Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D83/00—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents
  • B65D83/14—Containers for dispensing liquid or semi-liquid contents by internal gaseous pressure, i.e. aerosol containers comprising propellant
  • B65D83/44—Valves specially adapted for the discharge of contents; Regulating devices
  • B65D83/52—Metering valves; Metering devices
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
  • G01F11/00—Apparatus requiring external operation adapted at each repeated and identical operation to measure and separate a predetermined volume of fluid or fluent solid material from a supply or container, without regard to weight, and to deliver it
  • G01F11/02—Apparatus requiring external operation adapted at each repeated and identical operation to measure and separate a predetermined volume of fluid or fluent solid material from a supply or container, without regard to weight, and to deliver it with measuring chambers which expand or contract during measurement
  • G01F11/04—Apparatus requiring external operation adapted at each repeated and identical operation to measure and separate a predetermined volume of fluid or fluent solid material from a supply or container, without regard to weight, and to deliver it with measuring chambers which expand or contract during measurement of the free-piston type
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
  • G01F11/00—Apparatus requiring external operation adapted at each repeated and identical operation to measure and separate a predetermined volume of fluid or fluent solid material from a supply or container, without regard to weight, and to deliver it
  • G01F11/28—Apparatus requiring external operation adapted at each repeated and identical operation to measure and separate a predetermined volume of fluid or fluent solid material from a supply or container, without regard to weight, and to deliver it with stationary measuring chambers having constant volume during measurement
  • G01F11/30—Apparatus requiring external operation adapted at each repeated and identical operation to measure and separate a predetermined volume of fluid or fluent solid material from a supply or container, without regard to weight, and to deliver it with stationary measuring chambers having constant volume during measurement with supply and discharge valves of the lift or plug-lift type
  • G01F11/32—Apparatus requiring external operation adapted at each repeated and identical operation to measure and separate a predetermined volume of fluid or fluent solid material from a supply or container, without regard to weight, and to deliver it with stationary measuring chambers having constant volume during measurement with supply and discharge valves of the lift or plug-lift type for liquid or semiliquid
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D83/00—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents
  • B65D83/14—Containers for dispensing liquid or semi-liquid contents by internal gaseous pressure, i.e. aerosol containers comprising propellant
  • B65D83/16—Actuating means
  • B65D83/18—Hand lever actuators

Definitions

• the invention is related a metering device for dispensing a dose of pressurized fluid according to the preamble of claim 1
• Metering devices for dispensing a dose of pressurized fluid are generally known as metered dose valves by which pressurized fluids are dispensed from containers under pressure.
• the liquid formulations administered by the metering valve include a liquefied gas propellant and are delivered to a patient in an aerosol spray.
• the dose of the administered formulation should be sufficient to produce the desired physiological response.
• the proper amount of the formulation must be dispensed to the patient in each successive dose.
• any dispensing system must be able to dispense doses of the liquid formulation accurately and reliably to assure the safety and efficacy of the treatment.
• Such a metered dose valve is e.g. known from WO-A-2004/0022143 that includes a valve stem which is spring biased towards the valve opening.
• An interior chamber is defined by a spring cage having one or more inlets from an aerosol container.
• the upper end of the valve stem includes a metering gasket which is seal- ing a metering chamber if in the activated position.
• transverse side holes in a longitudinal discharge passageway of the valve stem are discharging in the metering chamber, so that the metered dose of the formulation can be dispensed.
• the volume of liquid dispensed by such metered dose valves is typically in the range of 70 to 140 microlitres for each actuation.
• a larger quantity of the formulation is needed, e.g. around 1.5 ml for each actuation.
• Such large quantities cannot be dispensed by the known metered dose valves.
• the above mentioned metered dose valves are developed for aerosol containers. Since the environmental regulations require that the use of aerosols should be largely reduced, or even should be completely prevented, it is an object of the present invention to provide a metering device which can be used without an environmental problematic aerosol as propellant for the fluid formulation to be administered to a patient.
• a metering device for dispensing a dose of pressurized fluid with a dispensing valve which comprises a valve body to be mounted in a fluid-tight manner to the lid of a pressurized container, wherein the valve body circumvents a valve element, which is resiliently pressed towards a gasket mounted between the valve body and the lid.
• the valve element has further a valve delivery tube.
• a chamber is provided, which is surrounding the valve body, having a first opening towards the valve body and a second opening towards the pressurized container.
• a piston is reciprocable between an upper position and a lower position within the chamber, thereby defining the dispensing dose.
• the piston is sealing the second opening and the piston provides a liquid passage from the container to the chamber, such that fluid can flow into the chamber based on a pressure difference between the container and the chamber. Further, the piston is adapted to seal the first opening when being in the upper position.
• the liquid passage is provided by a clearance between the piston and the inner wall of the chamber.
• the liquid pas- sage can also be provided by a hole in the piston.
• Fig. 1 shows a metering device incorporated in a container
• Fig. 2 shows the metering device in a first position in which the valve is opened
• Fig. 3 shows the metering device in a second position in which the metering chamber is emptied and a dose of a medicinal formulation is delivered
• Fig. 4 shows the metering device when the metering chamber is emptied
• Fig. 5 shows the metering device in a third position in which the valve is closed
• Fig. 6 shows the metering device in a fourth position in which the piston returns to its initial position in which the metering chamber is filled with fluid again
• Fig. 7 shows a container with the metering device in a perspective view
• Fig. 8 shows the mounting part of the cap shroud to the container in two different perspective views
• Fig. 9 shows the actuator part of the cap shroud in two different perspective views
• Fig. 10 shows the metering chamber in two different perspective views
• Fig. 1 1 shows the piston in two different perspective views.
• a metering device 1 is shown with a dispensing valve 2, comprising an elongated valve body 3 mounted in a fluid-tight manner to a lid 4 of a pressurized container 5 - in the figures only the upper half of the container 5 is shown.
• the lid 4 has a cup-like form with an upstanding inner flange 6 and a curled-up border 7.
• the valve body 3 is press-fitted by the lid 4 to form a fluid-tight connection with the container 5.
• other types of connection like welding, snapping, screwing etc. are possible.
• a gasket 8 is squeezed between the curled-up border 7 and the upper edge of the valve body 3 a gasket 8 is squeezed.
• a valve element 9 fixedly connected with a delivery tube 10 is urged against the gasket 8 by means of a coil spring 11.
• the valve body 3 is entering in a cylindrical chamber 13, which circumvents the valve body 3.
• This chamber 13 has a cup-like form with an inner tube 14 with a first, upper opening 12, in which the valve body 3 is mounted by a pressfit connection.
• the chamber 13 has a second, lower opening 15 which is entering into the container 5 with a pressurized fluid.
• a cylindrical piston 17 is urged to a lower position by means of a coil spring 18 which is held in the upper roof 19 of the chamber by an inner ring 20.
• the cylindrical piston 17 has an upper sealing lip 21 and a lower sealing lip 22, which lips are pressed towards the inner wall 23 of the chamber 13.
• the lower position of the piston 17 is defined a ring-shaped stop element 24.
• a cylindrical bulge 25 is provided which cooperates with the lower opening 12 of the valve body 3, i.e. in the upper position the cylindrical bulge 25 seals the lower opening 12.
• a cap shroud 27 is mounted by means of a snap-fit connection, which consists of a lower mounting piece 28 and an upper actuator piece 29 which pieces include a mouth piece or beak 30 with a plate-shaped stop element 31.
• a flexible L-shaped tubular joint 33 is mounted on the delivery tube 10 to connect the delivery nozzle or beak 30 with the valve element 9.
• the actuator piece 29 has a hinge part 34 and a handle 35.
• the mounting piece 28 has in the region of the beak 30 a channel 36 (see also Fig. 8a).
• the function of the metering device 1 is as follows:
• Fig. 1 the dispensing valve 2 is closed and the piston 17 is in the lower position urged by the coil spring 18 to the inner ring or stop 20.
• Fig. 2 the handle 35 is pushed towards the container 5 (see arrow 40) so that the actuator piece 29 is tilted and the dispensing valve 2 is opened (see arrow 41 ).
• the chamber 13 is in open connection to the nozzle or beak 30 so that a pressure drop results and the fluid which has an overpressure will flow from the chamber 13 to the nozzle 30, while the force of the overpressure in the container 5 urges the piston 17 upwards until the lower opening 12 of the valve body 3 is closed (see arrow 42 in Fig. 3).
• the coil spring 18 is designed to have a weak spring force with respect to the overpressure in the container 5.
• the chamber 13 is emptied by a dose of the fluid, which dose is defined by the lower position and the upper position of the piston 17 within the chamber 13, and is ejected from the nozzle 30 as indicated by arrow 43.
• a dose of the fluid which dose is defined by the lower position and the upper position of the piston 17 within the chamber 13, and is ejected from the nozzle 30 as indicated by arrow 43.
• the piston 17 is closing the lower opening 12 of the valve body 3
• the flow of fluid is automatically stopped (Fig. 4).
• the handle 35 is released and the dispensing valve 2 is closed (see arrow 44 in Fig. 5), whereas the piston 17 is still sealing the opening 12 as indicated by arrow 45.
• the upper and lower sealing lips 21 and 22 of the piston 17 are designed such that there will be no perfect sealing, i.e.
• the metering device 1 can be used only after a specific time period, e.g. approximately 10 sec, so that overdosing can be prevented.
• All components of the metering device are made of a hard plastic material, preferably in PET or PP.
• FIG. 7 a perspective view on the metering device 1 with a pressurized container 5 is shown.
• the lower part 50 of the container incorporates a pressure control system as described in WO-A-2005/082744.
• a container with a pressure control device and a further piston is shown, which piston is pushed upwards by a gas with a predetermined excess pressure, such that there is only liquid between the piston and the metering device 1.
• the fluid pressure in the container 5 will be kept at a constant level.
• the overpressure on the fluid will cause the fluid to flow into the metering chamber 13. Therefore the dose as spent by the metering device 1 will remain constant as well.
• a dip-tube as shown in Fig. 7 of WO-A-2005/082744 can be provided which enters into the chamber 13 of the metering device 1 and ends at the bottom of the container 5 above the pressure control device. In such a case no liquid passage is provided by the piston 17 of the metering device 1.
• FIGs 8a and 8b the mounting part of the cap shroud is shown in two different perspective views.
• the channel 36 with a small diameter of about 0.5 mm is pro- vided for dosing the fluid with a predetermined fluid pressure, so that the dose can be entered deep enough into the throat of the patient.
• Fig. 8b there are further some internal fins 51 for positioning the lower mounting piece 28 properly to the container 5.
• FIGS 9a and 9b the upper actuator piece 29 with the hinge part 34 is shown in two different perspective views. Further at the beginning of channel 36 a cylindrical recess 52 is provided for containing an insert with a small through-hole in order to produce a micro mist. Alternatively, the recess 52 can be provided at the end of the channel 36, i.e. at the end of the beak 30, so that the insert can produce a micro mist with a predetermined space angle.
• mounting of the dispensing valve 2 to the container 5 can also be made by welding, snapping or screwing.
• the design of the piston 17 may be changed in that the seal by the bulge 25 is instead provided by an outside ring partly encompassing the inner tube 14.

Landscapes

• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Containers And Packaging Bodies Having A Special Means To Remove Contents (AREA)
• Loading And Unloading Of Fuel Tanks Or Ships (AREA)
• Closures For Containers (AREA)
• Infusion, Injection, And Reservoir Apparatuses (AREA)

Priority Applications (8)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=38529749

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (8)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (12)

Citations (3)

Family Cites Families (19)

• 2007
  • 2007-01-31 PL PL07705744T patent/PL2125571T3/pl unknown
  • 2007-01-31 JP JP2009547771A patent/JP5119521B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2007-01-31 CN CN2007800506806A patent/CN101595047B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2007-01-31 AT AT07705744T patent/ATE480478T1/de active
  • 2007-01-31 DE DE602007009132T patent/DE602007009132D1/de active Active
  • 2007-01-31 US US12/525,419 patent/US8763865B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2007-01-31 WO PCT/IB2007/050317 patent/WO2008093172A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2007-01-31 EP EP07705744A patent/EP2125571B1/en not_active Not-in-force

Patent Citations (3)

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