Foil cartridge, support cartridge and cartridge system

Abstract

The invention relates to a foil cartridge which can be filled with at least one fluid, comprising a foil bag (12) as cartridge shell and a rigid head part (14), which head part (14) comprises at least one outlet opening (16) for emptying the fluid of the foil cartridge (10) and at least one external thread (18) for fastening the foil cartridge (10) to a support sleeve (100), the foil bag (12) is fixed to the head portion (14) in the region of the external thread (18).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a foil cartridge which can be filled with at least one fluid, the foil cartridge consisting of a foil bag as cartridge shell and a rigid head portion. The invention also relates to a support sleeve for holding or supporting the foil cartridge according to the invention and a cartridge system comprising at least one foil cartridge according to the invention, a support sleeve according to the invention and a piston. Background Art

[0002] For example, a cartridge is filled with a sealant or adhesive and is used with a gun-type one-component or two-component mixing or dispensing system to dispense the material contained therein. In some systems, such as so-called side-by-side cartridges (double cartridges), the mixing or dispensing system has a piston for each receiving unit of a cartridge filled with sealant or adhesive, the piston being configured to dispense the sealant or adhesive from the cartridge. So-called coaxial cartridges can also be used, in which only one piston is used to dispense the material contained therein, wherein here an outer cartridge surrounds an inner cartridge.

[0003] In view of the growing demand for more sustainable equipment, mixing or dispensing systems are now often configured as reusable systems, so that the cartridge only needs to be replaced when it is completely emptied.

[0004] In addition, so-called foil tubes are also increasingly used for tubes to be replaced.Different from conventional tubes made of plastics completely, foil tubes can be configured as foil or film at least in part.In known foil tubes, the tube wall around the tube cavity is configured as film or foil, and is connected to a rigid head portion such as made of plastics.This design has multiple advantages.On the one hand, the tube that has not yet been filled can be better stored and transported to the manufacturer of filling material (that is, adhesive, sealant or the like) from the tube manufacturer, because the foil tube needs significantly less space in the collapsed state.Only when filling, the foil tube is then expanded to its final size that can be selected as required.

[0005] On the other hand, the foil cartridge is also significantly lighter than conventional cartridges made of plastic. This means that the foil cartridge is significantly smaller and lighter both before and after use than conventional cartridges. As a result, the disposal costs can also be significantly reduced.

[0006] In any case, the ecological footprint of the foil cartridge is significantly better than conventional cartridges made of plastic (eg by injection molding).

[0007] Compared to solid tubes, foil tubes do not have inherent stability. Therefore, if the foil tubes are not further supported, they will collapse during use. Therefore, in known systems a (reusable) support sleeve is provided and it can be said that the support sleeve acts as a skeleton for the foil tube and gives it the required stability.

[0008] Such support sleeves are usually made of metal and / or plastic to ensure that they can be used multiple times. In order to hold the foil cartridge, in known systems the head portion of the foil cartridge is usually clamped at the front end of the support sleeve so that the piston can be pressed against the flexible cartridge wall from behind so as to empty it thereby.

[0009] For this reason, one object of the present invention is to provide a cartridge by which the replacement of the foil cartridge or the fastening of the foil cartridge to the supporting sleeve is simplified.

[0010] This object is achieved by a foil cartridge, a supporting sleeve and a cartridge system having the features of the independent claims. Summary of the invention

[0011] The invention provides in particular a foil cartridge which can be filled with at least one fluid, wherein the foil cartridge consists of a foil bag as cartridge housing and a rigid head portion. The head portion comprises at least one outlet opening for the fluid to be emptied from the foil cartridge and at least one external thread for fastening the foil cartridge to a supporting sleeve, wherein the foil bag is fixed to the head portion in the region of the external thread.

[0012] Advantageous embodiments of the invention emerge from the dependent claims, the description and the drawings.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the foil bag is fixed to the outside of the head portion. In this regard, the foil bag can overlap with the head portion in a certain area so that the foil bag can be molded, bonded or otherwise fixed to the head portion.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the foil bag is fastened to the head portion such that the foil bag encloses or contacts the external thread in a form-fitting manner. This means that the foil bag can be tensioned such that the foil bag is indeed located above the external thread, but lies tightly against it so that it does not prevent the foil cylinder from being able to be screwed onto the support sleeve.

[0015] According to an alternative embodiment, the foil bag is fixed to the inside of the head portion. Likewise, the head portion can also be equipped so that the foil bag is fastened to the inside of the head portion.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the foil bag is bonded to the header portion.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the head portion is molded to the foil bag. In other words, the foil bag can be injection molded to the head portion, whether it will be fixed to the outside or inside of the head portion.

[0018] In principle, the rigid head portion can be connected to the flexible foil bag by gluing, shrinking or welding. A mechanical connection by means of a clip or clamp with or without a ring is also conceivable.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the foil bag has at least one coating at the inside and / or outside. For example, it may be advantageous if the foil bag has a non-stick coating at the inside so that the foil bag can be emptied as easily as possible during use. The coating may also be required so that the contents of the foil bag do not react with the material of the foil bag itself.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the foil bag is formed by at least two layers, in particular multiple layers, in particular an inner layer and an outer layer. It should be noted here that the inner layer is the innermost layer of the foil bag, and the outer layer is the outermost layer of the foil bag. If other layers are arranged in between, they are each an intermediate layer.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the at least two layers are formed from different materials. Thus, the foil bag can be optimally adapted to its subsequent use.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the layers each have a thickness between 4 μm and 100 μm.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the at least two layers have different thicknesses. The exact thickness of each layer may vary depending on the field of application and may be appropriately selected.

[0024] According to one embodiment, at least one layer of the foil bag comprises aluminum.

[0025] According to one embodiment, the at least two layers are connected to each other via at least one composite film. In particular, all layers present may be connected to each other via a composite film.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the foil bag has a third layer arranged between the inner layer and the outer layer, and wherein, in particular, the third layer comprises aluminum.

[0027] In order to minimize permeation, in particular oxygen permeation and water vapor permeation of the foil bag, the foil bag can have a further layer, which is in particular arranged between the inner layer and the outer layer and comprises ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH). The layer comprising or consisting of ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer can be arranged between the inner layer and the outer layer. The layer comprising or consisting of ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer is preferably arranged directly adjacent to the outer layer and / or directly adjacent to the inner layer.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the outer layer of the foil bag is made of the same material as the rigid head portion.Thereby, the outer layer can be easily connected to the rigid front portion by means of injection molding.

[0029] According to another embodiment, the inner layer of the foil bag comprises a plastic, in particular a thermoplastic. This increases the recyclability of the foil bag and at the same time simplifies the production of the foil bag.

[0030] According to one embodiment, the inner layer of the foil bag is of the same material as the rigid head portion.The inner and outer layers of the foil bag are preferably of the same material as the rigid head portion.

[0031] According to another embodiment, the inner layer of the foil pouch is made of the same material as the portion of the rigid head portion to which the foil pouch is connected.

[0032] Thereby, the foil bag can be connected to the rigid head portion even more easily by means of injection moulding.

[0033] According to one embodiment, the inner layer has a Shore D hardness between 40 and 99, in particular between 40 and 60.

[0034] For example, the inner layer of the foil bag can be made of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, polyethylene terephthalate or polybutylene terephthalate. For example, the inner layer can have polyamide in the form of PA-6 or PA-66. Polyamide has the advantage that it has high mechanical stability, and this stability can be even further increased by stretching. On the other hand, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is inexpensive and has good chemical resistance.

[0035] According to a further embodiment, the outer layer of the foil bag comprises a plastic, in particular a thermoplastic.

[0036] According to one embodiment, the outer layer has a Shore D hardness between 40 and 99, in particular between 40 and 60.

[0037] The outer layer of the foil bag is advantageously made of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, polyethylene terephthalate or polybutylene terephthalate. For example, the outer layer may have a polyamide in the form of PA-6 or PA-66.

[0038] According to a further embodiment, the rigid head portion comprises plastic, in particular thermoplastic.

[0039] The rigid head portion has in particular a Shore D hardness of between 40 and 99, in particular between 40 and 60.

[0040] The rigid head part can preferably be made of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, polyethylene terephthalate or polybutylene terephthalate. For example, the rigid front part can have a polyamide in the form of PA-6 or PA-66. Polyamide has the advantage that it has a high mechanical stability and is therefore very suitable for a rigid front part. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) can also be used for the rigid front part. That is, PET is easy to handle and has a high chemical resistance.

[0041] According to one embodiment, the rigid head portion is made of high density polyethylene (HDPE), wherein the high density polyethylene (HDPE) has a density ranging from 930 kg / m 3 Up to 970kg / m 3 within the range.

[0042] According to one embodiment, the foil bag is sealed by a weld at a rear end remote from the rigid head portion. For example, the shape of the rear end may be dome-shaped or conical. The rear end of the foil bag may taper substantially continuously. As an alternative thereto, the foil bag may have a substantially planar rear side.

[0043] According to one embodiment, the foil bag is sealed by a clip at the rear end remote from the rigid head portion. Such a clip may be made of plastic, for example.

[0044] According to one embodiment, the foil bag is sealed by means of an adhesive at a rear end remote from the rigid head portion.

[0045] According to one embodiment, the foil bag is formed to be rigid in the pulling direction. Thus, the foil bag has a defined length in the filled state and can thus be safely inserted into the cartridge system.

[0046] The foil bag advantageously withstands a tensile load of 50 N to 80 N in the axial direction. In other words, the foil bag has a tensile strength of at least 50 N in the axial direction. Thus, the foil bag is prevented from tearing due to the tensile load.

[0047] According to one embodiment, the foil bag has a puncture resistance between 10 N and 20 N. The puncture resistance can be determined based on the standard DIN EN 14477 for pointed objects, r=0.4 mm or based on the standard ASTM F 1306 for blunt objects. For at least one of the two test standards, the puncture resistance can be in the range from 10 N to 20 N. The puncture resistance for both test standards is preferably in the range from 10 N to 20 N.

[0048] The inner layer preferably has a greater thickness than the outer layer. For example, the inner layer may have a thickness that is more than 1.5 times the thickness of the outer layer. The inner layer preferably has a thickness that is more than twice the thickness of the outer layer.

[0049] According to one embodiment, the inner layer has a minimum thickness of 50 μm to 90 μm. The inner layer preferably has a minimum thickness of 55 μm to 80 μm. The minimum thickness of the inner layer may be selected depending on the material used for the inner layer and the volume of the filling material.

[0050] According to one embodiment, the foil bag has a total material thickness of between 80 μm and 150 μm. The film thickness can be determined according to DIN EN ISO 4593. The foil bag preferably has a total material thickness of between 110 μm and 150 μm.

[0051] According to one embodiment, the foil bag may have a density of 100 g / m 2 and 170g / m 2 The total weight per unit area can be determined according to DIN EN ISO 2286-2. The foil bag preferably has a total weight per unit area of ​​120 g / m 2 and 150g / m 2 The total weight per unit area between.

[0052] According to one embodiment, the foil bag has a maximum 2 xd), in particular up to 0.2 g / (m 2 The water vapor permeability is measured using standard ISO 15106-3 (38° C. / 90% rh). The foil bag preferably has a water vapor permeability that is no longer measurable using standard ISO 15106-3 (38° C. / 90% rh), i.e. close to 0 g / (m 2 xd).

[0053] According to another embodiment, the foil bag has a thickness of at most 0.3 cm 3 / (m 2 x bar xd), in particular at most 0.2 cm 3 / (m 2 The oxygen permeability is measured using standard ASTM D3985 (23°C / 90% rh). The foil bag preferably has an oxygen permeability that is in the lower range that is no longer measurable, i.e. close to 0 cm, using standard ASTM D3985 (23°C / 90% rh). 3 / (m 2 x bar xd).

[0054] According to one embodiment, the foil bag has a wall thickness or film thickness of at least 60 μm. The foil bag preferably has a wall thickness or film thickness of at least 80 μm. This ensures that the foil bag has adequate mechanical properties.

[0055] According to one embodiment, each layer of the foil bag has a thickness of at least 4 μm, in particular at least 5 μm. However, any possible adhesive between the layers for connecting the layers to each other is not considered as a layer. Possible adhesive between the layers may have a thickness of less than 5 μm. Adhesive is preferably provided between layers of different materials having a thickness of 5 μm or less.

[0056] According to one embodiment, an adhesive is arranged at least between the two layers of the foil bag and connects the two layers to each other. An adhesive is advantageous if the two layers consist of different materials, because otherwise layers of different materials are more difficult to join.

[0057] According to one embodiment, the adhesive has a thickness of 1 μm to 5 μm. The thickness of the adhesive layer should not be less than 1 μm, because otherwise due to tolerance fluctuations, no adhesive or too little adhesive may be applied in some places. It has also been found that an adhesive thickness of more than 5 μm does not lead to an additional improvement in the adhesion between the layers of the foil bag.

[0058] In this regard, it should be mentioned that each layer of the foil bag may have a thickness between 4 μm and 100 μm. In particular, each layer of the foil bag may have a thickness between 5 μm and 70 μm. According to a specific embodiment, all layers of the foil bag except the inner layer have a thickness between 5 μm and 30 μm.

[0059] According to one embodiment, the at least one foil bag has a substantially cylindrical outer shape. Alternatively or additionally, the at least one foil bag has a weld seam in the axial direction. The weld seam can be designed as a fin seam, which is usually referred to as a "fin seal". Alternatively, the weld seam can also be configured as a lap seam, which is usually referred to as a "lap seal".

[0060] According to one embodiment, the outer layer of the foil bag is connected to the inner wall of the front part area-wise. In other words, the outer layer of the foil bag is not only connected to the inner wall of the front part by line contact, but also connected to the inner wall of the front part over a width of at least 2 mm.

[0061] For applications in the field of medical technology or for smaller jobs in the construction industry, it may be advantageous if the foil bag has a volume in the range from 50 ml to 750 ml. The foil bag preferably has 100 ml, 200 ml or 500 ml.

[0062] On the other hand, for larger jobs, in particular in the construction industry, it may be advantageous if the foil bag has a volume in the range from 750ml to 5000ml. For example, the at least one foil bag may have a volume of 1000ml, 1250ml, 1500ml, 2500ml or 4000ml.

[0063] In order to avoid confusion of the cartridge and to make it easy to find out what the foil bag is filled with, a label of the contents of the foil bag or the cartridge may be applied at the outside of the foil bag. The label is preferably applied to the foil bag before or shortly after the foil bag is filled. Thus, errors in applying the label may be minimized.

[0064] According to one embodiment, the head portion has one or more reinforcing ribs at a side facing away from the foil bag. For example, the ribs may extend on the side of the rigid head portion facing away from the foil bag. Thus, the ribs may serve to stabilize the area around the outlet opening to better absorb the forces transmitted to the head portion during dispensing and to prevent deformation of the head portion.

[0065] In this connection it should be mentioned that the one or more reinforcing ribs may be arranged in the circumferential direction.

[0066] Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of reinforcing ribs may also extend in radial direction starting from the center axis of the foil drum.

[0067] In any case, the reinforcing ribs may increase the stability of the head portion so that the head portion may withstand the pressure generated when fluid is pressed out of the head portion.

[0068] According to one embodiment, the head portion is substantially dome-shaped. Advantageously, the reinforcing ribs can be arranged on the dome. The dome-shaped design has proven to be particularly advantageous both for visual and tactile reasons. Furthermore, by such a design, the foil cartridge can be emptied in the best possible way.

[0069] According to one embodiment, the head portion has at least one wing, which is particularly arranged at the dome. Such a wing can serve as a handle for the foil cartridge, so that a user can easily screw the foil bag onto the support sleeve and unscrew it from the support sleeve.

[0070] The wing may be larger than at least one of the one or more reinforcing ribs. This ensures that a user can actuate the wing without the reinforcing rib becoming a hindrance.

[0071] According to another embodiment, the wing has a height greater than the height of at least one of the one or more reinforcing ribs. This means that the wing can be higher than the reinforcing ribs so that a user can easily grasp it.

[0072] According to one embodiment, the wing has at least substantially the same thickness as the one or more reinforcing ribs, in particular exactly the same thickness. In this context, the term "substantially the same" is understood to mean that the thickness of the wing differs from the thickness of the reinforcing rib by no more than + / - 5%.

[0073] In particular, a design with wings and reinforcing ribs of identical thickness has proven to be particularly simple and cost-effective to manufacture.

[0074] According to one embodiment, the head portion has a strip area, which is arranged in the peripheral direction and extends on the front end of the foil bag facing the head portion. For example, such a strip can serve as a stop for the support sleeve when the two parts are connected to each other.

[0075] According to another embodiment, the head portion has at least one alignment element, which is configured to align the head portion relative to the support sleeve. The alignment element can be designed in different ways, as long as it enables the head portion to be aligned with the support sleeve. For example, it can represent a mark, a protrusion or a recess or the like, which must be placed at a specific position at the support sleeve to properly align the head portion. In general, other designs are also possible for the alignment element.

[0076] Furthermore, the alignment element may be arranged radially outwardly at the head portion. With such a position of the alignment element at the head portion, the alignment element is arranged so that when the foil cartridge is inserted into the support sleeve, the alignment element is arranged as close as possible to the support sleeve to facilitate alignment of the head portion.

[0077] In this context, it can also be provided that the alignment element is arranged at the strip region.

[0078] In particular, the alignment element can also be arranged at the end face, ie in the direction of the outlet at the head portion. Such an alignment can make the handling of the user easier, because the user can easily see the alignment element to align the head portion to the support sleeve.

[0079] According to a further embodiment, the alignment element is arranged in the region of at least one radial reinforcement rib.

[0080] According to an alternative embodiment, the alignment element is arranged in the region of at least one wing, preferably between two wings.

[0081] According to another embodiment, the head portion has at least one alignment protrusion configured to align the head portion at a predetermined angle relative to the support sleeve.

[0082] For this purpose, the alignment projection may be arranged at the side of the head portion facing the foil pocket, such that it is oriented in the direction of the support sleeve even when the foil cylinder is connected to the support sleeve.

[0083] Furthermore, it would also be conceivable that the alignment protrusions are arranged at the strip region.Thus, the alignment protrusions would be arranged at the radially outer region of the head portion, where the support sleeve also frequently comes into contact with the head portion.

[0084] According to one embodiment, the outlet opening of the head portion has a substantially constant cross-section.

[0085] According to a further embodiment, the outlet opening has an internal thread to which the outlet nozzle can be fastened.

[0086] According to an alternative embodiment, the outlet opening has an external thread to which the outlet nozzle can be fastened.

[0087] In principle, the outlet nozzle can be used for better and more precise metering of the fluid present in the cylinder.

[0088] According to another embodiment, in the filled state of the foil bag, the outlet opening is sealed by a membrane, which membrane can be pierced in particular by the outlet nozzle. The sealing of the outlet opening serves primarily to ensure that the foil cartridge can be stored and transported without leaking. In particular, the fluid in the cartridge may also react with oxygen, so that it must be stored in a protective atmosphere. By sealing the outlet opening, reactions with oxygen can be avoided until use.

[0089] According to one embodiment, the outlet opening is arranged at a side of the dome of the head portion facing away from the foil bag.

[0090] According to another embodiment, the head part has an outflow area, in which the outlet opening is formed and which extends along the central axis of the foil cylinder. In other words, the outlet opening can be designed in the area of ​​the head part that protrudes along the central axis. This can optimize the metering of the fluid. In addition, this can also make it easier to fasten an additional outlet nozzle to the head part.

[0091] The outflow region can be substantially tubular and can have a wall thickness of between 0.5 mm and 1.5 mm at least in regions. A good compromise is thereby achieved between sufficient stability and material costs.

[0092] Furthermore, the outflow region can have a length between 5 mm and 40 mm, in particular between 20 mm and 30 mm. The outflow region should be selected to be as short as possible so that the foil bag can be completely emptied, but still provide sufficient length so that, for example, an outlet nozzle can be fastened to the outflow region.

[0093] The present invention further provides a supporting sleeve for holding or supporting the foil cylinder according to the present invention, wherein the supporting sleeve may further have an internal thread corresponding to the external thread of the foil cylinder.

[0094] According to one embodiment, the support sleeve is formed from metal, in particular aluminum, and / or from plastic. Such materials enable relatively fast and cost-effective production, wherein at the same time the desired stiffness of the support sleeve can be achieved.

[0095] According to one embodiment, the supporting sleeve is formed in one piece.

[0096] According to an alternative embodiment, the support sleeve is formed in multiple parts. For example, the front and rear parts can be produced independently of each other and can only be coupled together at a later point in time to form the support sleeve.

[0097] Here, the supporting sleeve can have at least one connection point, in particular a plurality of connection points, for connecting the individual parts of the supporting sleeve to one another.

[0098] The at least one connection point can be configured as a thread, a bayonet connection or a snap-on closure. Thus, the individual parts of the support sleeve can be releasably connected to each other.

[0099] According to one embodiment, the support sleeve comprises an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve. For example, the inner sleeve can be used to hold the outer sleeve. In addition, by such a design, the foil tube can be better protected.

[0100] According to one embodiment, the inner sleeve is movably, in particular slidably, arranged in the outer sleeve.For example, the outer sleeve can be connected to the head portion, while the inner sleeve serves only to protect the foil sleeve.

[0101] According to another embodiment, the internal thread is a multi-start thread, in particular a double-start thread.

[0102] According to a further embodiment, the support sleeve further comprises at least one alignment member configured to align the support sleeve at a predetermined angle relative to the head portion.

[0103] The alignment member may also be configured to cooperate with the alignment element.

[0104] This means that the alignment member may for example be configured such that it corresponds or cooperates with an alignment element of the foil cylinder in order to align the head portion and the supporting sleeve with each other.

[0105] According to another embodiment, the support sleeve comprises an alignment recess, which is configured to align the support sleeve with the head portion at a predetermined angle. The alignment recess can act in a supporting manner relative to the alignment member. Furthermore, the alignment recess can also be configured so that when the support sleeve and the head portion are aligned accordingly, it fixes the support sleeve relative to the head portion.

[0106] According to a further embodiment, the alignment recess is configured to cooperate with the alignment protrusion of the head portion. This means that the alignment recess can be configured so that the alignment protrusion of the head portion can engage or enter into the alignment recess of the support sleeve in order to align the support sleeve relative to the head portion or, if necessary, also fix it.

[0107] Furthermore, it can also be provided that the alignment recess comprises a retaining projection which is configured in such a way that the head portion is fixed to the support sleeve in the circumferential direction. For example, the retaining projection can be configured and positioned such that, in the case of a desired alignment of the head portion relative to the support sleeve, the alignment projection of the head portion is radially retained by the retaining projection and thus fixed.

[0108] In another embodiment, the support sleeve further comprises at least one vent hole, which is arranged in the region adjacent to the internal thread. For example, when the piston moves in the direction of the head portion of the foil cylinder, the air in the support sleeve can escape through the at least one vent hole.

[0109] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the support sleeve may further comprise a stop collar in the region of the internal thread, the stop collar being configured to provide a stop surface for the piston.

[0110] In this respect, it is also conceivable that the stop collar extends at the peripheral side, in particular completely around the inner surface of the support sleeve. The stop collar can extend completely around the inner surface of the support sleeve or only partially around the inner surface of the support sleeve, so that the stop collar can also be formed by one or more stop segments.

[0111] The invention also provides a cartridge system comprising at least one foil cartridge according to the invention, a support sleeve according to the invention and a piston, wherein the piston and the foil cartridge are arranged in a receiving area of ​​the support sleeve, and wherein the foil cartridge is screwed via its external thread to the internal thread of the support sleeve so that a portion of the support sleeve covers a portion of the head portion of the foil cartridge. The support sleeve further comprises at least one radial pin, which is arranged at the end of the support sleeve facing away from the head portion of the foil cartridge, in order to fasten, in particular releasably fasten, the support sleeve to a dispensing system.

[0112] According to one embodiment, the at least one radial pin is mushroom-shaped. The radial pin may in particular be mushroom-shaped in a side view. For example, if the support sleeve is to be fixed to a distribution system, a radial pin having a head portion and a cylindrical portion may be advantageous, since by the special mushroom-shaped design the guidance of the radial pin in the corresponding recess is optimized.

[0113] In this regard, the radial pins may also be configured to cooperate with corresponding counter-elements, in particular recesses, at the distribution system, such that the supporting sleeve is fixedly fastened to the distribution system.

[0114] According to another embodiment, the cartridge system further comprises a protective ring, which is configured to be fastened to the support sleeve. The protective ring prevents accidental triggering of a release button or a lever of the dispensing device. For this purpose, the protective ring can be moved below the dispenser, i.e. the trigger of the dispensing device, so that the release button or the lever cannot be moved in the direction of the dispensing device.

[0115] Yet alternatively, the trigger also can be placed under the protective ring, so that can produce the constant release of the trigger, and therefore produce the constant distribution of material.For this purpose, the protective ring can for example have one or more protrusions, and the trigger can be moved under this protrusion.

[0116] In the case of a plurality of protrusions, they can have different heights, which correspond to different trigger positions. For example, different trigger positions can correspond to different dispensing speeds or dispensing pressures.

[0117] The protective ring can also be arranged axially displaceably on the support sleeve, so that the protective ring can be placed above or below the trigger or moved away from the trigger.

[0118] Furthermore, it can also be provided that the protective ring is arranged radially rotatably at the support sleeve so as to be able to rotate it in the peripheral direction in order to thereby bring it into different positions. This can be advantageous, for example, if the protective ring has various protrusions. That is, due to the radial rotatability, the protective ring can easily be rotated into a desired position relative to the trigger.

[0119] The protective ring may further comprise at least one support, by means of which the support sleeve can be held. This has the advantage, for example, that the support sleeve can be held in an at least substantially horizontal position by the support of the protective ring, so that an unintentional outflow of material from the outlet opening can be avoided.

[0120] According to another embodiment, the protective ring can, as already mentioned above, have at least one protrusion which is configured to cooperate with the trigger.

[0121] Furthermore, it can also be provided that the protective ring has a plurality of projections, in particular of different heights, wherein the projections are configured to cooperate with the trigger.

[0122] According to a further embodiment, the piston may have a peripheral annular protrusion configured to receive a compressed foil bag. For example, the annular protrusion may be used to receive those parts of the foil bag that have been emptied, so that the foil bag can be ideally completely emptied, or at least almost completely emptied.

[0123] Furthermore, it can also be provided that the piston also has a substantially dome-shaped central portion, which is configured to compress the foil bag in the direction of the head portion. Here, the head portion can have a shape that is complementary to the piston. It has been shown that foil cartridges with a dome-shaped piston or head portion can be emptied better, so that less residual material remains in the foil bag. Thus, the dome-shaped design can contribute to better emptying of the foil cartridge.

[0124] According to a further embodiment, the foil cartridge and / or the supporting sleeve may have an additional sealing element which is configured to provide a reliable seal between the foil cartridge and / or the supporting sleeve and the dispensing device.

[0125] For example, such a sealing element can be present in the form of an O-ring, a flat seal and / or as a further material component on the support sleeve and / or the foil sleeve.

[0126] The present invention also relates to a dispensing device comprising a cartridge system according to the present invention, and further comprising a trigger for triggering an axial movement of the piston and a protective ring, the protective ring being configured to avoid release of the trigger and / or to ensure constant release of the trigger and / or to keep the dispensing device in an at least substantially horizontal position to avoid material flowing out when the trigger is not released. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0127] The invention will be described hereinafter with reference to purely exemplary embodiments and to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

[0128] Figure 1 : A perspective view of a foil tube according to the present invention;

[0129] Figure 2 : Figure 1 A bottom view of a foil tube;

[0130] Figure 3 : Figure 1 A plan view of a foil tube;

[0131] Figure 4 and Figure 5 : Side view of the head part;

[0132] Figure 6 : Perspective view of the head part;

[0133] Figure 7 : Sectional view of the head part;

[0134] Figure 8 and Fig. 9 : A side view of a foil tube according to the present invention;

[0135] Fig.10 : A perspective view of another embodiment of the head portion;

[0136] Fig.11 : Detailed view of the connection between the head section and the foil cylinder;

[0137] Fig.12 : A cross-sectional view of the piston in the support sleeve;

[0138] Fig.13 : A perspective view of a support sleeve according to the present invention;

[0139] Fig.14 and Fig.15 : Fig.13 A side view of a support sleeve;

[0140] Fig.16 : Fig.13 A bottom view of a support sleeve;

[0141] Fig.17 : Fig.13 A plan view of the support sleeve;

[0142] Fig.18 : Perspective view of the protection ring;

[0143] Fig.19 : A cross-sectional view of the piston in the support sleeve in the region of the piston and the head portion of the foil cylinder;

[0144] Fig. 20 : Detailed view of the support sleeve and retaining collar; and

[0145] Fig.21 : Detailed view of the lower end of the support sleeve including the sealing element. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0146] Figure 1 A foil cartridge 10 according to the invention is shown, which can be filled with at least one fluid. The foil cartridge 10 comprises a foil bag 12 as a cartridge shell, and further comprises a rigid head portion 14 shown at the top of the figure. The head portion 14 has an outlet opening 16 through which the fluid can flow when the foil cartridge 10 is emptied. Furthermore, the head portion 14 comprises an external thread 18, which is configured to cooperate with a corresponding internal thread 102 of a support sleeve 100, so as to thereby fasten the foil cartridge 10 to the support sleeve 100.

[0147] The foil bag 12 can be fastened to the head portion 14 in two different ways. On the one hand, the foil bag 12 can surround the head portion 14 from the outside, so that a part of the foil bag 12 contacts the external thread 18 in a form-fitting manner and can be said to enclose it (see Figure 1 ). On the other hand, it is generally also possible that the foil bag 12 contacts the inner surface of the head portion 14 from the inside (not shown) and is, for example, glued or molded there to the head portion 14 .

[0148] Whether the foil bag 12 is fastened to the exterior or interior of the head portion 14, various methods for fastening are contemplated. Thus, the foil bag 12 may be bonded or molded to the head portion 14. Other fastening methods are also contemplated.

[0149] exist Figure 1 and Figures 4 to 7 In particular, it can also be seen that the foil bag 12 forms folds 20 in the area where it is fastened to the head part 14. In particular, in foil bags 12 fastened on the outside above the external thread 18, this is usually a sign that the foil bag 12 is tensioned in this area to achieve a good seal between the foil bag 12 and the head part 14.

[0150] As in Figure 1 , 8 As can be seen in 9 and 10 , the foil bag 12 has essentially a cylindrical shape. In this regard, it should be mentioned that the figures show the foil bag in an unfolded state, i.e. in a filled state. Due to its flexibility, the foil bag 12 can be folded or compressed in the empty state and thus can be made significantly smaller. This has proven to be particularly advantageous for the storage and transportation of empty foil cartridges 10.

[0151] On its lower side (from Figure 1 The foil bag 12 may be formed as a single piece (see in particular Figure 2 ), or can also be sealed by seams, adhesive joints, clips or the like. This can be freely selected depending on the area of ​​application and preference.

[0152] In this connection, it should also be mentioned that the foil bag 12 may also have at least one seam along its longitudinal axis M, along which the foil bag 12 is sealed.

[0153] In addition, the foil bag 12 can also be formed by two or more layers, in particular an outer layer and an inner layer, which are connected to each other by a composite film or an adhesive. However, since it is already known how to produce a multilayer foil bag 12, this is not further shown in the figures.

[0154] The length and diameter of the foil bag 12 (and thus indirectly the length and diameter of the head portion 14) can be appropriately selected depending on the application. There are essentially no limitations here.

[0155] In the following, we will discuss in more detail Figures 3 to 7 The head portion 14 is shown in detail.

[0156] The head portion 14 is made of a rigid material such as plastic and / or metal.

[0157] As already mentioned above, the head portion 14 has an external thread 18 in its region connected to the foil bag 12, which is used to fix the foil cartridge 10 to the internal thread of the support sleeve 100. The support sleeve 100 is discussed in more detail below. The external thread 18 can be configured as a multi-start thread, in particular a double-start thread.

[0158] Furthermore, above the outer thread 18, the head part 14 also has a web region 22 which extends in the circumferential direction around the entire head part 14. The web region 22 increases the diameter of the head part 14 to such an extent that it protrudes beyond the outer thread 18 and thus serves as a stop 24 when the foil cylinder 10 is fastened to the support sleeve 100. This can be Figure 7 clearly identified in.

[0159] Furthermore, the head portion 14 has a dome-shaped projection 26, which is formed at the side of the head portion 14 facing away from the foil bag 12. Since relatively high pressures can act on the head portion 14 when the foil cartridge 10 is emptied, a dome-shaped design has proven to be advantageous in order to be able to distribute the pressure that occurs evenly over the surface of the head portion 14. Furthermore, by such a design, the foil bag 12 can be emptied more easily overall, since when pressure is exerted on the foil cartridge 10 from behind, the fluid present therein thus always flows in the direction of the outlet opening 16.

[0160] A plurality of reinforcing ribs 28 are formed, in particular in the region of the dome 26, to further reinforce the head portion 14. The reinforcing ribs 28 can be arranged both in the circumferential direction and in the radial direction, such as in particular Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 6 In any case, the reinforcing ribs 28 are used to absorb and better distribute the pressure acting on the head portion 14.

[0161] In radial direction, starting from the outlet opening 16, two wings 30 are also arranged, which are configured to be actuated by a user in order to screw the foil cartridge 10 to the support sleeve 100 or to remove it from the support sleeve 100. For example, the wings 30 generally have a greater height, in particular a greater surface area, than the radially arranged reinforcing ribs 28. Thereby, the wings 30 protrude further from the head portion 14 or the dome 26, so that the user can easily grasp and actuate the wings 30.

[0162] However, in some embodiments, the wings 30 have the same or substantially the same thickness as the reinforcing ribs 28. This means that the thicknesses of the wings 30 and the reinforcing ribs 28 do not differ from each other by more than 5%. Such a design has proven to be particularly advantageous in terms of efficient and cost-effective production.

[0163] The exact number of wings 30 and reinforcing ribs 28 can be freely selected as desired. Thus, for a foil cartridge 10 having a larger overall volume, for example, the head portion 14 can have more reinforcing ribs 28 than a foil cartridge 10 having a smaller volume.

[0164] Furthermore, an outflow region 32 is formed in the head portion 14 and extends along the central axis M of the foil cylinder 10. The outflow region 32 has an internal thread 34 (see Figure 7 ), for example, an outlet nozzle (not shown) can be fastened to the internal thread 34 to ensure accurate metering of the fluid. Equally, the outflow region 32 will also likely have an external thread, to which such a nozzle can be fastened.

[0165] The size or height of the outflow area 32 can be selected as required and can therefore be designed appropriately according to the field of application. Here, too, it is also possible that a larger outlet nozzle 10 should be fastened to a larger foil cylinder 10 and a longer thread may be required than for a smaller design.

[0166] In the embodiment shown, the outflow area 32 extends parallel to the center axis M. In principle, however, the outflow area 32 and therefore the outlet opening 16 can also be arranged not centrally at the head portion 14, but at an angle to the center axis M. This can be particularly advantageous if the foil cartridge 10 is to be used in a dispensing system which is suitable, for example, for reaching into corners and oblique angles.

[0167] The wall thickness of the outflow region 32 can likewise vary or be freely selected. However, in most embodiments it is in the range between 0.5 mm and 1.5 mm.

[0168] Furthermore, the outflow region 32 or the outlet opening 16 can also be sealed for storage or transport of the foil cartridge 10 by a membrane (not shown), which is then pierced and thus opened as required, for example by attaching an outlet nozzle.

[0169] Fig.10 It is also shown that the head portion 14 may have at least one alignment element 36, which in the illustrated embodiment is an arrow molded into the slat region 22. The support sleeve 100 also has a matching alignment member 110, which in this case is also a molded arrow. Thus, the user can clearly and unambiguously recognize how the head portion 14 should be aligned or become aligned relative to the support sleeve 100 by aligning the alignment element 36 at the alignment member 110.

[0170] In general, the alignment element 36 and the alignment member 110 can also have different designs as long as they enable a simple adjustment of the head section 14 relative to the support sleeve.

[0171] Furthermore, the head portion 14 and the support sleeve 100 can also have more than one alignment element 36 or alignment member 110 and / or they can each be arranged at a different location at the head portion 14 or the support sleeve.

[0172] Therefore, the matching number or position of the alignment elements 36 or alignment members 110 may be varied as desired.

[0173] Fig.11 The section shown in FIG. 1 shows the connection of the head portion 14 to the support sleeve 100. In the embodiment shown, the head portion 14 or the support sleeve 100 has not only an alignment element 36 or an alignment member 110 for this purpose, but also an alignment projection 38 or an alignment recess 112, which is configured to ensure the correct alignment of the head portion 14 relative to the support sleeve or to act in a complementary manner on the alignment element 36 or the alignment member 110.

[0174] This means that, in order to align the head portion 14 relative to the support sleeve 100 , the alignment protrusion 38 and the alignment recess 112 may be arranged such that the alignment protrusion 38 may engage into the alignment recess 112 .

[0175] Thus, generally only the alignment projection 38 and the alignment recess 112 may also be provided, ie without the alignment element 36 and the alignment member 110. However, it is also possible to provide all four components for aligning the head portion 14 relative to the support sleeve.

[0176] In addition, it is also possible to provide Fig.11 As shown in , the alignment recess 112 further has a retaining projection 114 which is arranged such that, when correctly aligned, the head portion 14 is fixed relative to the support sleeve 100 in the circumferential direction.

[0177] exist Fig.11 In the drawings, it can be clearly seen that when the head portion 14 is connected to the support sleeve 100, the alignment projection 38 must slide over the retaining projection 114 in order to finally rest behind the retaining projection 114, so that the retaining projection 114 acts as a fixing device to prevent the head portion 14 from being easily unscrewed from the support sleeve 100 again. Then, that is to say, this is only possible by applying a greater force, so that the provision of the retaining projection 114 can ensure a certain form of fixing.

[0178] Furthermore, such a movement via the retaining projection 114 can cause a click sound, which signals to the user that the head portion 14 and the supporting sleeve 100 are snapped into one another and are thus connected.

[0179] exist Figures 12 to 19In the figure, a piston 200 is also shown, which is configured to dispense the contents of the foil bag 12 from the outlet opening 16 of the head portion 14 by pressing against the foil bag 12 from behind along the longitudinal axis M. For example, this is typically performed by the dispensing device 300 shown, such as Fig.18 Partially shown in the figure.

[0180] The piston 200 may have a dome-shaped central portion 202 and a peripheral annular protrusion 204. Fig.19 As can also be seen in FIG. 2 (left side), the outer wall 205 of the annular projection 204 may be interrupted by a groove S. Alternatively, however, it is also possible for the outer wall 205 to be formed continuously and therefore without any groove S. Depending on the application, it is generally possible to decide freely which type of piston 200 should be used, i.e. with or without groove S.

[0181] Due to the dome-shaped design of the piston 200, it can be ensured, for example, that almost the entire contents of the foil bag 12 can be emptied. For this purpose, the head portion 14 can also have a matching complementary design, so that the central portion 202 of the piston 200 can engage in the matching dome-shaped head portion 14, wherein the outlet opening 16 is then located in the region of the dome of the head portion 14.

[0182] The annular protrusion 204 may be used to capture those portions of the foil bag 12 that have been emptied so that they cannot be captured between the piston 200 and the support sleeve 100, or alternatively create such wrinkles that the entire contents of the foil bag cannot be emptied.

[0183] Furthermore, the annular protrusion 204 may also be a portion of the piston 200 that abuts against the stop collar 118 of the support sleeve 100 when reaching the frontmost end of the support sleeve 100 (see Fig.12 and further described below).

[0184] Furthermore, the piston 200 also has the function of sealing the support sleeve 100 at the rear end, so that the foil cartridge can be effectively emptied by the forward movement of the piston.

[0185] This sealing can generally be performed in different ways. Fig.12 An example of this is shown in , where the piston 200 has an additional sealing device 214 in the form of an O-ring. The O-ring 214 is arranged such that when the piston 200 is inserted into the support sleeve 100, it reliably seals the support sleeve 100.

[0186] Such additional sealing means 214 are usually used when the piston 200 itself is made of a hard material such as POM.

[0187] Fig.19An alternative possibility for realizing the sealing function of the piston 200 in the support sleeve 100 is shown in . That is, here the piston 200 does not have an additional sealing device 214, but it is nevertheless configured to seal the support sleeve 100 from the inside.

[0188] In the embodiment example shown, this is achieved because the piston 200 itself is made of a soft material such as LPDE, HDPE or PP and the dimensions of the piston 200 are selected so that an effective seal is made between the piston 200 and the support sleeve 100. For this purpose, the piston 200 can also be provided at its rear end ( Fig.19 A sealing lip 216 is provided at the lower end of the piston 200 , which is configured to ensure sealing between the piston 200 and the support sleeve 100 .

[0189] In addition, we will now discuss Figures 13 to 17 The support sleeve 100 is shown by way of example in FIG. In the embodiment shown, the support sleeve 100 is formed in one piece, which enables particularly simple and cost-effective production.

[0190] However, it is generally also possible for the supporting sleeve 100 to consist of an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve, for example.

[0191] Furthermore, it would also be conceivable that the supporting sleeve 100 consists of a plurality of parts along the centre axis M, which are releasably connectable to one another via connection points, for example in the form of screw connections, snap connections or snap-in connections.

[0192] The internal thread 102 is provided in the upper region of the support sleeve 100 and is formed in a complementary manner to the external thread 18 of the foil sleeve 10. This therefore means that the internal thread 102 of the support sleeve 100 is also designed as a multi-start thread, in particular a double-start thread.

[0193] Thus, the foil cartridge 10 may be received in the receiving area 101 of the support sleeve 100 and tightly screwed to the internal thread 102 such that the support sleeve 102 surrounds at least the entire foil bag 12 and parts of the head portion 14 in a protective manner.

[0194] The head portion 14 of the foil cylinder at least partially protrudes from the support sleeve, as for example in Figure 7 This can be easily recognized in the sectional view of FIG. 1 , since its strip region 22 rests on the front face 104 of the support sleeve 100 .

[0195] Furthermore, the front region 106 of the support sleeve may also have a larger diameter than the rest of the support sleeve 100 so that the head portion 14 of the foil cartridge 10 fits better therein.

[0196] In general, the support sleeve 100 is substantially cylindrical, such that its diameter along the central axis M varies little or not at all.

[0197] However, it would also generally be possible for the shape of the supporting sleeve 100 to be adapted to the shape of the foil bag 12 and for the diameter to taper slightly downwards accordingly, for example.

[0198] At least one, in particular a plurality of radial pins 108 are provided at the lower end of the support sleeve 100. They are configured to cooperate with corresponding recesses of a dispensing system (not shown) to thereby fasten the support sleeve 100 together with the foil cartridge 10 to the dispensing system.

[0199] As shown in the figure, radial pins 108 can be cylindrical, for example. In other advantageous embodiments, they can also have a mushroom-shaped or circular cross-section. The exact shape can be appropriately selected according to the application or fixing method.

[0200] Furthermore, at the lowermost end of the support sleeve 100, a sealing element 218 may be provided (see Fig.21 ), the sealing element 218 is configured to provide a reliable seal between the support sleeve 100 and the dispensing device.

[0201] For example, such a sealing element 218 can be present in the form of a sealing ring (O-ring) or a flat seal (see Fig.21 ). In this case, the sealing element 218 can be bonded to the support sleeve 100. Alternatively, however, it would also be possible to have the sealing element 218 fixedly connected to the support sleeve 100 by a (two-component) injection molding process.

[0202] The support sleeve 100 may also have at least one ventilation hole 116, such as for example Fig.12 As can be seen in the figure, the support sleeve 100 even has two ventilation holes 116. The ventilation holes 116 are used to allow the air between the foil bag 12 and the support sleeve 100 to escape when the piston 200 presses the foil bag 12 forward in the direction of the head portion 14.

[0203] Furthermore, the support sleeve 100 can have a stop collar 118 which is arranged in the region of the internal thread 102 and serves as a stop surface for the piston 200. For example, Fig.12 Such a stop collar 18 is shown in FIG.

[0204] The stop collar 118 can extend continuously along the entire inner circumference of the support sleeve 100, or only partially, so that the stop collar 118 is composed of a plurality of separate stop segments 118' or only of a single stop segment 118' (see Fig. 20 ).

[0205] Thus, in order to use the foil cartridge 10, it is screwed via its head portion 14 to the support sleeve 100 so that the foil bag 12 is received in the receiving area 101 of the support sleeve 100. The system is then fixed to a dispensing system (not shown) via radial pins 108. Known dispensing systems generally comprise a piston 200 (see Fig.12 and 19 ), which, when in use, presses against the foil bag 12 from behind to thereby compress it and subsequently empty it.

[0206] For this emptying process, a thread 34 can additionally be provided at the front of the outlet opening 16 or at the receiving area 32 of the head section 14 , to which thread 34 an outlet nozzle (not shown) can be fastened.

[0207] By providing a thread (external thread 18 or internal thread 102) for fastening the foil cartridge 10 to the support sleeve 100, a simple and quick replacement of an empty foil cartridge 10 can be ensured. Furthermore, the foil cartridge 10 can also be replaced without removing the support sleeve 100 from the dispensing system, since the foil cartridge 10 can be inserted into the receiving area 101 of the support sleeve from the front.

[0208] Furthermore, a protective ring 206 may be provided which may be attached to the support sleeve 100 to prevent accidental release of the trigger 302 of the dispensing device 300, or to produce a constant release of the trigger 302. For the latter function, the protective ring 206 may have one or more protrusions 208, as will be described in more detail further below.

[0209] For example, this may be advantageous for a pneumatic dispensing device 300, such as Fig.18 Such a dispensing device 300 generally comprises a trigger 302 for triggering the movement of the piston 200 along the longitudinal axis M in the direction of the outlet opening 16 of the foil cartridge 10. Thus, the pressure accumulated in the pneumatic dispensing device can press the piston 200 arranged in the support sleeve 100 against the rear end of the foil cartridge 10, so that the material located in the foil cartridge 10 is dispensed from the outlet opening.

[0210] For example, the movement of the piston 200 may occur by pneumatic actuation by attaching a compressed air hose (not shown) to the rear end of the dispensing device 300, whereby compressed air may be applied to the piston 200. For this purpose, the compressed air hose is connected to an external pneumatic device (also not shown).

[0211] To now prevent the trigger 302 from inadvertently triggering the dispensing of material, the protective ring 206 may be pushed under the lever 304 of the trigger 302. Thus, the protective ring 206 may be placed between the lever 304 and the support sleeve 100 to thereby prevent the trigger 302 from triggering the pneumatic device.

[0212] However, in order to ensure constant dispensing of material by continuously releasing the trigger 302, as already mentioned above, the protective ring 206 may have one or more protrusions 208, which are configured so that the lever 306 of the trigger 302 can be clamped thereunder to thereby permanently remain in the triggered position.

[0213] For this purpose, the protrusion 208 may also have different heights, which may correspond to different lever positions. In the above-described pneumatic dispensing device 300 , different lever positions may correspond, for example, to different pressures, which result in more or less material being dispensed from the foil cartridge 10 .

[0214] In addition, the protective ring 206 may also have a stabilizing protrusion 210, that is, a support member having one or more supporting legs 212, which is configured to maintain the foil tube 10 in at least a horizontal position, in particular a slightly inclined position, relative to the placement surface when the foil tube 10 is placed on the placement surface, so that the outlet opening 16 is at least horizontally oriented, in particular slightly upwardly facing, to prevent material from flowing out of the foil tube 10 when the dispensing device 300 or the foil tube 10 is not currently in use.

[0215] Thus, the protective ring 206 may have up to three different functions: stabilizing the foil cartridge 10 when not in use; constantly releasing the trigger 302 of the dispensing device 300 ; and / or preventing the release of the trigger 302 of the dispensing device 300 .

[0216] Reference numerals

[0217] Foil cylinder 10 Piston 200

[0218] Foil bag 12 center portion 202

[0219] Head portion 14 Annular protrusion 204

[0220] Outlet opening 16 Outer wall 205

[0221] External thread 18 Protection ring 206

[0222] Folds 20 Bumps 208

[0223] Slat area 22 Support 210

[0224] Stopper 24 Support leg 212

[0225] Protrusion 26 Sealing device 214

[0226] Reinforcement rib 28 Sealing lip 216

[0227] Wing 30 Sealing element 218

[0228] Outflow region 32 longitudinal axis M

[0229] Internal thread 34 groove S

[0230] Alignment element 36

[0231] Alignment protrusion 38

[0232] Support sleeve 100

[0233] Receiving area 101

[0234] Internal thread 102

[0235] End face 104

[0236] Front area 106

[0237] Radial pin 108

[0238] Alignment member 110

[0239] Alignment recess 112

[0240] Retaining protrusion 114

[0241] Ventilation hole 116

[0242] Stop collar 118

[0243] Stop section 118'

Claims

1. A foil cartridge capable of being filled with at least one fluid, the foil cartridge consisting of a foil bag (12) as cartridge shell and a rigid head portion (14), wherein: The head section (14) comprises at least one outlet opening (16) for emptying the foil cartridge (10) of fluid and at least one external thread (18) for fastening the foil cartridge (10) to a supporting sleeve (100), wherein the foil bag (12) is fixed to the head section (14) in the region of the external thread (18).

2. The foil tube according to claim 1, in, The foil bag (12) is secured to the outside of the head portion (14).

3. The foil tube according to claim 2, in, The foil bag (12) is fastened to the head portion (14) such that the foil bag (12) encloses the external thread (18) or contacts the external thread (18) in a form-fitting manner.

4. The foil tube according to claim 1, in, The foil bag (12) is secured to the inside of the head portion (14).

5. The foil tube according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The foil bag (12) is bonded to the header portion (14).

6. The foil tube according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 4, in, The header portion (14) is molded to the foil bag (12).

7. The foil tube according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The foil bag (12) has at least one coating on the inside and / or on the outside.

8. The foil tube according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The foil bag (12) is formed by at least two layers, in particular multiple layers, in particular an inner layer and an outer layer.

9. The foil tube according to claim 8, in, The at least two layers are formed of different materials.

10. The foil tube according to claim 8 or 9, in, The layers each have a thickness between 4 μm and 100 μm.

11. The foil tube according to any one of claims 8 to 10, in, The at least two layers have different thicknesses.

12. The foil tube according to any one of claims 8 to 11, in, At least one layer of the foil bag (12) comprises aluminum.

13. The foil tube according to any one of claims 8 to 12, in, The at least two layers are connected to each other by at least one composite film.

14. The foil tube according to any one of claims 8 to 13, in, The foil bag (12) has a third layer arranged between the inner layer and the outer layer, and wherein, in particular, the third layer comprises aluminum.

15. The foil tube according to any one of claims 8 to 14, in, The foil bag (12) has a further layer which is arranged in particular between the inner layer and the outer layer and comprises ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH).

16. The foil tube according to any one of claims 8 to 15, in, The outer layer of the foil bag (12) is made of the same material as the rigid head portion (14).

17. The foil tube according to any one of claims 8 to 16, in, The inner layer of the foil bag (12) comprises a plastic, in particular a thermoplastic.

18. The foil tube according to any one of claims 8 to 17, in, The inner layer of the foil bag (12) has the same material as the rigid head portion (14), and in particular, wherein the inner layer and the outer layer of the foil bag (12) have the same material as the rigid head portion (14).

19. The foil tube according to any one of claims 8 to 18, in, The inner layer of the foil bag (12) is made of the same material as the portion of the rigid head portion (14) to which the foil bag is connected.

20. The foil tube according to any one of claims 8 to 19, in, The inner layer has a Shore D hardness between 40 and 99, in particular between 40 and 60.

21. The foil tube according to any one of claims 8 to 20, in, The inner layer of the foil bag (12) is made of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, polyethylene terephthalate or polybutylene terephthalate.

22. The foil tube according to any one of claims 8 to 21, in, The outer layer of the foil bag (12) comprises a plastic, in particular a thermoplastic.

23. The foil tube according to any one of claims 8 to 22, in, The outer layer has a Shore D hardness between 40 and 99, in particular between 40 and 60.

24. The foil tube according to any one of claims 8 to 23, in, The outer layer of the foil bag (12) is made of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, polyethylene terephthalate or polybutylene terephthalate.

25. The foil tube according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The rigid head part (14) comprises plastic, in particular thermoplastic.

26. The foil tube according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The rigid head portion has a Shore D hardness of between 40 and 99, in particular between 40 and 60.

27. The foil cartridge according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The rigid head portion (14) is made of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, polyethylene terephthalate or polybutylene terephthalate.

28. The foil tube according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The rigid head portion (14) is made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), wherein the high-density polyethylene (HDPE) has a density ranging from 930 kg / m 3 Up to 970kg / m 3 within the range.

29. The foil tube according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The foil bag (12) is sealed by a weld at a rear end remote from the rigid head portion (14).

30. The foil tube according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The foil bag (12) is sealed by a clip at a rear end remote from the rigid head portion (14).

31. The foil tube according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The foil bag (12) is sealed by means of an adhesive at a rear end remote from the rigid head portion (14).

32. The foil tube according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The foil bag (12) is formed to be rigid in the pulling direction.

33. The foil tube according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The foil bag (12) withstands a tensile load of 50N to 80N in the axial direction.

34. The foil tube according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The foil bag (12) has a puncture resistance of 10N to 20N.

35. The foil tube according to any one of claims 8 to 34, in, The inner layer has a greater thickness than the outer layer.

36. The foil tube according to any one of claims 8 to 35, in, The inner layer has a minimum thickness of 50 μm to 90 μm, in particular 55 μm to 80 μm.

37. The foil cartridge according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The foil bag (12) has a total material thickness between 80 μm and 150 μm and / or a total material thickness between 100 g / m 2 and 170g / m 2 The total weight per unit area between.

38. The foil tube according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The foil bag (12) has a maximum of 0.3 g / (m 2 xd), in particular up to 0.2 g / (m 2 xd) water vapor permeability.

39. The foil tube according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The foil bag (12) has a maximum thickness of 0.3 cm 3 / (m 2 x bar xd), in particular at most 0.2 cm 3 / (m 2 Oxygen permeation of x bar xd).

40. The foil tube according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The foil bag (12) has a wall thickness of at least 60 μm.

41. The foil tube according to any one of claims 8 to 40, in, Each layer of the foil bag (12) has a thickness of at least 4 μm, in particular at least 5 μm.

42. The foil tube according to any one of claims 8 to 41, in, An adhesive is arranged at least between two layers of the foil bag (12) and connects the two layers to each other, in particular wherein the two layers consist of different materials.

43. The foil tube according to claim 42, in, The binder has a layer thickness of 1 μm to 5 μm.

44. The foil cartridge according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The foil bag (12) has a substantially cylindrical outer shape and / or has a weld seam in the axial direction, in particular wherein the weld seam is formed as a sealing edge seam or an overlap seam.

45. The foil tube according to any one of claims 8 to 44, in, The outer layer of the foil bag (12) is areally connected to the inner wall of the head portion (14).

46. ​​The foil cartridge according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The foil bag (12) has a volume ranging from 50 ml to 750 ml.

47. The foil cartridge according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The foil bag (12) has a volume in the range from 750 ml to 5000 ml, in particular 1000 ml, 1250 ml, 1500 ml, 2500 ml or 4000 ml.

48. The foil cartridge according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The head portion (14) has one or more reinforcing ribs (28) on a side facing away from the foil bag (12).

49. The foil tube according to claim 48, in, The one or more reinforcing ribs (28) are arranged along the circumferential direction.

50. The foil tube according to claim 48 or 49, in, A plurality of reinforcing ribs (28) extend in a radial direction starting from a central axis (M) of the foil tube (10).

51. The foil tube according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The head section (14) is substantially dome-shaped, wherein, in particular, the reinforcing ribs (28) are arranged on the dome (26).

52. The foil tube according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The head part (14) has at least one wing (30), which is arranged, in particular, on the dome (26).

53. The foil tube according to claim 52, in, The wing (30) is larger than at least one of the one or more reinforcing ribs (28).

54. The foil tube according to claim 52 or 53, in, The wing (30) has a height greater than a height of at least one of the one or more reinforcing ribs (28).

55. The foil tube according to any one of claims 52 to 54, in, The wing (30) has at least substantially the same thickness as the one or more reinforcing ribs (28), in particular an identical thickness.

56. The foil cartridge according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The head part (14) has a strip region (22) which is arranged in the peripheral direction and extends at a front end of the foil bag (12) facing the head part (14).

57. The foil cartridge according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The head portion (14) has at least one alignment element (36) which is configured to align the head portion (14) relative to a support sleeve (100).

58. The foil tube according to claim 57, in, The alignment element (36) is arranged radially outwardly on the head portion (14).

59. The foil tube according to claim 57 or 58, in, The alignment element (36) is arranged at the strip region (22).

60. The foil tube according to any one of claims 57 to 59, in, The alignment element (36) is arranged in the region of at least one radial reinforcement rib (28).

61. The foil tube according to any one of claims 57 to 59, in, The alignment element (36) is arranged in the region of at least one wing (30), preferably between two wings (30).

62. The foil tube according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The head portion (14) has at least one alignment protrusion (38) configured to align the head portion (14) at a predetermined angle relative to a support sleeve (100).

63. The foil tube according to claim 62, in, The alignment protrusion (38) is arranged at a side of the head portion (14) facing the foil bag (12).

64. The foil tube according to claim 62 or 63, in, The alignment protrusion (38) is arranged at the strip area (22).

65. The foil cartridge according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The outlet opening (16) of the head portion (14) has a substantially constant cross-section.

66. The foil cartridge according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The outlet opening (16) has an internal thread (34) to which the outlet nozzle can be fastened.

67. The foil cartridge according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The outlet opening (16) has an external thread (34) to which the outlet nozzle can be fastened.

68. The foil cartridge according to any one of the preceding claims, in, In the filled state of the foil bag (12), the outlet opening (16) is sealed by a membrane which can be pierced, in particular, by an outlet nozzle.

69. The foil tube according to any one of claims 51 to 68, in, The outlet opening (16) is arranged at a side of the dome (26) of the head portion (14) facing away from the foil bag (12).

70. The foil cartridge according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The head section (14) has an outflow area (32), in which the outlet opening (16) is formed and which extends along a central axis (M) of the foil cylinder (10).

71. The foil tube according to claim 70, in, The outflow region (32) is substantially tubular and has, at least regionally, a wall thickness of between 0.5 mm and 1.5 mm.

72. The foil tube according to any one of claims 70 or 71, in, The outflow region (32) has a length between 5 mm and 40 mm, in particular between 20 mm and 30 mm.

73. A support sleeve for holding or supporting a foil tube according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The support sleeve (100) has an internal thread (102), and the internal thread (102) corresponds to the external thread (18) of the foil cylinder (10).

74. The support sleeve according to claim 73, in, The support sleeve (100) is formed from metal, in particular aluminum, and / or from plastic.

75. A support sleeve according to claim 73 or 74, in, The support sleeve (100) is formed as a single piece.

76. A support sleeve according to claim 73 or 74, in, The support sleeve (100) is formed in multiple parts.

77. The support sleeve according to claim 76, in, The support sleeve (100) has at least one connection point, in particular a plurality of connection points, for connecting the various parts of the support sleeve to each other.

78. The support sleeve according to claim 77, in, The at least one connection point is designed as a thread, a bayonet connection or a snap closure.

79. A support sleeve according to any one of claims 73 to 78, in, The supporting sleeve (100) comprises an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve.

80. The support sleeve according to claim 79, in, The inner sleeve is arranged movably, in particular slidably, in the outer sleeve.

81. A support sleeve according to any one of claims 73 to 80, in, The internal thread (102) is a multi-start thread, in particular a double-start thread.

82. A support sleeve according to any one of claims 73 to 81, Also included is at least one alignment member (110) configured to align the support sleeve (100) relative to the head portion (14) at a predetermined angle.

83. The support sleeve according to claim 82, in, The alignment member (110) is configured to cooperate with the alignment element (36).

84. A support sleeve according to any one of claims 73 to 83, Also included is an alignment recess (112) configured to align the support sleeve (100) with the head portion (14) at a predetermined angle.

85. The support sleeve according to claim 84, in, The alignment recess (112) is configured to cooperate with an alignment protrusion (38) of the head portion (14).

86. A support sleeve according to claim 84 or 85, in, The alignment recess (112) further comprises a retaining protrusion (114) which is configured in such a way as to fix the head portion (14) to the supporting sleeve (100) in the peripheral direction.

87. A support sleeve according to any one of claims 73 to 86, The invention also includes at least one vent hole (116), wherein the vent hole (116) is arranged in a region adjacent to the internal thread (102).

88. A support sleeve according to any one of claims 73 to 87, in, The support sleeve (100) comprises a stop collar (118) in the region of the internal thread (103), the stop collar (118) being designed to provide a stop surface for the piston (200).

89. The support sleeve according to claim 88, in, The retaining collar (118) extends on the circumferential side, in particular completely around the inner surface of the support sleeve (100).

90. A cartridge system comprising at least one foil cartridge (10) according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 72, a supporting sleeve (100) according to any one of claims 73 to 89 and a piston, wherein: The piston (200) and the foil cartridge (10) are arranged in a receiving area (101) of the support sleeve (100), and wherein the foil cartridge (10) is screwed via its external thread (18) to the internal thread (102) of the support sleeve (100) so that a portion of the support sleeve (100) covers a portion of the head portion (14) of the foil cartridge (10), Therein, the support sleeve (100) comprises at least one radial pin (108) which is arranged at the end of the support sleeve (100) facing away from the head portion (104) of the foil cartridge (10) in order to fasten the support sleeve (100) to the dispensing system.

91. The cartridge system of claim 90, in, The at least one radial pin (108) is mushroom-shaped.

92. The cartridge system according to claim 90 or 91, in, The radial pin (108) is configured to cooperate with a corresponding counter-element, in particular a recess, at the distribution system, so that the support sleeve (100) is fastened, in particular releasably fastened, to the distribution system.

93. The cartridge system according to any one of claims 90 to 92, Also included is a protective ring (206) configured to be fastened to the support sleeve (10).

94. The cartridge system of claim 93, in, The protective ring (206) is arranged on the support sleeve (10) in an axially movably manner.

95. A cartridge system according to claim 93 or claim 94, in, The protective ring (206) is arranged on the support sleeve (10) in a radially rotatable manner.

96. The cartridge system of claim 93, in, The protective ring (206) comprises at least one support element (210), by means of which the support sleeve (10) can be held.

97. The cartridge system of claim 93, in, The guard ring (206) has at least one protrusion configured to cooperate with a trigger (302).

98. The cartridge system of claim 97, in, The protective ring (206) has a plurality of protrusions, in particular having different heights, wherein the protrusion (208) is configured to cooperate with the trigger (302).

99. The cartridge system according to any one of claims 90 to 98, in, The piston (200) has a peripheral annular protrusion (204) configured to receive a compressed foil bag (12).

100. The cartridge system according to any one of claims 90 to 99, in, The piston (200) also includes a substantially dome-shaped center portion (202) configured to compress the foil bag (12) in the direction of the head portion (14).

101. A dispensing device, comprising a cartridge system according to any one of claims 90 to 101, further comprising a trigger (302) for triggering axial movement of a piston (200) and a protective ring (206), wherein the protective ring (206) is configured to avoid release of the trigger (302) and / or ensure constant release of the trigger (302) and / or maintain the dispensing device (300) in an at least substantially horizontal position to avoid material flowing out when the trigger (302) is not released.

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