Foam dispenser for alcoholic solutions

Abstract

The invention relates to a foam dispenser (1). This comprises a plastic bottle (2) made of a flexible plastic with a bottle opening, a cap (3) that closes the bottle opening and has a dispensing opening (4) for foam, a foaming device for foaming a solution, comprising a chamber (5) with at least one wall (6), at least one inlet (7) for air in one wall of the chamber and at least one inlet (8) for liquid in one wall of the chamber, and at least one foam body (9) arranged in the chamber, wherein the foaming device is arranged in or connected to the cap (3), and a riser tube (10) arranged inside the bottle and connected to an inlet.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a foam dispenser. This comprises a plastic bottle made of a flexible plastic with a bottle opening, a closure cap that closes the bottle opening and has a dispensing opening for a foam, a foam-generating device for foaming a solution, comprising a chamber with at least one wall, at least one inlet for air in a wall of the chamber and at least one inlet for liquid in a wall of the chamber, and at least one foam body arranged in the chamber, wherein the foam-generating device is arranged in the closure cap or connected thereto, and a riser tube arranged inside the bottle and connected to an inlet.

[0002] Disinfectants and cleaning agents are often alcoholic solutions, as alcohols have good microbicidal efficacy depending on their chain length. Such agents are offered as solutions, gels, or foams. Alcoholic solutions are difficult to foam because alcohol is a defoamer. To generate foam in manually operated or mechanical dispensers, a foaming device is used to foam alcohol-based products. This device ensures that foam is created when the liquid and air mix. The dispensing systems, especially in the case of mechanical dispensers, often consist of numerous delicate components and are therefore complex to manufacture and expensive.

[0003] GB 1 478 607 A describes a hand-operated device for producing and dispensing foam using a bottle with a dip tube. The bottle contains a rigid, porous body in which liquid and air are mixed. The air flow is regulated by a valve.

[0004] US 4,018,364 A describes a hand-operated foam dispenser with a bottle and a foam generating device. The foam generating device has a self-supporting porous element made of rigid material for foam generation.

[0005] EP 1 428 580 A1 discloses a portable dispenser for foam or spray mist. The dispenser has a 3D body in the outlet area that creates turbulence in the liquid, resulting in foaming or misting.

[0006] US Pat. No. 3,422,993 A discloses a foam dispenser comprising a flexible container with an integrated foam generating device. A porous material is arranged in the foam generating device, which is used to foam a non-alcoholic cleaning fluid. The object of the invention is to provide a hand-operated foam dispenser that overcomes the disadvantages known from the prior art and, in particular, can be manufactured cost-effectively with few components and enables the foaming of alcoholic solutions.

[0007] The object is achieved according to the invention by a foam dispenser for foamable products according to patent claim 1.

[0008] Further embodiments are the subject of the subclaims or described below.

[0009] The foam dispenser according to the invention comprises a plastic bottle made of a flexible plastic with a bottle opening, a closure cap which closes the bottle opening and has a dispensing opening for a foam, a foam generating device for foaming a solution, comprising ∘ a chamber with at least one wall, at least one inlet for air in a wall of the chamber and at least one inlet for liquid in a wall of the chamber and ∘ at least one foam body which is arranged in the chamber, wherein the foam generating device is arranged in the closure cap or connected thereto, a riser tube which is arranged inside the bottle and is connected to an inlet.

[0010] The foam body is made of open-cell foam. The bottle contains an alcoholic solution that includes at least the following components: 10 wt.% - 90 wt.% of at least one monohydric alcohol having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, preferably ethanol 0.2 wt.% - 2.5 wt.% of at least one surfactant, a surface-active substance or mixtures thereof, 9.5 wt.% - 90 wt.% water, and 0 wt.% - 2.5 wt.% foam stabilizers, in each case based on the total weight of the solution.

[0011] According to the invention, foam body is understood to mean at least one foam body, ie when a foam body is described, exactly one foam body or several foam bodies are included.

[0012] The foam dispenser according to the invention is a manual foam dispenser that is hand-operated, meaning that the foam is generated by squeezing the bottle by hand. The plastic bottle is therefore made of a flexible plastic so that it can be squeezed. The plastic bottle is preferably made of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), or a mixture thereof, particularly preferably HDPE and LDPE.

[0013] The foam dispenser according to the invention preferably contains an alcoholic mixture, which is typically a solution. The mixture contains at least one surfactant or surface-active substance that acts as a foamable substance. The surfactant or surface-active substance is preferably present in the mixture in an amount of 0.2 to 5 wt.%, particularly preferably 0.2 to 2.5 wt.%. The foam dispenser according to the invention can be used for disinfectants for skin or hands, for surfaces or instruments, or for wound disinfectants.

[0014] The monohydric alcohol having 1 to 4 carbon atoms is preferably selected from methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, butanol, and a mixture thereof. The monohydric alcohol is preferably ethanol.

[0015] The at least one surfactant in a highly alcoholic solution is preferably a silicone surfactant. According to the invention, the silicone surfactant is preferably a water-soluble silicone surfactant; more preferably, the water-soluble silicone surfactant(s) is / are a bis-PEG / PPG-X / Y-polydimethylsiloxane or an alkyl-PEG / PPG-X / Y-polydimethylsiloxane, where X describes the chain length of the ethoxyl units (PEG) and Y the chain length of the propoxyl (PPG) units, and X and Y independently of one another are preferably 14-25. Preferably, X is Y. Polydimethylsiloxanes are silicon-based polymers used in cosmetics under the name dimethicone (INN). Suitable silicone surfactants are, for example, BIS-PEG / PPG-14 / 14 Dimethicone or Bis-PEG / PPG-20 / 20 Dimethicone, which is available under the trade name Abil B 8832.

[0016] The plastic bottle contains an alcoholic solution, particularly preferably an alcoholic disinfectant. The alcoholic disinfectant can be a highly alcoholic solution, preferably containing: 70 wt.% - 90 wt.% of at least one monohydric alcohol having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, preferably ethanol, 9.5 wt.% - 20 wt.% water, 0.2 wt.% - 2.5 wt.% of at least one surfactant, optionally 0 wt.% - 2.5 wt.% foam stabilizers, optionally 0.2 wt.% - 2.5 wt.% auxiliaries, for example skin care substances, refatting agents, humectants, pH regulators or mixtures thereof and optionally 0 - 5 wt.% further active ingredients, for example quaternary ammonium compounds (QAC) or QAC-like substances.

[0017] The alcoholic disinfectant preferably contains 70 wt.% - 90 wt.% of at least one monohydric alcohol having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, preferably ethanol, 0.2 wt.% - 2.5 wt.% of at least one silicone surfactant, 9.5 wt.% - 20 wt.% water, 0 wt.% - 2.5 wt.% foam stabilizers, 0.2 wt.% - 2.5 wt.% auxiliaries, and 0 - 5 wt.% other active ingredients, each based on the total weight of the solution.

[0018] In one embodiment, the alcoholic disinfectant consists of 70 wt.% - 90 wt.%, at least one monohydric alcohol having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, preferably ethanol, 0.2 wt.% - 2.5 wt.% of at least one silicone surfactant, 9.5 wt.% - 20 wt.% water, 0 wt.% - 2.5 wt.% foam stabilizers, 0.2 wt.% - 2.5 wt.% auxiliaries, and 0 - 5 wt.% further active ingredients, each based on the total weight of the solution, whereby the components complement each other to 100%.

[0019] The plastic bottle can also contain a low-alcohol solution, such as a surface disinfectant. The low-alcohol solution preferably contains 10 wt.% - 30 wt.% of at least one monohydric alcohol having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, preferably ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol or a mixture thereof, 69.8 wt.% - 89.8 wt.% water, 0.2 wt.% - 2.5 wt.% of at least one surfactant, a surface-active substance or mixtures thereof, preferably an amphoteric surfactant, particularly preferably N-alkylaminopropylglycine, optionally 0 wt.% - 2.5 wt.% foam stabilizers, optionally 0 wt.% - 2.5 wt.% auxiliaries, for example skin care substances, refatting agents, humectants, pH regulators or mixtures thereof and optionally 0 - 2.5 wt.% further active ingredients, for example quaternary ammonium compounds (QAC) or QAC-like substances.

[0020] Examples of excipients used include skin care substances, lipid replenishers, humectants, pH regulators, dyes, fragrances or mixtures thereof.

[0021] To foam an alcoholic composition, it must be mixed with foamable substances, i.e., surfactants or surface-active substances. Alcohols disrupt surface tension and are also used as defoamers. Foaming an alcoholic composition therefore requires appropriate chemical auxiliaries and additional physical / mechanical means, such as a foam dispenser, which, according to the invention, has a chamber with at least one foam body in which liquid and air can be mixed to generate foam.

[0022] The open-cell foam preferably consists of a polymeric material, particularly preferably polyurethane (PUR) or acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, also known as nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR).

[0023] The open-cell foam in the chamber preferably has a density of more than 0.03 g / cm3. The density refers to the density of the foam body placed in the chamber, which can be uncompressed or compressed. The density is determined by measuring the external dimensions of the foam body, determining the weight of the foam body and calculating the density from the weight and volume. When measuring or determining the external dimensions of the foam body, its dimensions in the chamber are taken into account. For an uncompressed foam body, the density of the uncompressed foam in the chamber is given. For a compressed foam body, the density of the compressed foam in the chamber is given.

[0024] Preferably, the foam placed in the chamber has a density of at least 0.035 g / cm 3 , particularly preferably at least 0.045 g / cm 3 . More preferably, the foam placed in the chamber has a density of at most 0.08 g / cm 3 , preferably at most 0.06 g / cm 3 . The foam in the chamber preferably has a density of more than 0.03 g / cm 3 and at most 0.06 g / cm 3 .

[0025] In the uncompressed state, the foam preferably has a pore count (= number of pores along a straight line per linear inch) of 50 to 130 pores / inch, preferably 60 to 100 pores / inch, particularly preferably 60 to 80 pores / inch, for example, approximately 70 pores / inch. The cell count is preferably determined microscopically.

[0026] The foam preferably has an average pore size of 0.3 mm to 0.9 mm in the uncompressed state, measured according to ASTM D 3576-2004, preferably 0.4 mm to 0.8 mm.

[0027] In one embodiment, the foam body is compressed in the chamber, with the foam body preferably being compressed by 10% to 50% of the volume of the uncompressed body, more preferably by 15% to 50%, more preferably by 35% to 50%, and most preferably by 35% to 40%. The compression increases the density of the foam and can also change the shape of the foam's pores. Both the increase in density and the change in shape can improve the foaming of the solution.

[0028] The chamber can, for example, have a volume of 1 cm 3 to 5 cm 3 , preferably 1 cm 3 to 3 cm 3 , and particularly preferably 1 cm 3 to 2 cm 3 . In particular, the chamber has a volume of 1.4 cm 3 to 2 cm 3 . The foam body or the total number of foam bodies preferably fill the volume of the chamber to at least 80%, more preferably to at least 85%, even more preferably to at least 90%, particularly preferably to at least 95%, and in particular substantially completely.

[0029] The foam body is preferably fixed to the wall of the chamber, preferably by being clamped in position in the chamber by contact with the wall. This ensures that the liquid has to flow through the pores of the foam and prevents the foam body from floating on the liquid. The foam body particularly preferably lies fully against the side walls of the chamber so that the liquid has to flow through the foam when flowing through the chamber and no liquid can flow past the foam body. In this case, the foam body has the same cross-section as the chamber. The foam body preferably has a height that corresponds to at least half the length of the chamber because particularly good foam is produced when liquid and air have a sufficient distance to mix in the pores of the foam.

[0030] In one embodiment, the chamber is at least partially cylindrical, and the foam body is cylindrical. If the chamber contains multiple foam bodies, these can be shaped, for example, as sections of a cylinder, e.g., as two half-cylinders or as pie slices that, as a whole, again have the shape of a cylinder.

[0031] When using multiple foam bodies, it's best to use the same foam material for all foam bodies. This has the advantage of simplifying and reducing the cost of manufacturing the foam dispenser, as different materials don't need to be kept on hand. Furthermore, the same mixing effect is achieved in all areas and a consistent foam is produced when the foam bodies are made of the same material.

[0032] The chamber, which is at least partially cylindrical, has a chamber bottom and at least one chamber wall extending from the chamber bottom toward the top of the closure cap, with at least one inlet arranged in the chamber bottom and at least one inlet arranged in a chamber wall. If the chamber bottom is circular, the chamber has a curved chamber wall.

[0033] In one embodiment, the chamber has only a single inlet in the chamber floor, which is connected to the riser tube and preferably forms the air inlet when used overhead. An air chamber can be arranged in a connecting piece between the end of the riser tube and the inlet, from which the air flows through the inlet into the chamber.

[0034] The chamber preferably has at least two, preferably three to six, particularly preferably three or four inlets in the chamber wall or the side wall of the chamber, wherein the inlets are preferably arranged at equal distances from one another and, when used upside down, preferably form the inlet for liquid.

[0035] The air inlet is the inlet that, during use, is connected to an air reservoir in the bottle. The liquid inlet is the inlet that, during use, is connected to a liquid reservoir. The riser tube located inside the bottle is preferably connected to an inlet in the bottom of the chamber and preferably forms the air inlet.

[0036] The chamber is at least partially designed as a double-walled hollow cylinder. The double-walled hollow cylinder has an inner and an outer cylinder which are arranged concentrically to one another in the overlapping region and are preferably offset relative to their longitudinal axis or have different lengths, so that the region at the chamber bottom has only a single wall. The foam body is arranged in the inner cylinder. The inlets in the side wall of the chamber are preferably arranged only in the outer cylinder, particularly preferably only in the lower, non-double-walled part of the chamber. The inner hollow cylinder can be connected to the closure cap and, for example, be formed integrally with the closure cap.

[0037] The design of the chamber as a double-walled hollow cylinder is particularly advantageous because the double-walled cylinder directs the liquid flow. The liquid first enters the outer of the two hollow cylinders and thus the foam-free area and is then transported to the lower opening of the inner hollow cylinder. This causes it to flow from below into the foam body, so that the entire length of the foam body can be used to generate foam. Because the foam is fixed in the inner cylinder, the foam dispenser is easier to assemble because when the closure cap is screwed or clamped on, the foam body is already in position and does not have to be secured during the screwing or clamping process. It is also easy to replace the foam body by just replacing the inner cylinder of the chamber or the closure cap connected to the inner cylinder.

[0038] The foam dispenser according to the invention can be used to generate foam either upside down, i.e., with the bottle turned upside down with the bottom facing upwards, or upright with the bottom facing downwards. "Up" means pointing vertically upwards toward the ceiling, and "down" means pointing vertically downwards toward the floor. The bottle can also be held at a slight angle during use; this also includes both upside down and upright positions.

[0039] When foam is produced, if the bottle is closed, the outlet opening of the bottle is opened first, e.g. by opening a hinged lid, removing a protective cap or pulling up a pull cap. The bottle is a. turned upside down and the bottle body is squeezed or b. the bottle is held upright and squeezed.

[0040] This creates foam, which exits through the outlet opening in the cap and is caught in the other hand. To foam the liquid, the foam body is located within the chamber. This foam body is made of open-cell foam. This foam body has cavities in which air and liquid are mixed together, creating a foam. Optionally, a section of the chamber, containing at least one inlet, is empty and contains no foam body. Air and liquid are preferably partially mixed upon entering the chamber before being transported pre-mixed into the foam body.

[0041] When the bottle is used upside down, foam is generated as follows: The chamber with the foam body has one or more inlets which, when the bottle is inverted, are below the liquid level inside the bottle. When the bottle is inverted, the riser tube is located at the top of the chamber and ends in the air space inside the bottle above the liquid level. When pressure is applied to the bottle body, the air is forced downwards through the riser tube. At the same time, the different pressure conditions during this process suck the liquid from the bottle through the inlets into the chamber. The air and liquid are mixed in the pores of the open-cell foam, and the foam is discharged downwards through the outlet opening as foam.

[0042] When the bottle is used in an upright position, foam is generated as follows: The chamber containing the foam body has one or more inlets located above the liquid level inside the bottle. The riser tube, which is located at the bottom of the chamber in the upright position, reaches all the way to the bottom of the bottle. When pressure is applied to the bottle body, the liquid is forced upwards through the riser tube. The changing pressure conditions during this process cause air to be sucked in from the head space of the bottle. Air and liquid are mixed in the pores of the open-cell foam, and the foam thus generated is discharged upwards out of the outlet opening.

[0043] In the case of the upright position, it is advantageous if the opening for the foam outlet is not directed vertically upwards, but the foam is released via a spout with a direction in a lateral direction.

[0044] Since the foam dispenser is hand-operated, the bottle should preferably be sized to be easy to hold with one hand. For example, the bottle should have a volume of 50 ml to 500 ml. The bottle should preferably have a volume of 100 ml to 250 ml, especially 100 ml to 150 ml.

[0045] For a bottle with a volume of less than 500 ml, the air inlet preferably has a diameter of 1.0 mm to 1.4 mm. The liquid inlet preferably has a diameter of 0.6 mm to 0.8 mm.

[0046] The ratio of the size of the air inlet(s) to the size of the liquid inlet(s) is preferably 1:0.9 to 1:1.5, particularly preferably 1:0.9 to 1:1.1. With a ratio of the size of the air inlets to the liquid inlets of approximately 1:1, as in the last-mentioned preferred embodiment, foam formation works both upside down and upright.

[0047] The ratio of the total size of the air inlets to the liquid inlets influences foam formation. The diameter of the air inlet opening must not be too large, nor must the air content be too high; otherwise, good foam will not be formed.

[0048] The foam generating device is designed as an insert with a flange. The flange is placed on the upper edge of the bottle neck, with the cap attached to the neck of the bottle and securing the insert.

[0049] In one embodiment, the closure cap and foam generating device are formed as a single piece, and the closure cap with the foam generating device is attached to the neck of the bottle, preferably screwed or crimped.

[0050] In one embodiment, the foam generating device is designed as an insert that is snapped into the closure cap, glued to the closure cap, or welded to the closure cap, wherein the closure cap is attached to the insert to a neck of the bottle, preferably screwed or crimped.

[0051] The closure cap can have a conventional design, such as a flip-top lid or a protective cap, or be designed as a pull-lock closure. It also typically has a fastening device to attach it to the neck of the bottle, such as a screw thread or a snap-on closure.

[0052] The foam dispenser according to the invention can be designed as a disposable product for disposal after the liquid has been emptied, or as a refillable, reusable product. In a reusable product, the alcoholic solution can be refillable and / or the foam body can be replaceable.

[0053] The foam dispenser according to the invention can be manufactured cost-effectively because it is composed of only a few components. The foam generation device enables foam generation even with alcoholic solutions and both upside down and upright use. According to the invention, foam is generated using a manually operated foam dispenser with few components. Due to the compact design without a motor, electrical parts or valves for control, cost-effective production is possible and easy, intuitive and trouble-free handling is ensured. An alcoholic disinfectant can be applied as foam using the foam dispenser according to the invention. Due to its consistency, foam has the advantage over liquids that it can be dosed and distributed more easily. For example,While a liquid hand disinfectant flows quickly from the hand when dispensed and therefore not only gets onto the hand but also onto the floor, the foam flows more slowly and can therefore be distributed more easily and without dripping onto the hands.

[0054] Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for foaming an alcoholic solution, preferably an alcoholic disinfectant, comprising the steps Providing a foam dispenser according to the invention, wherein the foam dispenser contains the alcoholic solution, manually squeezing the bottle of the foam dispenser so that an alcoholic foam can be obtained. Measurement methods density

[0055] To determine the density of the uncompressed foam, the external dimensions of a foam sample are first measured and the volume is calculated from the external dimensions. The weight of the foam sample is also determined and the density is calculated using the formula density = weight / volume. The density of the uncompressed foam is thus determined according to the standards ISO 845 (g / cm 3< ) or ASTM D 357411A (lb / ft 3< ). If the foam body is compressed in the chamber of the foam dispenser, the density increases accordingly by the degree of compression. To calculate the density, reference is then made to the volume that the foam body has in the chamber in its compressed state. Number of pores

[0056] The number of pores is determined microscopically. A straight line is drawn across the surface of the foam, and the number of pores along this line is counted over a distance of 1 inch. Pore ​​size

[0057] The pore size is determined according to ASTM D 3576-2004. For this purpose, a thin layer of a defined size is cut from a foam and placed in a special projector. The projector projects the sample along with a reference line. The length of the reference line is specified in millimeters. The number of cells intersected by the reference line is counted. The mean pore size is calculated from the length of the reference line and the number of pores.

[0058] The invention is further explained with reference to the figures. They show: Fig. 1 shows a foam dispenser according to the invention in one embodiment in a perspective view, Fig. 2 shows a foam dispenser in a sectional view, Fig. 3 shows a foam dispenser according to the invention in a first embodiment in a sectional view, Fig. 4 shows a foam dispenser according to the invention in a second embodiment in a sectional view, Fig. 5 shows a foam dispenser according to Figure 2 during foam production, Fig. 6 shows a foam dispenser according to the invention in a further embodiment in a perspective view, and Fig. 7 shows a sectional view of the foam dispenser from Figure 6 .

[0059] Figure 1shows a foam dispenser according to the invention that is used to generate foam in an upside-down position. The foam dispenser 1 comprises a bottle 2 with a closure cap 3 screwed onto the bottle. The closure cap is designed here as a flip-top closure with a hinged lid 20. A dispensing opening 4 is arranged on the top side of the closure cap 3. A foam generating device (not shown here) is located inside the closure cap.

[0060] Figure 2shows a sectional view of a foam dispenser in an embodiment not according to the invention. The foam dispenser 1 is designed to generate foam in an upside-down position. The foam dispenser comprises a bottle 2, which is closed with a closure cap 3. The closure cap is designed as a screw cap with an internal thread 21 that is screwed to the external thread 22 on the bottle neck. Arranged in the closure cap 3 is a chamber 5, in which three foam bodies 9 are placed one above the other. The foam bodies 9 each rest against the wall 6 of the chamber 5, so that no liquid can flow past the foam bodies 9 to the dispensing opening 4. On the underside of the chamber 5 is an inlet 7, which is connected to a riser tube 10. The riser tube 10 extends from the inlet 7 at the bottom of the chamber to the bottle bottom 11. The chamber has two opposite inlets 8 in the side walls.The chamber is designed as a single-walled hollow cylinder with a flange 23 on its top. The flange 23 rests on the bottle neck and is secured in position by the closure cap 3. The top of the chamber 5 is open and directed toward the dispensing opening 4, with which it is fluidly connected.

[0061] Figure 3 shows a section of a foam dispenser in a first embodiment. The foam dispenser 1 according to Figure 3is also designed to generate foam in an upside down position. In this embodiment, the chamber 5 is double-walled and has the shape of a double-walled hollow cylinder. The chamber has an inner cylinder 13 and an outer cylinder 12, which are arranged concentrically to one another in the overlapping area. The inner cylinder 13 is connected to the shell 15 of the closure cap 3 and is made therewith in one piece. The three foam bodies 9 are arranged one above the other in the inner cylinder 13 and each end flush with the wall of the inner cylinder 13 so that no liquid can flow past the foam body 9. The inner cylinder 13 extends to the dispensing opening so that the foam is dispensed through the dispensing opening when it leaves the inner cylinder. The inner cylinder 13 is shorter than the outer cylinder 12.In the lower area of ​​chamber 5, facing the chamber floor 14, the chamber is thus constructed with only a single wall. The outer cylinder 12 is connected to the chamber floor 14 and has a flange 23 on its upper side. The inlet 7, which is fluidically connected to the riser pipe 10, is located in the chamber floor 14. The riser pipe 10 is held in a riser pipe holder 24.

[0062] Figure 4 shows a section of a foam dispenser in a second embodiment. The foam dispenser 1 according to Figure 4 is also designed for foam generation in an upside-down position. The chamber 5 is also double-walled in this embodiment and has the shape of a double-walled hollow cylinder. The foam dispenser according to Figure 4 differs from the foam dispenser according to Figure 3by the position of the inlets 8 in the wall 6 of the chamber. In the third embodiment, the inlets 8 are located in the side wall 6 of the chamber above the chamber floor 14 and at the level of the inner cylinder 13, so that during use, the liquid first flows into the space 16 between the two cylinders, mixes with the air from the inlet 7 in the area below the inner cylinder 13, and from there is transported into the foam bodies 9.

[0063] Figure 5 shows a sectional view through a foam dispenser not according to the invention according to Figure 2 When used in an upside-down position, the hinged lid 20 of bottle 2 is open, and the bottle is turned upside down so that the bottle bottom 11 faces upward and the dispensing opening 4 faces downward. The inlet openings 8 of the chamber 5 are located below the liquid level 17 inside the bottle. The riser tube 10 ends in the air space of bottle 2.

[0064] When pressure is applied to the bottle body, the air is forced downward through the riser tube 10, and the liquid is drawn from the bottle through the inlet openings 8 into the chamber 5. The direction of movement of air and liquid is further indicated by the arrows L and F. Air and liquid are mixed together in the foam bodies 9, and the resulting foam is discharged downward through the discharge opening.

[0065] Figure 6 shows a perspective view of another embodiment of a foam dispenser 1 according to the invention. The foam dispenser 1 is designed to generate foam in an upright position and therefore has a dispensing device 25 in the form of a spout on the closure cap 3, through which the foam is guided to the side after exiting the dispensing opening 4.

[0066] Figure 7 shows a section through the foam dispenser from Figure 6. The chamber 5 has an inner cylinder 13 and an outer cylinder 12, which are arranged concentrically to one another in the overlapping area. The inner cylinder 13 is offset upwards relative to the outer cylinder 12 along the longitudinal axis of the two cylinders towards the dispensing opening 4, so that the chamber protrudes upwards out of the bottle beyond the end of the bottle neck. The area of ​​the chamber 5 at the chamber bottom 14 has only a single wall. The inner cylinder 13 contains three foam bodies 9, which are stacked one on top of the other and are flush with the wall of the inner cylinder 13. The chamber has several inlet openings 8, which are located above the liquid level 17 inside the bottle. The riser tube 10, which is attached to the lower end of the chamber 5, reaches down to the bottom 11 of the bottle. When pressure is applied to the bottle body 2, the liquid is pushed upwards through the riser tube 10, with air being sucked in from the head space of the bottle.Air and liquid are mixed together by the foam bodies 9, and the resulting foam is discharged upwards from the dispensing opening. The dispensing opening 4 is shifted to the side of the closure cap and is not shown here because it is located outside the section plane.

[0067] In all embodiments shown, the side wall of the chamber may have additional inlets that are located outside the sectional plane and are therefore not shown. Examples

[0068] A foam dispenser with a bottle size with a capacity of 100 ml and a structure similar to Figures 1 and 3shown was tested with different chambers and different foam bodies. The cylindrical chambers, each with a volume of 1.45 cm 3 , differed from one another in the number of inlets and the size of the inlet openings. With regard to the foam bodies, a different number of cylindrical foam bodies made of open-cell polyurethane with an uncompressed density of 0.03 g / cm 3 , an uncompressed pore count of 70 pores / inch ± 10 pores / inch, and an uncompressed volume of 0.57 cm 3 (based on a single foam body) were used. The foam bodies were compressed to different degrees. Two foam bodies did not undergo any compression (density unchanged at 0.03 g / cm 3 ). Three foam bodies were compressed by approximately 16% (density then increased to 0.036 g / cm 3 ).For four foam bodies, the compression was about 37% (density then increased to 0.047 g / cm 3< ).

[0069] Different versions of the foam dispenser were filled with different solutions, a high-alcohol solution and a low-alcohol solution, to investigate foam formation, particularly with high alcohol content of the foamable solution. The tested solutions had the following compositions: Examples 1 to 24: Hand disinfectant (high-alcohol, leave-on product) Ethanol 80% Silicone surfactant 1% Glycerin 0,50% Tetradecanol 0,75% optional foam stabilizer (only for examples 17 to 24) Water to 100 Examples 25 to 27: Surface disinfectants (low alcohol content) Ethanol 14% 1-Propanol 6% 2-Propanol 10% N-Alkylaminopropylglycin 0,50% Water to 100

[0070] Foam generation tests were conducted. The foam dispenser was turned upside down and the bottle was squeezed by hand until foam or liquid emerged from the dispensing opening. Foam quality was assessed visually and haptically. The following scores between 1 and 10 were assigned: Value 1 - 4: no stable foam, possibly liquid with individual bubbles Value 5 - 10: stable foam, noticeably higher viscosity than non-foamed solution, customer-suitable product

[0071] Table 1 in the appendix summarizes the foam production tests conducted, along with the evaluation of foam quality. It shows that the foam dispenser according to the invention can produce a stable foam even at a high alcohol content of 80 wt.% (foam quality value > 5). List of reference symbols

[0072] Foam dispenser1 Plastic bottle2 Cap3 Dispensing opening4 Chamber5 Wall6 Inlet7 Inlet8 Foam body9 Riser tube10 Bottle bottom11 Outer cylinder12 Inner cylinder13 Chamber bottom14 Cap shell15 Gap16 Liquid level17 Lid20 Internal thread21 External thread22 Flange23 Riser tube bracket24 Dispenser device25 Foam26 Air flowL Liquid flowF Table 1 Example No. Density of foam g / cm 3 Density lb / ft 3 Number of foam bodies Number of inlets in chamber wall Diameter of inlet chamber wall [mm] Total area of ​​inlets chamber wall [mm 2< ] Number of inlets chamber floor Diameter of inlet chamber bottom [mm] Total area of ​​inlets chamber floor [mm 2< ] Ratio of total area of ​​air inlets to liquid inlets Foam quality 1 0,030 1,9 2 3 0,8 1,508 1 1,0 0,785 1:1,92 3,0 2 0,030 1,9 2 4 0,8 2,011 1 1,0 0,785 1:2,56 3,0 3 0,030 1,9 2 3 0,8 1,508 1 1,2 1,131 1:1,33 3,5 4 0,030 1,9 2 4 0,8 2,011 1 1,2 1,131 1:1,78 3,5 5 0,030 1,9 2 4 0,8 2,011 1 1,4 1,539 1:1,31 2,0 6 0,036 2,2 3 3 0,6 0,848 1 1,2 1,131 1:0,75 7,0 7 0,036 2,2 3 4 0,6 1,131 1 1,2 1,131 1:1,00 5,0 8 0,036 2,2 3 3 0,8 1,508 1 1,2 1,131 1:1,33 5,5 9 0,036 2,2 3 4 0,8 2,011 1 1,2 1,131 1:1,78 6,0 10 0,036 2,2 3 3 0,8 1,508 1 1,4 1,539 1:0,98 5,0 11 0,047 2,9 4 4 0,6 1,131 1 1,2 1,131 1:1,00 7,5 12 0,047 2,9 4 3 0,8 1,508 1 1,2 1,131 1:1,33 7,0 13 0,047 2,9 4 4 0,8 2,011 1 1,2 1,131 1:1,78 5,0 14 0,047 2,9 4 3 0,8 1,508 1 1,4 1,539 1:0,98 6,0 15 0,047 2,9 4 4 0,8 2,011 1 1,0 0,785 1:2,56 5,0 16 0,047 2,9 4 4 0,8 2,011 1 1,4 1,539 1:1,31 5,0 17 0,036 2,2 3 4 0,7 1,539 1 1,0 0,785 1:1,96 7,0 18 0,036 2,2 3 4 0,6 1,131 1 1,0 0,785 1:1,44 6,0 19 0,036 2,2 3 5 0,6 1,414 1 1,0 0,785 1:1,80 5,0 20 0,036 2,2 3 2 0,8 1,005 1 1,0 0,785 1:1,28 7,0 21 0,036 2,2 3 4 0,6 1,131 1 1,2 1,131 1:1,00 6,5 22 0,036 2,2 3 3 0,8 1,508 1 1,2 1,131 1:1,33 6,5 23 0,047 2,9 4 4 0,6 1,131 1 1,2 1,131 1:1,00 5,0 24 0,047 2,9 4 3 0,8 1,508 1 1,2 1,131 1:1,33 7,5 Example No. Density foam Density lb / ft 3 Number of foam bodies Number of inlets in chamber wall Diameter of inlet chamber wall [mm] Total area of ​​inlets chamber wall [mm 2< ] Number of inlets chamber floor Diameter of inlet chamber bottom [mm] Total area of ​​inlets chamber floor [mm 2< ] Ratio of total area of ​​air inlets to liquid inlets Foam quality 25 0,036 2,2 3 3 0,6 0,848 1 1,2 1,131 1:0,75 6,0 26 0,036 2,2 3 4 0,6 1,131 1 1,2 1,131 1:1,00 6,5 27 0,036 2,2 3 3 0,8 1,508 1 1,2 1,131 1:1,33 6,0

Claims

1. Foam dispenser (1) comprising - a plastic bottle (2) of a flexible plastic with a bottle opening, - a closure cap (3) which closes the bottle opening and has a dispensing opening (4) for a foam, - a foam generating device for foaming a solution, comprising a chamber (5) with at least one wall (6), at least one inlet (7) for air in a wall of the chamber and at least one inlet (8) for liquid in a wall of the chamber and at least one foam body (9) disposed in the chamber, - wherein the foam generating device is arranged in or connected to the closure cap (3), - a riser tube (10) arranged inside the bottle (2) and connected to an inlet (7, 8) wherein the foam body (9) consists of an open-cell foam material and the bottle (2) contains an alcoholic solution, in particular an alcoholic disinfectant solution, wherein the alcoholic solution comprises at least the following components: 10 % by weight - 90 % by weight of at least one monohydric alcohol with 1 to 4 carbon atoms, preferably ethanol, 9.5% - 90% by weight of water, 0,2% - 2,5% by weight of at least one surfactant, a surface-active substance or mixtures thereof and 0 wt.% - 2,5 wt.% foam stabilizers, in each case based on the total weight of the solution, characterized in that the chamber (5) has a chamber bottom (14) and at least one chamber wall (6) which extends from the chamber bottom (14) in the direction of the opening (4), wherein at least one inlet (7, 8) is arranged in the chamber bottom (14) and at least one inlet (7, 8) is arranged in the chamber wall (6) and the chamber (5) is at least partially designed as a doublewalled hollow cylinder and has an inner cylinder (13) and an outer cylinder (12), which are arranged concentrically to one another in the overlapping region.

2. Foam dispenser (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the alcoholic solution comprises 70 wt.% - 90 wt.% of at least one monohydric alcohol with 1 to 4 carbon atoms, 0,2 wt.% - 2,5 wt.% of at least one silicone surfactant, 9,5 wt.% - 20 wt.% of water, 0 wt.% - 2,5 wt.% of at least one foam stabilizer, 0,2 wt.% - 2,5 wt.% of auxiliary substances, and 0 - 5 % by weight of other active ingredients, in each case based on the total weight of the solution.

3. Foam dispenser (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the alcoholic solution consists of: 70 wt.% - 90 wt.% of at least one monohydric alcohol with 1 to 4 carbon atoms, 0,2 % - 2,5 % by weight of at least one silicone surfactant, 9,5 wt.% - 20 wt.% water, 0 wt.% - 2,5 wt.% of at least one foam stabilizer, 0,2 wt.% - 2,5 wt.% of auxiliaries, and 0 - 5% by weight of other active ingredients, in each case relative to the total weight of the solution, whereby the components together add up to 100 %.

4. Foam dispenser (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the silicone surfactant is a bis-PEG / PPG-X / Y- polydimethylsiloxane, wherein X and Y are independently of one another preferably 14 -25 and in particular preferably X is equal to Y.

5. Foam dispenser (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the open-cell foam has a density of more than 0,03 g / cm3, preferably of at least 0.035 g / cm3, particularly preferably of at least 0.045 g / cm3.

6. Foam dispenser (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that characterized in that the foam has a density of at most 0,08 g / cm3, preferably of at most 0,06 g / cm3.

7. Foam dispenser (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the foam in the uncompressed state has a pore number of 50 to 130 pores / Inch, preferably of 60 to 100 pores / Inch, for example of about 70 pores / Inch.

8. Foam dispenser (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the foam in the uncompressed state has a pore size of 0,3 mm to 0,9 mm, measured according to ASTM D 3576-2004, preferably of 0,4 mm to 0,8 mm.

9. Foam dispenser (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the foam body (9) is compressed in the chamber (5), wherein the foam body (9) is preferably compressed by 10 % to 50 %, particularly preferably by 15 % to 50 %, particularly preferably by 35 % to 50 % and very particularly preferably by 35 % to 40 %.

10. Foam dispenser (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the chamber (5) has only a single inlet (7) in the chamber bottom (14), which is connected to the riser pipe (10) and preferably forms the inlet for air.

11. Foam dispenser (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the chamber (5) has at least two, preferably three to six, particularly preferably three or four, inlets in the side wall (6) of the chamber (5) and the inlets are preferably evenly spaced apart and preferably form the inlet for liquid.

12. Foam dispenser (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in characterized in that the ratio of the size of the inlet opening for air to the size of the inlet opening for liquid is 1 : 0,9 to 1 : 1,5, preferably 1 : 0,9 to1 : 1,1.

13. Process for foaming an alcoholic solution, preferably of an alcoholic disinfectant, comprising the steps of • Providing a foam dispenser (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, • manually squeezing the bottle (2) of the foam dispenser so that an alcoholic foam can be obtained.

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