portion 14 includes a cylindrical member 32 which is closed at an end 33 by a base member 34 to provide an internal region 36 for receiving a pressurized fluid container. The cylindrical member 32 has an internal surface 37 which includes a plurality of elongate resilient arcuate ribs 38 attached thereto. The arcuate ribs 38 are circumferentially spaced about the internal surface 37 to define a centering means for centering a pressurized fluid container within the internal region 36. The base member 34 is provided with a part spherical protrusion 40 on an internal surface 42 for engagement with a base surface of a pressurized fluid container located in the internal region 36.

A second elongate element 44 is mounted on the outer periphery 46 of the cylindrical member 32 towards an open end 48 of the body portion 14. The elongate element 44 constitutes a second element to the handle means of the dispensing device. With reference to Figure 2, a pressurized fluid container is located in the internal region 36 of the body portion 14 prior to assembly of the body portion 14 and actuating member 12. The body portion 14 and actuating member 12 are joined together by rotating the mounting ring 16 on the screw thread 30 to a position where the elongate elements 28 and 44 are aligned.

In this position, a base surface 53 of the pressurized fluid container engages the base member 34 of the body portion and a depressable nozzle 54 of the pressurized fluid container extends outwards of the central aperture 51 to engage the actuating element 26. The pressurized fluid container is held centrally within the internal region 36 by the elongate resilient ribs 38.

In order to depress the nozzle 54, the elements 28 and 44 are urged together against the biasing force of the nozzle 54 so that the nozzle 54 is depressed and the contents of the pressurized fluid container are dispensed in a desired direction. In this respect, it will be appreciated that when the elongate members 44 and 28 are urged together the actuating member 12 pivots about the hinge 18 which causes downward movement of the actuating element 26 against the depressable nozzle 54. A significant mechanical advantage is achieved by applying the force at a point remote from the axis 20. Since the actuating element 26 is disposed towards the proximal end of the actuating member 12 and the actuating force at the distal end of the actuating member 12 a significant reduction in the force required to depress the nozzle 54 is achieved.

With reference to Figure 3 in another aspect of the invention, the dimension between the base member 34 and the actuating member 12 is adjustable. The base member 34 includes a cylindrical sleeve portion 60 disposed externally of the cylinder 32. The sleeve 60 is internally threaded and the cylindrical member 32 is externally threaded over part of its length for engagement with the sleeve 60.

The internal region 36 is open at its end 62 furthest from the actuating member 12 for insertion and removal of the pressurized fluid container 50. In order to remove or insert a pressurized container into the region 36, the base member 34 is rotated on the cylindrical member 32 until the threads disengage thereby allowing the base member to be removed from the cylindrical member 32. When the base member 34 is removed, a replacement pressurized fluid container 50 can be inserted into the internal region 36 and then the base member 34 can be reattached by engagement of the internal thread on the sleeve 60 with the external thread on the cylindrical member 32.

The internal and external threads on the sleeve 60 and cylindrical member 32 allow the dimension between the base member 34 and the actuating member 12 to be adjusted in accordance with the length of the pressurized fluid container enclosed within the internal region 36. In this way, the dispensing device is not limited to a particular size or type of pressurized fluid container but different sizes may be inserted as desired.

In the arrangement shown in Figure 3 , the elongate element 44 is fixed in relation to the mounting ring 16 but equally the elongate element 44 can be fixed directly to the cylindrical member 32 as shown in the arrangements of Figure 1 and Figure 2.

It will be understood that the illustrated embodiments described herein show an application of the invention in one form only for the purposes of illustration. In practice, the invention may be applied to many different configurations, the detailed embodiments being straight forward to those skilled in the art to implement.

For example, the body portion 14 could include two symmetrical part cylindrical components hinged together along their axis of symmetry at the base member 34. In this way, the internal region 36 can be closed at the base member end 33 and partially closed at the opposite end 48. In this way, access to the internal region 36 can be affected by opening the two half cylindrical parts of the body portion 46 once the actuating element 12 is removed.

In addition the cylindrical member 32 can have a lattice framework construction of plastic material or could be constructed from a transparent plastic material.

Claims

CLAIMS : -

1. A dispensing device (10) for use with a pressurised fluid container (50) having a depressable nozzle (54) for dispensing fluid therefrom, the dispensing device comprising a body portion (14) for receiving a pressurised fluid container therein, and an actuating member (12) pivotally connected in relation to the body portion, said actuating member being movable between a nozzle actuating position and nozzle non- actuating position for selective actuation of a depressable dispensing nozzle on said container.

2. A dispensing device according to claim 1 wherein handle means (28,44) are provided for manual manipulation of said actuating member to said actuating position.

3. A dispensing device according to claim 2 wherein said handle means includes a first elongate element (44) fixed in relation to said body portion and a second elongate element (28) fixed in relation to said actuating member.

4. A dispensing device according to claim 3 wherein said second elongate element is provided at the distal end of said actuating member and a downwardly extending actuating element (26) is provided adjacent to and spaced from the proximal end thereof for engagement with said nozzle.

5. A dispensing device according to any preceding claim wherein said body portion is provided with centering means (38) for centering a pressurised fluid container retained within said body portion.

6. A dispensing device according to claim 5 wherein said centering means includes a plurality of elongate resilient elements (38) disposed in spaced relation about an internal periphery (37) of said body portion.

7. A dispensing device according to claim 6 wherein said elongate resilient elements are arcuate.

8. A dispensing device according to any preceding claim wherein said body portion has a lattice framework structure.

9. A dispensing device according to claims 1 to 7 wherein said body portion is transparent.

10. A dispensing device according to any preceding claim wherein said actuating member is detachably mounted to said body portion.

11. A dispensing device according to any preceding claim wherein said body portion includes a base member (34) for engagement with a base (53) of said pressurised container, and adjustment means (60) for varying the dimension between said base member and said actuating member.

12. A dispensing device according to claim 11 wherein said adjustment means comprises a screw thread.

13. A dispensing device according to any preceding claim wherein said body portion is cylindrical.