Pressure accumulator for liquid dispenser and liquid dispenser having such pressure accumulator

Abstract

A pressure accumulator (30) is known for receiving a liquid, in particular a pharmaceutical or cosmetic liquid, and for use as part of a liquid dispenser. The invention relates to a pressure accumulator (30) which has a container body (40) made of polyethylene terephthalate and which has an outlet section (44) which opens into a container opening (42). The pressure accumulator (30) has a closure unit (50) which is attached to the outlet section (44) and closes the container opening (42), the closure unit (50) being made completely or almost completely of plastic and having a switchable outlet valve (80). In particular, it is proposed that the closure unit (50) has a circumferential and outwardly directed sealing lip (62) in the outlet section (44), which sealing lip abuts in a sealing manner with a distal abutment region (62A) on the inner side of the outlet section (44). The closing unit (50) further comprises a circumferential coupling ring (72) which is coupled to the outer side (44B) of the outlet section (44).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a pressure reservoir for receiving pharmaceutical or cosmetic liquids and for use as part of a liquid dispenser. The invention further relates to a liquid dispenser having a pressure reservoir. Background Art

[0002] Liquid dispensers of this type are used to discharge liquids, including highly viscous and foam-forming liquids. They feature a pressure accumulator whose contents are already under pressure when delivered and can be discharged via a manually operable outlet valve. Previously, such pressure accumulators, primarily made of sheet metal, were typically equipped with an outlet valve, typically mounted on a metal crimped cover of the pressure accumulator. The outlet valve can usually be opened by pressing in a valve sleeve using a discharge head mounted on the pressure accumulator, thereby opening the outlet valve.

[0003] As already mentioned, the pressure storage devices of conventional liquid dispensers currently mainly have a metal container body. However, in order to improve the feasibility of recycling, it is known to omit the metal components and use a container body consisting of plastic instead.

[0004] Closure units for pressure reservoirs made of plastic are also known. WO 2020 / 041792 A1 has already proposed a closure unit made of plastic, to which a sealing material is applied in a two-component (2K) process, which serves to seal against the container neck.

[0005] No. 9,199,783 B2 discloses a closure unit which has a sleeve-shaped sealing element which is arranged between the closure unit and the container neck. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a pressure accumulator which can be manufactured advantageously, which can reliably maintain the pressure in the pressure accumulator, and which can be recycled advantageously.

[0007] To achieve this object, the invention proposes a pressure reservoir for receiving a pharmaceutical or cosmetic liquid and a liquid dispenser which comprises, in particular, such a pressure reservoir as described below.

[0008] According to a first aspect of the present invention, the pressure reservoir according to the present invention has a container body made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which can be recycled within the framework of conventional plastic recycling. The container body has an outlet section, for example in the form of a tapering neck, which opens into the container opening.

[0009] After the pressure reservoir is filled, the container opening is closed by means of a closure unit which is attached to the aforementioned outlet section and which is penetrated by the outlet channel. The closure unit is preferably made entirely or almost entirely of plastic, preferably a plastic that can be supplied to a unified recycling process together with the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) of the container body.

[0010] During operation, the closing unit remains attached to the pressure reservoir. To remove liquid, the closing unit has a switchable outlet valve, which can preferably be opened by pressing a valve sleeve associated with the closing unit or cooperating with it. If the outlet valve is opened, the outlet channel through the closing unit is released, and liquid can flow out of the pressure reservoir, in particular to be directed into a discharge head and to its outlet opening.

[0011] The closing cell of the pressure accumulator, together with the container body, defines an interior space that, in the delivered state of the pressure accumulator, is under pressure and contains the liquid to be discharged. In principle, it is possible for the liquid to be located directly in the interior space formed by the inner side of the container body and to rest against the inner side of the container body. However, a design with a liquid bag is preferred. This liquid bag is tightly attached to the closing cell and contains the liquid. In this case, a pressure medium, particularly a pressurized gas such as air, is arranged between the outer side of the bag and the inner side of the container body. The pressure medium compresses the bag, so that the liquid contained therein is also under pressure and can only flow out after the aforementioned outlet valve is opened.

[0012] According to the invention, the closure unit has a circumferential coupling ring that couples to the outer side of the outlet section of the container body. The coupling can be achieved, in particular, by means of a snap-in geometry on the coupling ring. However, a threaded connection with an outer thread on the outlet section and a corresponding inner thread on the coupling ring, or a bayonet-type connection with corresponding bayonet geometries on the outer side of the outlet section and on the inner side of the coupling ring, is also possible.

[0013] Furthermore, the closure unit has an outwardly directed sealing lip in the outlet section, which rests with its distal contact area against the preferably substantially cylindrical inner side of the outlet section. The sealing lip forms a separation line between the excess pressure of the interior of the pressure reservoir and the external atmosphere.

[0014] It has been found that the coupling of a closure unit made of plastic to a container body made of plastic can lose stability over time. Stresses generated during installation of the closure unit, in particular in the plastic of the closure unit and / or the effect of pressure in the pressure reservoir, can lead to relaxation effects and thus to the closure unit being pressed further outwards from its initial position at the outlet section over time.

[0015] In order to prevent the tightness of the pressure reservoir from being reduced in this way, according to the invention, a sealing lip is provided which projects outwards from the closure unit, more precisely from a central supporting structure of the closure unit.

[0016] The sealing lip is preferably designed as a flat sealing lip, the length of which from the supporting structure to the distal contact area is at least twice, preferably at least three times, the thickness of the sealing lip perpendicular to the length. The length of the sealing lip from the supporting structure to the distal contact area is preferably at least 2 mm, preferably at least 3 mm.

[0017] The sealing lip preferably bears against the inner surface with its distal abutment region under slight preload, independently of the internal pressure in the pressure reservoir. The sealing lip is preferably arranged so that it is additionally pressurized radially outward by the internal pressure in the pressure reservoir and thereby pressed against the inner side of the outlet section. This can be achieved, in particular, by the inner side of the sealing lip being pressurized by the internal pressure of the pressure reservoir from the support structure to the distal abutment region, thereby pressing the distal abutment region against the inner side of the outlet section of the container body. In particular, the sealing lip is preferably expanded radially and thereby tangentially by the internal pressure in the pressure reservoir.

[0018] In particular, the sealing lip preferably has a conical shape as a whole and extends radially outward from the support structure and axially away from the container opening. In the relaxed state before assembly, the sealing lip, more precisely the connecting line between the sealing lip and the central support structure and its distal end, encloses an angle of at least 5% with the axial direction.

[0019] The sealing lip rests with its distal abutment region on the inner surface of the outlet section, wherein the inner surface is preferably cylindrical or almost cylindrical at least over part of its length. The inner surface is considered to be almost cylindrical if it extends over a length of at least 3 mm between two imaginary coaxial cylinders whose diameters do not differ by more than 10% of the aforementioned length of at least 3 mm.

[0020] The sealing of the container interior by the sealing lip is independent of the exact position of the sealing lip due to the substantially cylindrical inner surface of the outlet section. The container interior remains sealed even if the coupling effected by the coupling ring weakens due to relaxation of the plastic material and the closure element is pressed outwards by the pressure in the container interior.

[0021] As already explained above, various possibilities are provided for fastening the closure unit to the outlet section of the container body.

[0022] The most advantageous possibility is if the closure unit is fastened to the outlet section by means of a snap-in connection. Such a snap-in connection is understood to be a form-fitting connection which is achieved by the closure unit being pressed onto the outlet section, elastically deforming in the region of an undercut of the outlet section, and then snapping back on the other side of the undercut as the pressure continues, so that the closure unit is then fastened to the outlet section.

[0023] To form the undercut, the container body preferably has at least one snap-in tab on the outside at the outlet section, with which the coupling ring snaps in. The snap-in tab is preferably designed to be circumferential. However, the snap-in tab can also be provided with an interruption.

[0024] Furthermore, it is preferably provided that a plurality of inner latching projections are arranged on the coupling ring, which are used to engage with the undercut. In particular, a plurality of through-holes are preferably provided on the coupling ring, thereby facilitating the deflection of the latching projections during coupling.

[0025] The latching projection can be provided, for example, on a web which delimits the aforementioned through-hole downwardly. Provision can also be made for the latching projection to be arranged on a support arm which preferably projects from the side or from below into a through-hole provided on the coupling ring.

[0026] In designs with a snap-fit ​​connection, the snap-fit ​​connection, the sealing lip, and / or the outlet section preferably interact so that deformation of the coupling ring, in particular the latching projection provided thereon, and / or the supporting arm of the latching projection, caused by the internal pressure of the pressure reservoir, does not lead to a fracture failure of the coupling ring, because the sealing lip loses contact with the inner side of the outlet section before the required deformation is achieved. In such designs, it is thus provided that the described sealing of the interior of the pressure reservoir from the surroundings, achieved by means of the sealing lip, is eliminated as intended when the closure unit is pressed outward by the pressure in the interior. This elimination of the seal occurs after a displacement distance of the closure unit relative to the container body that is shorter than the displacement distance from which a fracture failure of the snap-fit ​​connection would be expected.

[0027] In particular, there are two possible approaches to achieving a loss of seal: In one possible embodiment, the outlet section has a substantially cylindrical inner surface against which the sealing lip bears sealingly in the delivery state. Furthermore, the outlet section has a circumferential widening adjacent to the cylindrical inner surface. This widening can be formed, in particular, by a chamfered end at the inner distal end of the outlet section. If the closure unit is slowly squeezed out of the outlet section under pressure and with the continued deformation of the snap-fit ​​connection assembly, the sealing lip loses contact with the outlet section at least in a partial circumferential region after reaching the widening, and the pressure can escape from the pressure reservoir without the container body and closure unit being explosively separated. A second possible approach provides that, instead of a circumferential widening or chamfer, one or more groove-like deepenings or one or more ventilation holes are provided. As soon as the closing unit has been pressed a certain distance out of the outlet section due to pressure and the sealing lip has reached the groove-like deepening or the ventilation aperture, a defined pressure equalization with the surroundings occurs.

[0028] It is important that the design of the snap-fit ​​connection and the outlet section are suitably coordinated to ensure that the sealing lip loses contact. It is not permitted for a pressure loss to occur with only a slight displacement of the closing unit relative to the delivery state, nor for the sealing lip to isolate the interior of the pressure reservoir from the surroundings in the event of a snap-fit ​​failure, as per this refinement. Preferably, the closing unit can be displaced outward by at least 0.5 mm, in particular at least 1 mm, from the delivery state without interrupting the contact between the sealing lip and the outlet section. It is also preferably provided that the circumferential contact of the sealing lip is lost and pressure equalization occurs when the closing unit is displaced by at least 3 mm, preferably at least 2 mm, relative to the delivery state.

[0029] In addition to the snap-fit ​​connection, the use of a screw connection to couple the closure unit to the outlet section is also considered an advantageous option. For this purpose, cooperating screw structures are provided on the inside of the coupling ring and on the outside of the outlet section.

[0030] Preferably, the helical thread formed thereby distributes an anti-reversal device, i.e., a stop or locking element acting together on the side of the coupling ring and on the side of the outlet section, which allows the coupling ring to be screwed in, but then resists complete unscrewing by contacting each other.

[0031] Such anti-reversal device is preferably constructed so that it allows to unscrew only to the extent that the sealing lip is constantly against the inside of the outlet section. So, even if the coupling ring is unintentionally loose or a child attempts to unscrew the closure unit, the sealing of the pressure accumulator is maintained.

[0032] However, if complete unscrewing is possible, for example due to the absence or failure of the aforementioned anti-reverse device, the threaded connection is preferably designed such that the contact between the sealing lip and the inner side of the outlet section is lost before the threaded connection is completely loosened, that is, before the internal and external threads of the threaded connection completely lose contact with each other. This ensures that the pressure loss occurs before the closure unit could be ejected uncontrollably due to the effect of pressure. This significantly reduces the risk of injury.

[0033] To achieve this, widenings, groove-like deepenings or ventilation apertures are preferably provided on the inner side of the outlet section in the manner explained above in conjunction with the snap-fit ​​connection.

[0034] The sealing lip is preferably attached to a substantially dimensionally stable supporting structure and extends circumferentially outward from the supporting structure. In particular, the closure unit can include a one-piece inner component having the sealing lip on the outer side and spanning the inner region of the outlet section using the supporting structure, in which at least one through-hole for forming the outlet channel is provided. The through-hole of the supporting structure preferably has a clear cross-section that is no more than 40%, preferably no more than 20%, of the inner cross-sectional area of ​​the outlet section in the region of the sealing lip.

[0035] The inner component is preferably made of a uniform material for the supporting structure and the sealing lip, in particular polyethylene (PE), preferably low-density polyethylene (LDPE) with a low melting point, as will be explained in more detail below. In addition to its function as a carrier for the sealing lip, the inner component can also assume further functions, as will be described below.

[0036] In an embodiment in which the pressure accumulator has a bag in which the liquid is stored before being drained, the bag is preferably attached to the intake pipe of the internal component, for example by means of a welded connection, as will also be described below.

[0037] The internal component preferably has two outwardly directed flanges. The sealing flange forms the already described sealing lip. A further flange extending outward from the support structure forms a supporting flange, which is arranged above the sealing flange and rests on a supporting surface at the end of the outlet section. This supporting flange protects the internal component from falling into the interior of the pressure reservoir.

[0038] In principle, a design is possible in which the valve lip and the coupling ring are formed by a one-piece component. In this case, the inner component described is particularly directly connected to the coupling ring in an integral manner. If such a one-piece component forms not only the coupling ring with the coupling geometry therein but also the sealing lip, it is advantageous if the component is made of polypropylene (PP).

[0039] However, a preferred design is one in which, in addition to the inner component forming the sealing lip, a further structural component is provided as part of the closure unit, namely an inherently integral fastening component, on which a coupling ring is provided and by means of which the inner component is fixed to the outlet section.

[0040] The inner component is preferably fixed to the outlet section by having its support flange clamped between the end-side support surface of the outlet section and the inner clamping surface of the fastening element. The fastening element then projects beyond the end face of the outlet section and fixes the support flange there.

[0041] In addition to the described fixing of the inner component to the container body by means of the fastening element, it is preferably additionally provided that the inner component and the fastening element are directly connected to each other by means of a coupling device that acts in a positive manner or by means of a coupling device that acts in a non-positive manner.

[0042] This fixing of the two components to one another, which already occurs before the closure unit is coupled to the container body, facilitates the joint handling of the inner component and the fastening component, and optionally further components of the closure unit, as a preassembled unit. In particular, the components that have already been coupled before final assembly can be mounted together on the container body, the assembly device preferably guiding the fastening component directly and thereby the inner component indirectly.

[0043] In order to fix the two components to each other, not only a design scheme can be implemented in which the internal component and the fastening component are coupled at their opposite end positions before being installed in the container body, but also a design scheme can be implemented in which the internal component and the fastening component are only preliminarily and inseparable from each other, but are also displaced relative to each other during the assembly process.

[0044] The inner component and the fastening component are connected to one another even before being installed in the container body by means of a coupling device, which in the simplest case can function in a force-locking manner by the two components being mounted to one another, in particular by clamping. In particular, it can be provided that one of the components, in particular the fastening component, has a cylindrical recess, into which an exposed cylindrical projection of the other component, in particular the inner component, is pushed in a clamping manner.

[0045] Another preferred embodiment provides that the coupling ring of the fastening element is provided with an inner recess or perforation, into which the coupling projection on the outer side of the inner element engages, thereby preventing the inner element and the fastening element from separating in a form-fitting manner. An advantageous embodiment provides that a hook-shaped projection is provided on the inner element, which protrudes through the perforation of the fastening element and engages with a latching edge of the perforation.

[0046] In the case of a closure unit design comprising an inner component with a sealing lip and a separate fastening component for securing the inner component to the outlet section of the container body, it is considered advantageous if the fastening component is made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and is therefore preferably made of the same material as the container body. A design in which the fastening component consists of polyethylene (PP) is also considered suitable.

[0047] The inner component together with the sealing lip is preferably made of a polyethylene material (PE), in particular a low-density polyethylene (LDPE). In the sense of the present invention, low-density polyethylene is understood to have a density of less than 0.94 g / cm 3 density polyethylene.

[0048] The joint processing of PET and PE in a unified recycling stream can be achieved without problems, since PET has a density greater than that of water and therefore sinks in water, whereas PE floats.

[0049] The use of the aforementioned material combinations of PET and PE or PP and PE for the fastening and inner components has proven particularly advantageous. Polyethylene, particularly LDPE, for the inner component is well suited for forming a relatively soft sealing lip. The aforementioned hook-shaped projections for engaging the inner component with the fastening component can also be readily made of PE and allow for seamless engagement with the fastening component. PET or PP for the fastening component has high stability and a relatively low tendency to loosen, making it well suited for providing a coupling ring.

[0050] The closure unit is the carrier of a switchable outlet valve that can be actuated from the outside. For this purpose, the closure unit can, in particular, have a valve sleeve, which is a non-detachable part of the closure unit and which opens the valve by moving it, in particular by pressing in or tilting it, against the force of a spring. Alternatively, an opening can also be provided in the closure unit, through which a pin or valve sleeve that is not directly part of the closure unit can be inserted, thereby opening the outlet valve.

[0051] A particularly preferred embodiment of the outlet valve provides for a valve body that is arranged in a valve chamber between the inner component and the fastening component and is movable between a closed position and an open position. In the closed position, the valve body tightly seals the outlet channel extending through the closure unit. From the closed position, the sealing body can be elastically deflected, thereby opening the outlet channel and allowing liquid to escape from the pressure reservoir.

[0052] The valve body preferably has a recessed portion surrounded by a sealing surface, into which an external valve pin or a valve sleeve belonging to the closure unit projects from the outside. If the valve pin is pressed or tilted, it displaces the valve body with its end projecting into the recessed portion, so that the sealing surface surrounding the recessed portion loses contact with the counter valve surface, and liquid can flow into the recessed portion and outward from there.

[0053] The valve body can be made in particular of a polyethylene material (PE), in particular of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), wherein within the meaning of the present invention high-density polyethylene is understood to have a density greater than / equal to 0.94 g / cm 3 Alternatively, it can also be provided that the valve body is produced from polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

[0054] The valve body of the outlet valve is preferably pressed in the direction of the closed position by a valve return spring. In order to reduce the number of components, it is considered advantageous if the valve return spring is formed integrally with the valve body and preferably from a uniform material.

[0055] In particular, in the aforementioned one-piece configuration, a cage spring has proven particularly suitable as a valve return spring. Within the meaning of the present invention, such a cage spring is understood to be a spring having cylindrical or conical lateral surfaces with perforations provided therein. Between the perforations, the lateral surfaces form a structure consisting of webs surrounding the perforations. These webs undergo bending deformation when the valve return spring is compressed. The desired spring characteristics can be precisely configured by designing the cross-section of the webs and the shape of the perforations.

[0056] In particular, it is advantageous to use a cage spring of the type described if the spring is made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Furthermore, polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP) are also suitable materials.

[0057] If a one-piece configuration of the valve body and the valve return spring is intended, it is considered advantageous to use polyethylene (PE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as a uniform material for the valve body and the valve return spring.

[0058] It is preferably provided that the fastening component has a deepening which is open in the direction of the inner component and which can be identical to the deepening mentioned above for clamping coupling of the inner component and the fastening component.

[0059] A valve body is preferably arranged in the recess of the fastening element. In particular, the valve body is preferably sealed in the closed position of the outlet valve by means of a sealing element, in particular a flat sealing washer, which is arranged in the recess and is preferably clamped and sealed between the fastening element and the inner component protruding into the recess.

[0060] The sealing element or a sealing element designed in another way, in particular a sealing element in the form of a sealing washer, is preferably arranged between the inner component and the fastening component. The sealing element is preferably made of an elastic material, in particular thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO), polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE).

[0061] The sealing element can assume one of the following functions, but preferably two or three of the following functions.

[0062] First, the sealing element can be sealed against the inner component and the fastening member in the outer region, especially clamped between the two. Thus, the outlet channel penetrating the closed unit is sealed outwardly and prevents liquid from possibly entering the intermediate region between the inner component and the fastening member.

[0063] Secondly, the sealing element can provide a mating valve surface for abutting against the sealing surface of the valve body. To this end, the sealing element is preferably provided with a perforation through which the outlet channel extends. A rest area is provided outside this central perforation, against which the valve body abuts in the closed position, thereby blocking the outlet channel. If the valve body is displaced, liquid can flow in from the outside and out through the perforation or be directed into a connected discharge head.

[0064] Thirdly, the sealing element can be provided with a perforation that is dimensioned so that the inner edge of the sealing element bears sealingly against the valve sleeve arranged in the perforation. This ensures that the outflowing liquid cannot escape outside the valve sleeve, but only flows on through the channel provided in the valve sleeve.

[0065] In addition to the pressure reservoir with an externally arranged sealing lip in the manner explained at the outset, according to a second aspect of the invention, the present invention also relates to a pressure reservoir which is distinguished by the design of the fluid bag. Preferably, the pressure reservoir has not only the features of the sealing lip described above, but also the design of the fluid bag described below.

[0066] Preferably, the above-mentioned features, in addition to the sealing lip, in particular with regard to the presence and design of the inner component and the fastening component, are also implemented in the pressure reservoir according to this second aspect of the invention. Regardless of the described implementation of the sealing lip, all other features of the pressure reservoir described in the context of the first aspect of the invention can also be advantageously implemented individually or in combination in the pressure reservoir according to this second aspect of the invention.

[0067] According to this second aspect of the invention, the pressure reservoir is equipped with a container body made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which has a container opening that is closed by a closure unit in the assembled state. As described above, the closure unit is preferably made entirely or at least almost entirely of plastic, in particular PET and / or PE, in particular LDPE.

[0068] The particularity of the second aspect of the invention lies in the design of the fluid bag, which is arranged in the container body and is used to receive the liquid. The bag is attached to a component of the closure unit, in particular to the inner component described above, which is provided with a sealing lip on the outside, by means of a welded connection.

[0069] The fluid bag has a wall composed of at least two layers, wherein the innermost layer is cohesively connected to the aforementioned component of the sealing unit and, in particular, welded, thereby forming a cohesive connection with the material of the component of the sealing unit. To achieve this, the at least two layers are provided, which are made of materials with different melting points. The outer layer of the fluid bag has a higher melting point than the innermost layer. This enables a welding process in which the innermost layer is indirectly melted while being coupled to the component of the sealing unit by heating the outer layer, which itself, however, does not yet reach its melting point. Instead, the outer layer transfers heat to the innermost layer, which melts and forms the desired cohesive connection with the component of the sealing unit.

[0070] The innermost layer then ensures that a leak-tight and secure connection is established between the components of the closure unit and the bag, while the at least one outer layer ensures the leak-tightness of the bag.

[0071] The fluid bag can also have more than two layers. However, a design in which just two layers are used is preferred.

[0072] A particularly preferred embodiment provides that the bag wall is made of two layers of polyethylene (PE) with different melting points. In particular, the innermost layer can be a layer of low-density polyethylene (LDPE), which has a melting point in the range of approximately 105°C. The outer layer can be made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which typically has a melting point of over 120°C.

[0073] Another particularly preferred embodiment provides that the innermost layer is also made of polyethylene, in particular LDPE, while the outer layer of the bag is made of polypropylene (PP), which has a melting point of approximately 160° C. Due to the relatively high melting point of PP, the inner layer can also be made of a material with a melting point exceeding 105° C., in particular exceeding 120° C. Therefore, HDPE is also a suitable material for the innermost layer.

[0074] The components to which the bag is mounted, in particular the aforementioned inner components of the closure unit, are preferably made of a material with a melting point below 160° C., particularly preferably below 120° C. Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is considered ideal.

[0075] The pressure storage device according to the invention can preferably be processed in a unified recycling process. This is achieved in particular by virtue of the fact that the pressure storage device consists exclusively of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and has a density of <1 g / cm 3 It is particularly preferred that the pressure accumulator, including the closing unit, consists of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and / or polyethylene (PE) and / or polypropylene (PP) to a content of at least 95%. 3 A small amount of impurities caused by the material is acceptable.

[0076] In a preferred embodiment, the pressure reservoir has a standpipe extending into the bag. Such a standpipe facilitates the most complete possible removal of the liquid from the bag. Furthermore, it has been found that in bags according to the invention, which have a relatively high degree of flexibility due to the lack of an aluminum layer, a standpipe extending into the bag can advantageously be provided in order to provide a winding core for the bag, which is still wound at that point, before assembly.

[0077] In addition to a pressure reservoir having a sealing lip according to the invention and / or a bag according to the invention, the present invention also relates to a liquid dispenser for discharging liquids, such as cosmetic or pharmaceutical liquids, including, for example, saline solution, which has a pressure reservoir having a container body and a closing unit with an outlet valve, and the liquid dispenser additionally has a discharge head, by means of which the outlet valve of the closing unit can be opened and the liquid can be discharged.

[0078] In particular, the pressure reservoir can be designed in the manner described above according to the invention as a bag with a sealing lip and / or a double layer. One possible design of such a pressure reservoir according to the invention provides that the discharge head is part of a discharge unit having an interior space into which the pressure reservoir can be inserted. This design makes it possible for the pressure reservoir to no longer be visible from the outside when the liquid dispenser is in an operational state.

[0079] However, a particularly preferred embodiment is one in which a pressure reservoir having a container body made of plastic and a closure unit with a plastic outlet valve is provided with a discharge head that is connected to the closure unit by means of a snap-fit ​​connection. In this case, the plastic pressure reservoir forms the outer wall of the liquid reservoir, which is visible from the outside, similar to currently common sheet metal containers, and preferably has a marking.

[0080] In this case, the closure unit is not only designed to seal the container body of the pressure reservoir, but also simultaneously forms a carrier for mounting the discharge head. The discharge head is preferably also made entirely of plastic, in particular polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE). The discharge head can be designed as a single piece or composed of multiple components.

[0081] The discharge head is fastened here by means of a snap-in connection. For this purpose, the discharge head, which is preferably also made entirely of plastic, has inwardly directed coupling structures on its side facing the pressure reservoir. When snapped onto the closure unit, these coupling structures are partially deflected outward and then snap into engagement with the closure unit. Alternatively, other coupling methods, such as screw connections, are also possible.

[0082] The design of a liquid dispenser with a plastic closure unit (which serves as a carrier for the discharge head) allows for a similar design to known liquid dispensers with sheet metal containers. In such liquid dispensers, the container is typically closed on the outlet side by a metal crimping cap, the outer edge of which serves to secure the discharge head. The proposed design also mimics this for a pressure reservoir made of plastic by using a plastic closure unit, in particular its securing elements, as a carrier instead of a crimping cap. The closure unit preferably has an outer diameter that allows for coupling to a discharge head, which can also be coupled to a crimping cap of a metal pressure reservoir in the same configuration.

[0083] In order to fasten the discharge head to the closure unit, an external snap-in flange is preferably provided on the closure unit, which snap-in flange can be provided in particular on the fastening unit of the closure unit. The snap-in flange preferably has an outer diameter between 30 mm and 35 mm, particularly preferably between 32 mm and 33 mm.

[0084] It is preferably a circumferential snap-in collar. However, it can also be provided in the form of individual collar segments spaced circumferentially apart from one another.

[0085] The coupling structure on the discharge head that interacts with the snap-in collar is provided on the base of the discharge head, in particular in the form of an inwardly directed snap-in geometry on the housing part of the discharge head that is slid onto the closure unit in a sleeve-like manner.

[0086] The discharge head is preferably provided with an actuating surface for opening the outlet valve of the pressure accumulator. In particular, the actuating surface is preferably constructed integrally with the aforementioned bite geometry, wherein the movability of the actuating surface relative to the bite geometry is achieved by the deformability of the plastic material of the discharge head.

[0087] In particular, the outlet head is preferably provided with a valve sleeve having an internal channel that establishes a connection to the outlet opening of the outlet head. The valve sleeve interacts with the outlet valve of the pressure accumulator, so that actuation of the control surface causes the outlet valve to open. The valve sleeve preferably extends into the opening of the fastening element of the closure unit and there directly engages the valve body. In particular, the valve sleeve preferably extends into the above-described recess in the valve body. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0088] Further advantages and aspects of the present invention are apparent from the claims and from the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments of the present invention, which are explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 The liquid dispenser according to the present invention is shown in its entirety, and is composed of a pressure reservoir having a closing unit and a discharge head covered by a cover, the discharge head being mounted on the closing unit. Figure 2 The cutaway diagram shows Figure 1 A first variant of the liquid dispenser and in particular of its closing unit and its discharge head, Figure 3 The components of the closure unit of the first variant are shown in an exploded view. Figures 4 to 6 The fastening element of the closure unit of the first variant and two alternative constructions therefor are shown. Figure 7 The cutaway diagram shows Figure 1 A second variant of the liquid dispenser, Figure 8 and Figures 9 to 11 Shown according to Figure 2 The discharge head and the closing unit and the installation of the liquid bag at the closing unit, Figure 12 The cutaway diagram shows Figure 1 A third variant of the liquid dispenser, Figure 13 Shown Figure 1 A further variant of the liquid dispenser is provided in which a special coupling of the components of the closing unit is provided, Figure 14A and Figure 14B Shown Figure 1 A further variant of a liquid dispenser is provided which is designed with special safety features for avoiding a bursting of the pressure reservoir. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0089] Figure 1 The present invention shows a liquid dispenser 10, which is provided for discharging liquid. The liquid dispenser 10 comprises a pressure reservoir 30 for receiving the liquid and a discharge head 100 for manually operating the liquid dispenser 10 and for discharging the liquid, which is in liquid form, in foamed form or in spray form, depending on the specific design of the discharge head.

[0090] The liquid can be a liquid from the field of personal care and cosmetics, such as deodorant. However, it can also be a pharmaceutical product, for example, intended for oral administration or topical application. This also includes liquids to be inhaled in aerosolized form, such as saline solution for relieving breathing difficulties. Furthermore, pressure reservoirs of the type described below can also be used to store liquid consumables, for example, liquids containing nicotine.

[0091] according to Figure 1 The liquid dispenser is made entirely or almost entirely of plastic. Figure 1 The container body 40 identifiable in FIG. 1 is made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

[0092] Figure 2 A first variant of the liquid dispenser 10 is shown in a cutaway view, wherein Figure 2 The lower portion of the container body 40 and Figure 1 The protective cover shown in .

[0093] The pressure storage device 30 includes, in addition to the container body 40 already mentioned, a closure unit 50 which is fastened to the outlet section 44 of the container body 40. The individual components of the closure unit 50 are Figure 3 Shown again in.

[0094] The main components of the closure unit 50 are the inner component 60 and the fastening component 70. Together with the valve component 82 and the sealing element 86, they form a total of four parts of the closure unit 50. Although other designs are also conceivable, in particular designs in which the inner component 60 and the fastening component 70 are realized as a common component and / or in which the valve component 82 is divided into two components, the design of the closure unit 50 consisting of a total of four components 60, 70, 82, 86 is considered to be optimal.

[0095] The inner component 60 is made of low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and therefore a relatively soft material. However, in most of its sections, it has a wall thickness sufficient to resist significant deformation. This section includes a central support structure 63, which defines, in particular, an intake pipe 65 pierced by an outlet channel 66 and an upward-pointing, cylindrical coupling section 67. The inner component 60 is thinner-walled toward the outside, which applies to the outer support flange 64 and, in particular, to the sealing flange arranged below it, forming the sealing lip 62. The sealing lip 62 and the support flange 64 project outward in a Y-shaped manner in cross section, forming two projections. The LDPE material and its thin-walled design allow for easy deformation of the sealing lip.

[0096] As in Figure 2 As is apparent from the figure, the support flange 64 in the assembled state rests on the end-side support surface 44C of the outlet section 44 of the container body 40. The sealing lip 62 simultaneously rests on the cylindrical inner surface 44A of the outlet section 44 with the distal support area 62A.

[0097] The sealing lip 62 is arranged such that the pressure prevailing in the container body can press from the inside against the relatively long inner side of the sealing lip and thereby press the sealing lip 62 and in particular its abutment area 62A against the inner surface 44A. Figure 3 As shown, the sealing lip 62 is slightly conical in the not yet mounted state. Figure 2 In the assembled state, the sealing lip is therefore pressed in a defined manner with its distal abutment region 62A against the inner surface 44A.

[0098] The cylindrical inner surface 44A preferably has a length of at least 3 mm in the axial direction 2. In this article, the length of the cylindrical inner surface is 5 mm. This length ensures that the sealing of the interior space of the container body 40 is ensured even when the closure unit 50 is not in its target position in the axial direction. It has been determined that in the case of a design scheme in which the container body 40 is made of plastic and the coupling ring 72 is made of plastic, such deviation from the target position is almost unavoidable, especially in the case of long storage times under pressure. In such a case, the plastic of the container body 40 and the coupling ring 72 may relax under the action of pressure and thus cause the closure unit 50 to continuously shift away from the container body 40 in the axial direction. The described sealing lip 62 can also prevent leakage for a long period of time in such a case.

[0099] The second structural component of the closure unit 50 , namely the aforementioned fastening component 70 , is provided for permanently fastening the inner component 60 to the outlet section 44 of the container body 40 . This is preferably a component made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

[0100] The fastening component 70 has a coupling ring 72 which, in the assembled state, is arranged outside the outlet section 44 and has an inner coupling geometry which interacts in a coupled manner with the outer side 44B of the outlet section 44 .

[0101] exist Figure 2 In the case of the embodiment of the coupling ring, the coupling ring is provided with latching projections 74A, which interact to produce the snap-fit ​​with the circumferential snap-fit ​​web 46 on the outlet section 44. This will be explained further below.

[0102] The fastening member 70 extends inwardly from the coupling ring 72 and forms a cover surface which is pierced in the center by an outlet channel 76. A portion of this cover surface is a clamping surface 75 which is arranged above the bearing surface 44C and thus presses the bearing flange 64 of the inner component 60 against the bearing surface 44C and thereby fixes the inner component 60.

[0103] The inner member 60 and the fastening member 70 jointly define a valve chamber between them, in which the valve member 82 mentioned above is arranged. The valve member 82 includes a valve body 84 and a valve return spring 88. Figure 2 In the case of the embodiment, this is a one-piece component, which is preferably made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET). However, a design is also possible in which the valve body 84 and the valve return spring 88 are designed as separate components and, if necessary, are made of different materials.

[0104] The valve return spring 88 is supported at its lower end against the constriction of the outlet channel 66 and thereby presses the valve body 84 upward. The valve return spring 88 is designed as a cage spring. It thus has an envelope wall provided with perforations circumferentially surrounded by the material of the valve return spring 88. In this case, the valve return spring 88 consists of a plurality of ring segments connected to one another by axial webs that are offset from one another.

[0105] A sealing element 86 is arranged between the inner component 60 and the fastening component 70. The sealing element is a punched sealing gasket, which is preferably made of thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO). The sealing element 68 has several functions: the sealing element 86 is Figure 2 In the assembled state, the sealing element 86 is arranged at the bottom of the downwardly open cylindrical recess 77 of the fastening component and is fixed there from below by the aforementioned cylindrical coupling section 67 of the inner component 60. This arrangement of the sealing element 86 prevents liquid from entering the outer intermediate area between the fastening component 70 and the inner component 60. Furthermore, the sealing element 86 also forms an annular abutment surface against which the valve body 84 abuts when the valve body is pressed into its closed position by the valve return spring 88. The following will further explain how the outlet valve 80 is opened and the advantageous effects thus produced by the sealing element 68.

[0106] The aforementioned cylindrical element of the cylindrical coupling section 67 of the inner component and the cylindrical recess 77 of the fastening member 70 not only jointly define the valve chamber exterior, but also fulfill a further function. Before the closure unit 50 is assembled on the container body 40, the fastening member 70 and the inner component 60 already form a jointly assembled structural unit. To join the two structural components 60, 70, and thus also the components 82, 86, together at this stage, the coupling section 67 and the recess 77 are designed to form a preliminary coupling, in particular by a slight interference fit at the coupling section 67, which enables a clamping connection with the recess 77.

[0107] Furthermore, the coupling section 67 and the recess 77 jointly ensure the centering of the inner component 60 , so that the inner component 60 is also indirectly centered by the mandatory centered mounting of the fastening component 70 on the outlet section 44 .

[0108] Figure 4 The fastening element 70 is again shown in a separate illustration. It is apparent from this that the coupling ring 72 is designed with a total of six radial through-holes 72B. The latching projections 72A are each arranged circumferentially aligned with the through-holes 72B and longitudinally below them. This design facilitates the deformability of the coupling ring 72 in the region of the latching projections 72A and thus facilitates the snap-in process.

[0109] Figure 5 and Figure 6 An alternative embodiment of the fastening component 70 and in particular the coupling ring 72 is shown. Figure 5 In the case of the embodiment, a total of eight through-holes 72B are provided in the coupling ring 72, wherein, unlike the previously described embodiment, a support arm 72C is provided here which extends into the through-hole 72B and has a latching projection 72A provided on the inside at its distal end. Figure 6 In the case of the embodiment, a through-hole 72B and a support arm 72C with an inner latching projection 72A are again provided, wherein the support arm 72C in this case projects from below into the through-hole 72B.

[0110] exist Figures 4 to 6 In the embodiment of the present invention, the through-holes 72B primarily allow the inner latching projections 72A to be mounted in such a manner that the deflection capability is ensured and, in particular, can be specifically adjusted even with otherwise thick-walled coupling rings 72 by the size and shape of the through-holes 72B and the design of the support arms 72C. However, the through-holes can also assume an additional function by having the inner component 60 have an outer projection that extends into the through-holes 72B. In this case, the pre-assembled coupling achieved in this manner is possible as an alternative or in addition to the pre-assembled coupling of the coupling section 67 and the recess 77.

[0111] Figure 7 Shows about Figure 2 Unless otherwise described below, the structures are otherwise identical to each other.

[0112] exist Figure 7 In the embodiment of the present invention, the coupling ring 72 is not configured to engage with the container body 40, but is configured to establish a threaded connection. Therefore, an external thread 48 is provided on the outer side 44B of the outlet section 44. Correspondingly, an internal thread 78 is provided on the inner side of the coupling ring.

[0113] In such a threaded connection, the embodiment of the inner component 60 with the described sealing lip 62 is also expedient, since it has been found that such a thread can also loosen due to relaxation under the pressure of the internal pressure of the pressure reservoir 30 .

[0114] Additionally, in Figure 7In the embodiment of the present invention, an anti-reversal device is provided. This anti-reversal device comprises a latching element 49 on the container body 40 and a corresponding latching element 79 on the coupling ring 72. When the closure unit 50 is screwed onto the container body 40, the latching elements 49 and 79 slide past each other due to the elastic design, but are subsequently prevented from reversing due to their shape. The sealing lip 62 and the inner surface 44A of the outlet section 44 are adapted to the anti-reversal device so that, at least until the anti-reversal device is unscrewed, no distance between the sealing lip 62 and the inner surface 44A is achieved, and thus the sealing function is maintained.

[0115] However, in the event that such a reverse rotation prevention device is missing or that it is overcome by force, an additional safety mechanism is provided. In the upper region, the inner surface 44A of the outlet section is chamfered so that when the closure unit 50 is unscrewed, contact between the sealing lip 62 and the inner surface 44A is lost. The chamfer is designed so that the loss of contact, and therefore the loss of pressure, occurs before the internal thread 78 and the external thread 48 are disengaged. If the closure unit 50 is then unscrewed improperly, this does not create the risk that the closure unit 50 would be thrown out under pressure and thus cause injury.

[0116] The described closing unit 50 can be configured with a standpipe that projects up to the bottom of the container body. In this case, liquid and pressurized gas are present in the container body 40 without being separated from each other.

[0117] An alternative design provides that a pulling piston is arranged in the container body, which pulls in contact with the liquid via a spring means and thereby permanently maintains the liquid pressure.

[0118] However, a preferred structural mode is that a liquid bag 90 is provided in the container body 40, the liquid bag containing liquid, and the liquid bag is connected to the outlet channel 66 of the inner component 60. Figure 8 In the intermediate area between the outside of the fluid bag 90 and the inside of the container body 40 there is gas under excess pressure, which puts the fluid bag 90 and the contained liquid under pressure and thus presses it in the direction of the closure unit 50 and the outlet valve 80 .

[0119] The construction with a stand tube and the construction with a liquid bag 90 can also be suitably combined. Preferably, the bag 90 does not contain any layers, in particular no aluminum layers, that cannot be processed in a common recycling process with layers made of PE or PP. To facilitate handling and assembly prior to assembly in the case of this particularly flexible bag 90, a stand tube can be provided that projects into the bag 90 and stabilizes it prior to assembly, in particular providing a winding core for the bag to be wound prior to assembly.

[0120] As according to Figure 8 As can be seen, bag 90 is constructed in this case as a two-layer structure, although designs with additional layers are also possible. However, the key is the provision of at least two layers 90A, 90B composed of materials with different melting points, with innermost layer 92A having a lower melting point than at least one outer layer 92B. In this context, the inner layer can, for example, be composed of LDPE with a melting point of approximately 105°C, while the outer layer can be composed of HDPE with a melting point of 125°C. Alternatively, the inner layer can be composed of HDPE or LDPE, while the outer layer can be composed of polypropylene (PP) with a melting point of 160°C.

[0121] The inner layer preferably has the same material selection as the inner component 60. It is also possible for the inner layer 92A and the inner component 60 to consist of different materials, but each of which has a melting point that is lower than the melting point of the outer layer 92B.

[0122] The design with the inner layer 92A having a relatively low melting point enables advantageous mounting on the inner component 60. Figures 9 to 11 This is shown in FIG. Starting from a preassembled closure unit 50 or from an inner component 60 that has not yet been connected to another component, the double-layered fluid bag 90 is first pushed onto the suction tube 65 of the inner component 60. Figure 9 This can be identified in .

[0123] Subsequently, the welding claw 200 is moved close to the suction pipe 65 with the pushed liquid bag 90, as shown in FIG. Figure 10 As shown in .

[0124] By means of the welding jaws 200, the liquid bag 90 is then heated in the region of the suction pipe 65, wherein the temperature remains below the melting temperature, ideally even below the softening temperature, of the outer layer 92B. At the same time, the temperature is high enough to melt the inner layer 92A.

[0125] For example, in the case of an inner layer 92A consisting of LDPE, an intake tube consisting of LDPE and an outer layer consisting of PP, a temperature of 110° C. can be used to melt the inner layer and the intake tube 65 without the polypropylene of the outer layer being brought to or barely within the range of its softening temperature and without being exposed to the risk of being heated in such a way as to threaten the later tightness of the bag 90.

[0126] like Figure 11 As shown, the intake tube 65 and the inner layer 92A of the bag are brought into a material-locking connection by means of welding jaws 200 , thereby producing a permanently reliable and leak-tight connection.

[0127] As already explained above, the liquid dispenser 10 has a discharge head 100 in addition to the pressure reservoir 30. Figure 2 and Figure 7 The functioning of the discharge head and in particular its installation on the pressure reservoir 30 will be explained.

[0128] The outlet head 100 is constructed in three parts in this embodiment, but can also be designed in two parts or even in one piece. An important feature of the outlet head 100 is that it has a liquid channel 102 which extends from an inlet sleeve 104 to an outlet opening 103 .

[0129] The inlet sleeve 104 projects through the outlet channel 76 in the fastening component 70 into the region of the valve body 84 and into a deepening 84B provided therein, so that pressing the inlet sleeve 104 opens the outlet valve 80 .

[0130] The outside of the inlet sleeve 104 cooperates with the sealing element 86 in such a way that when the inlet sleeve 104 is depressed and therefore when the outlet valve 80 is open, liquid cannot escape between the inside of the sealing element 86 and the outside of the inlet sleeve 104 .

[0131] The discharge head 100 is provided with a fastening flange 110 which has a snap-in geometry 112 on the inside. By means of this snap-in geometry, the discharge head 100 is fastened to the pressure reservoir 30, i.e. to its closing unit 50. To achieve this, a snap-in flange 52 is provided on the outside of the fastening element 70, behind which the snap-in geometry 112 snaps during assembly. The coupling ring 72 is then Figure 2 In the case of a design of , it fulfills a dual function, since it serves on the one hand for inner engagement with the container body 40 and since it serves on the other hand for outer engagement with the discharge head 100 .

[0132] The discharge head further comprises an operating surface 106 which, in the embodiment shown here, is constructed integrally with the fastening flange 110, but can also be provided as a separate component. In the present integral embodiment, the operating surface 106 can be pressed while simultaneously elastically deforming the corresponding components of the discharge head 100.

[0133] If the control surface 106 is pressed, the inlet sleeve 104 integrally formed thereon is also pressed, thereby opening the outlet valve 80. Under the effect of the pressure prevailing in the pressure reservoir 30, the liquid can now flow through the outlet channels 66, 76 into the liquid channel 102 and as far as the outlet opening 103.

[0134] There the liquid is discharged into the surroundings, wherein the design of the outlet opening 103 and, if necessary, a throttle valve placed upstream can be used to influence the discharge, for example, to discharge a jet or an unatomized jet. Figure 2 and Figure 7 In the case of an embodiment of , the outlet opening 103 is provided on a separate outlet element 108 , which is movable and thus selectively allows outlet in atomized and non-atomized form and / or different aperture angles of the outlet.

[0135] The liquid dispenser 10 described and shown is particularly advantageous in terms of its recyclability. It can be fed into a recycling process, where it is shredded and thus reduced to a residue consisting of PET, PE, and, if necessary, PP and / or TPO. During recycling, the PET is separated from the remaining materials by sinking in a water bath. The residue preferably consists entirely or almost entirely of PE and small, acceptable impurities due to TPO and PP.

[0136] Figure 12 A third variant of the closure unit 50 is shown. Compared to the previous variants, a one-piece component 61 is provided, which serves not only as a carrier for the valve lip 62 but also for the coupling ring 72. Although a fastening component 71 is also provided here, it serves only to secure the valve body 84 and the sealing element 86.

[0137] Instead, only the component 61 is provided to fix and seal the closing unit 50 as a whole at the outlet section 44. Figure 2 The method explained satisfies Figure 2 In the case of the inner component 60 and the fastening component 70, corresponding functions are assigned. Polypropylene (PP) has proven to be an advantageous material for such a component 61, which in the manner shown is responsible for both the sealing by means of the sealing lip 62 and the fixing by means of the latching projection 72A.

[0138] Figure 13 Shown Figure 2 The particularity achieved here is that the closure unit 50 is provided with a fastening component 70 and an inner component 60 which are designed in a special way in order to be connected to one another before assembly and thus to be easier to handle during assembly.

[0139] To this end, a through-hole 73 is provided in the cover wall above the fastening member 70. Accordingly, the inner member 60 has a plurality of hook-shaped projections 64 on its upper side. When the inner member 60 and the fastening member 70 are assembled, the hook-shaped projections 64 deflect inward, then snap back into engagement and form a positive-locking connection with the latching edges 73A at the through-hole 73. As a result, the inner member 60 and the fastening member 70 are securely connected to each other.

[0140] As described above, the inner component is preferably made of PE, in particular LDPE. This material is well suited for manufacturing the elastically deflectable hook-shaped projection 64.

[0141] Figure 14A and Figure 14B Shown Figure 2 The peculiarity here is that the closure unit 50 is designed in such a way that a failure occurs in a manner that is not serious for the user.

[0142] Such a failure may occur in particular when the closure unit 50 is increasingly squeezed out of the container body 40 under the action of the overpressure in the pressure reservoir, wherein, as soon as the support arm 72C or the latching projection 72A formed thereby or arranged thereon is deformed to the point of breaking due to the persistent force loading, the snap connection that is intended to prevent this will fail.

[0143] To prevent this, Figure 14A and Figure 14B In the embodiment of FIG. 4 , it is provided that an upwardly widening conical region 44D adjoins the cylindrical inner surface 44A of the outlet section 44 , which conical region is designed in the manner of a chamfer.

[0144] Reference Figure 14A It can be seen that in the delivery state shown, the sealing lip 62 rests against the cylindrical inner surface 44A and thereby effectively seals the pressure reservoir 30 from the environment. In the delivery state, the closure unit 50 is fixed in position by means of a support arm 72C and a latching projection 72A forming the distal end of the support arm 72C. The latching projection 72A engages with the outer side 44B of the outlet section 44.

[0145] If the pressure reservoir 30 is under pressure for a longer period of time, the pressure acting on the closing unit 50 from the inside causes the closing unit 50 to be slowly pressed outwards, wherein the support arms 72C and / or the latching projections 72A undergo plastic deformation.

[0146] Figure 14B This plastic deformation of the support arm 72C and / or the latching projection 72A and the accompanying slow sliding out of the closure unit 50 from the outlet section 44 are shown. Figure 14B The state is a state in which the closing unit 50 has been pressed outward by about 2 mm.

[0147] As can be seen, the support arm 72C and the latching projection 72A have already been deformed significantly, but not to such an extent that the material of the fastening component 70 reaches breaking elongation.

[0148] exist Figure 14BIn the state, the sealing lip 62 reaches the end of the cylindrical inner surface 44A of the outlet section 44 and thus enters the widened area 44D. There, the contact between the sealing lip 62 and the inner surface of the outlet section 44 is lost and air can escape from the pressure reservoir 30 along the arrow 4.

[0149] Although this results in the liquid dispenser 10 no longer being able to be used as intended, the risk of explosive failure is prevented. Figure 14B In the state of , the excess pressure in the pressure reservoir 30 is relieved, so that there is no longer any need to worry about an uncontrolled separation of the closure unit 50 from the container body 40.

Claims

1. A pressure reservoir (30) for receiving a liquid, in particular a pharmaceutical or cosmetic liquid, and for use as part of a liquid dispenser, the pressure reservoir having the following characteristics: a. The pressure storage device (30) has a container body (40) made of polyethylene terephthalate, and b. the container body (40) having an outlet section (44) opening into the container opening (42), and c. The pressure reservoir (30) has a closing unit (50) which is attached to the outlet section and closes the container opening (42), wherein: The closing unit (50) is made entirely or almost entirely of plastic, and d. The closing unit (50) has a switchable outlet valve (80), It is characterized by the following additional features: e. The closure unit (50) has a circumferential and outwardly directed sealing lip (62) in the outlet section (44), which is placed sealingly on the inside of the outlet section (44) with a distal contact area (62A), and f. The closure unit (50) has a circumferential coupling ring (72) which is coupled to the outer side (44B) of the outlet section (44).

2. The pressure accumulator (30) according to claim 1, further comprising the following features: a. The closure unit (50) is fastened to the outlet section (44) by means of a snap-fit ​​connection, Preferably, it has at least one of the following additional features: b. The container body (40) has at least one snap-in tab (46) on the outside at the outlet section (44), preferably in the form of a circumferential snap-in tab (46), with which the coupling ring (72) snaps in, and / or c. The coupling ring (72) has a plurality of inner latching projections (72A) for engaging at the outlet section (44), wherein: Preferably, a plurality of radial through-holes (72B) are provided in the coupling ring (72) in order to facilitate the deflectability of the latching projection (72A) during assembly, or d. The coupling ring (72) has a plurality of inner latching projections (72A) for engaging at the outlet section (44), wherein at least some of the latching projections (72A) are arranged on a support arm (72C) which preferably projects from the side or from below into a through-hole (72B) provided on the coupling ring (72).

3. The pressure accumulator (30) according to claim 2, further comprising the following features: a. the snap-fit ​​connection, the sealing lip (62) and / or the outlet section (44) cooperate with one another in such a way that a deformation of the coupling ring (72), in particular of the latching projection (72A) provided thereon and / or of the support arm (72C) of the latching projection, caused by the internal pressure of the pressure reservoir (30), does not lead to a fracture failure of the coupling ring (72), since the sealing lip (62) loses contact with the inner side of the outlet section (44) before the deformation required for this is achieved, Preferably, it has at least one of the following additional features: b. the outlet section (44) has a substantially cylindrical inner surface (44A) against which the sealing lip (62) abuts and against which a circumferential widening (44D) adjoins, in the region of which the sealing lip (62) loses circumferential contact with the inner side of the outlet section, or c. The outlet section has a substantially cylindrical inner surface, on which the sealing lip rests, and in which at least one groove-shaped deepening or exhaust perforation is provided, wherein The sealing lip loses circumferential contact with the inner side of the outlet section when it reaches the groove-shaped deepening or the exhaust passage.

4. The pressure accumulator (30) according to claim 1, further comprising the following features: a. The closing unit (50) is fastened to the outlet section (44) by means of a threaded connection, Preferably, it has at least one of the following additional features: b. The internal threads at the outlet section (44) and the coupling ring (72) are provided with a mechanical anti-reversal device.

5. The pressure accumulator (30) according to claim 4, further comprising the following features: a. The threaded connection and the sealing lip cooperate with each other in such a way that when the closure unit is unscrewed from the outlet section, the sealing lip loses contact with the inner side of the outlet section before the threaded connection is completely loosened.

6. The pressure accumulator (30) according to claim 1, further comprising the following features: a. The closure unit (50) has a one-piece inner component (60) which has the sealing lip (62) on the outer side and which spans the inner area of ​​the outlet section (44) with a supporting structure (63) in which at least one through-hole for forming the outlet channel (66) is provided, Preferably, it has the following additional features: b. The inner component ( 60 ) is made of a uniform material, which forms both the supporting structure ( 63 ) and the sealing lip ( 62 ).

7. The pressure accumulator (30) according to claim 6, further comprising the following features: a. the one-piece inner member (60) has a sealing flange on the outer side forming the sealing lip (62), and b. The one-piece inner component ( 60 ) has a supporting flange ( 64 ) on the outside, which is arranged above the sealing flange and rests on the end-side supporting surface ( 44C) of the outlet section ( 44 ).

8. The pressure accumulator (30) according to claim 1, further comprising the following features: a. The valve lip and the coupling ring are formed by an integral component (61), wherein The one-piece component preferably consists of polypropylene.

9. The pressure accumulator (30) according to claim 6, further comprising the following features: a. The closure unit (50) has an integral fastening component (70), on which the coupling ring (72) is arranged, and by means of which the inner component (60) is fixed to the outlet section (44), Preferably, it has at least one of the following additional features: b. The supporting flange (64) of the inner component (60) is held in a clamped manner between the end-side supporting surface (44C) of the outlet section (44) and the inner clamping surface (75) of the fastening component (70).

10. The pressure accumulator (30) according to claim 9, further comprising the following features: a. The inner component (60) and the fastening component (70) are directly connected to one another by means of a coupling device that acts in a form-fitting manner or by means of a coupling device that acts in a force-fitting manner, Preferably, it has the following additional features: b. A hook-shaped protrusion (64) is provided on the inner member (60), and the hook-shaped protrusion protrudes through the through-hole (73) of the fastening member (70) and engages with the locking edge (73A) at the through-hole (73).

11. The pressure accumulator (30) according to claim 9 or 10, further comprising the following features: a. The fastening member (70) is made of polyethylene terephthalate or polypropylene, and b. The inner member (60) is made of PE, in particular LDPE.

12. The pressure accumulator (30) according to claim 1, further comprising the following features: a. the outlet section (44) has a substantially cylindrical inner surface (44A) against which the sealing lip (62) abuts, Preferably, it has the following additional features: b. The substantially cylindrical inner surface (44A) extends in the axial direction over at least 3 mm.

13. The pressure accumulator (30) according to claim 1, further comprising the following features: a. The sealing lip (62) is configured as a flat sealing lip, the length of which from the supporting structure (63) to the distal abutment region (62A) is at least twice, preferably at least three times, the thickness of the sealing lip perpendicular to the length.

14. The pressure accumulator (30) according to claim 13, further comprising the following features: a. The sealing lip (62) extends radially outward from the support structure (63) and axially away from the container opening (42), wherein: In a relaxed state before installation in the outlet section (44), the sealing lip (62) encloses an angle of at least 5% with the axial widening (44D).

15. The pressure accumulator (30) according to claim 1, further comprising the following features: a. The sealing lip (62) is arranged such that it is loaded radially from the inside due to the internal pressure in the pressure reservoir and is thereby pressed radially outward against the inside of the outlet section (44), Preferably, it has the following additional features: b. The sealing lip (62) is arranged in such a way that it widens radially and thereby expands tangentially due to the internal pressure in the pressure reservoir.

16. The pressure accumulator (30) according to claim 9, further comprising the following features: a. a valve body (84) is provided between the inner component (60) and the fastening component (70), the valve body being sealed by a sealing surface in a closed position and being elastically deflectable from the closed position so as to be able to discharge liquid from the pressure reservoir (30), Preferably, it has at least one of the following additional features: b. The valve body (84) has a deepening (84B) surrounded by the sealing surface (84A), the valve pin or valve sleeve (104) extending into the deepening, and / or c. The valve body (84) is made of polyethylene terephthalate.

17. The pressure accumulator (30) according to claim 16, further comprising the following features: a. The valve body (84) and the valve return spring (88) are integrally constructed, Preferably, it has the following additional features: b. The valve return spring (88) is designed as a cage spring having a cylindrical or conical circumferential surface, in which a perforation is provided to enable compression of the valve return spring (88).

18. The pressure accumulator (30) according to any one of the preceding claims 9 to 17, having the following further features: a. the fastening member (70) has a deepening portion that opens in the direction of the inner member (60), and b. A sealing element (86), in particular in the form of a sealing washer, is arranged in the deepening and is fixed there in a clamping and sealing manner by the fastening component (70) and the inner component (60).

19. The pressure accumulator (30) according to claim 9, further comprising the following features: a. a sealing element (86), in particular a sealing gasket, is provided between the inner member (60) and the fastening member (70), Preferably, it has at least one and preferably all of the following features: b. The sealing element (86) bears sealingly against the inner component (60) and the fastening component (70) in the outer region, and / or c. the sealing element (86) forms a valve face for abutment of the sealing face of the valve body (84) in the closed position of the valve body, and / or d. The sealing element (86) is provided with a through-hole, the size of which is designed so that the inner edge of the sealing element (86) is sealingly abutted against a valve pin or a valve sleeve (104) arranged in the through-hole.

20. A pressure reservoir (30) for receiving a liquid, in particular a pharmaceutical or cosmetic liquid, and for use as part of a liquid dispenser, the pressure reservoir having the following characteristics: a. The pressure storage device (30) has a container body (40) made of polyethylene terephthalate, and b. The container body (40) has a container opening (42), and c. The pressure storage device (30) has a sealing unit (50) which seals the container opening (42), wherein: The closing unit (50) is made entirely or almost entirely of plastic, and d. The closing unit (50) has a switchable outlet valve (80), It is characterized by the following additional features: e. The pressure reservoir (30) has a liquid bag (32) arranged in the container body (40), wherein the wall of the liquid bag (32) has at least two layers composed of different materials with different melting points, and f. The closing unit (50) has a component (60) to which the fluid bag is mounted via a welded connection, wherein the innermost layer of the fluid bag is melted by means of the welded connection and is connected in one piece to the component (60).

21. The pressure accumulator (30) according to claim 20, further comprising the following features: a. The liquid bag has at least two layers composed of polyethylene having different melting points, Preferably, it has at least one of the following additional features: b. The innermost layer of the liquid bag (32) is composed of LDPE, and / or c. The outer layer of the fluid bag (32) is made of HDPE.

22. The pressure accumulator (30) according to claim 20, further comprising the following features: a. The innermost layer of the liquid bag (32) is composed of polyethylene, preferably LDPE, and / or b. The outer layer of the fluid bag (32) is made of polypropylene.

23. The pressure accumulator (30) according to claim 20, further comprising the following features: a. The pressure reservoir (30) has a standpipe extending into the fluid bag (32).

24. The pressure accumulator (30) according to claim 1, further comprising the following features: a. The pressure storage device (30) consists of polyethylene terephthalate and / or PE to a content of at least 95%, and / or b. The valve body (84) is made of polyethylene material, in particular high-density polyethylene, or c. The valve body (84) is made of polyethylene terephthalate, and / or d. The valve return spring (88) is made of polyethylene material or polypropylene material, or e. The valve return spring (88) is made of polyethylene terephthalate, and / or f. The sealing element (86) is made of polyethylene material, polypropylene material or thermoplastic polyolefin.

25. A liquid dispenser (10) for dispensing liquids, in particular pharmaceutical or cosmetic liquids, having the following characteristics: a. The liquid dispenser (10) has a pressure storage device (30) having a container body (40) made of plastic and having a sealing unit (50), and b. The liquid dispenser (10) has a discharge head (100), and c. The pressure accumulator (30) is designed according to one of the preceding claims.

26. A liquid dispenser (10) for dispensing liquids, in particular pharmaceutical or cosmetic liquids, having the following characteristics: a. The liquid dispenser (10) has a pressure storage device (30) having a container body (40) made of plastic and a sealing unit (50) made of plastic, and b. The liquid dispenser has a discharge head (100) which is connected to the closure unit (50) by means of a snap connection.

27. The liquid dispenser according to claim 25 or 26, having the following additional features: a. The discharge head (100) has an inlet sleeve (104) which projects into the closing unit (50) of the pressure reservoir (30) and opens the outlet valve (80) of the closing unit (50) by displacement.

28. The liquid dispenser according to any one of claims 25 to 27, having at least one of the following additional features: a. The closure unit (50) has an external snap-fit ​​flange (52), and b. The discharge head (100) has an inwardly directed snap-in geometry (112) that snaps into engagement with the snap-in flange (52).

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