Container for metering output liquid

Abstract

The invention relates to a container for metering a sterile liquid, comprising a substantially rotationally symmetrical reservoir body (12) made of plastic, which reservoir body has a longitudinal axis (O) and a radial direction (R) running perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the reservoir body (12) comprises: a substantially cylindrical or conical peripheral wall section (14) having a first wall thickness (S1); a metering section (16); a bottom section (18); and a container neck section (20), characterized in that the metering section (16) is arranged between the peripheral wall section (14) and the bottom section (18) and is designed as a bellows having at least one radially inward fold with hinge points (36, 38, 40); wherein the wall thickness (S2) of the metering section (16) is reduced by 25% to 60% relative to the first wall thickness S1 at least in the region of the hinge point (36, 38, 40).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a container for metering and discharging sterile liquid. Background Art

[0002] Sterile liquids, such as eye drops, are provided in single doses or dispensed from containers containing a certain amount of sterile liquid for multiple uses. Eye drops are instilled into the conjunctival sac or onto the cornea by the user and must be sterile to avoid eye infection.

[0003] When sterile liquids must be dispensed in the form of a defined number of drops in precisely defined doses, containers have been proposed in the prior art, by means of which defined partial quantities can be dispensed from the container. For this purpose, the storage container is provided, for example, with elastic side walls, which the user can compress during use in order to be able to dispense one or more single drops. In this case, when dispensing eye drops, the container is usually placed above the head, so that the dispensed drops enter the user's eyes essentially from above.

[0004] In the prior art, containers are also proposed whose bottom wall can assume two defined states. By pressing the bottom, the container bottom, which is arched in the direction of the container exterior in a first position, can be transferred by applying pressure to the bottom wall into a second position in which the bottom is arched in the direction of the container interior volume. When moving from the first position to the second position, a defined volume in the container interior is discharged, whereby a defined amount of liquid can be discharged from the discharge opening. Summary of the invention

[0005] Since the function of the bottom, which can assume different geometrical states, is not intuitively recognizable to the user, there is a need for a container for metering sterile liquids, the operation of which can already be recognized and inferred from the shape of the container for the average user. At the same time, the container must be easy to manufacture, since it is a mass-produced product.

[0006] This object is achieved by a container for metered delivery of sterile liquids having the features of claim 1. Preferred embodiments emerge from the further claims.

[0007] The container for metering and discharging sterile liquids according to the present invention comprises a substantially rotationally symmetrical storage body made of plastic, the storage body having a longitudinal axis and a radial direction extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis, the storage body comprising a substantially cylindrical or conical peripheral wall section with a first wall thickness, a metering section, a bottom section and a container neck section. The container is characterized in that the metering section is arranged between the peripheral wall section and the bottom section and is designed as a bellows, the bellows having at least one radially inward fold, the fold having a hinge position, and the wall thickness of the metering section is reduced by 25% to 60% relative to the first wall thickness at least in the region of the hinge position.

[0008] Thus, the container according to the invention has a metering section arranged between the peripheral wall section and the bottom section of the container, which is arranged in the region of the peripheral surface of the container in a well-recognizable manner. The metering section is designed as a bellows, whereby the radially inward fold is well visible to the user. Therefore, the user also intuitively recognizes how the container according to the invention should be used. Thus, this use makes it possible for the wall thickness of the metering section to be arranged in the region of the hinge position of at least one fold to have a reduced wall thickness, whereby the wall thickness is reduced by 25% to 60% relative to the wall thickness of the substantially cylindrical or conical peripheral wall section at least in the region of the hinge position. Due to the reduced wall thickness at the hinge position, the container manufactured in one piece can be folded and closed in the region of the fold, in such a way that the height of the container is reduced when the bottom section is pressed, because the height of the metering section is reduced. Here, preferably, the reduced wall thickness is arranged only in the region of the hinge position, whereby only a few positions with a small wall thickness are formed, which can also be kept small in the metering section for example for the infiltration of oxygen through the container wall due to diffusion. This is advantageous since, in particular for oxygen-sensitive products, a large reduction in wall thickness would reduce the stability properties.Since the metering section is arranged between the peripheral wall region and the bottom section, a label can be arranged on the peripheral wall section in a conventional manner.

[0009] Preferred embodiments emerge from the further claims.

[0010] According to a preferred embodiment, the bottom section has a concentrically arranged arched structure in the direction of the metering section. During use, this arched structure of the bottom section causes the thumb of the user, which is usually placed on the bottom to compress the metering section, to automatically be placed in the area of ​​the center of the metering section, thereby achieving uniform compression of the metering section around the periphery of the substantially rotationally symmetrical storage body of the container.

[0011] According to a preferred embodiment, the entire metering section has a wall thickness that is less than the first wall thickness, and preferably the entire metering section has a wall thickness that is reduced by 25% to 60% relative to the first wall thickness. If the entire metering section has a wall thickness that is less than the first wall thickness, a portion of the movement of the bellows can be carried out via the articulation points, but another portion of the movement of the bellows can also be carried out by bending of the wall sections of the bellows between the articulation points. In this way, the articulation points are subjected to less mechanical loads.

[0012] The metering section preferably has a single folding portion, which includes: a first hinge position on the peripheral wall section; a second hinge position on the bottom section; an annular first hinged side leg, which extends radially inward from the first hinge position and at a first angle relative to the radial direction; an annular second hinged side leg, which extends radially inward from the second hinge position and at a second angle relative to the radial direction; and a third hinge position, which connects the first hinged side leg with the second hinged side leg.

[0013] In this case, it is preferred that the first articulated leg and the second articulated leg have a substantially rectilinear course in a sectional plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

[0014] In this way, the metering section is designed similarly to a disk spring which can be elastically compressed when subjected to pressure in the direction of the longitudinal axis.

[0015] According to a preferred embodiment, the first, second and third articulation points and the second articulation leg have a wall thickness that is smaller than the first wall thickness, and the first articulation leg has a wall thickness that is greater than the second articulation leg.

[0016] In this way, when the base segment is pressed, the movement of the metering segment takes place substantially in the region of the annular second articulated limb close to the base segment.

[0017] According to a preferred embodiment, the first angle is smaller than the second angle.

[0018] This measure also ensures that, when the metering section is compressed, the bellows is deformed more strongly in the region of the second joint point adjoining the base section than in the region of the first joint section adjoining the circumferential wall section.

[0019] At this time, it is preferred that the second angle is more than twice the first angle, and the second angle is preferably between 30° and 40°.

[0020] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the second articulation point is located at a smaller distance from the longitudinal axis than the first articulation point. This measure also has the effect that, during compression, the half of the bellows between the third articulation point and the second articulation point, which is directed toward the bottom section, moves more strongly than the upper half of the bellows, so that during compression, the metering section moves primarily in the region of the second articulation point.

[0021] The ratio between the outer diameter of the bottom section and the inner diameter of the container in the region of the third articulation point preferably corresponds approximately to a ratio of 2:1.

[0022] In this way, a sufficiently large infolding is produced in the region of the metering section, in the region of the bellows.

[0023] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the container further has an external thread on the container neck section. The external thread is used to screw on a closure cap, by means of which an outlet for discharging sterile liquid in the container neck section can be closed.

[0024] Furthermore, it is preferred that the container further comprises a shoulder section between the peripheral wall section and the container neck section.

[0025] Such a shoulder section can increase the handling comfort, in that a small-sized container, such as a container usually used for storing and dispensing eye drops, can be gripped by the user with the thumb of one hand on the shoulder section and with one finger of the same hand on the outer side of the bottom section. In this way, the container can be gripped comfortably for small-sized containers, such as those present, for example, in containers with a volume of 5 ml, and the pressure exerted on the bottom of the container when the metering section is actuated can be absorbed similarly to the support achieved by gripping simultaneously on the shoulder section.

[0026] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the container further comprises a circumferential toothing arranged on the container neck section, the toothing comprising a plurality of ramp surfaces extending substantially tangentially and a plurality of locking surfaces extending substantially radially, each of the locking surfaces being adjacent to a ramp surface.

[0027] The toothing of the container neck section thus serves to screw a closure cap onto a storage body, the closure cap having a conventional tamper-evident ring which is connected to the closure cap via a thin-walled bridge section and which can be screwed onto the storage body via the toothing in an integral manner with the closure cap after the container has been filled, since the tamper-evident ring can be moved over the tangentially extending ramp surface when first screwing on. On the other hand, during the first opening, the tamper-evident ring detaches from the closure cap since it contacts the locking surface and is prevented from following the rotational movement of the closure cap when screwing off, whereby the bridge section is broken and the tamper-evident ring remains in the region of the toothing, whereby the tamper-evident ring gives the user a clear visual indication that the container has been opened and the contents are possibly no longer sterile.

[0028] The container preferably has a matching closure cap which can be screwed onto the storage body and seals the container in a gas-tight manner when screwed on. For this purpose, measures known in the art are used, such as providing an annular seal on the inner side of the upper side of the closure cap, which, after screwing on the closure cap, elastically rests on the outer circumference of the outlet opening of the container neck section and seals the container in this way. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] The invention is described below purely by way of example with reference to an embodiment of a container according to the invention.

[0030] Figure 1 A three-dimensional view showing a container according to the present invention;

[0031] Figure 2 Show according to Figure 1 A side view of a container;

[0032] Figure 3 Show according to Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the container along section line AA; and

[0033] Figure 4 Show according to Figure 1 A top view of the container. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] Figures 1 to 4 An embodiment of a container 10 for metering sterile liquid according to the present invention is shown. Here, the size of the container is preferably designed so that a predetermined amount of sterile liquid is output by operating the bellows described below.

[0035] The container has a reservoir body 12 for a sterile liquid and a closure cap (not shown in the figures) which can be screwed onto the reservoir body. The reservoir body has a longitudinal axis O and is shaped substantially rotationally symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis O. Figure 4 The radial direction R shown by way of example in FIG. 1 extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis.

[0036] The storage body 12 has a peripheral wall section 14, which is essentially cylindrical in the current embodiment, but can also be designed as a cone in the same way, and has a first wall thickness S1. The metering section 16 is integrally connected to the peripheral wall section 14, and the bottom section 18 is integrally connected to the metering section 16. In addition, the storage body 12 has a container neck section 20, which includes an outlet 22 for outputting sterile liquid. An external thread 24 is molded on the container neck section 20, which is used to screw on a closure cap (not shown). The surrounding collar 26, which is also shown in the figure, is used to hold the storage body during filling with liquid, especially in the industrial filling range.

[0037] The container according to the present embodiment is additionally provided with a tamper-evident safety device 28, which is arranged between the external thread 24 and the peripheral wall section 14 and is used to disengage the tamper-evident ring, which is usually arranged on the closure cover by means of a bridge plate, from the closure cover when the container is first opened by unscrewing the closure cover, and to make it visible to the user that the container has been opened. The tamper-evident safety device 28 can be designed in any manner. In the present case, a toothed portion 30 is provided, which includes a plurality of ramp sections 32 oriented substantially tangentially and a plurality of locking sections 34 arranged substantially radially between the ramp sections. As described by Figure 4 As can be seen in the top view of the closure cover, the closure cover can be screwed on for the first time together with the tamper-evident ring in the clockwise direction, because the tamper-evident ring moves together with the closure cover over the ramp section 32 in the manner of the ratchet, while the tamper-evident ring is prevented from being turned in the first time when the closure cover is opened by the locking section 34. Figure 4 The tamper-evident ring is moved in the counterclockwise direction, whereby the web-shaped bridge section between the closure cap and the tamper-evident ring breaks and the tamper-evident ring remains on the toothing after the closure cap has been unscrewed, while the closure cap can be unscrewed. However, within the scope of the invention, the tamper-evident safety device used in the embodiment shown can be replaced in the same way by other tamper-evident safety devices known in the art.

[0038] The size of the outlet opening 22 and in particular its diameter is preferably adapted to the size of the droplets of the sterile liquid that are formed and can have an opening diameter of between 8.1 mm and 8.3 mm for water-based liquids.

[0039] The metering section 16 arranged between the peripheral wall section 14 and the bottom section 18 is located at such a position that it does not conflict with the label arranged on the peripheral wall section 14 and can be clearly identified by the user in this way. The metering section 16 is designed as a bellows and can have one or more inward folds. In the current embodiment, a single inward fold is provided. For this purpose, the metering section 16 has a first hinge position 36, a second hinge position 38 and a third hinge position 40. The first hinge position 36 constitutes a transition section between the peripheral wall section 14 and the metering section 16. The second hinge position 38 constitutes a transition section between the bottom section 18 and the metering section 16. The third hinge position 40 is arranged inside the inward fold.

[0040] Furthermore, a first articulated leg 42 is provided which connects the first articulated location 36 with the third articulated location 40. A second articulated leg 44 connects the third articulated location 40 with the second articulated location 38. In the present embodiment, the articulated legs 42 and 44 are designed to be annular and are connected to each other. Figure 3 The cross-sectional plane shown in FIG. 1 , which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (O), has a substantially straight-line course.

[0041] Here, the wall thickness (S2) of the metering section is reduced by 25% to 60% relative to the first wall thickness (S1). However, it is also possible to design the first articulated leg 42 and the second articulated leg 44 to have the same wall thickness S1 as the peripheral wall section and to provide a correspondingly reduced wall thickness only in the region of the articulation points 36, 38, 40 in order to achieve an increased deformation of the metering section 16 in these regions.

[0042] If further Figure 3 As shown in the figure, angles of different sizes are formed, on the one hand, the first articulated side leg 42 extends at the angle relative to the radial direction R, and on the other hand, the second articulated side leg 44 extends at the angle relative to the radial direction R. In this specific embodiment, the angle β between the second articulated side leg 44 and the radial direction is more than twice the angle α between the first articulated side leg 42 and the radial direction. In this specific example, the angle α can be between 10° and 15°, and the angle β can be between 30° and 40°. The angles of different sizes are used so that when the metering section 16 is operated by pressing the bottom section from the outside as described later, the movement mainly occurs in the area of ​​the second articulated position 38 and the second articulated side leg 44. However, according to an alternative embodiment, in the same way, it is also possible to change the angle according to Figure 3 The design scheme is that the operation is basically evenly performed through the first articulated leg and the second articulated leg, or the operation is basically performed only through the first articulated leg.

[0043] Furthermore, it has proven to be advantageous if the inner diameter Di of the container in the region of the third articulation point 40 is selected such that it is approximately half the outer diameter Da of the bottom section 18 in the region of the second articulation point 38 .

[0044] In addition, it is advantageous that the second articulated position 38 is at a smaller radial distance to the longitudinal axis O than the first articulated position 36 between the peripheral wall section 14 and the metering section 16. It is achieved that the radius of the bottom section 18 is smaller than the radius of the peripheral wall section 14. This geometry, together with the ratio Da:Di between the dimensions, has proven to be particularly advantageous in terms of the best possible force transmission and force introduction. The force introduction is carried out via the bottom 18 along the arrow direction B. Due to the cylindrically symmetrical shape of the bottom 18 and the arched structure 46 of the bottom toward the container inner volume direction, the force transmission is basically carried out concentrically. The arched structure 46 is advantageous because the user automatically presses in the direction of the deepest position of the arched structure 46 during operation, and thus improves the concentricity of the force introduction. But it is also important for the necessary force consumption lever arm. An overly small lever arm will increase the rigidity of the system and lead to greater operating force. However, if the lever length is selected to be too large, the metering section becomes too soft depending on the selected wall thickness and no longer introduces sufficient force for operating the metering section in the form of a disc spring. This can lead to the overpressure required for droplet formation becoming too low and no droplets can flow out of the outlet opening 22 serving as a droplet orifice. Therefore, in order to achieve an optimal force consumption for droplet formation, a lever arm selected in a ratio of 2:1 between the bottom outer diameter Da and the fold inner diameter Di has proven to be very suitable.

[0045] However, according to an alternative design, the radius of the bottom section may also be equal to the radius of the peripheral wall section.

[0046] The bottom section 18 itself also has a certain flexibility, so that when only the bottom of the bottle is compressed, drops can also be discharged when there is sufficient pressure acting on the bottom.

[0047] Due to this design of the metering section 16 , the container according to the invention can also be produced from relatively rigid plastic materials, such as HDPE and PP, which are sometimes used for reasons of resistance to sterile liquids.

[0048] It is essential that at least the hinge point has a reduced wall thickness in order to achieve the spring function. It may even be advantageous to provide only the hinge point with a smaller wall thickness, since in this way the diffusion penetration of oxygen through the outer wall of the container can be reduced and thus better stability can be achieved for oxygen-sensitive products. Due to this design, it is intuitively visible to the user how the container is to be handled. When the user presses on the center of the bottom section 18 in order to compress the metering section 16, it has proven to be advantageous to provide a shoulder section 48 between the peripheral wall section 14 and the container neck section 20, which, like a support, makes it easier to apply force to the bottom section.

[0049] The storage body 12 of the container according to the invention can be made of plastic in one piece, whereby the container is well suited for mass production. By selecting the wall thickness in the metering section, the angle between the first hinge leg and the radial direction, the angle between the second hinge leg and the radial direction, and the ratio between the bottom outer diameter Da and the fold inner diameter Di, an operating force of substantially the same magnitude can be set for the user, which is independent of the container volume, the wall thickness of the rest of the container, but also independent of the selected plastic material.

Claims

1. A container for metering and outputting sterile liquid, the container comprising: - a substantially rotationally symmetrical reservoir body (12) made of plastic, said reservoir body having a longitudinal axis (O) and a radial direction (R) extending perpendicularly to said longitudinal axis, said reservoir body (12) comprising: - a substantially cylindrical or conical circumferential wall section (14) having a first wall thickness (S1), - metering section (16), - a bottom section (18), and - a container neck section (20), It is characterized in that - the metering section (16) is arranged between the peripheral wall section (14) and the bottom section (18), and - the metering section is designed as a bellows, the bellows having at least one fold in the radial direction inwards, the fold having a hinge point (36, 38, 40); wherein The wall thickness (S2) of the metering section (16) is reduced by 25% to 60% relative to the first wall thickness S1 at least in the region of the articulation points (36, 38, 40).

2. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that The bottom section (18) has a concentrically arranged arched structure (46) in the direction of the metering section (16).

3. The container according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that: The entire metering section (16) has a wall thickness (S2) that is smaller than the first wall thickness (S1), and preferably the entire metering section (16) has a wall thickness that is reduced by 25% to 60% relative to the first wall thickness (S1).

4. The container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that The metering section (16) has a single fold, which comprises: a first hinge point (36) on the peripheral wall section (14), - a second articulation point (38) on the bottom section (18), - an annular first articulation leg (42) extending radially inwards from the first articulation point (36) and at a first angle (α) relative to the radial direction (R), - an annular second articulation leg (44) extending radially inwards from the second articulation point (38) and at a second angle (β) relative to the radial direction (R), and - A third articulation point (40) connecting the first articulated leg (42) to the second articulated leg (44).

5. The container according to claim 4, characterized in that The first, second and third hinge locations (36, 38, 40) and the second hinge leg (44) have a wall thickness that is smaller than the first wall thickness (S1), and the first hinge leg (42) has a greater wall thickness than the second hinge leg (44).

6. The container according to claim 4 or claim 5, characterized in that: The first articulated leg (42) and the second articulated leg (44) have a substantially rectilinear course in a sectional plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (O).

7. The container according to claim 6, characterized in that The first angle (α) is smaller than the second angle (β).

8. The container according to claim 7, characterized in that The second angle (β) is more than twice the first angle (α), and preferably the second angle (β) is between 30° and 40°.

9. The container according to any one of claims 4 to 8, characterized in that The second articulation point (38) is located at a smaller radial distance from the longitudinal axis (O) than the first articulation point (36).

10. The container according to any one of claims 4 to 9, characterized in that In the region of the third articulation point (40), the ratio between the outer diameter (Da) of the bottom section (18) and the inner diameter (Di) of the container corresponds approximately to a ratio of 2:

1.

11. The container according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising external threads (24) on the container neck section (20).

12. The container according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a shoulder section (48) between the peripheral wall section (14) and the container neck section (20).

13. A container according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a circumferential tooth portion (30) arranged on the container neck section (20), the tooth portion comprising a plurality of ramp surfaces (32) extending substantially tangentially and a plurality of locking surfaces (34) extending substantially radially, the locking surfaces being respectively connected to one ramp surface (32).

14. The container according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a matching closure cap which can be screwed onto the storage body (12) and seals the container in a screwed-on state.

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