EP3984652B1 - Liquid dispenser - Google Patents

Description

FIELD OF APPLICATION AND PRIOR ART

The invention relates to a dispenser for dispensing pharmaceutical liquids according to the preamble of claim 1.

Dispensers of the generic type and of the present invention include an elongate housing aligned along a central axis. At the distal end of the housing there is a discharge opening which is aligned axially in the direction of the central axis and through which the liquid can be discharged into the environment, for example in the form of drops and a spray jet. Such a dispenser also includes a liquid reservoir and a control device with a pump or a switching valve, which is connected to the liquid reservoir by a first line and to the discharge opening by a second line and by means of which liquid can be routed from the liquid reservoir to the discharge opening. For the purpose of actuation, the dispenser comprises an actuation button which is provided laterally in a recess in a lateral surface of the housing and which is connected to the control device in such a way that pressing the actuation button radially in the direction of the central axis actuates the control device so that liquid is directed to the discharge opening becomes.

Such dispensers of the generic type, which represent the starting point of the invention, are also referred to as side-actuation dispensers.

The special characteristic of this dispenser of the generic type and of the invention is that it is actuated from the side. The housing, which is essentially rotationally symmetrical or cylindrical at least in the area of the lateral surface, has the aforementioned actuating button for this purpose, which can be pressed in the radial direction or with a predominant radial component in the direction of the central axis in order to direct liquid in the direction of the discharge opening. This can happen by the actuation trigger displacing the piston of a piston pump or compressing the bellows of a bellows pump or opening a valve so that previously pressurized liquid can flow in the direction of the discharge opening.

From the field of other pharmaceutical dispensers, the direction of actuation of which coincides with the dispensing direction, designs are already known which serve to secure the dispenser against use by children. This prevents children, especially small children, from carrying and absorbing the pharmaceutical liquid.

From the document WO 2008/061041 A2 a dispenser for side actuation is known. The dispenser is equipped with a cap that prevents operation of the dispenser when it is on, but this is not a childproof cap.

Further prior art belonging to the subject area of the invention can be found in the publications DE 199 05 993 Al, WO 2012/084354 A2 and EP 2 210 674 A2 .

TASK AND SOLUTION

The object of the invention is to provide a generic side-actuation dispenser with an effective and structurally simple child safety device.

According to the invention, the following is proposed: The dispenser comprises a rotating sleeve or sliding sleeve which is open on both sides and which is attached to the outside of the housing such that it can be rotated or displaced about the central axis. In a locked rotary position or locked sliding position, this sleeve prevents actuation of the actuating pushbutton and in a released rotary position or released sliding position, the sleeve allows the actuating pushbutton to be pressed in radially.

According to this design, a sleeve is provided that completely or almost completely (> 270°) surrounds the housing of the dispenser, at least in the area of the actuating push-button or at least does not have to be removed for the purpose of operation. This rotary sleeve is preferably secured to the housing in the axial direction, so that it can only be moved in rotation. The sliding sleeve proposed as an alternative can be moved to a limited extent relative to the housing in the axial direction. It can be non-rotatable or displaceable and rotatable relative to the housing.

The rotating sleeve or the sliding sleeve is open on both sides in the manner of a tube, so that it can be pushed onto the housing, in particular from the side of the discharge opening. It is pushed on so far that the distal end of the housing and the discharge opening provided there in the pushed-on state, it protrudes beyond the rotary sleeve or sliding sleeve in the axial direction, ie protrudes beyond the distal end of the rotary sleeve or sliding sleeve

Depending on the rotary position of the rotary sleeve or the sliding position of the sliding sleeve, the actuating push button can be pressed or pressing is prevented and/or blocked. In the locked-turn position or the locked-slide position, actuation is not possible, either because the actuating pushbutton is not accessible or because its displacement is mechanically blocked. In the release rotary position or release sliding position, the actuating pusher is accessible and can be displaced radially for the purpose of dispensing liquid, so that the valve coupled thereto is opened or the pump connected thereto is actuated.

The sleeve itself is open on both sides and therefore does not represent a cap covering the discharge opening. However, such a dispenser can also have a cap which can be attached to the housing or the rotating sleeve and/or can cover the housing and the sleeve when fitted.

The sleeve can have an actuating recess which, in the released position, is arranged on the outside of the actuating button and allows access to the actuating button.

With such a design of the sleeve with an actuation recess, the sleeve can be shifted between a position (locked rotary position or locked/slide position), in which the actuation recess is not arranged over the actuating pushbutton and instead this is covered, and a position ( Release rotary position or release sliding position), in which the recess grants access to the operating handle. The sleeve is preferably a component surrounding the housing, which is either slimmer in the area of the actuation recess in relation to the axial direction or has a recess surrounded by the sleeve through which the actuation push button is accessible when the sleeve is in the released position. It is also possible to interrupt the rotary sleeve in the area of the actuation recess.

In principle, it can be sufficient to produce the childproofing simply by bringing the sleeve into its locked position after use. However, it is advantageous if an additional safeguard in this locked position prevents the sleeve from being directly twisted or displaced. This additional security can consist in particular that a housing-side section or the sleeve itself has to be elastically deflected or deformed in order to make it rotatable or displaceable.

For this purpose, a pawl can be provided on the housing that can be deflected radially toward the central axis, by means of which the sleeve can be locked in at least one locked position, so that the pawl must be deflected in order to rotate or push the sleeve into the release position .

Such a pawl creates an additional obstacle for children. In order to bring the sleeve into its release position, the preferably spring-loaded pawl must first be deflected so that it then allows the sleeve to be rotated or pushed. The pawl can in particular be formed by a section of the lateral surface of the housing, which must be pressed radially inward for the purpose of moving the sleeve. This is a very simple way in terms of manufacturing technology. Already during the manufacture of the plastic component, which forms the lateral surface in the assembled state, the pawl is provided in its blocking position, so that the mentioned spring loading during operation results from the fact that the pawl is pressed radially inwards for the purpose of moving the sleeve and that Plastic component is thereby elastically deformed.

In the locked state, the pawl interacts with the sleeve in a force-fitting manner or, in particular, in a form-fitting manner in order to make it more difficult or to prevent the sleeve from moving. In the case of a form-fitting design, the pawl engages in a recess, opening or the like on the sleeve in the secured state.

The pawl can be arranged on the housing in such a way that, in the locked position, it protrudes into the actuation recess.

The actuation recess thus fulfills two purposes in such a design: On the one hand, it enables the actuation pusher to be depressed in the release position of the sleeve. On the other hand, it blocks movement of the sleeve in the locked position together with the pawl.

The pawl can be firmly connected to the actuating pushbutton and, in the blocking position, protrude into a blocking recess in the sleeve which is separate from the actuating recess and which is arranged circumferentially or offset in the axial direction relative to the actuating recess.

In this alternative design, a section on the actuating pusher itself forms the pawl and, when the sleeve is in the locked position, engages in a second locking recess that is separate from the actuating recess. To release the actuating push button or the pawl provided on it must be pressed in slightly radially. Only then can the sleeve be rotated or moved so that actuation is then possible. In addition to a design in which the pawl can be firmly connected to the actuating button, it is also conceivable to provide the pawl on the actuating button, but to provide an elastic compensating element between the pawl and the surrounding parts of the actuating button, so that the displacement of the pawl predominant part of the actuating handle has not yet been shifted, so that when the sleeve is unlocked there is still no discharge.

The sleeve can have a recess into which the pawl protrudes in the secured state. In such an embodiment, it can have an extension which is shaped in such a way that, after the cap has been removed from the housing or from the sleeve, it can be inserted into the recess in such a way that the pawl can be deflected as a result and the sleeve can then be moved into the release Position can be moved.

With such a design, a type of key-lock system is provided. The removable cap has an extension, for example in the form of a slim pin, which can be pushed into a corresponding recess in the sleeve in order to deflect the pawl. This recess has a size and/or a shape that does not allow the detent pawl to be deflected, at least without tools, ie just with the fingers of a child.

In the designs mentioned, it is provided that in particular a pawl on the housing side can be displaced. Alternatively, the following can be provided:
The sleeve and the housing can be rotated or Be provided translational locking surfaces that prevent movement of the sleeve relative to the housing in the locked position. In such a configuration, the sleeve can be made of an elastically deformable plastic, which allows the sleeve to be deformed, in particular ovally, by the application of external force, by means of which the blocking surfaces can be disengaged, so that the sleeve can then be moved into the release is possible.

With such a design, the sleeve and the housing are matched to one another in such a way that, at least in the blocking position, there is a form-fitting prevention of a rotation or a sliding movement. The sleeve, which in this case preferably completely encloses the housing, must first be deformed, in particular slightly oval-shaped by applying force on both sides, so that the engagement between the blocking surfaces on the housing and the sleeve is terminated. The sleeve can then be moved. In a special design, it is also provided that the release position is secured by the blocking surfaces. Configurations in which the blocking surfaces are formed on radial depressions or elevations on the housing side and sleeve side are particularly advantageous.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

• Fig. 1 zeigt einen gattungsgemäßen Spender mit seitlichem Betätigungsdrücker, der in ähnlicher Gestaltung bei allen Ausführungsbeispielen Verwendung findet.
• Fig. 2 bis 5 zeigen ein Ausführungsbeispiel eines erfindungsgemäßen Spenders mit einer Drehhülse, die über eine auslenkbare Sperrklinke gesichert ist.
• Fig. 6 bis 7 zeigen ein Ausführungsbeispiel eines erfindungsgemäßen Spenders mit einer Drehhülse, die über Rotations-Sperrflächen gesichert ist.
• Fig. 8 und 9 zeigen ein Ausführungsbeispiel eines erfindungsgemäßen Spenders mit einer Schiebehülse, die über eine auslenkbare Sperrklinke gesichert ist.

Further advantages and aspects of the invention result from the claims and from the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention, which are explained below with reference to the figures.

• 1 shows a dispenser of the generic type with a lateral actuating push-button, which is used in a similar design in all exemplary embodiments.
• Figures 2 to 5 show an embodiment of a dispenser according to the invention with a rotary sleeve which is secured by a deflectable pawl.
• Figures 6 to 7 show an embodiment of a dispenser according to the invention with a rotating sleeve, which is secured via rotation locking surfaces.
• Figures 8 and 9 show an embodiment of a dispenser according to the invention with a sliding sleeve, which is secured by a deflectable pawl.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

1 shows a so-called side-actuation dispenser 10. This has a housing 20 with a discharge assembly 22 and a reservoir 30, which is coupled in the region of a coupling ring 28 of the discharge assembly 22 and includes a liquid reservoir 32.

At the distal end, the discharge assembly 22 has a discharge opening 24 at the end of an applicator tip 25 designed as a nasal olive and an approximately cylindrical and largely rotationally symmetrical lateral surface 23 between the nasal olive and the coupling ring 28. In the area of this lateral surface 23, which is used for handling the Dispenser 10 is gripped by the user, a recess 26 is provided in which an actuating button 50 is arranged. This actuating pusher 50 can be pressed in the direction of the arrow 4, this direction enclosing approximately a right angle with the central axis 2 of the dispenser, which coincides with the discharge direction at the discharge opening 24.

The invention is a child safety device for a dispenser of the type 1 to provide.

The inner components in the area of the discharge assembly 22 are examples based on FIG 2 explained, but are identical for all embodiments. The liquid reservoir 32 is connected to a pump 54 via a line 51 . This pump 54 has a movable cylinder 55 which can be pushed in together with the actuating pusher 50 . The pump 54 also has a valve arrangement 57, not described in detail, which draws in liquid through the line 51 when the pressure in the pump cylinder 55 is negative and which, when there is an overpressure in the pump cylinder 55, presses liquid in the direction of a second line 52, which in turn leads to the discharge opening with the interposition of an outlet valve 25a 24 leads.

The first embodiment of Figures 2 to 5 for producing a child safety device has a rotating sleeve 60 which is attached to the outer surface 23 of the housing 20 on the outside. A catch 61 ensures that this rotary sleeve 60 can only be rotated, but cannot be easily removed from the housing 20 . The rotating sleeve 60 has an actuation recess 62 which has approximately the size of the outside of the actuating pusher 50 . In the locked position of 2 and the 3 this actuation recess 62 is offset by 180° with respect to the actuation button 50, so that the actuation button 50 is covered by the rotary sleeve 60 and is not accessible. Rotating the rotary sleeve 60 is not immediately possible, since the lateral surface 23 of the housing 20 in particular from 2 is provided with a bulge acting as a pawl 23a, which protrudes into the actuation recess 62. If dispenser 10 is to be actuated from this state, it must first be in the position indicated by arrow 3 in 4 illustrated way the pawl 23a are pressed radially inward. Only then can the rotating sleeve 60 be rotated by 180°, so that the state of the figure 5 adjusts in which the actuating recess 62 of the rotating sleeve 60 gives access to the actuating pusher 50 . Starting from this state, the dispenser can now be used as intended. The actuating sleeve 60 is then rotated again by 180°, so that the pawl 23a, which is held under tension during the actuation, jumps back into the actuation recess 62.

In the embodiment according to Figures 6 and 7 A rotatable rotating sleeve 60 is also provided, which is rotatable about the central axis 2 relative to a lateral surface 23 and an actuating pusher 50 . This can also be brought into a rotational position in which the actuation recess 62 is not arranged above the actuation pusher 50 and therefore prevents actuation.

Deviating from the design of Figures 2 to 5 however, the anti-rotation device is implemented differently here. Blocking webs 62 are provided on the inside of the rotary sleeve 60 offset by 180° relative to one another. Corresponding to this, 20 recesses 33 are provided in the lateral surface 23 of the housing. Both the blocking webs 63 and the depressions 33 are laterally delimited in the circumferential direction by rotation blocking surfaces 34, 64. In the secured state of the 7 thus turning the rotary sleeve 60 is not possible. However, the rotary sleeve 60 here is made of a sufficiently deformable plastic, so that a force application in the direction of the arrows 5 is suitable to lift the blocking webs 62 offset by 90° out of the respective depressions 33 . The desired rotation of the rotary sleeve 60 relative to the lateral surface 23 can then take place and the actuating recess 62 can thus be brought into a rotary position in which it allows the actuating pushbutton 50 to be actuated.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the blocking ribs 63 and the depressions 33 prevent rotation both in the position of the rotary sleeve in which it covers the actuating push-button 50 and in that rotary position in which actuation through the actuating recess 62 is possible.

In a simplified alternative design, however, only one depression 33 and only one blocking web 63 are provided, so that only that rotational position is blocked by these elements in which the actuating pusher 50 is not accessible.

The Figures 8 and 9 show a variant of the donor of the Figures 2 to 5 . This dispenser also has a sleeve 60 which is pushed onto the housing 22 and which can be moved to a limited extent relative to the housing 60 but cannot be removed. However, the sleeve 60 of this embodiment is not rotatable, but between the two end positions of the Figures 8 and 9 translationally relocatable.

In the position of 8 the operating button 50 of the dispenser is not accessible because it is covered by the sliding sleeve 60. The sliding sleeve 60 cannot be moved directly, since it is locked by the pawl 23a, which protrudes into the recess 62 of the sliding sleeve 60.

In order to be able to use the dispenser, the pawl 23a must first be pressed in. Only then is it possible to move the sleeve 60 so that it changes the position of the 9 takes. In this position, the actuating pusher 50 can now be pressed in radially through the recess 62 and discharge can thus be effected.

Claims (10)

1. Dispenser (10) for discharging pharmaceutical liquids, having the following features:

   a. the dispenser comprises an elongate housing (20) which is oriented along a centre axis (2), and

   b. a discharge opening (24) which is oriented axially in the direction of the centre axis (2) is provided at the distal end of the housing (20), and

   c. the dispenser comprises a liquid reservoir (32), and

   d. the dispenser comprises a control device which has a pump (54) or a switching valve, which control device is connected by way of a first line (51) to the liquid reservoir (32) and by way of a second line (52) to the discharge opening (24), and by means of which control device liquid can be conducted from the liquid reservoir to the discharge opening (24), and

   e. the dispenser comprises an actuating pushbutton (50) which is provided on the side in a cutout (26) in a lateral surface (23) of the housing (20) and which is connected to the control device in such a way that radial pressing in of the actuating pushbutton in the direction of the centre axis actuates the control device, with the result that liquid is conducted to the discharge opening (24),

   characterized by the following additional features:

   f. the dispenser (10) comprises a rotary sleeve (60) which is open on both sides and is attached on the outer side of the housing such that it can be rotated about the centre axis (2), or a sliding sleeve (60) which is open on both sides and is attached on the outer side of the housing such that it can be displaced in the direction of the centre axis, and,

   g. in a locking rotational position or a locking sliding position, the rotary sleeve (60) or the sliding sleeve (60) prevents the actuation of the actuating pushbutton (50), and,

   h. in a release rotational position or a release sliding position, the rotary sleeve (60) or the sliding sleeve (60) allows the actuating pushbutton (50) to be pressed in radially.
2. Dispenser (10) according to Claim 1, having the following additional feature:

   a. the rotary sleeve (60) or the sliding sleeve (60) has an actuating cutout (62), which, in the release rotational position or release sliding position, is disposed on the outer side of the actuating pushbutton (50) and permits access to the actuating pushbutton (50).
3. Dispenser (10) according to Claim 1 or 2, having the following additional feature:

   a. a locking pawl (23a) which can be deflected radially towards the centre axis (2) and by means of which the rotary sleeve (60) or the sliding sleeve (60) can be locked in at least one locking rotational position or locking sliding position, is provided on the housing (20), with the result that it requires a deflection of the locking pawl (23a) in order to rotate the rotary sleeve (60) into the release rotational position or in order to slide the sliding sleeve (60) into the release sliding position.
4. Dispenser (10) according to Claim 3, having the following additional feature:

   a. the locking pawl (23a) is disposed on the housing (20) in such a way that it protrudes into the actuating cutout (62) in the locking rotational position or in the locking sliding position, wherein the locking pawl is preferably formed in one piece with the lateral surface (23) of the housing (20).
5. Dispenser (10) according to Claim 3, having the following additional feature:

   a. the locking pawl is fixedly connected to the actuating pushbutton and protrudes into a locking cutout, separate from the actuating cutout, in the rotary sleeve or the sliding sleeve in the locking rotational position or the locking sliding position, which locking cutout is offset circumferentially and/or in the axial direction in relation to the actuating cutout.
6. Dispenser according to one of Claims 3, 4 and 5, having the following additional feature:

   a. the rotary sleeve or the sliding sleeve has a cutout, into which the locking pawl protrudes in the secured state, and

   b. a cap, which has a projection that is shaped in such a way that, after removing the cap from the housing or from the sleeve, it can be inserted into the cutout such that as a result the locking pawl can be deflected and then the rotary sleeve can be rotated into the release rotational position or the sliding sleeve can be slid into the release sliding position.
7. Dispenser (10) according to Claim 1 or 2, having the following additional features:

   a. the rotary sleeve (60) and the housing (20) are provided with rotation-locking surfaces (64, 34) which interact in a positively locking manner and prevent rotation of the rotary sleeve (60) with respect to the housing (20) in the locking rotational position, or the sliding sleeve and the housing are provided with translational-movement-locking surfaces which interact in a positively locking manner and prevent displacement of the sliding sleeve with respect to the housing in the locking sliding position, and

   b. the rotary sleeve (60) or the sliding sleeve is manufactured from an elastically deformable plastic which allows deformation, in particular oval deformation, of the rotary sleeve (60) or the sliding sleeve by external application of force, by way of which the rotation-locking surfaces (64, 34) or the translational-movement-locking surfaces can be brought out of engagement, with the result that rotation of the rotary sleeve (60) or displacement of the sliding sleeve is subsequently possible in the release position.
8. Dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, having the following additional feature:

   a. the dispenser comprises an outlet valve (25a) which opens in a pressuredependent manner and is connected upstream of the discharge opening.
9. Dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, having the following additional feature:

   a. an applicator tip (25) of the housing is in the form of a slim nasal applicator.
10. Dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, having the following additional feature:

    a. a medicament in liquid form is located in the liquid reservoir (32).

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