Single-use dispenser, dispenser-arrangement, use of a blow-molded vessel, and use of a single-use dispenser

Abstract

The invention relates to a single-use dispenser (1) for supplying a control liquid (L) to an analytical device, the single-use dispenser (1) comprising a blow-molded vessel (2) fluid-tightly delimiting an interior volume (3), and a volume (4) of the control liquid (L), wherein the volume (4) of the control liquid (L) is stored within the interior volume (3), and wherein the blow-molded vessel (2) has a predetermined breaking point (5) adapted to form an outlet aperture (8) for the control liquid (L) by breaking the blow-molded vessel (2) in its predetermined breaking point (5).

Description

[0001] Single-use dispenser, dispenser-arrangement, use of a blow-molded vessel, and use of a single-use dispenser

[0002] The invention relates to a single-use dispenser for supplying a control liquid to an analytical device, to a dispenser-arrangement, and to a use of a blow-molded vessel for such a single-use dispenser. Furthermore, the invention relates to a use of a single use dispenser.

[0003] There are various single-use dispensers comprising various non-control-liquids. For instance, US 2006 / 108384 A1 discloses a single-use dispenser comprising a volume of an ear wash, an eye wash, a mouth wash, or a liquid medicine. Furthermore, WO 2023 / 102008 A1 discloses a single-use dispenser comprising a volume of eye wetting drops. In US 9,108,777 B1 another single-use dispenser is disclosed that comprises a volume of an aseptic fluid. From US 6,666,359 B2 EP, a further single-use dispenser is known comprising a volume of a drug, a vaccine or an ophthalmic solution. EP 0 150 751 A1 discloses another single-use dispenser which comprises a volume of a pharmaceutical or a cosmetic preparation. Furthermore, US 2021 / 121645 A1 discloses another single-use dispenser comprising a volume of saline.

[0004] Commonly, analytical devices for examination of samples are regularly accuracy-checked and / or calibrated. For such an accuracy-check and / or calibration a portion of a control liquid, in particular of a control solution, of at least one known property is typically used. When said portion of the control liquid is examined by the analytical device, any differences between a measurement result and the known property of the control liquid can be used to recognize a present deficiency in accuracy and / or in order to calibrate the analytical device for equalizing such a deficiency. Usually, the control liquid is stored in a bottle containing a quantity of control liquid that is a multiple of the portion needed for one accuracy-check and / or calibration. A best- before date of the control liquid may only be valid in a sealed state of such a bottle.

[0005] It is an object of the invention to provide a single-use dispenser for supplying a control liquid to an analytical device, a dispenser-arrangement, and a use of a blow-molded vessel for such a single-use dispenser enabling particular reliable dosage of the control liquid.

[0006] This problem is solved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments are subject matter of the dependent claims.

[0007] The single-use dispenser according to the invention is adapted for supplying a control liquid to an analytical device. The control liquid may e.g. be used for quality control and may also be denoted as a quality control liquid. To supply only a desired portion of the control liquid to the analytical device, the single-use dispenser may be adapted to dose the control liquid in such a portion. The analytical device can be a laboratory measuring device. The analytical device may be used in a laboratory environment. The single-use dispenser has a blow-molded vessel. The blow-molded vessel fluid-tightly delimits an interior volume. The interior volume may be the volume of an interior of the blow-molded vessel. The blow-molded vessel may be made from a polymer material, in particular in a blow-molding process. The single-use dispenser furthermore comprises a volume of the control liquid. The volume of the control liquid may be a portion of the control liquid. Therein, the volume of the control liquid is stored within the interior volume. It goes without saying that the control liquid may temporarily change its aggregate state while being contained by the blow-molded vessel. Thus, the control liquid can be at least partially frozen, liquid and / or in gas form. The control liquid can be a control solution. The control liquid can have at least one known, in particular optical, property.

[0008] According to the invention, the blow-molded vessel has a predetermined breaking point. Said predetermined breaking point is adapted to form an outlet aperture for the control liquid by breaking the blow-molded vessel in its predetermined breaking point. Before breaking the blow- molded vessel, the volume of the control liquid stored within the interior volume may be contained by the blow-molded vessel fluid-tightly. After breaking the blow-molded vessel, the resulting outlet aperture can generate a fluidic communication between the interior volume and an environment of the blow-molded vessel. Thus, the volume of the control liquid can be dosed out of the interior volume into said environment through the outlet aperture. Since the volume of the control liquid stored within the interior volume may be predetermined as to match a volume needed for checking or calibrating the analytical device, a separate dosing step using a separate dosing device as commonly required may result obsolete. Such a dosing step is typically prone to errors which can thus be completely avoided by the single-use dispenser according to the invention. Furthermore, only the volume of control liquid needed for one accuracy-check and / or calibration may be unsealed when breaking the blow-molded vessel. The single-use dispenser thus favors a needs-based consumption of control liquid.

[0009] Preferably, the blow-molded vessel can be, in particular manually and / or elastically and / or plastically, deformable. Thus, the volume of control liquid can be squeezed through the aperture by deformation-dependent narrowing or compressing the interior volume. A function commonly realized by a separate dosing device, such as a common pipette or alike, can thus be integrated into the single-use dispenser. Therefore, by using the single-use dispenser, any separate dosing devices can be refrained from. In conclusion, the single-use dispenser can serve to fulfill a double function: On the one hand it can serve as a storage or container for the control liquid and on the other hand it can serve as a dosing device. According to an embodiment of the invention, the volume of the control liquid stored within the interior volume is a pre-defined volume. The pre-defined volume can be adapted, in particular in terms of quantity, to the volume of control liquid needed for a single accuracy-check or calibration of the analytical device. Therein, the pre-defined volume is between 50 pl and 5000 pl, in particular between 100 pl and 1000 pl.

[0010] According to another embodiment of the invention, the interior volume of the blow-molded vessel is a 1-fold to 10-fold, in particular 1.1-fold to 2-fold, of the volume of the control liquid. In case the interior volume is greater than that of the control liquid, a gas-filled, in particular airfilled, reserve can be provided as to serve as an elastic buffer for any temperature dependent and pressure dependent changes in the volume of a respective content of the interior volume.

[0011] According to another embodiment of the invention, the blow-molded vessel has a constriction defining the predetermined breaking point. When the aperture is formed by breaking the blow- molded vessel in its predetermined breaking point, the constriction can function as a nozzle of the single-use dispenser enabling particular precise dosing.

[0012] According to another embodiment of the invention, the outlet aperture has a diameter of 0,5 mm to 5 mm, in particular 1 mm to 2 mm. The outlet aperture can be of circular shape. Preferably, the outlet aperture is sized for the control liquid to be held within the interior volume by surface tension, in particular until the blow-molded vessel is deformed and / or shaken for dosing.

[0013] The dispenser-arrangement according to the invention comprises at least two single-use dispensers according to the invention as described above. Therein, the single-use dispensers are connected to one another at a predetermined breaking seam of the dispenser-arrangement. Thus, one of the at least two single-use dispensers of the dispenser-arrangement can be separated from, in particular parted off, the remaining at least one single-use dispenser of the dispenser-arrangement by breaking the breaking seam. Preferably, the single-use dispensers of the dispenser-arrangement are pairwise connected to one another at a predetermined breaking seam, respectively. The dispenser-arrangement can comprise a row of several single-use dispensers, single-use dispensers within the row bordering one another at a respective predetermined breaking seam. The afore-mentioned advantages of the single-use dispenser according to the invention transfer to the dispenser-arrangement according to the invention.

[0014] In accordance with the invention, a blow-molded vessel is used for a single-use dispenser according to the invention as described above. In particular, the blow-molded vessel is used in a dispenser-arrangement according to the invention as described above. The use of the blow- molded vessel according to the invention allows for exploitation of the afore-mentioned advantages of the single-use dispenser according to the invention and / or of the dispenserarrangement according to the invention.

[0015] In accordance with the invention, a single-use dispenser according to the invention is used, wherein the control liquid is used for accuracy-check and / or calibration of an analytical device. In other words: If the single-use dispenser is used in accordance with the invention, the volume of control liquid comprised by the single-use dispenser is used for accuracy-check and / or calibration of an analytical device. The volume of the control liquid comprised by the single-use dispenser can therein match a predetermined quantity of control liquid required for one, in particular for exactly one, accuracy-check and / or calibration of the analytical device. Thus, the volume of control liquid comprised by the single-use dispenser may be exactly sufficient for one reliable accuracy- check and / or calibration, thus avoiding contamination-prone unsealing of a quantity of control liquid greater than currently required.

[0016] Further advantages and features of the invention may arise from the claims as well as from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, which is depicted by the drawings. Therein, equal reference signs may relate to equal or similar or functionally equal components.

[0017] It is to be understood that the features mentioned above as well as the features described below are not only usable in the stated combination, respectively, but also in other combinations or solely, without leaving the scope of the present invention.

[0018] The single fig. 1 schematically depicts a dispenser-arrangement according to the invention, the dispenser-arrangement having at least two single-use dispensers according to the invention, wherein according to the invention a blow-molded vessels is used for such a single-use dispenser.

[0019] The single-use dispenser 1 as schematically is adapted for supplying a control liquid L to an analytical device. The analytical device may be a laboratory measuring device. The analytical device may be used in a laboratory environment. The analytical device may be adapted for measuring a, in particular optical and / or electrochemical, property of a sample. The control liquid L has at least one property of known and / or predetermined value and / or content of analyte. The control liquid L may be used for accuracy-check and / or calibration of the analytical device. The analytical device may be adapted for optical and / or electrochemical measurement of said property of the sample and / or the control liquid L. The sample may be a liquid sample. The single-use dispenser 1 comprises a blow-molded vessel 2. Therein, in accordance with the invention, the blow-molded vessel 2 is used for the single-use dispenser 1, in particular within the dispenser-arrangement 10. The blow-molded vessel 2 fluid-tightly delimits an interior volume 3. The single-use dispenser 1 furthermore comprises a volume 4 of the control liquid L. The volume 4 can be a portion of the control liquid L. Therein, said volume 4 of the control liquid L is stored within the interior volume 3. The blow-molded vessel 2 has a predetermined breaking point 5. The predetermined breaking point 5 is adapted to form an outlet aperture 8 for the control liquid L by breaking the blow-molded vessel 2 in its predetermined breaking point 5. For example, the blow-molded vessel 2 has a constriction 7. Therein, the constriction 7 defines the predetermined breaking point 5. The outlet aperture 8 of the single-use dispenser 1 has a diameter of 0.5 mm to 5 mm, in particular from 1 mm to 2 mm.

[0020] For example, the volume 4 of the control liquid L is a pre-defined volume. The pre-defined volume can represent a portion of the control liquid L which is required for a single accuracycheck and / or calibration of the analytical device. For example, the pre-defined volume is between 50 pl and 5000 pl, in particular between 100 pl and 1000 pl. For instance, the interior volume 3 of the blow-molded vessel 2 is a 1-fold to 10-fold of the volume 4 of the control liquid L. The interior volume 3 can be a 1.1-fold to 2-fold of the volume 4 of the control liquid L. The interior volume 3 can be equal to the volume 4 of the control liquid L or greater than the volume 4 of the control liquid L.

[0021] In the example of fig. 1 , there are two single-use dispensers 1 , T of substantially similar specification. Said two single-use dispensers 1, T form a dispenser-arrangement 10 according to the invention. The dispenser-arrangement 10 may comprise more than two single-use dispensers 1 , T as indicated by dotted lines. Within the dispenser arrangement 10 the singleuse dispensers 1, T are connected to one another at a predetermined breaking seam 11 of the dispenser-arrangement 10. By breaking the predetermined breaking seam 11 , the single-use dispensers 1 can be parted off the remaining single-use dispenser T. If there are more than two single-use dispensers 1, T, said single-use dispensers 1 , T may be connected in a row such that between two neighboring single-use dispensers 1, T a respective breaking seam 11 can be present. The single-use dispensers 1, T of the dispenser-arrangement 10 can be pairwise connected to one another at respective predetermined breaking seams 11. It goes without saying that - in case the dispenser-arrangement 10 has more than two single-use dispensers 1, T - a number of single-use dispensers 1 , T may collectively be parted off a number of collectively remaining single-use dispensers 1, T. The single-use dispenser 1 is used, wherein the volume 4 of control liquid L comprised by the single-use dispenser 1 is used for accuracy-check and / or calibration of the analytical device. The volume 4 of the control liquid L can therein be adapted in correspondence with a predetermined quantity of control liquid L required for a single accuracy-check and / or calibration of the analytical device. The volume 4 of control liquid L comprised by the single-use dispenser

[0022] 1 may be exactly sufficient for the single reliable accuracy-check and / or calibration.

Claims

Claims1. Single-use dispenser (1) for supplying a control liquid (L) to an analytical device, the single-use dispenser (1) comprising a blow-molded vessel (2) fluid-tightly delimiting an interior volume (3), and a volume (4) of the control liquid (L), wherein the volume (4) of the control liquid (L) is stored within the interior volume (3), and wherein the blow-molded vessel (2) has a predetermined breaking point (5) adapted to form an outlet aperture (8) for the control liquid (L) by breaking the blow-molded vessel (2) in its predetermined breaking point (5).

2. Single-use dispenser (1) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the volume (4) of the control liquid (L) is a pre-defined volume and is between 50 pl and 5000 pl, in particular between 100 pl and 1000 pl.

3. Single-use dispenser (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the interior volume (3) of the blow-molded vessel (2) is a 1-fold to 10-fold, in particular 1.1- fold to 2-fold, of the volume (4) of the control liquid (L).

4. Single-use dispenser (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the blow-molded vessel (2) has a constriction (7) defining the predetermined breaking point (5).

5. Single-use dispenser (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outlet aperture (8) has a diameter of 0,5 mm to 5 mm, in particular 1 mm to 2 mm.

6. Dispenser-arrangement (10), comprising at least two single-use dispensers (1 , T) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the single-use dispensers (1, T) are, in particular pairwise or in a row, connected to one another at a predetermined breaking seam (11) of the dispenser-arrangement (10).

7. Use of a blow-molded vessel (2) for a single-use dispenser (1) according to any of claims 1 to 5, in particular in a dispenser-arrangement (10) according to claim 6.

8. Use of a single-use dispenser (1) according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the control liquid (L) is used for accuracy-check and / or calibration of an analytical device.

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