Metering dispensing closure, and method for the controlled dispensing of metered quantities of a liquid

Abstract

The invention relates to a metering dispensing closure (1) for the controlled dispensing of a metered quantity of a liquid from a container, the metering dispensing closure comprising: an outlet (3); a control chamber (2) which is arranged behind the outlet (3) and which comprises a hollow cylinder (2a) extending in the direction of an axial axis (A) and having a side wall (2b) and a cylinder head (2c); a sliding piston (4) which is arranged in the hollow cylinder (2a); and a ventilation tube (5) which extends in the direction of the axial axis (A) through both the interior of the hollow cylinder (2a) and the cylinder head (2c), wherein the sliding piston (4) comprises a guide part (4g), wherein the sliding piston (4) surrounds the ventilation tube (5) and is mounted so as to be movable along the ventilation tube (5) in the direction of the axial axis (A) by means of the guide part (4g), wherein the cylinder head (2c), in addition to the ventilation tube (5) passing therethrough, also comprises an exchange opening (2d) through which a partial stream of liquid from the container can be supplied into an exchange chamber (24) delimited by the cylinder head (2c) and the sliding piston (4), wherein the side wall (2b) comprises an inlet opening (2f) through which liquid from the container can be supplied to the outlet (3), and wherein the sliding piston (4), which is movable in the direction of the axial axis (A), and the outlet (3) together form a shut-off element (34) which closes as soon as the sliding piston (4) abuts the outlet (3), and also comprises a cover cap (7) for closing the outlet (3) so that, when the cover cap (7) is placed onto the outlet (3), the sliding piston (4) is displaced towards the cylinder head (2c) due to the interaction between the guide part (4g) and a projection (7b).

Description

[0001] Dosing dispensing closure and method for the controlled dispensing of metered quantities of a liquid

[0002] The present invention relates to a metering dispensing closure, a method for the controlled dispensing of metered quantities of a liquid from a container, and a container comprising a metering dispensing closure as described below.

[0003] Numerous applications exist that require the controlled dispensing of a predetermined quantity of liquid. Such precise liquid dosing is common in everyday household life, for example, when measuring liquid medications like cough syrup, during cooking and baking, when using detergents, or in plant care. Ideally, dosing should be achieved without additional aids such as measuring cups, scales, or electrical devices.

[0004] WO 2005 / 049477A2, EP2926095B1, and EP 0274256A1 describe liquid dosing devices, which can be used as a dispensing closure for a container and are capable of dispensing a metered quantity of the liquid contained in the container when the container is turned upside down. These liquid dosing devices comprise a discharge channel for the liquid and a valve, the valve being activated when the container is turned upside down and closing the discharge channel after a certain time. The valve comprises a linearly movable piston arranged in a hollow cylinder, the hollow cylinder and the piston defining an exchange chamber.Due to gravity, the liquid flows both outwards through the outlet channel and through an exchange opening into the exchange chamber located in the hollow cylinder. This causes the piston inside the cylinder to move downwards, and after a certain time, the moving piston closes the outlet channel, thus stopping the flow of liquid once the desired amount has been dispensed. After the liquid has been dispensed, the container is returned to an upright position, whereupon the piston returns to its original starting position, and the dispensing valve is then ready for the next dispensing of a measured amount of liquid. However, the dispensed amounts can vary somewhat. Furthermore, these dispensing valves may occasionally malfunction.

[0005] Based on the aforementioned prior art, the present invention aims to overcome such and other disadvantages of the prior art and, in particular, to provide a metering dispensing closure which reliably and reproducibly provides a metered quantity of liquid.

[0006] The problem is solved by a metering dispensing closure, a method for the controlled dispensing of metered quantities of a liquid from a container, and a container with the metering dispensing closure according to the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments and further developments are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0007] The problem is solved in particular by a metering dispensing device for the controlled dispensing of a metered quantity of liquid from a container. The metering dispensing device has an outlet and a control chamber, the control chamber being located downstream of the outlet and the outlet being located downstream of the control chamber in the direction of liquid outflow. The control chamber has a hollow cylinder extending along an axial axis, comprising a side wall and a cylinder head. The metering dispensing device also has a sliding piston located within the hollow cylinder. Furthermore, the metering dispensing device has a vent pipe extending along the axial axis through both the interior of the hollow cylinder and the cylinder head. The sliding piston surrounds the vent pipe and is movably mounted along the vent pipe in the direction of the axial axis.In addition to the penetrating ventilation pipe, the cylinder head also has at least one exchange opening, allowing a partial flow of liquid from the reservoir into an exchange chamber bounded by the cylinder head and the sliding piston. The side wall of the hollow cylinder has at least one inlet opening, allowing liquid from the reservoir to be fed to the outlet via the control chamber. The sliding piston, movable along the axial axis, and the outlet form a shut-off device that closes as soon as the sliding piston contacts the outlet. Once the sliding piston contacts the outlet, no more liquid can enter. The metering process is thus terminated and can only be restarted when the shut-off device is open again.The metering dispensing closure also includes a cover cap for closing the outlet, wherein the cover cap and the sliding piston are designed to be mutually compatible such that, during the placement of the cover cap on the outlet, the sliding piston is displaced by the acting cover cap towards the cylinder head, preferably such that the sliding piston can be displaced until it reaches the stop against the cylinder head. Within the scope of the present invention, a "liquid" is understood, on the one hand, to be a liquid that consists exclusively of liquid components and contains no solid particles or gases in significant quantities, which is typically referred to as a "pure liquid" or "homogeneous liquid". On the other hand, within the scope of the present invention, a "liquid" is also understood to be a suspension, that is, a liquid that may contain solids or emulsions.Suspensions are heterogeneous mixtures that can include both solids in the form of small particles and droplets of another liquid in the form of emulsions.

[0008] The inventive dispensing cap meters the quantity of liquid dispensed from a container. The container is preferably made of a hard or rigid material, such as glass or a rigid plastic, i.e., a plastic characterized by high strength and stiffness, such as polypropylene. The inventive dispensing cap has the advantage that the vent tube ensures that sufficient air is drawn into the interior of the container during the pouring of the liquid or during the controlled dispensing of a metered quantity of liquid, thus preventing any significant negative pressure from forming in the interior that could impede the flow of the liquid. In another embodiment, the container can also be made of an elastic material, possibly with the exception of the container neck.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the sliding piston is guided predominantly or exclusively on the ventilation tube. Preferably, the diameter of the sliding piston is selected such that it barely or not at all contacts the inner surface of the hollow cylinder. Guiding the sliding piston predominantly or exclusively on the inside, towards the ventilation tube, has the advantage that the risk of the sliding piston tilting or jamming on the inner surfaces of the hollow cylinder is reduced. This embodiment thus has the advantage that the sliding piston slides reliably on the ventilation tube and that, when the container is returned to an upright position, the sliding piston is reliably moved back to its original starting position. The sliding piston preferably comprises a guide element which is movably mounted along the ventilation tube.

[0010] In another preferred embodiment, the outer diameter of the sliding piston is smaller than the inner diameter of the hollow cylinder, preferably forming a small gap of, for example, less than 1 mm, wherein the sliding piston is guided on the ventilation tube in such a way that the sliding piston does not contact the side wall of the hollow cylinder along its entire path of movement. The sliding piston is thus mounted to move particularly smoothly along the guide tube.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the sliding piston has at least one guide element extending in the direction of the axial axis and either abutting the ventilation pipe or slightly offset from it, wherein the guide element is longer than the thickness of the sliding piston in the direction of the axial axis. The guide element is, for example, tubular in shape, or comprises, for example, a plurality, preferably at least three, guide element elements extending in the direction of the axial axis and spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction, which together form the guide element. Such a guide element has the advantage that any potential tilting of the sliding piston relative to the ventilation pipe is reduced.In a preferred embodiment, the guide element is designed to be many times longer in the direction of the axial axis than the thickness of the sliding piston in the direction of the axial axis, and advantageously has a length greater than a quarter of the length of the hollow cylinder, and preferably a length greater than half the length of the hollow cylinder. Such a long guide element has the advantage that the cover cap can be designed to be correspondingly short in the direction of the axial axis, in order to still cause the sliding piston to be displaced towards the cylinder head by the acting cover cap during the fitting of the cover cap onto the outlet.A long guide element has the particular advantage that, when the shut-off device is closed, the guide element projects into the outlet, or, depending on its length, can even project beyond the outlet opening in the direction of the axial axis, so that the sliding piston can be pushed back in the hollow cylinder, preferably until the sliding piston reaches the stop against the cylinder head.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the ventilation tube extends at least partially within the outlet. Advantageously, the outlet and the ventilation tube terminate at the same point along the axial axis. In another embodiment, the ventilation tube could also project beyond the outlet opening along the axial axis. Such designs have the advantage of reducing the likelihood of liquid exiting the metering dispensing cap entering the ventilation tube. Furthermore, this design has the advantage that the guide element of the sliding piston, even if relatively long, is guided by the ventilation tube, thus preventing the sliding piston from tilting in any of its possible positions.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the metering dispensing closure comprises a cover cap for closing the outlet or outlet opening, wherein the cover cap advantageously includes a first extension extending in the direction of the axial axis, which preferably at least partially and advantageously completely encloses the ventilation tube in its circumferential direction from the outside, wherein the first extension preferably touches or nearly touches the ventilation tube at its side surface. The first extension is preferably tubular in shape.Particularly advantageous is the mutually adapted design of the guide part of the sliding piston and the first extension of the cover cap such that, when the cover cap is placed on the outlet, or when the first extension of the cover cap is placed on the ventilation pipe, the first extension of the cover cap and the guide part of the sliding piston are preferably positioned in a straight line relative to each other in the direction of the axial axis, so that during the placement of the cover cap on the outlet the first extension can act on the guide part of the sliding piston, and thereby move the sliding piston towards the cylinder head, preferably in such a way that no or only slight lateral forces are exerted on the sliding piston.Particularly advantageous are the first cover cap with first extension and the sliding piston with guide part, designed to be mutually adapted in such a way that when the cover cap is placed on the outlet, the sliding piston can be moved up to the stop against the cylinder head.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the cover cap comprises a second extension extending in the direction of the axial axis, which at least partially and advantageously completely encloses the outlet pipe of the exhaust from the outside, wherein the second extension preferably contacts or nearly contacts the outlet pipe at its side surface. The cover cap is designed, for example, as a screw cap, for instance, by having an internal thread on the inside of the second extension that engages with an external thread of the outlet pipe, so that the cover cap can be screwed onto the outlet pipe. The inside of the second extension and the outside of the exhaust can, for example, also be designed to be smooth, so that the cover cap is moved linearly in the direction of the axial axis during placement and is pushed onto the outlet pipe.Thus, the sliding piston can be forcibly pushed into the metering dispensing closure with the aid of the cover cap, and preferably pushed all the way to the stop against the cylinder head, so that the sliding piston assumes a defined starting position for the controlled dispensing of a metered quantity of liquid. This enables the reliable dispensing of the same or nearly the same metered quantity or volume of liquid. This design has the advantage that the sliding piston can be pushed back into its starting position or all the way to the stop against the cylinder head with the aid of the cover cap, and in particular, can be pushed back relatively quickly and reliably.The inventive metering dispensing closure is designed such that the liquid, which accumulates in the exchange chamber in the hollow cylinder between the cylinder head and the sliding piston during pouring via the exchange opening located in the cylinder head, flows back into the container after pouring and after the container has been righted, due to the force of gravity, so that the sliding piston moves towards the cylinder head. The embodiment in which the sliding piston is forcibly pushed back into its initial position, preferably until it reaches the stop against the cylinder head, as described above, has the advantage that during this process the liquid in the exchange chamber is forcibly emptied via the exchange opening by being ejected into the container.This ensures that the sliding piston returns to its starting position, preferably against the cylinder head, allowing for a controlled dispensing of a metered quantity of fluid. If the sliding piston is moved towards the cylinder head automatically by gravity flowing the fluid in the exchange chamber from the exchange opening into the container, it is not readily apparent from the outside when, if at all, the sliding piston is in its starting position, preferably against the cylinder head. This uncertainty is minimal with low-viscosity fluids such as water, which has a viscosity of approximately 1 mPa·s. The situation is different, for example, with cough syrup, which, depending on its composition, can have a viscosity ranging from approximately 3 to 1000 mPa·s. Therefore, with high-viscosity fluids, such as...With thick cough syrup, it is particularly important that the sliding piston is forced to the stop against the cylinder head to ensure that the subsequently dispensed metered amount of liquid corresponds to the intended dispensing amount.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, the cylinder head has a plurality of exchange openings, preferably between two and ten exchange openings, and in particular two, three, four, or six exchange openings, and especially preferably at least six exchange openings, wherein these exchange openings are preferably arranged at regular intervals around the axial axis in the circumferential direction within the cylinder head. In a further preferred embodiment, the side wall of the control chamber has a plurality of inlet openings, preferably between two and ten inlet openings, and in particular two, three, or four inlet openings, wherein these inlet openings are preferably arranged at regular intervals around the axial axis in the circumferential direction. Preferably, the metering dispensing closure has the same number of exchange openings and inlet openings.When pouring the liquid, a container is advantageously tilted 180° from the vertical so that the container opening and the dispensing valve attached to the container point vertically downwards, and the liquid in the container is dispensed through the dispensing valve in this position. However, it may happen that the container is tilted only 100° or 145° from the vertical for pouring. A higher number of exchange and inlet openings, for example four or more, has the advantage that the dispensing valve also functions reliably if the container is not tilted 180° from the vertical during pouring, but only by an angle in a range of, for example, 100° to 170°.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, the cover cap has a closure such as an internal thread on the first extension, and the air tube has a corresponding closure such as an external thread, to detachably connect the cover cap to the air tube, and / or the cover cap has a closure such as an internal thread on the second extension, and the outlet tube has a corresponding closure such as an external thread, to detachably connect the cover cap to the outlet tube. In a preferred embodiment, the shut-off device comprises two circularly circumferential sealing surfaces extending symmetrically with respect to the axial axis, which abut each other: a first sealing surface formed at the outlet, and a second sealing surface formed at the sliding piston, wherein the second sealing surface extends along the circumference, in particular along the outer circumference, of the sliding piston.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, the inlet opening is arranged in the direction of the axial axis immediately following the first sealing surface.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment, the sliding piston comprises a flat piston body, wherein the second sealing surface projects beyond the flat piston body in the direction of the axial axis towards the outlet.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, the entire dispensing closure is rotationally symmetrical or axially symmetrical with respect to the axial axis. This design has the advantage that the dispensing behavior of the dispensing closure is the same, regardless of the direction in which the container sealed with the dispensing closure is tilted to dispense a metered quantity of liquid.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment, the outlet is rotatable about the axial axis relative to the control chamber, and the outlet includes a closure element which, depending on the relative rotation of the control chamber and outlet, changes the inlet area available to the inlet opening. This allows the dispensed quantity of liquid to be adjusted. In a preferred embodiment, the outlet and / or the control chamber includes a display from which the relative rotation of the control chamber and outlet is visible. This display can, for example, be calibrated according to the viscosity of a dispensed liquid such as cough syrup, so that a quantity of liquid to be dispensed can be preset via the display, which is then dispensed by the metering closure by a corresponding swiveling of the container holding the cough syrup.In another preferred embodiment, at least one additional outlet with indicator and / or an additional control chamber with indicator is provided, which are calibrated for a liquid with a different, second viscosity, and which are interchangeable with the outlet or control chamber previously installed in the metering dispensing closure, so that with such a modified metering dispensing closure, a dispensing quantity of the liquid can again be set, and the liquid in the container, having the second viscosity, can be metered and dispensed according to the dispensing quantity set via the indicator.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment, the dosing dispensing closure comprises a cover cap which can be attached to the outlet in such a way that the cover cap completely closes the outlet.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment, the sliding piston has spacers projecting towards the cylinder head. This prevents the sliding piston from bearing flat against the cylinder head or the end face of the hollow cylinder, thus preventing the two surfaces from sticking together due to capillary adhesion. In a preferred embodiment, the ventilation pipe is arranged concentrically within the hollow cylinder. In another embodiment, the ventilation pipe is arranged eccentrically within the hollow cylinder, with the sliding piston having a correspondingly adapted, eccentrically arranged opening for the ventilation pipe, so that the sliding piston either contacts the inner wall of the hollow cylinder along its outer circumferential surface or is uniformly spaced from the inner wall of the hollow cylinder.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment, the ventilation pipe is arranged within the outlet without contact with the outlet, and preferably also along the hollow cylinder without contact with the side wall. In the latter embodiment, the ventilation pipe is preferably only rigidly connected to the cylinder head and then, unless a cover cap is fitted, runs without contact through the hollow cylinder and the outlet.

[0024] The inventive dispensing closure consists of at least three parts: a control chamber, a sliding piston, and an outlet. Advantageously, the dispensing closure also includes a cover cap and, optionally, an extension tube that extends the ventilation tube into the container. All these parts can be manufactured cost-effectively, e.g., by injection molding. The inventive dispensing closure thus has the advantage of being very cost-effective to manufacture and can therefore also be designed as a disposable part.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment, the metering dispensing closure has an inlet opening with a fixed inlet area, as the outlet lacks a closure element that could influence the inlet area. In this embodiment, the control chamber and the outlet are advantageously fixedly connected. This embodiment offers the advantage that the metering dispensing closure releases only a precisely metered quantity of liquid, the quantity of which depends in particular on the viscosity of the liquid. For a predetermined liquid with a known viscosity, a metering dispensing closure can thus be manufactured very cost-effectively, releasing the predetermined liquid contained in the container in precisely metered quantities.

[0026] The inventive dispensing closure with a fixed dosage quantity and an outlet without a closure element has the advantage that it can be designed in a variety of shapes. Preferably, all parts have a round cross-section. However, the hollow cylinder could also have a square, rectangular, oval, triangular, or, for example, star-shaped cross-section, whereby the outer contour of the sliding piston would have to be adapted to the cross-sectional shape of the hollow cylinder. Likewise, the ventilation tube, in addition to a circular outer cross-section, can also have a variety of other shapes, such as square, rectangular, oval, triangular, or, for example, star-shaped, whereby the inner cross-section of the sliding piston would have to be adapted accordingly.

[0027] Likewise, the outlet and the cover cap can be designed in a variety of shapes, regardless of whether the dosing dispensing closure or the outlet has a rotatable closure part or not.

[0028] The dispensing closure according to the invention can be connected to a container in a variety of ways. For example, the dispensing closure can be connected to the container by gluing, preferably in the area of ​​the container opening. The dispensing closure according to the invention can also be attached to, for example, a commercially available beverage bottle using a screw cap with a central opening, by the screw cap with internal thread engaging an external thread on the container neck, and by the outlet tube running through the central opening of the screw cap.

[0029] Due to the variety of possible configurations of the inventive dispensing closure, in particular the outlet that typically projects above a container, it is suitable for dispensing a wide range of different liquids, especially for the metered dispensing of liquids in the high-priced luxury segment, such as perfumes, perfume oils, expensive highly concentrated essences, truffle oil, essential oils, or medicinal serums. Such liquids preferably require precise dispensing systems to avoid overuse and to preserve product quality.Such liquids are typically offered in highly customized, attractive containers, wherein the dispensing closure according to the invention, in particular the outlet, can also be manufactured in a highly customized, attractive design, for example in an exclusive design, or made of high-quality materials, so that a well-thought-out design of the container and dispensing closure exudes aesthetic appeal and combines beauty with functionality. Various embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the drawings, wherein identical or corresponding elements are generally provided with the same reference numerals. The drawings show:

[0030] Fig. 1 An exploded view of a dosing dispensing closure according to the invention;

[0031] Fig. 2 shows a longitudinal section through the compound dispensing closure according to Fig. 1;

[0032] Fig. 3 shows a perspective bottom view of the dosing dispensing closure according to Fig. 2;

[0033] Fig. 4 shows a longitudinal section through an inverted dispensing closure at the end of the pouring process;

[0034] Fig. 5 shows a longitudinal section through the control chamber and the ventilation pipe of the metering dispensing closure according to Fig. 4;

[0035] Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of a piston;

[0036] Fig. 7 shows a top view of the outlet of another dosing dispensing closure;

[0037] Fig. 8 shows a longitudinal section through the control chamber and the ventilation pipe of a metering dispensing closure with a fixed metering quantity;

[0038] Fig. 9 shows a longitudinal section through an outlet for a dosing dispensing closure with a fixed dosing quantity;

[0039] Fig. 10 shows a top view of an exemplary embodiment of a square control chamber with a concentric ventilation tube and a piston;

[0040] Fig. 11 shows a top view of an exemplary embodiment of a rectangular control chamber and eccentric ventilation tube and a piston;

[0041] Fig. 12 shows a longitudinal section of another dispensing closure; Fig. 13 shows a top view of the dispensing closure according to Figure 12;

[0042] Fig. 14 shows a longitudinal section of the dosing dispensing closure according to Figure 12 in its initial position.

[0043] Figures 1 to 3 show a first embodiment of a metering dispensing closure 1 according to the invention for the controlled dispensing of a metered quantity of a liquid from a container. The metering dispensing closure 1 comprises a control chamber 2, an outlet 3, a sliding piston 4, a ventilation tube 5 extending through the control chamber 2, preferably a cover cap 7, and optionally an extension tube 6.

[0044] Figure 1 shows an exploded view of the dispensing closure 1. Figure 2 shows a longitudinal section through the assembled dispensing closure 1 and the optional extension tube 6, and also, by way of indication, the upper part of an upright container 10, wherein the container 10 has a container neck 10a with a container opening 10b, and wherein the dispensing closure 1 is arranged partially within the container neck 10a and closes the container opening 10b to the outside. Figure 3 shows a perspective view from below of the dispensing closure 1 according to Figure 2, and also shows the optional extension tube 6, wherein the extension tube 6 is shown in foreshortened form in Figures 2 and 3.

[0045] The metering dispensing closure 1 is described in detail below with reference to Figures 1-3. The metering dispensing closure 1 has an axial axis A along which the individual parts are arranged. The control chamber 2 is arranged behind the outlet 3, preferably directly behind the outlet 3, and comprises a hollow cylinder 2a, which has a side wall 2b extending in the direction of the axial axis A and a cylinder head 2c at its end. The hollow cylinder 2a has a circular inner cross-section. The cylinder head 2c has at least one exchange opening 2d, and in the illustrated embodiment, two exchange openings 2d, each forming an exchange opening between the interior of the container 10 and the interior of the hollow cylinder 2a.

[0046] The side wall 2b has at least one inlet opening 2f in the area of ​​its end section towards the outlet 3, and preferably two inlet openings 2f arranged symmetrically with respect to the axial axis A and extending circumferentially with respect to the axial axis A, as shown.

[0047] Furthermore, the control chamber 2 has a guide element 2g extending circumferentially with respect to the axial axis A and a circularly extending guide 2h towards the outlet 3.

[0048] In an advantageous embodiment, as shown, the control chamber 2 has an extension point 2k, such that the side wall 2b between the extension point 2k and the guide element 2g forms a widened section 2e in the direction of the axial axis A, so that the side wall 2b has at least a larger inner diameter, and preferably also a larger outer diameter, along this section 2e.

[0049] The outlet 3 is flange-shaped and comprises a disc-shaped, projecting connecting part 3e and, extending along the axial axis A, an outlet pipe 3a with an outlet channel 3d and an outlet opening 3b. Furthermore, the outlet 3 comprises, on the side opposite the outlet pipe 3a in the axial axis A, at least one closing part 3c, and preferably, as shown, two closing parts 3c that are circumferentially and uniformly overlapping with respect to the axial axis A. The connecting part 3e of the outlet 3 and the guide element 2g of the control chamber 2 are designed to be mutually adapted such that the outlet 3 is rotatably mounted on the control chamber 2 or in the guide element 2g.Furthermore, the closing parts 3c of the outlet 3 and the inlet openings 2f of the control chamber 2 are designed and arranged in such a way that when the outlet 3 is rotated about the axial axis A, each closing part 3c is displaceable with respect to the respective inlet opening 2f, and depending on the mutual rotation of control chamber 2 and outlet 3, the inlet area available to the inlet opening 2f changes, such that the inlet area can assume values ​​between a minimum value and a maximum value, depending on the mutual rotation of control chamber 2 and outlet 3.Furthermore, the closing parts 3c of the outlet 3 and the widened section 2e of the control chamber 2 are preferably designed to be mutually adapted such that the internal cross-section specified by the closing parts 3c is equal to or substantially equal to the internal cross-section of the control chamber 2 between the cylinder head 2c and the widening point 2k.

[0050] The dispensing closure 1 also includes a ventilation pipe 5, which serves for air exchange between the interior of the container 10 and the outside space or the environment. The ventilation pipe 5 preferably has, as shown, a circular inner and outer cross-section, with an outer surface 5a and a ventilation channel 5e extending in the direction of the axial axis A, wherein the ventilation channel 5e has an inlet opening 5b, an end section 5c, and an outlet opening 5d. The ventilation pipe 5 runs in the direction of the axial axis A through both the interior of the hollow cylinder 2a and through the cylinder head 2c, and thus penetrates the cylinder head 2c. The end section 5c can, for example, terminate at the cylinder head 2c or, as shown in Figure 2, project beyond the cylinder head 2c. The ventilation pipe 5 is arranged axially symmetrically with respect to the hollow cylinder 2a .The inventive metering dispensing closure 1, as indicated in Figure 2, is typically used in combination with a container 10 having a single opening 10b. To ensure a reproducibly reliable, metered dispensing of a liquid from such a container, air exchange between the interior and exterior of the container is of particular importance. Advantageously, the outlet opening 5d is arranged in the region of the bottom of the container 10. For this purpose, the ventilation pipe 5 can be of a corresponding length. However, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, it can also prove advantageous to provide an extension pipe 6, which has a through-opening 6a at its tip and is connected at the opposite end to the end section 5c of the ventilation pipe 5. This design has the advantage that the dosing dispensing closure 1 e.g.can be manufactured in a standard size and can be adapted to different container sizes by attaching a correspondingly long extension tube 6 .

[0051] Preferably, the control chamber 2 and the ventilation tube 5 consist of a single part and are thus formed in one piece, for example, from a plastic. In a further embodiment, the control chamber 2 and the ventilation tube 5 could also be made of different materials and joined after their manufacture. The metering dispensing closure 1 also comprises a sliding piston 4, which is arranged inside the hollow cylinder 2a. The sliding piston 4 comprises a piston body 4a with a sealing surface 4c oriented towards the outlet 3, preferably circular in shape. This sealing surface 4c is intended to bear against the outlet 3. The piston body 4a can be configured in a variety of ways.Figures 1 to 3 show a piston body 4a with a disc-shaped section 41, which has an obliquely extending end section 4k towards the periphery, terminating at the sealing surface 4c oriented towards the outlet 3. Preferably, the end section 4k is thus configured such that the sealing surface 4c projects beyond the disc-shaped section 41 in the direction of the axial axis A. Preferably, this circular sealing surface 4c is narrow in the radial direction, preferably with a width of less than 1 mm. Advantageously, the piston body 4a also has a sealing lip 4b, which surrounds the piston body 4a radially to the axial axis A along its outer circumference, in the illustrated example along the outer circumference of the end section 4k. The entire piston body 4a could, for example, also be designed in a disc-shaped form.The piston body 4a shown in Figures 1 to 3 has the advantage of a clearly defined sealing surface 4c and a preferably low mass. The piston body 4a has a front surface 4e oriented towards the outlet 3 and a rear surface 4f oriented towards the cylinder head 2c. The sliding piston 4 also has a guide element 4g, which in the illustrated embodiment is tubular and extends perpendicular to the flat piston body 4a. The guide element 4g surrounds the ventilation tube 5, so that the sliding piston 4 is movably mounted through the ventilation tube 5 in the direction of the axial axis A. For a repeatedly reliable dispensing of a predetermined quantity of liquid through the metering dispensing closure 1, it is particularly important that the sliding piston 4 remains within the control chamber 2.The guide element 4g can reliably slide back and forth within the hollow cylinder 2a in the direction of the axial axis A. The guide element 4g is therefore advantageously designed such that tilting of the piston body 4a with respect to the axial axis A is avoided. In an advantageous embodiment, the guide element 4g has a length in the direction of the axial axis A which corresponds to at least half the length of the hollow cylinder 2a. Advantageously, the ventilation pipe 5 projects into the outlet 3 by at least this length in order to reliably guide the sliding piston 4 in every position that it can assume along the hollow cylinder 2a. To reduce the friction between the guide part 4g and the ventilation pipe 5, the guide part 4g can also be designed to be shorter in the direction of the axial axis A, and / or it can, instead of the pipe, have at least two, preferably three or more circumferentially spaced, extending in the direction of the axial axis A, e.g.have finger-shaped or linear guide elements. To reduce the friction of the sliding piston 4, it is advantageous that the circular sealing surface 4c, which rests against the inside of the hollow cylinder 2a, is designed to be as small as possible, or that there is a gap between the sealing surface 4c and the inside of the hollow cylinder 2a, so that the sliding piston 4 slides without contact along the inner surface of the hollow cylinder 2a on its sealing surface 4c, in the area of ​​the sealing lip 4b.

[0052] The sliding piston 4 has spacers 4d projecting in the direction of the axial axis A in the region of the rear surface 4f to prevent the piston body 4a from directly contacting the cylinder head 2c, thus preventing the piston body 4a from sticking to the cylinder head 2c. The sliding piston 4, which is movable in the direction of the axial axis A, and the outlet 3 are designed to be mutually adapted such that they together form a shut-off element 34. This is achieved by moving the sliding piston 4 in the direction of the axial axis A until the circular sealing surface 4c of the sliding piston 4 rests against the connecting part 3e of the outlet 3 over its entire circumference, thereby forming a shut-off element 34. This ensures that the interior of the hollow cylinder 2a and the outlet channel 3d of the outlet 3 are tightly separated from each other.The shut-off device 34 has two circularly circumferential sealing surfaces extending symmetrically with respect to the axial axis A, which abut each other, a first sealing surface 3f formed at the outlet 3, and a second sealing surface 4c formed at the sliding piston 4, which runs along the outer circumference of the sliding piston 4.

[0053] The dispensing closure 1 preferably includes an indicator 3g, 2i at the outlet 3 and / or at the control chamber 2, from which the relative rotation of the control chamber 2 and the outlet 3 is visible, or from which the size of the inlet opening 2f released by the closure part 3c is preferably visible. Preferably, the quantity of liquid to be dispensed per dose can be set on the indicator 3g, 2i. The indicator 3g, 2i is preferably calibrated for a specific liquid with a known viscosity, so that the quantity of liquid to be dispensed per dose can be easily set or adjusted via the indicator 3g, 2i by rotating the outlet 3 accordingly with respect to the control chamber 2. The dispensing closure 1 preferably includes a cover cap 7, which can be attached to the outlet 3 and closes the outlet 3 to the outside.The cover cap 7 comprises a first extension 7b extending in the direction of the axial axis A, which at least partially encloses the ventilation pipe 5. The cover cap 7 also comprises a second extension 7c extending in the direction of the axial axis A, which at least partially encloses the exhaust pipe 3a. Advantageously, the guide element 4g of the sliding piston 4 and the first extension 7b of the cover cap 7 are designed to be mutually compatible such that, if the sliding piston 4 is not already in contact with the cylinder head 2c, it is moved towards the cylinder head 2c by the mutual action of the guide element 4g and the first extension 7b when the cover cap 7 is placed on the exhaust port 3, preferably such that the sliding piston 4 is in contact with the cylinder head 2c when the cover cap 7 is fully in place.

[0054] Figure 4 shows the metering dispensing cap 1 depicted in Figures 1 to 3 in an inverted position, at the end or after the dispensing process has finished, with the container 10 to which the metering dispensing cap 1 is attached not shown. The metering dispensing cap 1 releases a metered quantity of the liquid contained in the container 10 via the outlet 3 by the following process steps:

[0055] - In the initial position, a liquid is contained in the upright container 10, with the dispensing closure 1 being connected to the container 10, partially extending inside the container neck 10a as shown in Figure 2, and closing the container opening 10b. In this initial position, the dispensing closure 1 has the basic position shown in Figure 2.

[0056] To dispense a metered quantity of liquid in a controlled manner, the container 10 is pivoted, preferably by 180°, so that the container 10 is upside down and the metering dispensing closure 1, as shown in Figure 4, points downwards. In this position, a first partial flow of the liquid in the container flows through the exchange openings 2d into an interior space of the control chamber 2, which is bounded by the cylinder head 2c and the rear surface 4f of the sliding piston 4. This results in the sliding piston 4 being increasingly moved downwards in the direction of the axial axis A by the liquid flowing into the interior space. At the same time, a second partial flow of liquid flows into the area of ​​the inlet opening 2f not covered by the closure part 3c, initially into the interior of the control chamber 2, then immediately into the outlet pipe 3a of the outlet 3, and is then discharged via the outlet opening 3b of the outlet 3.

[0057] - During this process, the sliding piston 4, in particular the piston body 4a with its circular sealing surface 4c, approaches the circular support surface 3f of the outlet 3 more and more closely, until the sealing surface 4c meets and rests against the support surface 3f, thereby closing the shut-off device 34 and preventing any further liquid from entering the outlet 3 from the container 10, so that after any residual amount of liquid f remaining in the outlet 3 has drained out, the dispensing of the metered quantity of liquid is complete.

[0058] - The container 10 is then pivoted again, preferably by 180°, so that the container 10 is upright and the dosing dispensing closure 1, as shown in Figure 2, points upwards.

[0059] In this position, the liquid located in the interior space bounded by the cylinder head 2c and the rear surface 4f of the sliding piston 4 flows out, preferably by itself, due to gravity, via the exchange openings 2d. The sliding piston 4 moves downwards, reaches its stop against the cylinder head 2c after a certain time, and then returns to the position shown in Figure 2. To ensure that the sliding piston 4 moves downwards within the metering dispensing closure 1, the cover cap 7 is advantageously placed on the outlet 3 and pressed downwards with the outlet 3 until it reaches its stop. This causes the sliding piston 4 to be moved downwards via the first extension 7b acting on the guide element 4g, and any liquid still remaining in the bounded interior space is conveyed through the exchange opening 2d into the interior of the container 10.

[0060] - After the sliding piston 4 has reached the position shown in Figure 2, the metering dispensing closure 1 is again ready for the controlled dispensing of a metered quantity of the liquid by removing the cover cap 7 and pivoting the container 10 again, preferably by 180°.

[0061] Without mutual rotation of control chamber 2 and outlet 3, the same amount of liquid is dispensed in each pouring process. However, the amount of liquid dispensed can also be changed occasionally or even before each pouring process by mutually rotating control chamber 2 and outlet 3 accordingly.

[0062] It is possible to begin a subsequent pouring process even before the sliding piston 4 has reached the home position shown in Figure 2, and thus is not yet in contact with the cylinder head 2c. Even during such a pouring process, a quantity of liquid could be dispensed from the container via the metering dispensing closure 1, although the dispensed quantity would not be precisely metered, but could be larger or smaller depending on the initial position of the sliding piston 4.

[0063] Figure 5 shows a longitudinal section through the control chamber 2 and the ventilation tube 5 of the metering dispensing closure 1 according to Figure 4. Preferably, the control chamber 2 together with the ventilation tube 5 is manufactured from a single part, preferably from a plastic, and particularly preferably as an injection-molded part. The outlet 3, the piston 4, and the cover cap 7 are also preferably made of a plastic and are preferably manufactured as injection-molded parts. Such a metering dispensing closure 1 can therefore be manufactured very cost-effectively.

[0064] Figure 6 shows a perspective view of a sliding piston 4 with piston body 4a, sealing lip 4b, circular sealing surface 4c, front surface 4e, and three guide parts 4g, each with a contact surface 4h. The piston body 4a comprises a disk-shaped section 41 and an inclined end section 4k. The piston body 4a and the three guide parts 4g each have a sliding surface 4i oriented towards the ventilation pipe 5. These sliding surfaces 4i have a relatively small area, and the guide parts 4g with their sliding surfaces 4i are designed to be relatively long in the direction of the axial axis A. This has the advantage that the coefficient of friction between the sliding piston 4 and the ventilation pipe 5 is relatively small, and the sliding piston 4 is guided securely and preferably with minimal or no play on the ventilation pipe 5 in the direction of the axial axis A.

[0065] Figure 7 shows a bottom view of the outlet 3 of the metering dispensing closure 1 according to Figure 4. The outlet 3 is rotatably mounted on the control chamber 2 via the connecting part 3e and the support part 2g. The sliding piston 4 with piston body 4a is slidably mounted along the ventilation tube 5 via the three guide parts 4g. Each guide part 4g has an end face.

[0066] 4h on, on which the cover cap 7 can act to push the sliding piston 4 into the dosing dispensing closure 1 .

[0067] Figure 8 shows a longitudinal section through the control chamber 2 and the ventilation pipe 5, and Figure 9 shows a longitudinal section through the outlet 3 of a metering dispensing closure 1 with a fixed metering quantity. As can be seen from Figures 8 and 9, the control chamber 2 has an inlet opening 2f with a constant flow area. Furthermore, the outlet 3 does not have a closure element 3c that could alter the available flow area of ​​the inlet opening 2f. Therefore, the control chamber 2 according to Figure 8, compared to the embodiment according to Figure 1, does not require a projecting cylindrical side wall 2e to accommodate the closure element 3c, so that the hollow cylinder 2a of the control chamber 2 according to Figure 8 runs in a straight line along its entire length in the direction of the axial direction A, without any widened section.The outlet 3 is advantageously located immediately downstream of the control chamber 2 in the direction of the axial axis A, wherein the outlet 3 may be rotatably arranged about the axial axis A relative to the control chamber 2, and wherein the outlet 3 is preferably fixedly and non-rotatably connected to the control chamber 2. Otherwise, such a metering dispensing closure 1 with a constant dispensing quantity can have the same sliding piston 4 as shown in Figures 1, 2, 4, or 6, and this metering dispensing closure 1 can have the same cover cap 7 as shown in Figures 1, 2, or 3. Such a metering dispensing closure 1 has the advantage of being extremely cost-effective to manufacture. Preferably, the control chamber 2, together with the ventilation tube 5, is manufactured from a single part, preferably from a plastic, and particularly preferably as an injection-molded part.The outlet 3, the piston 4, and the cover cap 7 are also preferably made of a plastic material and are preferably manufactured as injection-molded parts. Such a dosing dispensing closure 1 can therefore be designed as a disposable part. Such a dosing dispensing closure 1 is, for example, particularly suitable for the metered dispensing of pharmaceuticals such as medications.

[0068] Figure 10 shows a cross-section through another embodiment of a control chamber 2 with a symmetrically arranged ventilation pipe 5 therein, including a top view of a sliding piston 4 located in the control chamber 2 and sliding along the ventilation pipe 5. In this embodiment, the control chamber 2, or the hollow cylinder 2a, has a square inner cross-section, the ventilation pipe 5 has a square outer cross-section, and the sliding piston 4 has a correspondingly adapted square outer cross-section and a square inner recess. The cylinder head 2c, which delimits the control chamber 2, has a shape adapted to the cross-section of the control chamber 2. The control chamber 2 can be designed with a variety of different inner cross-sectional shapes, for example, rectangular or star-shaped, with the outer cross-section of the sliding piston 4 being adapted accordingly.Likewise, the outer cross-section of the ventilation pipe 5 can be designed in a variety of shapes, with the inner recess of the sliding piston 4 being adapted accordingly. Furthermore, the inner and outer cross-sections of the outlet 3 can also be designed in a variety of shapes, whereby it must be ensured that the shape of the contact surface 3f of the outlet 3 is adapted to the shape of the sliding piston 4 so that the outlet 3 and the sliding piston 4 form a shut-off element 34 as soon as the sliding piston 3 with its sealing surface 4c rests against the contact surface 3f, thereby sealing the control chamber 2 fluid tightly from the outlet pipe 3a of the outlet 3. If a cover cap 7 is used, its cross-sectional shape must, of course, be adapted to the shape of the outlet 3. For example, outlet 3 can have a round, oval, polygonal, square, rectangular or star-shaped inner cross-section and / or outer cross-section.Likewise, the entire ventilation pipe, including the section running in the area of ​​outlet 3, can have a variety of shapes, such as a round, oval, polygonal, square, rectangular or star-shaped inner cross-section and / or outer cross-section.

[0069] Figure 11 shows a cross-section through another embodiment of a control chamber 2 with a rectangular cross-section and an asymmetrically arranged, square ventilation pipe 5, including a top view of a rectangular sliding piston 4 located in the control chamber 2 and sliding along the ventilation pipe 5. In this embodiment as well, the cross-sections of the control chamber 2, the air pipe 5, the sliding piston 4, and the outlet can be configured in a variety of shapes, as already described in connection with Figure 10.

[0070] Figures 12 to 14 show a further embodiment of a metering dispensing closure according to the invention. The metering dispensing closure 1 shown in Figures 12 and 14 comprises a control chamber 2, an outlet 3, a sliding piston 4, and a ventilation tube 5 extending through the control chamber 2. The metering dispensing closure 1 shown in Figure 14 is in a starting position in which the sliding piston 4 rests against the cylinder head 2c. The inlet opening 5b of the ventilation tube and the outlet opening 3b of the outlet 3 are closed by a cover cap 7, the cover cap 7 being attached, for example, to the section of the ventilation tube 5 projecting above the outlet 3.The cover cap 7 has at least a first extension 7b, which preferably bears against the guide part 4g of the sliding piston 4, the extension 7b serving to move the sliding piston 4 into the position shown in Figure 14 if the sliding piston 4 is not moved automatically into the initial position shown in Figure 14 by the acting force of gravity. The dispensing closure 1 is usually connected to a container, the dispensing closure 1 preferably extending vertically in its initial position, as shown in Figure 14.

[0071] Before pouring, the cover cap 7 is removed, and then the container with the attached metering dispensing cap 1 is pivoted, preferably by 180°, so that the liquid in the container flows out of the metering dispensing cap 1 via the inlet opening 2f and the outlet channel 3d, as can be seen in Figure 12, through the outlet opening 3b. During pouring, the metering dispensing cap 1, and in particular the vent tube 5, preferably extends vertically downwards, so that the inlet opening 5b is thus located at the bottom. During pouring, liquid flows from the container through the exchange opening 2d into the interior bounded by the sliding piston 4, the cylinder head 2c, and the hollow cylinder 2a, causing the sliding piston 4 to move towards the outlet 3.During this time, liquid flows from the container through the inlet opening 2f and the outlet opening 3b until the circular sealing surface 4c of the sliding piston 4 rests against the circular support surface 3f of the outlet 3, thus preventing further liquid from flowing out of the container. The container, with the attached metering dispensing cap 1, is then preferably rotated 180° until the inlet opening 5b is oriented vertically upwards. The cover cap 7 is then placed onto the inlet opening 5b and the protruding vent tube 5, and the sliding piston 4, if necessary, is pushed back into its initial position shown in Figure 14 with the aid of the first extension 7b during the placement of the cover cap 7.

[0072] In the metering dispensing closure 1 shown in Figures 12 to 14, the side wall 2b, the outlet 3 and the ventilation tube 5 preferably consist of a single part. The entire metering dispensing closure 1 thus advantageously consists of a total of four parts, namely the aforementioned part, the sliding piston 4, the cylinder head 2c and the cover cap 7.

[0073] Figure 13 shows a top view of the outlet 3 according to Figure 12, with ventilation pipe 5, inlet opening 5b, three outlet openings 3b, and three webs 3i. Advantageously, the cover cap 7 comprises the same number of first extensions 7b as the outlet 3 has outlet openings 3b, for example, as shown in Figure 13, three first extensions 7b, which are advantageously spaced apart from each other circumferentially such that each extension 7b passes through each outlet opening 3b, so that all three extensions 7b preferably act on the sliding piston 4 simultaneously during its retraction. Of course, only one or two extensions 7b could also be provided.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Metered dispensing closure (1) for controlled dispensing of a metered quantity of a liquid from a container, with - an outlet (3) ; - a control chamber (2) which is arranged behind the outlet (3) and which comprises a hollow cylinder (2a) which extends in the direction of an axial axis (A) and has a side wall (2b) and a cylinder head (2c); - a sliding piston (4) which is arranged in the hollow cylinder (2a); and - a ventilation tube (5) which extends in the direction of the axial axis (A) through both the interior of the hollow cylinder (2a) and the cylinder head (2c), wherein the sliding piston (4) comprises a guide part (4g), wherein the sliding piston (4) surrounds the ventilation tube (5) and is movably mounted by the guide part (4g) along the ventilation tube (5) in the direction of the axial axis (A), wherein the cylinder head (2c) in addition to the penetrating ventilation tube (5) also has an exchange opening (2d) so that a partial flow of the liquid can be supplied from the container into an exchange chamber (24) bounded by the cylinder head (2c) and the sliding piston (4);wherein the side wall (2b) has an inlet opening (2f) through which liquid from the container can be supplied to the outlet (3), and wherein the sliding piston (4) movable in the direction of the axial axis (A) and the outlet (3) form a shut-off element (34) which closes as soon as the sliding piston (4) is in contact with the outlet (3), and comprising a cover cap (7) for closing the outlet (3), wherein the cover cap (7) has a lobe extending in the direction of; the first extension (7b) extending along the axial axis (A), and wherein the guide part (4g) of the sliding piston (4) and the first extension (7b) of the cover cap (6) are designed to be mutually adapted such that when the cover cap (7) is placed on the outlet (3) the sliding piston (4) can be displaced towards the cylinder head (2c) via the mutual action of the guide part (4g) and extension (7b), preferably such that the sliding piston (4) can be displaced until it reaches the stop against the cylinder head (2c).

2. Metering dispensing closure (1) according to claim 1, wherein the ventilation tube (5) is arranged concentrically in the hollow cylinder (2a).

3. Metering dispensing closure (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the guide part (4g) of the sliding piston (4) extends at least in the direction of the axial axis (A) and rests against the axial axis (A) or against the ventilation tube (5).

4. Dispensing closure (1) according to claim 3, wherein the guide part (4g) is longer in the direction of the axial axis (A) than half the length of the hollow cylinder (2a) .

5. Metering dispensing closure (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the ventilation tube (5) also extends at least partially within the outlet (3), wherein the ventilation tube (5) is arranged within the outlet (3) without contact with respect to the outlet (3), and wherein the ventilation tube (5) is preferably also arranged along the hollow cylinder (2a) without contact with respect to the side wall (2b).

6. Metering dispensing closure (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first extension (7b) is the ventilation tube (5) at least partially and preferably completely encloses .

7. Metering dispensing closure (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the shut-off element (34) comprises two circularly circumferential sealing surfaces extending symmetrically with respect to the axial axis (A), which abut each other, a first sealing surface (3f) formed at the outlet (3), and a second sealing surface (4c) formed at the sliding piston (4), wherein the second sealing surface (4c) extends along the circumference of the sliding piston (4).

8. Metering dispensing closure (1) according to claim 7, wherein the inlet opening (2f) is arranged in the direction of the axial axis (A) immediately following the first sealing surface (3f).

9. Metering dispensing closure (1) according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the sliding piston (4) comprises a piston body (4a), and wherein the second sealing surface (4c) extends over the piston body in the direction of the axial axis (A) towards the outlet (3). (4a) precedes.

10. Dispensing closure (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the entire dispensing closure (1) is rotationally symmetric or axially symmetric with respect to the axial axis (A).

11. Metering dispensing closure (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the outlet (3) is located with respect to the control chamber (2) is rotatable about the axial axis (A), and wherein the outlet (3) has a closing part (3c) which, depending on the relative rotation of control chamber (2) and outlet (3), changes the inlet area available to the inlet opening (2f).

12. Method for controlled dispensing of metered quantities of a liquid from a container (10) , the method comprising the following steps: - Use of a container (10) which holds a liquid in its interior and which further comprises a metering dispensing closure (1) according to one of claims 1 to 11, and - dispensing metered quantities of the liquid via the metering closure (1) from the container (10) .

13. Method according to claim 12, wherein after completion of the controlled dispensing of a quantity of liquid the outlet (3) is closed with a cover cap (7), wherein the cover cap (7) acts on the sliding piston (4) during closing, so that it is moved in the direction of the cylinder head (2c), preferably until it reaches the stop against the cylinder head (2c).

14. Method according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the outlet (3) is rotated about the axial axis (A) with respect to the control chamber (2) and thereby the quantity of liquid to be dispensed is adjusted, and wherein subsequently one or more metered quantities of the liquid are dispensed from the container (10) via the metering dispensing closure (1).

15. Container (10) for a liquid, with a metering dispensing closure (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

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