WO2007107825A2

WO2007107825A2 - Single-dose bottle for fluid products, particularly pharmaceuticals, cosmetics or the like

Info

Publication number: WO2007107825A2
Application number: PCT/IB2007/000591
Authority: WO
Inventors: Antonio Fontana
Original assignee: Lameplast S.P.A.
Priority date: 2006-03-17
Filing date: 2007-03-13
Publication date: 2007-09-27
Also published as: WO2007107825A3; RU2435717C2; ITMO20060085A1; RU2008141149A

Abstract

The single-dose bottle (1) for fluid products, particularly pharmaceuticals, cosmetics or the like, comprises a hollow containment body (2) for containing a fluid product, a neck (4) that extends from the body and which has at least one dispensing mouth (3) for dispensing the product, and closing means (6) having a grip (8) that supports in an integral way at least one shutter element (7) of the dispensing mouth, and having at least one annular collar (9), associated with the neck and associated in a removable way with the grip along pre-established breaking areas (10), the grip comprising at least one substantially plate-shaped portion for supporting information, data or logos.

Description

SINGLE-DOSE BOTTLE FOR FLUID PRODUCTS, PARTICULARLY PHARMACEUTICALS, COSMETICS OR THE LIKE

Technical Field

This invention relates to a single-dose bottle for fluid products, particularly suitable for containing products used in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic sector or the like.

Background art

With particular reference to the pharmaceutical and/or cosmetic industries, the use is known of bottles made of polymeric material for packaging one or more doses of fluid, liquid or pasty products.

The known bottles can be of the re-closable or disposable type and generally comprise a containment body of a predetermined dose of product, substantially tubular and extended in shape, with one end part having a neck, at the top of which a product dispensing mouth is defined. The opposite end part of the containment body has an opening for introducing the product, which is closed after filling, e.g. by soldering.

Closing means, associable with the bottle in a removable way on the neck, permit closing the dispensing mouth.

The containment body and the closing means can be made separately, by means of shaping methods such as injection moulding, and can then be assembled together or, alternatively, they can be made in a single body piece and then separated before being used by a user.

The containment body also has a pair of fins that make it easier for the user to hold the bottle, and which extend, in a totally opposite direction, from the outer side surface of the containment body.

The known bottles can be produced in single units or associated in series

(strips); in this latter case, the fins of the containment bodies of two subsequent bottles are temporarily associated with each other along predefined pre-breaking lines. With special reference to the closing means and to their shape according to different use and production procedures, different types of bottles are known.

A first type of known bottle provides, for example, the use of a cap having a portion fixed to the neck, in the moulding phase and along pre-established breaking areas, for closing the dispensing mouth.

The cap also comprises a cavity for housing the bottle neck, which has a shutter element of the dispensing mouth, and initially turned outwards, on the opposite side compared to the portion initially fixed to the neck.

The bottle is opened for the first time by detaching the cap from the dispensing mouth at the breaking areas and, after using the product, the bottle is closed again by overturning the cap and fitting the neck in the cavity, positioning the shutter element inside the dispensing mouth. The particular shape of the cap results however in the possible exposure of the cavity and the shutter element to outside polluting agents before the first use of the bottle, not therefore guaranteeing the integrity of the product during subsequent uses.

To limit the possibilities of product contamination, a second type of re-closable bottle is known, made in a single body piece, which comprises closing means having a shutter element, of the cap type or the like, fitted sealed inside the dispensing mouth, and deformable or breakable elements that connect, without interruption, the closing means to the body of the bottle.

These deformable or breakable elements are suitable for indicating to the user the possible presence of product contaminations due to possible tampering with and/or to the accidental opening of the product and thereby have a safety seal function.

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

The closing means of such bottles generally comprise a grip having a shutter element, of the cap type or the like that can be fitted sealed inside the dispensing mouth, and an annular collar that can be fixed coaxially and interlocked at the neck of the containment body. The grip is associated in a removable way at the outer surface of the collar by means of a suitable weakened area, made, e.g., of pre-breaking lines, of tearable bridges, of reduced cross sections, etc. The grip, the collar and the cap are therefore made in a single body piece, separately from the containment body, and the collar is subsequently fixed to the neck by interlocking, with closing of the dispensing mouth by means of the cap. These known bottles are however susceptible to further improvements.

In particular, following increasingly more restrictive European standards, the presence is required of information relating to the product on each single bottle (instead of on the entire strip and in addition to those commonly indicated on the pack and/or on additional printed leaflets). Such information, which can include, for example, information on product dosage, on the packaging and/or expiry date, etc., is generally stamped on the bottle gripping fins by printing or the application of labels or the like. By contrast to the increasing need to include as much information as possible, inserted in a clearly legible way, is however the presence of the reduced portions of usable surface on the gripping fins.

Moreover, the remaining portions of the bottles are not generally suitable for inserting such information, because of the presence of particular elevations, shapes or edges. Moreover, such requirement is even stronger in the case of strips made up of bottles containing different products, in which the completeness and clarity of the information inserted in each bottle is of fundamental importance. Object of the invention

The main aim of this invention is to provide a single-dose bottle for fluid products, particularly pharmaceuticals, cosmetics or the like, that allows inserting all the required product information in a clear and legible way.

Within the sphere of this technical aim, another object of this invention is to cater for the above aims with a simple structure, of relatively practical implementation, safe to use and with effective operation, as well as having a relatively low cost. The above objects are all achieved by this single-dose bottle for fluid products, particularly pharmaceuticals, cosmetics or the like, comprising a hollow containment body for containing a fluid product, a neck that extends from said body and which has at least one dispensing mouth for dispensing said product, and closing means having a grip that supports in an integral way at least one shutter element of said dispensing mouth, and having at least one annular collar, associated with said neck and associated in a removable way with said grip along pre-established breaking areas, characterized in that said grip comprises at least one substantially plate-shaped portion for supporting information, data or logos.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of this invention will appear even more evident from the detailed description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of a single-dose bottle for fluid products, particularly pharmaceuticals, cosmetics or the like, illustrated indicatively by way of non limiting example, in the attached drawings wherein: figure 1 shows a front view of a plurality of bottles associated together and arranged in series, according to a first embodiment of the invention; figure 2 shows a section view along the section plane II-II of figure 1 ; figure 3 is an axonometric view of the plurality of bottles according to a first embodiment of the invention; figure 4 shows a front view of a plurality of bottles associated together and arranged in series, according to a second embodiment of the invention; figure 5 shows a section view along the section plane V-V of figure 4; figure 6 is an axonometric view of the plurality of bottles according to a second embodiment of the invention.

Embodiments of the Invention With special reference to such figures, a single-dose bottle for fluid products, with specific use for products in the pharmaceutical, medical or cosmetic sector, has been globally designated by reference number 1.

The bottle 1 is normally made using shaping methods such as the injection moulding, using polymeric materials, of the polyethylene or polypropylene type.

The bottle 1 comprises a hollow containment body 2 for containing the product having, on one end part, a dispensing mouth 3 of the product. In particular, the hollow body 2 has a substantially tubular and extended shape, and the aforementioned end part of the hollow body extends in a neck 4, at the top of which the dispensing mouth 3 is defined.

The neck 4 is substantially cylindrical in shape, with a smaller diameter than the rest of the hollow body 2, and is aligned coaxially with respect to this.

At the end part of the hollow body 2 opposite the end part having the neck 4 an opening 5 is defined for introducing the product; the closing of the opening 5 (e.g., to solder the lips of the opening itself) is done once the product has been introduced. The bottle 1 comprises closing means 6 of the dispensing mouth 3 which are associated in a removable way with the hollow body 2 on the neck 4, and which comprise a shutter element 7 that can be engaged at the dispensing mouth 3. As shown in the above illustrations, with particular but not limited reference to two specific embodiments of the invention, the shutter element 7 can be composed of a cap, substantially cylindrical in shape, that can be fitted sealed inside the dispensing mouth 3.

Advantageously, the closing means 6 comprise a grip 8 which supports and is integral with it, the shutter element 7, and an annular collar 9 fixed, by interlocking means (or by gluing, etc.) on the neck 4 and substantially coaxial with this.

To the collar 9, the grip 8 is associated in a removable way along a pre- established breaking area, composed of a pair of tearable bridges 10 that connects the grip itself to the outer surface of the collar 9. Between the inner surface of the collar 9 and the cap 7, an interspace is defined, of predefined thickness, inside which the neck 4 is inserted precisely.

In particular, the tearable bridges 10 are defined opposite one another at a suitably shaped lower portion of the grip 8 and suitable for housing in part the end part of the hollow body 2 having the neck 4. Advantageously, the grip 8 has a substantially plate-shaped upper portion for supporting information, data or logos, of the type of information about the product dosage, illustrations on how to use the product, information about the product type or the expiry date of the product, etc. It is pointed out that by the expressions "lower" and "upper" reference is made in this description and in a non-exclusive way, to the standard vertical arrangement of the bottle 1 with the grip 8 turned upwards.

In particular, the above indications are printed on a label 11, and the upper portion of the grip 8 is shaped to define a substantially rectangular plane, (for example square) suitable for accommodating the label 11 itself with interposition of a layer of glue.

Advantageously, the label 11 is of the self-adhesive label type.

Alternatively, the information, the data and the logos can be impressed by printing directly on the upper portion of the grip 8.

Usefully, as shown in the above figures, the bottles 1 can be produced in series to create subsequently packed and distributed strips.

In this case, each of the bottles 1 has a pair of gripping fins 12 defined as protruding and diametrically opposite to each other on the outer side surface of the hollow body 4.

Inside the strip, the bottles 1 arranged successively are associated in a first predefined weakened area 13, composed of a pre-breaking line defined between the two adjacent grips 8, and along a second weakened area 14, composed of a pre-breaking line (of a lower cross section, etc.) defined between the two adjacent gripping fins 12.

In the case of packaging in strips the label 11 can extend from the grip 8 of a bottle 1, onto the grip 8 of the adjacent bottle 1.

Advantageously, as represented in a first embodiment shown in the figures 1 and 3, the label 11 can extend over the entire surface defined by the respective upper portions of all the grips 8 of the strip. In this case, the label 11 comprises a breaking section 15, of the cut type, of an opportune shape, etc., defined at the cutting line that represents the first weakened area 13 between one grip 8 and the next.

Alternatively, as represented in a second embodiment shown in the figures 4 and 6, single labels 11 can be applied on the upper portions of each of the grips

8 of the bottles 1.

Alternatively, in an initial phase (after packaging) the label 11 could comprise a plurality of pages folded over one another with interposition of respective breaking sections 15. During use, the label 11 is laid and applied (e.g., by interposition of glue) on the upper portions of the adjacent grips 8, with arrangement of the breaking sections 15 at respective first weakened areas 13. It has in fact been found that the described invention achieves the proposed objects, and in particular the fact is underscored that the particular shape of the upper portion of the grip makes it easier to insert all the requested information (of different type and with different objects), in a readable way directly on the bottle, alternatively or in addition to the information commonly inserted on the gripping fins, on the pack or on separate printed leaflets.

The fact is also underscored that, with special reference to strips of bottles containing different products, the large usable surface at the grip permits inserting all the information required to describe the single products. The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which falling within the scope of the inventive concept.

Furthermore all the details may be replaced by other elements which are technically equivalent.

In practice, the materials used, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any according to requirements without because of this moving outside the protection scope of the following claims.

Claims

1) Single-dose bottle for fluid products, particularly pharmaceuticals, cosmetics or the like, comprising a hollow containment body for containing a fluid product, a neck that extends from said body and which has at least one dispensing mouth for dispensing said product, and closing means having a grip that supports in an integral way at least one shutter element of said dispensing mouth, and having at least one annular collar, associated with said neck and associated in a removable way with said grip along pre-established breaking areas, characterized in that said grip comprises at least one substantially plate- shaped portion for supporting information, data or logos.

2) Bottle according to claim 1, characterized in that said information, data or logos are impressed on at least one label applied on at least one side of said substantially plate-shaped portion.

3) Bottle according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said information, data or logos are impressed by printing directly on at least one side of said substantially plate-shaped portion.

4) Bottle according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said information, data or logos comprise indications on the dosage of said product. 5) Bottle according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said information, data or logos comprise approximate illustrations on how to use said product.

6) Bottle according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said information, data or logos comprise approximate information about the product type.

7) Bottle according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said information, data or logos comprise the expiry date of said product.

8) Bottle according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said portion is shaped to define at least one substantially rectangular plane suitable for accommodating said information, data or logos.

9) Bottle according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said plane is a square. 10) Bottle according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said label is applied to said side by interposition of at least one layer of glue.

11) Bottle according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said label is a self-adhesive label.

12) Bottle according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said label extends from said grip onto at least one adjacent grip of another adjacent bottle, said grips being temporarily associated with each other along a first predefined weakened area. 13) Bottle according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said label comprises at least one breaking section defined at said first weakened area.

14) Bottle according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said breaking section comprises a cut, an opportune shape or the like. 15) Bottle according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said label comprises in an initial phase a plurality of pages folded over one another with interposition of respective breaking sections, said label during use being layable and applicable on said portions of adjacent grips, with arrangement of said breaking sections at respective first predefined weakened areas.

16) Bottle according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises interlocking means between said collar and said neck.

17) Bottle according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said pre-established breaking area is composed of at least one tearable bridge that connects said grip to the outer surface of said collar.

18) Bottle according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said shutter element comprises a cap which can be fitted sealed inside said dispensing mouth.

19) Strip of single-dose bottles for fluid products, particularly pharmaceuticals, cosmetics or the like, comprising a hollow containment body for containing a fluid product, a neck that extends from said body and which has at least one dispensing mouth for dispensing said product, and closing means having a grip that supports in an integral way at least one shutter element of said dispensing mouth, and having at least one annular collar, associated with said neck and associated in a removable way with said grip along pre-established breaking areas, said grips of said bottles, adjacent to one another, being temporarily associated along respective first predefined weakened areas, characterized in that said grips comprise respective substantially plate-shaped portions for supporting information, data or logos.

20) Strip according to claim 19, characterized in that said indications are impressed on a label applied on at least one side of at least one of said substantially plate-shaped portions .

21) Strip according to one or more of the claims 19 and 20, characterized in that said information, data or logos are impressed by printing directly on at least one side of at least one of said substantially plate-shaped portions.

22) Strip according to one or more of the claims from 19 to 21, characterized in that said information, data or logos comprise indications on the dosage of said product.

23) Strip according to one or more of the claims from 19 to 22, characterized in that said information, data or logos comprise approximate illustrations on how to use said product. 24) Strip according to one or more of the claims from 19 to 23, characterized in that said information, data or logos comprise approximate information about the product type.

25) Strip according to one or more of the claims from 19 to 24, characterized in that said information, data or logos comprise the expiry date of said product. 26) Strip according to one or more of the claims from 19 to 25, characterized in that said label is applied to said side by interposition of at least one layer of glue.

27) Strip according to one or more of the claims from 19 to 26, characterized in that said label is a self-adhesive label. 28) Strip according to one or more of the claims from 19 to 27, characterized in that said self-adhesive label extends from one of said grips onto at least one adjacent grip. 29) Strip according to one or more of the claims from 19 to 28, characterized in that said label comprises at least one breaking section defined at at least one of said first weakened areas.

30) Strip according to one or more of the claims from 19 to 29, characterized in that said label comprises in an initial phase a plurality of pages folded over one another with interposition of respective breaking sections, said label during use being layable and applicable on said portions of said grips, with arrangement of said breaking sections at said first predefined weakened areas.