WO2015198056A1

WO2015198056A1 - Device, in particular a dosing unit

Info

Publication number: WO2015198056A1
Application number: PCT/GB2015/051855
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jürgen GÜNTHER; Stefan Klump; Martin Rüttel; Klaus Van Der Linden
Original assignee: Johnson Matthey Catalysts (Germany) Gmbh; Johnson Matthey Public Limited Company
Priority date: 2014-06-27
Filing date: 2015-06-25
Publication date: 2015-12-30
Also published as: DE102014212525A1

Abstract

The device is designed in particular as a dosing dispenser (2). It has an integrated electrical consumer unit (30), and a piezoelectric generator (14) for generating a very small amount of energy for energy- autonomous powering of the consumer unit (30). The dosing dispenser (2) moreover has an actuator element (26), which is movable from a starting position to an end position over an actuation stroke (H1), and moreover a control element (18) for mechanical actuation of the generator (14), which control element (18) is movable over a control stroke (H2) from a base position to an end position. Arranged between the actuator element (26) and the generator (14) is a transmission unit (28), which has the control element (18) and which is designed in such a way that the actuation stroke (H1) is decoupled from the control stroke (H2), such that only a limited stroke section of the actuation stroke (H1) is converted to the control stroke (H2). In particular, a first idle stroke (L1) is formed at the start of the actuation. The decoupling preferably takes place with the aid of an eccentric drive that comprises an eccentric unit (24).

Description

DEVICE , IN PARTICULAR A DOSING UNI T

The invention relates to a device, in particular a dosing unit, with the features of the preamble of claim 1.

A device of this kind is found in DE 10 2012 220 697 Al, for example. The device, in particular a dosing dispenser, comprises an integrated electrical consumer unit and an integrated piezoelectric generator for generating a very small amount of energy for preferably completely energy-autonomous powering of the consumer unit. To actuate the piezoelectric generator, a manually actuatable pushbutton is provided that can be moved by an actuation stroke. The movement of the pushbutton is transmitted to an end portion of the generator, such that the latter is actuated mechanically. In the device described in DE 10 2012 220 697 Al, the piezoelectric generator used is a bending transducer, which extends in an axial direction in which the actuation of the actuator element also takes place. An arc-shaped deformation of the bending transducer takes place here. The piezoelectric effect is utilized in the field of energy harvesting in order to convert mechanical kinetic energy to electrical energy, which is then used to supply energy to the electrical consumer units, for example sensors, controls or displays.

The dosing dispenser is in particular a manually actuated atomizer, in particular for medical preparations, for example nasal sprays or asthma sprays, for inhalation of a medicament. In such an atomizer, a medicament is usually made available in a reservoir (ampoule) and is atomized through an atomizer nozzle when the pushbutton is actuated. To provide the user with information, for example concerning the number of doses still available, dosing dispensers of this kind often have a display unit that indicates the available residual amount or also the number of doses already administered or the number of doses still available. With the actuation of the pushbutton, the piezoelectric generator is also actuated at the same time. This triggers a counting impulse. The dosing dispensers are in particular disposable dosing dispensers. Particularly in the case of disposable dosing dispensers of this kind, a dosing button is mechanically actuated manually by the user.

DE 10 2012 211 576 Al discloses a dosing dispenser of this kind in which the very small amount of energy generated is distributed, by special electronics, on the one hand to power an evaluation unit or also a counting unit for the dose strokes and on the other hand to power the display unit, so as to ensure that the very small amount of energy generated is sufficient .

In dosing dispensers of this kind, it is necessary for the dosing procedures actually carried out to be reliably counted. Problems are caused by vibrations of the dosing dispenser, which can lead to an inaccurate counting procedure. Conversely, there is also the problem that counting has to take place even in the event of an only incomplete actuation of the dosing button . Proceeding from this, the object of the invention is to ensure safe and reliable actuation of such a device, in particular of a dosing dispenser, wherein reliable counting of the doses from the dosing dispenser is ensured in particular.

The object is achieved by a device which in particular is designed as a medicament dispenser or dosing dispenser with the features of claim 1. The device comprises an integrated electrical consumer unit, and a piezoelectric generator for generating a very small amount of energy for supplying the consumer unit with energy. The device moreover comprises an actuator element, which is movable from a starting position to an end position by an actuation stroke. Moreover, the device has a control element which is movable by a control stroke from a base position to an end position, wherein a portion, in particular an end portion, of the piezoelectric generator is moved mechanically via this control element. In this way, mechanical kinetic energy is thus converted to electrical energy by the piezoelectric effect. Finally, arranged between the actuator element and the piezoelectric generator, there is also a transmission unit, which has the control element and serves to mechanically transmit the movement of the actuator element to the generator and is designed in such a way that the actuation stroke is decoupled from the control stroke, specifically in such a way that only a limited stroke section of the actuation stroke is converted to the control stroke.

It is therefore of great importance, first of all, that the actuation stroke, which is typically oriented in an axial direction such that the actuator element is moved in the axial direction, is not transmitted directly to the control element and that only a limited stroke section is transmitted to the generator. The control stroke is preferably oriented in the same axial direction as the actuation stroke.

By means of the decoupling, it is possible that small excursions of the actuator element are not transmitted to the generator. Such small excursions are caused, for example, by vibrations or when the dosing dispenser is set down and light pressure is applied to the actuator element. In this way, a false counting impulse is effectively avoided. It is also of great importance that only a limited stroke section is indeed converted to a control stroke. This affords the possibility that a counting procedure is reliably triggered, even when the actuator element and therefore the actuation stroke was not performed completely. This also entails a further advantage, namely that a much shorter control stroke is adjustable for the actuation of the generator than for the actuation stroke. Generally speaking, a much greater actuation stroke is needed for the dosing procedure than for the control stroke for moving the generator .

Conversely, incorrect actuation, i.e. only slight accidental pressure, does not lead to a counting procedure.

Finally, a further advantage of the decoupling is that, for the execution of the control stroke, an advantageous speed profile is adjustable even in the event of only a slow actuation of the actuator element, in order to achieve as high as possible an energy yield of the piezoelectric generator. With low speeds, the piezoelectric generator generates only a comparatively small amount of energy for physical reasons, which energy is then no longer sufficient for the electrical consumer unit. The transmission unit therefore preferably acts in the manner of a step-up gear, such that the movement profiles of the control element and of the actuator element are suitably decoupled from each other, in order to ensure a reliable operation of the device and in particular a reliable and exact counting procedure of such a dosing dispenser.

In an expedient development, the piezoelectric generator is mounted with play. The piezoelectric generator is therefore not firmly clamped in place. The piezoelectric generator is preferably a bending transducer, which in particular is oriented parallel to the axial direction and therefore parallel to the movement direction of the actuator element. The bending transducer is mounted with one end in a first bearing and with its other end on the control element. For the mounting with play, it is now mounted loosely, alternately or in combination, in the area of the control element or also in the area of the first bearing. This loose mounting affords the particular advantage that vibrations do not lead directly to a deformation of the bending transducer.

The piezoelectric bending transducer is in particular designed in the manner set out in DE 10 2012 220 697 Al . For this purpose, it has in particular a mechanical, strip-shaped support onto which a piezoelectric layer is applied. The support is preferably precurved with an arc shape and mounted in the bearings . The device is also preferably designed as an energy- autonomous unit in which, therefore, sufficient energy for the consumer unit is generated alone by the actuation of the piezoelectric generator. For this purpose, an electronics system is integrated with which the very small amount of energy generated per actuation stroke is divided suitably between in particular two consumers, such that the very small amount of energy generated per actuation stroke is reliably sufficient for the operation of the individual consumers. The integrated electronics and the consumers are designed as per DE 10 2012 211 576 Al .

In an expedient development, the transmission unit is also designed in such a way that, proceeding from the starting position, the actuator element has an idle stroke, which does not lead to a movement of the control element. This measure therefore reliably ensures that accidental triggering of a work procedure, i.e. in particular a counting procedure, does not take place .

Moreover, the actuator element preferably has a working stroke, wherein the control stroke is executed completely within the working stroke. This measure therefore ensures that even just a partial actuation of the actuator element leads to a complete control stroke and therefore to the provision of the energy and the execution of the work process, i.e. a counting procedure .

Moreover, in a preferred embodiment, the actuator element has a final stroke, which is designed as a second idle stroke and which does not lead to a further movement of the control element. Overall, the actuation stroke is therefore advantageously divided into a first idle stroke, a working stroke and a second idle stroke, wherein the control element is moved only in the range of the working stroke and the control stroke is executed completely. The control stroke preferably lies in the range of 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm, whereas the actuation stroke is much greater and lies, for example, in the range of 3 times to 15 times the control stroke, in particular in the range of 5 mm to 6 mm.

To execute this decoupled movement between actuator element and control element, the transmission unit, in an expedient embodiment, has an eccentric unit by which a linear movement of the actuator element is converted to a linear movement of the control element. In this way, a relatively simple configuration with at the same time good adjustment possibilities for the different stroke sections is achieved. At the same time, the required components for the transmission unit can be produced cost-effectively, such that the device overall can be designed as a disposable unit. The decoupling between the linear movements of the actuator element on the one hand and of the control element on the other hand is thus provided by the eccentric unit.

Moreover, the transmission unit has a connecting rod which is coupled on the one hand to the actuator element and on the other hand to the eccentric unit. The connecting rod serves to convert the linear movement of the actuator element to a rotation movement of the eccentric unit. For this purpose, it has in particular an oblong hole in which a coupling element is movably mounted for transmitting the movement of the actuator element.

The eccentric unit preferably acts directly on the control element, such that the rotation movement of the eccentric unit is transmitted directly to the control element. In particular, the eccentric unit rolls with a circumferential surface on a corresponding contact surface of the control element. An eccentric part is here understood generally as a component which is rotatable about a rotation axis and whose circumferential surface runs on a line deviating from a circular line, i.e. is not on the whole round. The distance of the circumferential surface from the rotation axis therefore varies according to the rotation angle, such that the desired decoupling is in this way achieved.

For each actuation stroke, the eccentric unit executes a rotation movement about the rotation axis over a rotation range that extends through less than 180° and in particular lies, for example, only in the range of between 50° and 90° . The eccentric unit is expediently designed, and interacts with the control element, in such a way that in order to execute the first idle stroke the eccentric unit does not lead to a movement of the control element over a first idle rotation range. Within this first idle rotation range, there is therefore no transfer of the rotation movement into a linear movement. For this purpose, the eccentric unit is spaced apart from the control element over the first idle rotation range such that no contact takes place, or the radial distance is constant, such that, for example, the circumferential surface simply rolls on the associated contact surface without the control element being moved. However, the eccentric unit is preferably designed in such a way that there is no contact with the control element over the first idle rotation range.

Moreover, the eccentric unit has an intermediate rotation range over which it interacts with the control element in order to move the latter in the axial direction, wherein the complete control stroke is executed over the intermediate rotation range. The intermediate rotation range preferably extends only over a rotation angle in the range of 10° to 20°. Only a relatively small rotation range is therefore used to convert the working stroke to the control stroke. By means of the only small rotation range, the axial movement of the control element is in particular sufficiently rapid, such that a rapid excursion of the generator is obtained in order to achieve the desired maximum energy yield.

The intermediate rotation range is expediently adjoined by a second idle rotation range over which the eccentric unit has a constant radius, such that a further rotation movement of the eccentric unit does not lead to a movement of the control element. In this way, the second idle stroke is thus formed.

As regards a suitable transmission and conversion of the axial movement of the actuator element to a corresponding axial movement of the control element, the latter expediently has a contact surface oriented obliquely in the direction of the rotation axis of the eccentric unit, such that the distance of the contact surface to the stationary rotation axis varies. By means of this measure, the linear movement of the control element, brought about by the eccentric unit, is therefore intensified as it were. Both the non-round and eccentric configuration of the eccentric unit and also the obliquely inclined contact surface of the control element lead to a variation of the axial position of the control element in a rotation movement of the eccentric unit. The oblique position of the contact surface is expediently oriented in such a way that the axial movement executed by the eccentric unit is reinforced.

As regards the eccentric unit rolling as uniformly as possible on the contact surface, the latter is preferably curved in an arc shape.

The contact surface preferably forms a recess in the control element in which the eccentric unit engages.

Overall, therefore, an acceleration of the movement is achieved and, by the interaction of the eccentric unit with the contact surface, a dual-action conversion of the rotation movement to an axial movement is achieved. This also permits the only small rotation angle over the intermediate rotation range, in order to execute the complete control stroke over the comparatively small rotation angle.

In a preferred embodiment, the eccentric unit is designed as a partial circular disc, which has a flat portion, and an eccentric lug which adjoins the latter and is oriented in the direction of the control element. In a starting position or rest position, the flat portion is at least approximately parallel to a surface of the control element and in particular perpendicular to the axial direction. By way of the eccentric lug, the eccentric unit acts on the control element in order to move the latter. By means of this configuration, the rotation axis can be brought comparatively close to the control element, which leads to a compact structure. The eccentric lug preferably engages in the hollow formed in the control element by the curved contact surface.

The device is overall a dosing dispenser, wherein the actuator element in particular has a pushbutton which is arranged on a rear area of the housing. The housing contains a reservoir, in particular an ampoule for a medicament that is intended to be dosed. Upon actuation of the pushbutton, the medicament is dispensed through an atomizer nozzle on the front.

A movement of the pushbutton in the axial direction is also expediently transmitted to the transmission unit via a ram. The transmission unit is arranged in the front area of the housing, i.e. substantially opposite the pushbutton in the axial direction. Moreover, the generator preferably extends parallel to the ram, specifically from the front area to the rear area of the housing. On the whole, an arrangement that takes up little space is thus made available.

Moreover, the device expediently comprises, as electrical consumer unit, an electronic assembly that has a counting unit for counting the number of actuation strokes and a display unit for displaying information correlated to the number of actuation strokes. Generally, the electrical consumer unit comprises a processing unit for data processing or signal processing, and a signal output unit. In addition to the display unit, there is also, for example, a radio unit for transmitting a corresponding data signal to a remote receiver station.

The actuation mechanism described here, with the actuator element and the transmission unit, is designed especially for a manually actuatable atomizer with an integrated counting unit. However, it can also be used for other fields of application, in particular in other energy-autonomous units in which very small amounts of energy for powering an integrated consumer unit are generated by means of a piezoelectric element.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the figures, which each show somewhat simplified representations and in which:

Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of a dosing dispenser, in the manner of a cross-sectional view,

Fig. 2A shows an enlarged perspective view of a piezoelectric generator with a control element, a transmission unit and a ram in a non-actuated rest position,

Fig. 2B shows the elements from Fig. 2A in a pressed position with a deflected piezoelectric generator, Fig. 3A shows an enlarged partial view of Fig. 2A in the area of the transmission unit,

Fig. 3B shows an enlarged partial view of Fig. 2B in the area of the transmission unit,

Fig. 4A shows a perspective illustration of an eccentric unit and of the upper area of the control element in a position at the start of the execution of a working stroke, and

Fig. 4B shows a view comparable to Fig. 4A, in a position in the area of a second idle stroke after execution of a control stroke of the control element.

Parts that have the same action are designated by identical reference signs in each of the figures.

The device shown in Fig. 1 is designed as a dosing dispenser 2 and is used to dispense a medicament. The dosing dispenser 2 is designed as an atomizer. It comprises a housing 4, which extends from a rear area 4A to a front area 4B in an axial direction 6. In the rear area 4A, a manually actuatable pushbutton 8 is arranged on an end face of the housing 4 and is mounted so as to be movable in the axial direction 6. The pushbutton 8 interacts with a reservoir 10 (ampoule) arranged in the interior of the housing 4 and in particular receives the reservoir 10 within it, such that the reservoir 10 is held via the pushbutton 8. In the front area 4B, an atomizer nozzle 12 protrudes from an end face of the housing 4.

Moreover, a piezoelectric generator 14, designed as a bending transducer, is arranged in the interior of the housing 4 and likewise extends in the axial direction 6, specifically parallel to the reservoir 10 from the rear area 4A to the front area 4B. The piezoelectric generator 14 is held, in the rear area 4A, by a stationary holding element 16 and, in the front area 4B, by a control element 18, which is movable in the axial direction 6 and via which the piezoelectric generator 14 is compressed in the axial direction. The piezoelectric generator 14 is preferably pretensioned in at least a slight arc shape in order to achieve a good energy yield. As will also be seen, the piezoelectric generator 14 is held only in the control element 18 and in the holding element 16 and is otherwise arranged freely in the interior. This allows the piezoelectric generator 14 to be actuated in a manner as far as possible free of friction.

To transmit a control movement of the pushbutton 8 to the control element 18, a ram 20, a connecting rod 22 and an eccentric unit 24 are furthermore provided. The ram 20 forms, together with the pushbutton 8, an actuator element 26. The connecting rod 22, the eccentric unit 24 and the control element 18 form a transmission unit 28.

The dosing dispenser 2 moreover has a consumer unit 30, which is supplied with energy autonomously via the piezoelectric generator 14. The consumer unit 30 is composed of several components, namely an electronic assembly 32 and a display element 34. The electronic assembly 32 serves to determine the number of doses upon a respective actuation of the pushbutton 8. It outputs a corresponding signal to the display element 34, such that information corresponding to the doses is displayed there at least temporarily. This information concerns either the number of residual doses still remaining or the number of doses already carried out. The counting of the individual doses is initiated here by the energy impulse of the piezoelectric generator 14 upon actuation of the pushbutton 8. With the actuation of the pushbutton 8, a medicament unit is dispensed and a respective work cycle is begun. The energy made available by the generator 14 is normally used up completely by the consumer unit 30 during this work cycle.

Upon actuation of the pushbutton 8 from a starting position shown in Fig. 1 to an end position not shown here, the pushbutton 8 is moved in the axial direction 6 by an actuation stroke HI . This actuation stroke HI is decoupled and transmitted to the generator 14 via the transmission unit 28. The control element 18 is in this case moved in the axial direction 6 by a control stroke H2 counter to the pushbutton 8.

The actuation stroke HI is usually much greater than the control stroke H2. The actuation stroke HI is normally in the range of a few millimetres, particularly in the range of 4 to 8 mm, preferably about 5.5 mm. It is in principle much greater than the control stroke H2, which typically lies in the range of a few tenths of a millimetre, for example in the range of 0.2 to 0.4 mm and in particular only 0.3 mm.

By means of the transmission unit 28, the control movement of the pushbutton 8 is decoupled from that of the control element 18. Particularly in such a way that the actuation stroke HI is divided into a first idle stroke LI, a working stroke A and a second idle stroke L2. It is only in the range of the working stroke A that the axial movement of the pushbutton 8 is converted to the control stroke H2 and therefore to an axial movement of the generator 14, as is explained in more detail below with reference to further figures:

Firstly, the structure of the transmission unit 28 will be seen more clearly from Figures 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B:

For coupling to the transmission unit 28, the ram 20 has a coupling element 36 which is designed as a pin and which is mounted in an oblong hole 38 of the connecting rod 22. The connecting rod 22 is secured on the eccentric unit 24 via a common rotary shaft 40. The rotary shaft 40 is mounted rotatably about a rotation axis 42. Viewed in the axial direction 6, the coupling element 36 is arranged laterally offset with respect to the rotation axis 42. A movement of the ram 20 in the axial direction 6 therefore leads to a rotation movement of the rotary shaft 40 and therefore also of the eccentric unit 24. During such an actuation, the latter rolls on an upper end face 44 of the control element 18. The end face 44 has, in a partial area, a contact surface 46 which is in contact with a circumferential surface 48 of the eccentric unit 24. The control element 18 is coupled to the generator 14 and, for this purpose, has in particular a receiving slit 50 in which the more or less plate-shaped piezoelectric generator 14, designed as a bending transducer, is inserted. The piezoelectric generator is here inserted into the receiving slit 50 with play, such that slight vibrations do not lead to a deformation of the piezoelectric generator 14. By virtue of the special arrangement of the piezoelectric generator 14 parallel to the axial direction, with at the same time an axial orientation of the control stroke H2, the piezoelectric generator 14 between its two bearing points, namely the receiving slit 50 and the lower holding element 16, is bent out perpendicularly with respect to the axial direction 6.

It will also be clearly seen from Figures 3B and 4B that the control element 18 has a hollow 52 in the area of the contact surface 46. The eccentric unit 24 engages in this hollow 52 in the position shown in Figures 3A and 4A and, in the event of an actuation, rolls out of this hollow 52 onto an upper horizontal area of the contact surface 46, as can be seen in particular from Figures 4A and 4B. The contact surface 46 therefore extends from the hollow 52 over a further horizontal area that adjoins the hollow 52. Viewed in the axial direction 6, the rotation axis 42 is arranged above this horizontally extending portion.

The eccentric unit 24 is designed generally in the manner of a partial circular disc and has a flat portion 54 which faces towards the control element 18 and which is adjoined by an eccentric lug 56. The eccentric lug 56 begins laterally offset with respect to the rotation axis 42.

The partial circular disc generally has a radius R. Only in the area of the eccentric lug 56 and of the flat portion 54 does the distance from the circumferential surface 48 to the rotation axis 42 decrease such that, overall, a non-rotationally symmetrical cam disc is formed for converting the rotation movement to a linear movement of the control element 18. The mode of operation is as follows:

In the starting position, in which the pushbutton 8 is therefore arranged in its retracted, non-actuated position shown Fig. 1, the eccentric unit 24 is located in a base position corresponding to an initial position of rotation. In this base position, the flat portion 54 is oriented parallel to the horizontally extending end face 44 and/or lies flat on the latter.

Upon actuation of the pushbutton 8 by the first idle stroke LI, a rotation of the eccentric unit 24 about the rotation axis 42 takes place over a first idle rotation range oil, during which no axial movement of the control element 18 takes place. The flat portion 54 here rotates only away from the upper end face 44. At the same time, the eccentric lug 56 rotates into the hollow 52 and comes to bear on the contact surface 46. This position at the end of the first idle stroke LI is shown in Fig. 4A. Upon the further actuation by the working stroke A, the eccentric lug 56 then rolls on the contact surface 46 over an intermediate rotation range a2, such that the control element 18 is moved in the axial direction 6. A dual action is achieved by virtue of the special configuration of the eccentric unit 24 with the eccentric lug 56 and at the same time of the control element 18 with the hollow 52. The axial adjustment is effected by the increased distance between rotation axis 42 and circumferential surface 48 and also by the reduced distance of the contact surface 46 from the rotation axis 42. In this way, a very rapid adjustment movement in the axial direction 6 is achieved with a comparatively small rotation angle for the intermediate rotation range 2.

As soon as the eccentric lug 56 has reached the horizontally extending portion of the contact surface 46, the control stroke H2 is ended. In the event of a further rotation, the eccentric unit 24 still rolls only on the horizontal portion of the contact surface 46, without the distance further changing. This takes place over the second idle stroke L2 via a second idle rotation range 3.

In the illustrative embodiment, the contact surface 46 is designed with an arc shape in the area of the hollow 52. In principle, the contact surface could also be designed here as a linearly ascending ramp. The arc- shaped design also provides pleasant tactility when actuating the pushbutton 8.

Overall, by means of the transmission unit described here, an eccentric drive is created which decouples the movement of the pushbutton 8 in several respects from that of the control element 18 and therefore from the movement of the generator 14. Through the first idle stroke LI, slight actuations of the pushbutton 8 remain unconsidered and do not lead to false detection of a supposed dosing procedure. Moreover, on account of this idle stroke LI, other vibrations also do not lead to an inadvertent counting procedure. Also of advantage in this respect is the floating arrangement of the generator 14. Finally, the second idle stroke L2 at the end of the actuation stroke HI ensures that the control stroke H2 is executed completely in the event of a complete actuation of the pushbutton 8. In addition, by a suitable adjustment of the second idle stroke L2, there is also the possibility of suitably adjusting the working stroke A, over which the control movement of the control element 18 takes place. Specifically in such a way that, for example with the actuation stroke HI executed only by a half or three quarters, the maximum energy yield is provided on account of a completely executed control stroke H2. The actuation stroke HI is converted into the individual rotation ranges l, 2, 3 preferably in such a way that the first idle stroke LI accounts for about 20% to 30% of the total actuation stroke HI, the working stroke A accounts for about 40% to 70% of the actuation stroke HI, and the second idle stroke L2 accounts for about 10% to 25% of the actuation stroke HI .

List of reference signs

2 dosing dispenser

4 housing

4A rear area

4B front area

6 axial direction

8 pushbutton

10 reservoir

12 atomizer nozzle

14 piezoelectric generator

16 holding element

18 control element

20 ram

22 connecting rod

24 eccentric unit

26 actuator element

28 transmission unit

30 consumer unit

32 electronic assembly

34 display element

36 coupling element

38 oblong hole

40 rotary shaft

42 rotation axis

44 end face

46 contact surface

48 circumferential surface

50 receiving slit

52 hollow

54 flat portion

56 eccentric lug

A working stroke

HI actuation stroke

H2 control stroke

LI first idle stroke

L2 second idle stroke radius

first idle rotation range intermediate rotation range second idle rotation range

Claims

CLAIMS :

Device, in particular a dosing dispenser (2), comprising an integrated electrical consumer unit (30), a piezoelectric generator (14) for generating a very small amount of energy for supplying the consumer unit (30) with energy, an actuator element (26), which is movable from a starting position to an end position over an actuation stroke (HI) and a control element (18) which is movable over a control stroke (H2) from a base position to an end position and serves to mechanically move a portion of the piezoelectric generator (14), wherein a transmission unit (28) for mechanically transmitting the movement of the actuator element (26) to the piezoelectric generator (14) is arranged between the actuator element (26) and the piezoelectric generator (14), which transmission unit (28) comprises the control element (18) and is designed in such a way that the actuation stroke (HI) is decoupled from the control stroke (H2), such that only a limited stroke section of the actuation stroke (HI) is converted to the control stroke (H2) .

Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the transmission unit (28) is designed in such a way that, proceeding from the starting position, the actuator element (26) has a first idle stroke (LI), which does not lead to a movement of the control element (18) .

Device according to either of the preceding claims, characterized in that the actuator element (26) has a working stroke (A), and the control stroke (H2) is executed completely within the working stroke (A) . Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the actuator element (26) has a final stroke, which is designed as a second idle stroke (L2) and does not lead to a further movement of the control element (18) .

Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transmission unit (28) has an eccentric unit (24), by which a linear movement of the actuator element (26) is converted to a linear movement of the control element (18) .

Device according to Claim 5, characterized in that the eccentric unit (24) is designed in such a way that a rotation movement of the eccentric unit (24) over a first idle rotation range (oil) does not lead to a movement of the control element (18) .

Device according to Claim 5 or 6, characterized in that, over an intermediate rotation range (cx2) of the eccentric unit (24), a rotation movement of the eccentric unit (24) leads to a movement of the control element (18) for the complete execution of the control stroke (H2), wherein the intermediate rotation range (cx2) preferably extends over a rotation angle in the range of 20° to 45°.

Device according to one of Claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the eccentric unit (24) has a constant radius (R) over a second idle rotation range ( 3), such that a rotation movement of the eccentric unit (24) over the second idle rotation range ( 3) does not lead to a movement of the control element (18) . Device according to one of Claims 5 to 8, characterized in that the control element (18) has a contact surface (46) on which the eccentric unit (24) rolls during its rotation movement and which is oriented obliquely in the direction of a rotation axis (42) of the eccentric unit (24), such that the distance to the rotation axis (42) varies .

Device according to Claim 9, characterized in that the control element (18) has a hollow (52), which is delimited by the contact surface (46) and in which the eccentric unit (24) engages with an eccentric lug (56) in the base position.

Device according to one of Claims 5 to 10, characterized in that the eccentric unit (24) is designed as a partial circular disc, with a flat portion (54), and with an eccentric lug (56) which adjoins the latter and is oriented in the direction of the control element (18) .

Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has a housing (4), and the actuator element (26) comprises a pushbutton (8) and a ram (20), wherein the pushbutton (8) is arranged on a rear area (4A) of the housing (4) and is connected by the ram (20) to the transmission unit (28), which is arranged in a front area (4B) of the housing (4), and in that the piezoelectric generator (14) extends parallel to the ram (20) from the front area (4B) to the rear area (4A) .

Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electrical consumer unit (30) has an electronic assembly (32), for counting the number of actuations, and a display unit (34) .