Dosing device, container, product dispenser, and system

Abstract

The invention relates to a dosing pump for integration into a container, the dosing pump comprising a pump housing, wherein the pump housing forms a pump chamber and has a pump inlet and a pump outlet. The pump chamber is delimited by a pump chamber floor and an elastically deformable pump dome. The pump housing is formed at least by a first pump housing section and a second pump housing section, wherein the pump dome is part of the first pump housing section and the pump chamber floor is part of the second pump housing section. The dosing pump also has an outlet valve. The outlet valve is arranged in a fluidic connection from the pump chamber to the pump outlet and is in the form of a non-return valve. The invention also relates to: a thin-walled container comprising an integrated dosing pump; a product dispenser; and a system.

Description

[0001] Dosing device, container, product dispenser and system

[0002] The present invention relates to a dosing device for liquid and flowable products, a container with such an integrated dosing device, and a product dispenser that can be equipped with a container of the aforementioned type. The present invention further relates to a system comprising a product dispenser and at least one corresponding container.

[0003] Liquid and flowable products, substances, and mixtures of substances include, in particular, low- to high-viscosity liquids or liquid mixtures, as well as viscoelastic materials. In addition to solutions, emulsions, suspensions, and dispersions are also mentioned. These products can include, for example, liquids, gels, creams, ointments, or lotions for personal care and / or cleansing, pharmaceuticals, technical fluids, oils and fats, and similar products.

[0004] For storage, transport, sale, and use, liquid or free-flowing products are typically kept in a container / container or sales or transport packaging. In this context, a large number of different types of containers and packaging have been developed in the past. Bottles, cans, tubes, canisters, containers, and composite cartons, among others, are just a few examples.

[0005] If a more precise dosing of the liquid or flowable product is necessary or desired, the aforementioned containers can often be equipped with a screw-on pump cap with a lifting pump, a pipette or another dosing device.

[0006] Commercially available bottles with dosing devices often consist of a large number of components which require complex assembly and are difficult to recycle, and in particular cannot be completely recycled, due to the different materials used (e.g. components made of various plastics together with metal components, such as springs, etc.).

[0007] Over the entire product life cycle, this leads to high material and energy consumption as well as high CO2 emissions.

[0008] Film pouches, also known as "pouches," are considered one of the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly packaging options for liquid and flowable products today. Film pouches have been around for many years, but were rather unpopular due to their poor handling and high sensitivity to mechanical damage.

[0009] Meanwhile, film bags, for example as stand-up pouches, spout bags, flat bags and side gusseted bags, are becoming increasingly popular due to the advantages described.

[0010] The majority of innovative film bags, especially in the food, cosmetics, and home & self-care sectors, are now made from easily recyclable monomaterials such as polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE). A well-developed recycling infrastructure for polypropylene and polyethylene already exists worldwide.

[0011] However, one disadvantage of film bags, especially those with a tear-off edge, is their lack of resealability. In addition to the obvious disadvantage that such opened film bags are difficult to transport, the contents of the opened film bag are also exposed to an increased risk of, for example, hygienically questionable contamination and microbial contamination, as well as faster oxidation.

[0012] Foil bags with a sealed, resealable spout, also known as a "spout," at least partially mitigate the problem described. However, they also lack reproducible dosing, which severely limits the possible applications of the foil bags.

[0013] While existing dosing pumps for film bags overcome this disadvantage, they consist of a multitude of components, often made of different materials, and are therefore not economically viable for packaging inexpensive mass-produced products. Recycling is also difficult when using different materials.

[0014] A dosing pump made of a monomaterial, which is very economical to manufacture and which forms a monomaterial system together with the film bag surrounding it, can be recycled very efficiently because the components do not have to be laboriously separated from one another for recycling.

[0015] A challenging task in the design of such a dosing pump integrated into a film bag, which consists of a PP monomaterial or a PE monomaterial, lies in creating a robust construction that retains its mechanical properties throughout the entire application cycle and functions flawlessly even after extended use. This means that the flexible elements of the dosing pump, which are repeatedly deformed when the dosing pump is actuated, must exhibit a defined tension or recovery force even after extended or frequent use and must not undergo plastic deformation. Plastic deformation can, for example, lead to a reduction in the dosing quantity, a compromised seal, or jamming of the dosing device, ultimately rendering it inoperable.

[0016] The technical challenges mentioned are seen as the main reason why dosing devices for film bags have not yet been able to establish themselves on the market.

[0017] One of the objects to be achieved by the invention is therefore to provide a dosing device for liquid and flowable products which is improved, in particular, in the points mentioned, and which has a low complexity, simple and efficient manufacture with low material usage, robust functionality and good recyclability.

[0018] To achieve the above-mentioned objects, a dosing pump having the features of patent claim 1, a container having the features of patent claim 10, a product dispenser having the features of patent claim 12 and a system having the features of patent claim 13 are proposed.

[0019] It is noted that the features listed individually in the claims can be combined with one another in any technically reasonable manner and demonstrate further embodiments of the invention. The description further characterizes and specifies the invention, particularly in conjunction with the figures. The features described in connection with the dosing device according to the invention can also be advantageous embodiments of the container or system according to the invention, and vice versa.

[0020] It should also be noted that a conjunction “and / or” used herein between two features and linking them together is always to be interpreted in such a way that in a first embodiment only the first feature can be present, in a second embodiment only the second feature can be present and in a third embodiment both the first and second features can be present.

[0021] As mentioned, the present disclosure relates to a dosing device, hereinafter also referred to as a dosing pump, for integration into a container.

[0022] The dosing pump comprises a pump housing with a pump chamber. The pump housing further has a pump inlet and a pump outlet. The pump chamber is defined by a pump chamber base and an elastically deformable pump dome. If the elastically deformable pump dome is pressed in when the dosing pump is actuated while the fluid connection from the pump inlet to the pump chamber is closed, fluid is pumped from the pump chamber to the pump outlet or out of the pump outlet due to the volume reduction in the pump chamber. The fluid connection can be closed, for example, by covering the pump inlet with a container wall (or film) resting against the dosing pump when the pump dome is pressed in. Alternatively or additionally, a backflow preventer, often also referred to as a check valve, can be provided in the fluid connection between the pump inlet and the pump chamber.

[0023] As soon as the pump dome elastically springs back to its original state, the pump chamber fills again with fluid that flows from the direction of the pump inlet or is sucked in there.

[0024] The pump chamber floor can be rigid, i.e., inflexible, or in some embodiments, flexible. The pump housing is advantageously designed with thin walls. A pump housing is considered "thin-walled" if the majority (>50%) of the surface, particularly in areas with a homogeneous wall thickness, has a material thickness of less than 3 mm, in particular less than 1.5 mm, and preferably less than 0.8 mm.

[0025] The pump housing can be assembled from a first pump housing section and a second pump housing section. The pump dome is then a component of the first pump housing section, and the pump chamber base is a component of the second pump housing section.

[0026] The dosing pump also features an outlet valve. The outlet valve is located in a fluid connection from the pump chamber to the pump outlet and is designed as a backflow preventer. On the one hand, a backflow preventer between the pump chamber and pump outlet supports the efficiency of the pump. On the other hand, it also prevents ambient air from being sucked into the fluid connection or the pump chamber. This is advantageous from a hygienic perspective and can extend the shelf life of a product being pumped with the dosing pump.

[0027] The outlet valve may have a closure part and a sealing seat corresponding to the closure part. The sealing seat is also referred to as the outlet valve seat.

[0028] Preferably, the closure part of the outlet valve can be mounted in a prestressed outlet valve diaphragm. The design of the outlet valve, and possibly other similarly constructed valves, is very material-efficient and also features a self-reinforcing seal. As the pressure in the container increases, the force with which the closure part is pressed into the valve seat also increases.

[0029] A dosing pump as described above can be manufactured particularly easily and efficiently in just a few steps. The material requirements are very low. This not only reduces the cost but also reduces energy consumption, CO2 emissions, and plastic waste compared to other packaging solutions with more complex dosing devices.

[0030] The dosing pump according to the invention enables the economical packaging of bulk fluid products and thus expands the application possibilities of thin-walled containers, especially film bags. The film bag with the integrated dosing pump according to the invention can be a cheaper and more environmentally friendly alternative to conventional bottles with dosing devices in various fluid product industries. A dosing pump integrated into the container is also particularly advantageous from a hygienic perspective.

[0031] Further advantageous embodiments of metering pumps according to the invention result from the features specified in the subclaims and the features described below.

[0032] According to an advantageous aspect, the pump housing can have at least one antibacterial, i.e. bacteriostatic and / or bactericidal, if necessary also fungicidal element, which is preferably arranged at least in the fluid connection between the pump outlet and the outlet valve.

[0033] For example, the outlet valve can have an antibacterial insert with bacteriostatic, bactericidal, and / or fungicidal properties. The antibacterial insert is a perforated foil disc, and the antibacterial insert is arranged in the outlet valve between the outlet valve seat and the pump outlet. The foil disc can consist of a suitable metal foil or a coated, particularly metallized, plastic film. The plastic film can serve as a structural support and be made of the same or at least a similar material as the pump housing. This aspect greatly simplifies and improves recycling.

[0034] In some embodiments, the antibacterial element can be a bent metal wire, wherein a first part of the metal wire is formed as a valve chamber ring and a second part of the metal wire forms an outlet channel needle, and wherein the insert is designed and arranged in the outlet valve such that the outlet channel needle extends into an outlet channel of the outlet valve and the valve chamber ring holds the insert in position. Firstly, this design ensures that a narrow annular gap forms between the outlet channel needle and the outlet valve, through which the metered product flows directly along the insert over a sufficient distance. The effectiveness of the antibacterial insert is thus improved.

[0035] The outlet valve can advantageously have an additional antibacterial insert with bacteriostatic, bactericidal, and / or fungicidal properties. The additional antibacterial insert is arranged in a compartment formed between the outlet valve membrane and a valve chamber base of the outlet valve, the inherent dead space. Optionally, the additional antibacterial insert can be a foil ring. This aspect prevents or at least delays contamination of the valve chambers.

[0036] The design of the outlet valve and the proposed antibacterial inserts can also be applied to other backflow preventers, for example an intermediate valve that may be present.

[0037] The metering pump can be assembled from two or three, ideally no more than five, components. The first pump housing section and the second pump housing section are manufactured as separate components. Even with separate manufacturing, it is advantageous if the components have no or only minimal undercuts, at least in a defined demolding direction. This allows for easy manufacturing and demolding of the components.

[0038] The first pump housing section and the second pump housing section can comprise or consist of a thermoplastic material and be welded together in a joining area. Laser transmission welding or ultrasonic welding, for example, is particularly suitable for this purpose. Thermoplastic materials are readily available and inexpensive, are very easy to recycle, and have material properties that are ideal for the application.

[0039] Alternatively, the first pump housing section and the second pump housing section can be connected to one another by means of a positive fit, for example by means of a locking or snap connection. For example, the first pump housing section and the second pump housing section can have corresponding, circumferential sealing profiles such that the sealing profiles each have corresponding locking geometries and either an inner or a corresponding outer sealing surface. At least one of the sealing profiles is elastically prestressed in such a way that it presses against the other sealing profile and the contacting sealing surfaces form a circumferential seal. This configuration allows a pump housing joined by means of a positive fit to still be manufactured to be leak-tight.

[0040] This type of connection is also particularly fast and energy-efficient to establish.

[0041] The dosing pump can therefore be manufactured entirely from a flexible plastic material using plastic injection molding, vacuum pressing, thermoforming, injection blow molding or other suitable processes.

[0042] In at least some embodiments, the outlet valve membrane has a substantially conical shape or a shape curved in the direction of the outlet valve seat.

[0043] The pre-tensioning of the outlet valve membrane and its specific design ensure a secure seal. This type of outlet valve, also referred to as a "poppet valve" in the disclosure, is particularly suitable for low-viscosity fluids.

[0044] The valve membrane can, for example, be pre-tensioned by permanently elastically deflecting it during assembly due to geometric constraints.

[0045] Further preferably, the closure part and the outlet valve membrane can be an integral part of the first or the second pump housing section and the sealing seat can accordingly be an integral part of the other pump housing section, i.e. the second or the first pump housing section.

[0046] In some variants, the closure part of the outlet valve can comprise a sealing surface and a sealing bead surrounding the sealing surface. Optionally, the sealing seat of the outlet valve can also have an annular web corresponding to the sealing bead. When the outlet valve is closed, the web in the sealing bead then rests against the closure part at least on one side and preferably on both sides.

[0047] According to a further advantageous aspect, the metering pump can have a clamping bead and / or a diaphragm collar, wherein the clamping bead and / or the diaphragm collar surround the outlet valve diaphragm and are positioned and / or guided by a corresponding centering ring. The guidance of the outlet valve diaphragm improves the tightness of the outlet valve.

[0048] The metering pump can optionally have an additional backflow preventer in the fluid connection from the pump chamber to the pump outlet. The additional backflow preventer can, in particular, be an additional check valve connected in series with the outlet valve in fluidic communication and is also referred to as an "intermediate valve" within this disclosure. The reliability of the seal is increased by several consecutive sealing levels. This reduces the risk of fluid unintentionally escaping from the metering pump or the container or of air unintentionally entering the container. The additional backflow preventer can be a second outlet valve. The second outlet valve can then have a substantially comparable structure to the first outlet valve.

[0049] In some variants, the outlet valve at the bottom of the pump chamber has a free outlet opening, in particular a spray nozzle. A spray nozzle can be used to

[0050] In preferred embodiments, the pump dome can have a so-called decompression crown. The decompression crown comprises a plurality of decompression teeth, which are configured and arranged in a ring around the pump inlet at a distance from one another, such that two adjacent decompression teeth each form a decompression channel between them.

[0051] Decompression teeth are protrusions / protrusions on the outer surface of the pump dome that are so high and have such small radii that gaps form between the pump dome and the container wall / film surrounding the dosing pump. Pressure equalization can occur at any time via the decompression channels, even if the film / wall of the surrounding container / film bag is pressed directly against the pump dome.

[0052] In advantageous embodiments, the decompression channels can become flatter toward the pump inlet, and the decompression teeth can combine to form a one-piece, annular sealing surface profile surrounding the pump inlet. This type of decompression crown has proven to be particularly easy to use and functional.

[0053] Alternatively, the decompression crown can have a lateral surface. The developed surface can be wave-shaped, with two wave crests and two wave troughs, so that the wave crests form a decompression channel between them. A plunger for mechanically activating the dosing pump can then have a corresponding shape, i.e., also be wave-shaped.

[0054] The pump inlet in a decompression crown can additionally be equipped with a foil stop. This foil stop reduces the risk of damage to the foil during operation. Alternatively, the decompression crown can comprise a plurality of flexible decompression tongues, which are configured and arranged in a ring around the pump inlet, spaced at least in certain areas, such that two adjacent decompression tongues, in the undeflected state, each form a decompression channel between them. This variant of the decompression crown is particularly suitable for mechanical actuation of the dosing pump with a flat plunger, for example, in a product dispenser.

[0055] Furthermore, the decompression crown can be surrounded by a crown spring bead. This crown spring bead improves usability.

[0056] Preferably, the pump dome can have pump dome ribs and / or one or more areas with a reduced wall thickness. The ribs can extend from the pump inlet on the pump dome surface away from the pump inlet and, if necessary, be omitted in the area with reduced wall thickness. These features reduce the risk of the pump dome jamming and rendering the metering pump unusable, at least temporarily.

[0057] According to a further advantageous aspect, the pump dome can have at least one circumferential and preferably several concentrically arranged spring ridges. The spring ridges can have a thinner material than the rest of the pump dome. The spring ridges improve the function and the tactile / haptic sinking behavior of the pump dome.

[0058] The pump inlet can be positioned centrally in the pump dome. In these variants, the pump inlet is covered by the container wall / film pressed on when the pump dome is pressed in. A separate inlet valve as a backflow preventer can then be omitted.

[0059] Alternatively, the pump inlet can be arranged not centrally, but offset / off-center in the pump dome.

[0060] In other variants, the pump inlet can be located elsewhere or outside the pump chamber. The metering pump then comprises an inlet valve, which is arranged in fluid communication between the pump inlet and the pump chamber and is designed as a backflow preventer.

[0061] The backflow preventer in the fluid connection between the pump inlet and the pump chamber ensures that the liquid or flowable product is pumped in the correct direction. Furthermore, the pump chamber floor can feature one or more stiffening beads as an alternative to stiffening ribs to increase rigidity while simultaneously saving material.

[0062] In some embodiments, the first pump housing section and the second pump housing section have congruent alignment geometries. For example, these can include centering pins or cones and corresponding holes, or a circumferential groove and a corresponding tongue. This simplifies precise alignment of the pump housing sections.

[0063] In addition, the first and second pump housing sections can have corresponding fastening areas for forming a snap connection to join the pump housing sections in a form-fitting manner. For example, the fastening areas can have one or more locking tabs, locking lugs, positioning rings, positioning pins, and / or edges for engaging behind or their counterparts.

[0064] Among other things, the positioning pins fulfill a holding and positioning function, as they engage with corresponding snap cylinders and create a ring snap connection, but at the same time they also ensure a relative alignment of the components, especially so that the membrane sits correctly, which is important for tightness.

[0065] Preferably, the first and the second pump housing section also each have circumferential sealing profiles corresponding to one another.

[0066] In some variants, the dosing pump has an additional container inlet. The container inlet is designed to fill a container, into which the dosing pump is integrated, via the container inlet. For this purpose, the container inlet comprises a filling valve, wherein the filling valve is designed as a backflow preventer. This aspect allows the container with the dosing pump to be prefabricated at a location other than the filling location, simplifying the filling process.

[0067] The dosing pump described above is intended to be arranged in a thin-walled container and welded to the container.

[0068] The present disclosure also relates to such a container with an integrated dosing pump.

[0069] The container and the dosing pump are preferably made of the same or at least a similar thermoplastic material. The containers can be film bags. Alternatively, the container can also be a thin-walled plastic container in which the wall has a material thickness so stiff that it is no longer generally understood as a film (for example, from a wall thickness of approximately 0.3 mm), but comprises at least locally limited flexible areas. The flexible areas can be provided, for example, by means of articulated beads with a reduced wall thickness. Such containers with a low wall thickness are also referred to as "thin-wall packaging" and are used, for example, in body cleansing and care products.In principle, the container can be used for dosing fluid products from areas such as perfumery, cosmetics, pharmacy, hygiene, personal care, home care, food (especially beverages and dairy products), dietary supplements, technology and other areas.

[0070] Alternatively, the containers can also be made of thin-walled plastic, which is, however, too strong to qualify as film. Containers of this type then feature elastic sections, for example, through articulated ribs.

[0071] Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of non-limiting embodiments of the invention, which are explained in more detail with reference to the drawings. These drawings schematically show:

[0072] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a container with an integrated dosing pump and closed cover flap;

[0073] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the container with the cover flap removed; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a product dispenser in the open state; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a locking lever of the product dispenser; Fig. 5 is an exploded view of the container;

[0074] Fig. 6 is a perspective view of an antibacterial insert of the dosing pump; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of an alternative antibacterial insert of the dosing pump;

[0075] Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view of the product dispenser with container; Fig. 9 is a detailed view of the dosing pump in the container from Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view of a variant of the product dispenser from Fig. 8 in the idle state;

[0076] Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view of the product dispenser of Fig. 10 in the actuated state;

[0077] Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the product dispenser of Fig. 10; Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the rear of the product dispenser of Fig. 3;

[0078] Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the front of the product dispenser of Fig. 3; Fig. 15a is a vertical sectional view of a decompression crown with flexible decompression tabs;

[0079] Fig. 15b is a vertical sectional view of the decompression crown with flexible decompression tongues during operation;

[0080] Fig. 16a is a perspective view of a decompression crown with a wave profile;

[0081] Fig. 16b is a vertical sectional view of the decompression crown with wave profile;

[0082] Fig. 17a is an exploded view of another variant of the dosing pump 1;

[0083] Fig. 17b is a vertical sectional view of the dosing pump 1; and

[0084] Fig. 18 a bottom view of a container with the dosing pump from Figs. 17a, 17b.

[0085] To avoid unnecessary repetition, identical or equivalent parts—even across different embodiments—are provided with the same reference numerals and will be described once unless their function and effect are already clearly evident from the above description in conjunction with the illustration. Therefore, the differences between the embodiments are particularly emphasized below.

[0086] Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a container 100 with an integrated dosing pump 1 and closed cover flap 503. The container 100 is, for example, a film bag.

[0087] The cover flap 503 is detachably attached, for example, welded or glued, to an outlet nozzle 501 surrounding the pump outlet 16 in the fastening area 26a. The pump outlet 16 or the discharge opening of the metering pump is thus closed by the cover flap 503, which acts as a protective film, providing additional protection for the contents of the container during transport and storage, for example, against contamination and dust. The risk of leakage from the container 100 is also reduced.

[0088] The cover tab must be removed from the outlet spout 501 before the container is inserted into the product dispenser 200 for the first use.

[0089] Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the container with the cover flap removed.

[0090] As described above, before assembling the container 100 in the product dispenser 200, the user first removes the cover tab 503 from the outlet spout 501 with their fingers. This exposes the pump outlet 16. To ensure easy removal of the tear-off fastening area 26a, the welding process can be performed with a shorter heating time, at a lower welding temperature, or on a reduced welding area. Alternatively, the fastening area can be bonded with a suitable adhesive.

[0091] The removed protective film 503 remains on the container. The container 100 is placed inside the front dispenser side 504 such that the outlet spout 501 of the dosing pump is inserted into the spout slot 507 of the product dispenser 200, and the additional mounting lug 502 of the dosing pump 1 is inserted into the corresponding slot for the mounting lug 508. In this way, the container 100 is held in the mounting bracket 506. The additional mounting lug 508 is provided for the correct and easy positioning of the container 100 in the product dispenser 200.

[0092] Subsequently, the rear flap 505, also known as the lever flap, is closed. A bow spring 514 arranged on the flap is placed with its ends against two corresponding bow spring stops 515 in the front of the housing, which provides elastic resistance when the rear flap 505 is pressed in during operation.

[0093] Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of a product dispenser 200 in the open state.

[0094] It can be seen that the product dispenser 200 consists of two housing shells that are connected to each other by means of a film hinge 4. This enables a one-piece production. Alternatively, both housing shells can be manufactured separately and connected to each other by means of an axis. The housing shells can be made of any suitable material, e.g., metal, plastic, bioplastic, or recycled plastic. One housing shell forms the front dispenser side 504, i.e., the base of the product dispenser 200. The other housing shell represents the rear flap 505, also referred to as the lever flap.

[0095] The front dispenser side 504 includes a mounting bracket 506 in its interior, which has the spout shaft 507 and a shaft for the additional mounting lug 508. A gap is provided between the spout shaft 507 and the bottom of the front dispenser side 504. An axle 513 is arranged below or next to the mounting bracket 506, to which a blocking lever 509 with a rotational degree of freedom is attached. Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of a blocking lever of the product dispenser. The blocking lever 509 (see also Figs. 4 and 8) has a lever deflection 538, an axle bore 512, a blocking tooth 511, a dust cover 521, a flap blade 510, and a slide regulator 522. With the flap leaf 510, the blocking lever 509 can be turned or pushed into the gap and thereby cover the outlet nozzle 501.

[0096] An opening aid cutout 517 is formed on the lower edge of the front dispenser side 504 to allow fingertips to be inserted between the trays and to open the product dispenser 200 more easily, see Fig. 3. Two arc spring stops 515 are formed on both sides at the lower corners of the front dispenser side as a counter bearing for the arc spring.

[0097] The rear flap 505 or lever flap is provided with the pressure pin 201 in a central area. The arc spring 514 is connected to one end of the lever flap by means of a film hinge 4. A locking toothed groove 516 is formed in the arc spring 514, slightly offset from the center.

[0098] In one position of the blocking lever 509, the positions of the blocking tooth 511 and the blocking tooth shaft 516 coincide such that the blocking tooth 511 releases the arc spring 514 and the lever flap 505 can rotate into the frontal dispenser side 504. In this position, the pressure pin 201 presses the pump dome 17 down, thereby closing the decompression crown.

[0099] Fig. 5 shows an exploded view of the container 100. The container 100 comprises an upper film 160, a lower film 161, a first pump housing section 3, and a second pump housing section 2.

[0100] Additionally, the container 100 can be equipped with an antibacterial, i.e., bacteriostatic, bactericidal, and / or fungicidal element 92 for use in the pharmaceutical field (e.g., eye drops). The upper film 160 further comprises an additional film loop on one side, which is also referred to as a cover flap 503 in the context of this disclosure. The lower film 161 has two openings: namely, cutouts for the outlet spout 524 and the additional fastening tab 525 (see also Figs. 1 and 2).

[0101] The first pump housing section 3 comprises a pump dome 17, also referred to as a pump diaphragm, with a decompression crown 39 formed on the tip of the pump dome. Furthermore, the first pump housing section 3 also comprises an outlet valve diaphragm 401 with a closure part 34 in the center. The pump dome 17 and outlet valve diaphragm 401 are surrounded by a spring bead 419. The outer edge of the first pump housing section 3 is provided with an outer weld edge 539.

[0102] The second pump housing section 2 (lower part) comprises the pump chamber bottom 5 and a valve chamber bottom 7, which has an outlet valve seat 400 in its center. On the bottom of the pump housing section 2, directly below the outlet valve seat 400, a downwardly directed outlet spout 501 is formed, and an additional fastening lug 502 is formed below the valve chamber bottom 7.

[0103] The additional fastening lug 502 can be omitted in some variants, for example if the outlet spout 501 is shaped accordingly and has, for example, a triangular, square, cross-shaped or gear-profile-like shape and the spout shaft 507 is designed accordingly as a positioning aid so that the container 100 is correctly positioned in the product dispenser 200.

[0104] For example, in the field of pharmaceutical and food applications, it is often advantageous to create a contamination-free system in which the bacteria and germs from the atmosphere are inhibited in growth or killed by means of a bacteriostatic, bactericidal and / or fungicidal insert 92 installed in the outlet system and thus do not contaminate the main volume 162.

[0105] The antibacterial insert 92 for the dosing pump 1 can be designed as a bent wire and provided with a bacteriostatic, bactericidal and / or fungicidal coating or made of an antibacterially active material, see Fig. 6.

[0106] In alternative variants, the insert 92 can be designed as a perforated, antibacterial film disc 540, see Fig.7.

[0107] For assembly of the dosing pump 1, the first pump housing section (upper part) 3 is placed on the second pump housing section (lower part) 2. If the dosing pump 1 is used in the pharmaceutical or food sector, an antibacterial insert 92 is inserted directly into the outlet valve seat 400 of the second pump housing section 2 prior to assembly.

[0108] The assembled dosing pump 1 is placed on the lower film 161 such that the outlet nozzle 501 is inserted into the cutout 524 for the outlet nozzle 501 and the additional fastening lug 502 is inserted into the cutout 525 for the additional fastening lug.

[0109] For the purpose of a hermetic connection, the second pump housing section of the metering pump 1 is welded to the lower film 16. The vertical sectional view in Fig. 9 shows that the outer welding edge 539 of the first pump housing section 3 is welded to the lower film 160, creating a connecting welding area 26b of the first pump housing section 3. At the same time, the bottom of the second pump housing section 2 is also welded to the lower film 160, creating the connecting welding area of ​​the second pump housing section 26c. This type of welding enables the metering pump 1 and the lower film 161 to be welded together. The upper film 160 is then connected to the lower film 161 by means of the welding area 26.

[0110] Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of an antibacterial insert of the metering pump. The first embodiment of the antibacterial insert 92 in the form of a bent wire has a valve chamber ring 500b and a downwardly directed outlet channel needle 500a.

[0111] Fig. 7 shows a perspective view of an alternative antibacterial insert of the dosing pump. Alternatively, the antibacterial insert 92 can be designed, for example, as a perforated, bacteriostatic, metallized film disc 540, which is also positioned in the outlet valve seat 400. The perforations allow the product to flow through. This perforated, bacteriostatic, and metallized film disc 540 has only a very small proportion of metal, which significantly improves the recyclability of the container 100.

[0112] Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view of a variant of the product dispenser with a container. To activate the product dispenser 200, the slider 522 (see also Fig. 14) must be moved from the "lock" position to the "unlock" position with a user's finger.

[0113] When the slide control 522 is in a locked position, the blocking tooth 511 prevents the rear lever flap 505 from being pushed through by the blocking tooth 511 centrally supporting the arc spring 514, see also Fig. 3.

[0114] At the same time, it can be seen that the dispensing window 520 is closed by means of the flap leaf 510 during the actuation lock, which protects the pump outlet 16 hidden behind it, i.e. the dispensing opening, against dust and dirt.

[0115] When the slide control 522 is moved from the "lock position" to the "unlock position," the entire blocking lever 509 rotates about the axis 513, causing the flap leaf 510 to slide sideways and open the dispensing window 520 (see also Fig. 3). Additionally, the blocking tooth 511 is positioned over the blocking tooth recess 516, enabling the rear lever flap 505 to be actuated by the blocking tooth 511 penetrating the blocking tooth recess 516 (see Fig. 8). To actuate the product dispenser 200, the user presses the rear lever flap 505, causing the pressure pin 201 to press against the decompression crown 38. This, in turn, activates the dosing pump 1, so that the product dose is dispensed through the dispensing window 520 from the pump outlet (dispensing opening) 16.

[0116] Fig. 9 shows a detailed view of the dosing pump in the container from Fig. 8. It can be seen there that a bent wire (i.e., the antibacterial insert 92) is placed in the valve seat 400—between the outlet valve 34 and the outlet opening 6. The outlet channel needle 500a is positioned in the outlet opening 6 (outlet channel), creating a minimal gap for the product flow. Product residues remaining in the gap are thus constantly exposed to the bacteriostatic, bactericidal, and / or fungicidal properties of the outlet channel needle 500a. The valve chamber ring 500b ensures a contamination-free environment in the outlet valve seat 400 and also holds the entire bacteriostatic element 92 in position.

[0117] Fig. 10 shows a vertical sectional view of the product dispenser from Fig. 8 in the resting state. Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view of the product dispenser from Fig. 8 in the actuated state. Fig. 12 shows a perspective view of the product dispenser from Fig. 8. The illustrated variant of the product dispenser 200 has the same fastening elements as the first embodiment, i.e. the spout shaft 507 and the shaft for the additional fastening lug 508. However, the product dispenser 200 differs slightly in its mechanics and has an outer housing 528 and a movable frame 529.

[0118] The outer housing 528 represents a body with an open top. A dispensing window 520 is formed on the front vertical wall (see Fig. 12). A stop wedge 533 is formed on the inner side of the rear wall of the outer housing 528 (see Fig. 10).

[0119] The movable frame 529 comprises three segments, which are connected to each other by means of film hinges 4 for the purpose of one-piece production. The upper part of the movable frame 529 acts as an actuating button 527, which is connected from the rear side by means of a hinge to an actuating lever 523 and from the front side by means of a hinge to the front column 531.

[0120] The actuating lever 532 has an actuating pin or pressure pin 201 and an actuating wedge 534.

[0121] The front column 531 comprises the spout shaft 507, the shaft for the additional fastening lug 508 and a bow spring 514 at the lower end. In order to load the product dispenser 200 shown with the container 100, the movable frame 529 is pulled upwards out of the outer housing 528.

[0122] The container 100 is then fastened in the spout shaft 507 and in the shaft for the additional fastening nose 508.

[0123] Finally, the movable frame 529 with the container 100 is inserted into the outer housing 528.

[0124] In the unactuated state, the outlet nozzle 501 of the metering pump 1 with the pump outlet 16 is higher than the outlet window 520 and thus the pump outlet 16 remains covered.

[0125] During actuation, the user presses the actuation button 527, which overcomes the elastic force of the arc spring 514 and moves the entire movable frame 529 downward. The actuation wedge 534 strikes the stop wedge 533, causing the actuation lever 532 to tilt.

[0126] As a result, the pressure bolt 201 presses on the decompression crown 39, closes it and simultaneously presses in the pump dome, which in turn activates the dosing pump 1.

[0127] Simultaneously with the activation of the dosing pump 1, the outlet nozzle 501 with the pump outlet 16 is held behind the outlet window 520, which allows the product dose to escape.

[0128] After actuation, the movable frame 529 springs back into its clock jump position by the bow spring 514.

[0129] Fig. 13 shows a perspective view of the back of the product dispenser from Fig. 3.

[0130] On the outer side of the rear flap 505, a dome-like, downwardly curved, oval-shaped index finger stop 519 is positioned, which (in the sectional view shown in Fig. 8) is on the same level as the thumb stop 518.

[0131] Fig. 14 shows a perspective view of the front of the product dispenser from Fig. 3.

[0132] Two through openings are formed in the front dispenser side 504: the slide control window 523 and the dispensing window 520, which are positioned at the same level as the spout shaft 507. The slide control 522 of the blocking lever 509 protrudes from the slide control window 523. Additionally, a dome-shaped, downwardly curved thumb stop 518 is formed between these openings. The blocking lever 509 is mounted on an axis 513 in the front dispenser side 504 such that the flap 510 lies in the gap between the bottom of the front dispenser side 504 and the spout shaft 507, thus keeping the dispensing window 520 closed in the rest position (see Fig. 14).

[0133] The function of the blocking lever 509 is to prevent unwanted operation of the product dispenser 200 and to protect the dispensing opening 16 from dust and contamination.

[0134] Fig. 15a shows a vertical sectional view of a decompression crown with flexible decompression tongues.

[0135] For highly viscous products, the dosing pump 1 can be equipped with a special decompression crown 39 and an adapted pressure bolt 201, which accelerates the filling process of the pump chamber 11 after actuation of the pump dome 17.

[0136] The decompression crown 39 has flexible decompression tongues 535. The pressure pin 201 is flat. The pump inlet 18 includes at least two of the decompression tongues 535.

[0137] Fig. 15b shows a vertical sectional view of the decompression crown with flexible decompression tongues during operation.

[0138] Upon actuation, the flexible decompression tongues 535 are bent downward under the pressure of the pressure pin 201, which seals the pump inlet 18. After actuation, the flexible decompression tongues 535 lift the upper film 160, and the next product dose flows into the pump chamber 11 through the filling gaps 537 with little resistance.

[0139] Fig. 16a shows a perspective view of a decompression crown with a wave profile. Fig. 16b shows a vertical sectional view of the decompression crown with a wave profile.

[0140] The decompression crown has a downwardly curved, wave-shaped decompression profile 536. A pressure pin 201, which repeats the shape of the decompression profile 536, is also shown.

[0141] Upon actuation, the upper foil 160 is bent between the pressure pin 201 of the corresponding decompression crown with the wave profile 536, which seals the pump inlet 18. After actuation, the upper foil 160 bends back to its original position under its own tension, opening the pump inlet 18 and allowing the next product dose to flow into the pump chamber 11.

[0142] Fig. 17a shows an exploded view of another variant of the dosing pump 1. Fig. 17b shows a vertical sectional view of the dosing pump 1. Fig. 18 shows a bottom view of a container with the dosing pump from Figs. 17a, 17b. The dosing pump 1 shown is particularly suitable for pharmaceuticals, for example.

[0143] The functional principle of this variant of the dosing pump 1 as well as its main components already described remain unchanged and are primarily provided with additional elements to create a multi-stage contamination barrier and to facilitate aseptic filling during the manufacturing process.

[0144] The dosing pump 1 has four chambers arranged in a row.

[0145] The first chamber is the pump chamber 11. The lower part, which is formed in the second pump housing section 2, is bordered by a separating groove profile 600b. An opening of a first channel 619 is formed on the pump chamber floor 5. The upper part of the pump chamber 11, which is formed in the first pump housing section 3, has a separating tongue profile 600a that borders the pump dome 17.

[0146] The second chamber is an intermediate chamber 604. The lower part, which is formed in the second pump housing section 2, is surrounded by a centering wall 621 in the form of a non-closed ring. A second channel 605, which leads into the third chamber, is connected to the open part of the ring. In the center of the intermediate chamber 604, an intermediate valve seat 618 is formed, which is surrounded by a foil ring seat 615. The foil ring seat 615 is a recess provided as a mounting location (e.g., by positive connection or welding) for an antibacterial foil ring 616.

[0147] The opening of the intermediate valve seat 618 communicates fluidically with the first channel 601. The upper part of the intermediate chamber 604 is formed in the first pump housing section 3 and represents a flexible intermediate valve membrane 603, which has an intermediate valve closure part 602 in the middle and is surrounded by a centering collar 608.

[0148] The third chamber is a valve chamber 12. On the lower part, which is formed in the lower pump housing section 2, an outlet valve seat 400 is formed on the valve chamber bottom 7, which is surrounded by the foil ring seat 615. The inner vertical walls of the valve chamber 12 represent a centering wall 621. The centering wall 621 of the valve chamber 12 is circular, and on one side, at which the second channel 605 opens into the valve chamber 12, an inwardly directed, arched cascade profile 606 is formed.

[0149] The upper part of the valve chamber 12 is formed in the first pump housing section 3 and consists of an outlet closure part 34, which is centrally positioned in the outlet valve membrane 401. The upper centering collar 608 repeats the geometry of the lower centering wall 621. The area where the arcuate bend is formed is thin-walled and flexible and is referred to as the profile valve 607. The rest of the circle of the centering collar 608 is rigid.

[0150] The fourth chamber is a filling chamber 614. The lower part of the filling chamber 614 is formed in the second pump housing section 2 and is equipped with a filling shaft 611 in the center. The inner walls of the filling chamber 614 are provided with a separating groove profile 600b.

[0151] The upper part of the filling chamber 614, which is formed in the first pump housing section 3, has a filling valve 610, which is centrally positioned on flexible spring legs 613. Filling windows 620 are formed between the spring legs 613. The aforementioned elements of the filling valve are surrounded by a spring profile 600a.

[0152] During assembly of the metering pump 1, the first pump housing section 3 (upper part) is placed on the second pump housing section 2 (lower part) and then welded to the lower film 161, see Figs. 17a, 17b. This creates three chambers, namely the pump chamber 11, the intermediate chamber 604, and the valve chamber 12, which communicate fluidically with each other.

[0153] The pump chamber 11 communicates with the main bag volume 162 via the filling opening 18 and by means of the opening 619 of the first channel 601 and the first channel 601 with the intermediate chamber 604, wherein in the unactuated state of the metering pump 1 the intermediate chamber 604 is sealed from the opening 619 of the first channel 601 by the intermediate valve 602.

[0154] The lower wall of the first channel 601 is formed by the connecting weld area of ​​the second pump housing section 26c, see Fig. 18. In other words, the lower wall of the first channel 601 is formed by a portion of the lower film 161. The intermediate chamber 604, see Fig. 17b, is connected to the valve chamber 12 by means of a second channel 605, wherein a profile valve 607, which rests on the cascade profile 606, closes the connection between the second channel 605 and the space of the valve chamber 12.

[0155] The interaction of a centering wall 621 and a centering collar 608 enables the correct positioning of the outlet closure part 34 in the outlet valve seat 400 and of the intermediate closure part 602 in the intermediate valve seat 618. These elements enable the valves to maintain their tightness even when the dosing device 1 is deformed.

[0156] The design and functional principle of the outlet system, including outlet valve 34, outlet valve membrane 401, as well as the function of the decompression crown 39 and the pump dome 17 remain the same as in the first variants of the metering pump 1 described above. Furthermore, the design and functional principle of the closure part 34 of the outlet valve and the outlet valve membrane 401 are analogous to the design and functional principle of the intermediate valve closure part 602 and the intermediate valve membrane 603.

[0157] The following briefly describes how the container 100 is filled with liquid. The filling chamber 614 is sealed from the other three chambers mentioned above thanks to the separating tongue profile 600a and the separating groove profile 600b and therefore only communicates fluidically with the main volume 162 via the filling window 620.

[0158] This filling chamber serves to optimize the filling process of the bag and enables the filling of the container 100 with a liquid product via the filling shaft 611.

[0159] For example, the following advantages arise:

[0160] The film bag (container 100) can be made up to 50% more compact than when filling via an open portion of the film bag, i.e., via a non-sealed edge, because filling takes place via the filling chute 611 with a filling valve 610, allowing the film bag to be filled with the liquid product without air being trapped inside, without the product flowing back out of the film bag. Furthermore, a prefabricated film bag can be used, significantly reducing the filling effort.

[0161] After the filling process, the cover flap 503 is welded to the filling spout 612, see Fig. 17b, whereby the filling shaft 611 is tightly closed and protected from contamination.

[0162] When the container 100 is used for the first time, see Fig. 18, the cover flap 503 is pulled off, whereby a piece of the cover flap 503 remains attached to the filling spout 612 due to a tear-off perforation 617 around the filling spout 612 and continues to close the filling spout 612.

[0163] When the dosing pump 1 is actuated (see Fig. 17a), an overpressure is created in the pump chamber 11, which pushes the product dose through the opening 619 of the first channel and the first channel 601 toward the intermediate chamber 604. As a result, the product flow opens the intermediate valve 602 and the profile valve 607, i.e., the tension force of the intermediate valve membrane 603 and the profile valve 607 is overcome by the product flow.

[0164] As a result, a greater pressure is created in the valve chamber 12 than in the main bag volume 162 and the resistance force of the outlet valve membrane 401 is overcome, which opens the outlet valve 34.

[0165] After the actuation of the dosing pump is complete, the return force of the pump dome 17 creates a negative pressure in the pump chamber 11, which not only draws the next product dose from the main bag volume 162 via the inlet opening 18, but also causes a backflow that can draw contaminated air from the atmosphere (via the pump outlet 16) into the cavities of the valve chamber 12 and intermediate chamber 604. To prevent this and protect the main bag volume 162 from contamination, a multi-stage backflow prevention system is activated, comprising the intermediate valve 602 and the profile valve 607.

[0166] The profile valve 607 is pressed against the cascade profile 606 under its clamping force and retraction, which interrupts the fluidic connection between the valve chamber 12 and the intermediate chamber 604.

[0167] In addition, the intermediate valve closure part 602 is pressed into the intermediate valve seat 618 by the tensioning force of the intermediate valve membrane 603 and the retraction, which fluidically separates the intermediate chamber 604 from the pump chamber 11.

[0168] Thus, even immediately after actuation of the pump dome 17, the intermediate chamber 604 and the outlet chamber 12 remain isolated from each other, from the main bag volume, and from the atmosphere. The product residues remaining in the dead spaces of the intermediate chamber 604 and the outlet chamber 12 come into contact with the antibacterial foil ring 616, forming an aseptic space in these two chambers. Contamination of the main bag volume 162 is thus prevented.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS 1. Dosing pump for integration into a container, the dosing pump comprising a pump housing, wherein the pump housing forms a pump chamber and has a pump inlet and a pump outlet, wherein the pump chamber is delimited by a pump chamber base and an elastically deformable pump dome, wherein the pump housing is joined from at least a first pump housing section and a second pump housing section, wherein the pump dome is a component of the first pump housing section and the pump chamber base is a component of the second pump housing section, wherein the dosing pump has an outlet valve, wherein the outlet valve is arranged in a fluid connection from the pump chamber to the pump outlet and is designed as a backflow preventer, wherein the outlet valve has a closure part and a corresponding outlet valve seat, and wherein the closure part is mounted in a prestressed outlet valve membrane.

2. Dosing pump according to claim 1, wherein the outlet valve has an antibacterial insert with bacteriostatic, bactericidal and / or fungicidal properties, wherein the antibacterial insert is a perforated film disc, and wherein the antibacterial insert is arranged in the outlet valve between the outlet valve seat and the pump outlet.

3. Dosing pump according to claim 1, wherein the outlet valve has an antibacterial insert with bacteriostatic, bactericidal and / or fungicidal properties, wherein the antibacterial insert is a bent metal wire, wherein a first part of the metal wire is formed as a valve chamber ring and a second part of the metal wire forms an outlet channel needle, and wherein the insert is formed and arranged in the outlet valve such that the outlet channel needle extends into an outlet channel of the outlet valve and the valve chamber ring holds the insert in its position.

4. Dosing pump according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the outlet valve has a further antibacterial insert with bacteriostatic, bactericidal and / or fungicidal properties, wherein the further antibacterial insert is arranged between the outlet valve membrane and a valve chamber bottom of the outlet valve, optionally the further antibacterial insert is a foil ring.

5. Dosing pump according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the pump dome comprises a decompression crown with an internal pump inlet, wherein the decompression crown has a jacket surface, wherein a development of the jacket surface is wave-shaped and has two wave crests and two wave troughs, so that the wave crests form a decompression channel in between.

6. Dosing pump according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the pump dome has a decompression crown, wherein the decompression crown comprises a plurality of flexible decompression tongues which are designed and arranged annularly around the pump inlet at least in regions spaced apart from one another such that two adjacent decompression tongues in the undeflected state each form a decompression channel therebetween.

7. Dosing pump according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the dosing pump has a container inlet, wherein the container inlet is designed to fill a container into which the dosing pump is integrated via the container inlet and wherein the container inlet has a filling valve, wherein the filling valve is designed as a backflow preventer.

8. Dosing pump according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the dosing pump has an intermediate valve, wherein the intermediate valve is arranged in the fluid connection from the pump chamber to the pump outlet between the pump chamber and the outlet valve, in particular wherein the intermediate valve has a closure part and a corresponding intermediate valve seat and the closure part is mounted in a prestressed intermediate valve membrane, optionally wherein the intermediate valve has an antibacterial insert with bacteriostatic, bactericidal and / or fungicidal properties, preferably wherein the antibacterial insert is arranged between the intermediate valve membrane and a valve chamber base of the outlet valve, optionally wherein the further antibacterial insert is a foil ring.

9. Flexible container with an integrated dosing pump according to one of the preceding claims.

10. Flexible container according to claim 9, wherein the flexible container is a foil bag and has a cover flap, wherein the cover flap is designed to close an outlet spout of the dosing pump after filling the foil bag until the first use.

11. Flexible container according to claim 10 with a dosing pump according to claim 7, wherein the cover flap is designed to permanently close the filling spout of the dosing pump after filling the film bag.

12. Product dispenser for receiving a container according to one of claims 9 to 11.

13. System comprising a product dispenser according to claim 12 and at least one container according to one of claims 9 to 11.

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