TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a reservoir cap.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Easy-open reservoir caps are mainly used in the field of extemporaneous preparations.

Extemporaneous preparations are typically prepared by mixing a given amount of liquid, e.g. a sterile water solution in a container, with a given amount of product (in liquid, powder, or other form), which is typically stored in a reservoir contained in the cap that closes the container.

This ensures stability of the products for a long time, as they are separately packaged and will be only mixed when the preparation is used.

Typically, the reservoir cap comprises a tray that is closed on the side facing the container. The tray typically contains the product to be mixed with the contents of the container, as well as a punch member, that can pierce the bottom of the tray and allow the product in the tray to be mixed with the liquid in the container.

Such mixing may occur by gravity or, for instance, by suitable stirring of the container/reservoir cap assembly.

Typically, the punch forms the top closure of the tray and is formed in such a manner as to be entirely held in the tray, once the latter has been opened.

As a result, access to the extemporaneous preparation so mixed requires total removal of the whole reservoir cap from the container, for instance by acting on the means for holding the reservoir cap to the container, which are adapted to be manually ruptured by an adult in a relatively easy manner. A non-negligible drawback of prior art systems is that the punch member, which is designed for nearly but not wholly complete separation of the bottom of the tray from the rest of the reservoir cap, may occasionally completely pierce the tray, thereby causing removal of its bottom and fall of the bottom into the container.

Upon use of the preparation, since the reservoir cap has been removed from the mouth of the container, the bottom of the tray may come out of the container, and be possibly ingested, which is a particularly serious hazard in case of ingestion by infants or elder people.

In view of the prior art as described above, the object of the present invention is to provide a reservoir cap having easy-open and/or improved safety features, that can at least partially obviate the above mentioned drawbacks.

Furthermore, the present invention affords advantages in terms of simple fabrication, greater strength, more compact design and/or higher versatility.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, this object is fulfilled by a reservoir cap as defined in claim 1.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description of a practical embodiment, which is illustrated without limitation in the annexed drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a reservoir cap of the present invention;

- Figure 2 is an exploded view of the reservoir cap of Figure 1 ;

- Figure 3 is a top view of the reservoir cap of Figure 1 ; - Figure 4 shows the section A-A of the reservoir cap of Figure 3;

- Figure 5 shows a longitudinal section of the reservoir cap of Figure 1 , with the outer seal removed before piercing;

- Figure 6 shows a longitudinal section of the reservoir cap of Figure 1 , after piercing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will be made herein without distinction to a "longitudinal", "vertical" or "axial" direction, the latter being intended as the direction substantially defined by the symmetry axis of the reservoir cap, if the latter is deemed to be formed of cylindrical elements only. Such axis is referenced X-X in the figures.

The reservoir cap as shown in the figures and generally referenced 1, comprises an inner member (or punch) 2 and an outer member 3, which is placed external to the inner member 2.

The reservoir cap 1 advantageously comprises holding means 4, for holding the reservoir cap 1 to a container. The container (not shown) comprises a neck and a mouth, upon which the reservoir cap 1 is typically mounted.

The container is typically a vial or a small or large bottle.

The reservoir cap 1 may further comprise a tray 5 and/or an outer seal 6. Advantageously, the tray 5 is joined to or integrally formed with the outer seal 6 and/or the holding means 4. Preferably, the holding means 4, the tray 5 and the outer seal 6 are integral with one another and/or formed of one piece.

Advantageously, the outer seal 6 comprises a line of weakness or preferably a frangible line which, upon first opening, is ruptured to access the preparation, which ensures quality thereof. The holding means 4 may also be known in the art and allow coupling of the reservoir cap 1 to the container. According to the present invention, the holding relation between the reservoir cap 1 and the container 1 may or may not be designed to be easily overcome by the force of an adult. Advantageously, such holding relation may be designed not to be easily overcome by the force of an adult, which effectively prevents removal thereof in ordinary use.

This may be obtained by the provision of a skirt 41 around an annular ridge of the container's mouth.

The skirt 41 has such an axial length as to entirely cover the annular ridge. The skirt has a substantially annular interior ridge 42, which is designed to interfere with the ridge of the container.

The ridge 42 may have an annular shape or consist of a succession of ridges extending in circumferential arrangement, and with overall symmetry relative to the longitudinal axis.

Advantageously, the skirt 41 is integral with a flange 43, which is placed above the mouth of the container.

The tray 5 comprises a cylindrical element 51 , having an open top and a closed bottom 52. Advantageously, the bottom 52 has a variable thickness, with the minimum thickness near the cylindrical element 51 and a greater thickness at the center. This will form a circumferential or substantially circumferential line of weakness 55, which may be only partially, at least partially or wholly ruptured by the punch of the reservoir cap 1, e.g. by the inner member 2, and will ensure at the same time the liquid— tightness of the reservoir cap 1.

Therefore, according to the present invention the separation of the bottom 52 from the cylindrical element 51 occurs by rupture of the line of weakness 55 as described above.

The cylindrical element 51 may comprise guide means near its open end, which means are arranged to axially guide the sliding motion of an inner element 2 in the tray 5. For example, these means may consist of a single circumferential ridge 53 (which is shown near the upper end of the tray 5) or a plurality of variously sparse or variously vertically (or horizontally) elongate projections.

Advantageously, the guide means may be formed in such a manner as to ensure liquid-tightness.

The tray 5 may also comprise an outer flange 54, which is designed for engagement near the mouth. The outer flange 54 may be placed, for instance, in the lower half of the tray 5, e.g. leaving 1/3 of the axial length of the tray 5 in the container at the most.

Advantageously, the outer flange 54 and the flange 43 are integral and/or aligned.

The outer seal 6 comprises a removable element 61 and may comprise a constrained element 62. Upon first opening, the removable element 61 is moved away from the container, whereas the constrained element 62 remains integral with the container 100.

The outer seal 6 is formed in such a manner as to ensure rupture or permanent deformation thereof upon first opening.

In the illustrated embodiment, the removable element 61 has a substantially cylindrical shape, which is advantageously open at its top and/or bottom.

The seal 6 comprises a line of weakness 63, e.g. consisting of rupture bridges 64 (as shown in the figures), which is ruptured upon removal of the seal 6. The rupture bridges 64 may alternate with support elements 65, which prevent the rupture bridges 64 from collapsing due to accidental buckling, while having a sufficiently sparse arrangement and a sufficient size as to allow both easy removal of the seal 6 and easy fabrication thereof.

The bridges 64 and the support elements 65 may be formed between the removable element 61 and the constrained element 62. As shown in the figures, the constrained element 62 is an annular portion projecting out of the flange 43 and/or the flange 54, and preferably joined thereto or integral therewith.

The removable element 61 may include a gripping tab 67, whose longitudinal extension is equal or substantially equal to the longitudinal extension of the removable element 61.

The gripping tab may circumferentially extend over 45°, and is delimited at its sides by two lines of weakness 66a, which separate it from the rest of the removable element 61.

Advantageously, the lines of weakness 66a consist of a thin wall, e.g. such that the interior or exterior of the removable element 61 remains seamless at the lines of weakness 66a.

For example, the line of weakness 63 may include a vertical section, which helps to define a gripping tab 67 with a second line of weakness 66 parallel to the vertical section, which tab is adapted to be grasped by a user for first opening.

As more clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2, the longitudinal extension of the gripping tab 67 may be equal or substantially equal to that of the removable element 61. Advantageously, the gripping tab 67 has a circumferential extension of about 45° and is defined by two grooves 66b.

The removable element 61 may have interior abutment members, such as circumferentially spaced, e.g. vertically-extending ribs 68, which cooperate with the punch 2 to prevent accidental actuation thereof.

The ribs 68 create an upper abutment surface 69 for the punch 2, thereby preventing the punch 2 (as more clearly shown in Figure 4) from accidentally moving downward (i.e. towards the bottom 52 of the tray 5) before removal of the removable element 61.

Such abutment members, which are preferably formed of one piece therewith, are only removed upon removal of the seal 6, which removal allows actuation of the punch 2.

Advantageously, the abutment members (or ribs 68) are integral with the removable element 61 and are preferably formed of one piece therewith.

In addition to (or instead of) the above, the seal 6 may include one or more abutment members 70 which prevent the punch 2 from being pulled out of the reservoir cap 1 before actual removal of the seal 6.

Therefore, the abutment member/s 70 help to ensure the tamperproof feature of the reservoir cap 1 , by effectively deterring any desired or accidental tampering of its contents.

The abutment member/s 70 may be either a circumferential rib, as shown, or one or more inwardly projecting radial lugs, or even a flat surface which partially or completely closes the seal 6 (with the requirement for easy removal of the seal 6 from the reservoir cap 1 being obviously accounted for).

Nevertheless, the illustrated embodiment affords easier assembly of the reservoir cap 1 , as the rib may be formed in such a manner as to be easily overcome when the punch 2 is introduced into the tray 5 and not vice versa. For example, it may have a substantially saw-toothed profile.

The punch 2 comprises a substantially cylindrical central portion 21 and a closing wall 22, which closes the central portion 21 at its top. The central portion 21 and the closing wall 22 define together an inner cavity 23.

The central portion 21 preferably has external dimensions just smaller than the internal dimension of the tray 4, such that it can be contained therein.

Advantageously, the dimensions are very close, so that the outer wall of the central portion 21 can be guided by the above mentioned guide means.

The central portion 21 ends at its bottom with an edge 24 which does not lie on a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the central portion 21. Advantageously, the edge has an inclined profile, e.g. either a curved or preferably a straight inclined profile, thereby defining a tip 25.

Upon assembly of the reservoir cap 1, the punch 2 is located in the tray with the tip 25 proximate to the bottom 52, substantially at the thinner portion of the bottom 52.

In operation, as a user presses the closing wall 22 downward (or towards the bottom 52), he/she first moves the tip 25 to contact with the bottom 52 and then causes the edge 24 of the punch 2 to accomplish full or partial separation (as needed) of the bottom 52 of the cylindrical element 51 from the tray 5.

In order to provide a limit stop for the punch 2, to prevent full separation of the bottom 52 from the cylindrical element 51 , the reservoir cap comprises appropriate limit stop members, advantageously in the form of abutment surfaces which prevent excessive relative longitudinal movement of the punch 2 and the tray 5. In practice, given the profile of the edge 24 (which is typically obtained by the intersection of a sloping plane with the central portion 21), the relative axial displacement (or relative position) may be related to the section of the edge of the bottom 52 which is removed by the action of the edge 24, allowing determination of a maximum displacement that does not cause full separation of the bottom 52 from the rest of the tray 5 or, likewise, a relative position beyond which such relative displacement should be prevented.

In the illustrated embodiment, the central portion 21 ends at its top by a flange 26, whose lower portion 27 forms a limit stop by abutting against the upper end of the cylindrical element 51 of the tray 5.

By adjusting the distance between the lower surface 27 of the flange 26 and the upper end of the cylindrical element 51 , with the reservoir cap 1 assembled, the length of the edge of the bottom 52 that is actually cut by the punch 2 as the latter moves down can be also adjusted.

Likewise, the flange 26 may be envisaged to comprise an outer skirt (having either a continuous or a discontinuous circumferential extension) whose lower end fits in a gap between the seal 6 and the tray 5.

The outer edge 27 of the flange 26 may have a sufficient longitudinal extension as to allow the inner member 2 to be pulled out after the first opening.

Thus, the mouth of the container is cleared without requiring the reservoir cap 1 to be released from the container, which provides a practical advantage, as well as the advantage that the section that comes out of the container is smaller than the original section of the container, namely substantially as large as the bottom 52. Therefore, in case of accidental separation, the bottom 52 cannot accidentally fall out, as it will have to pass through an opening that has a substantially equal diameter and an irregular profile.

Advantageously, the central portion 21 comprises a thinner lower portion 21a and a normal-thickness (thicker) upper portion 21b; more advantageously, the upper portion 21b does not have outwardly directed ridges, and is smooth.

The reservoir cap 1 is assembled by first introducing the product into the inner cavity 23 (with the punch 2 positioned with the tip 25 upwards) and by later placing the tray 4 over the punch 2. Then, the reservoir cap 1 may be mounted to the container.

Those skilled in the art will obviously appreciate that a number of changes and variants may be made to the arrangements as described hereinbefore to meet incidental and specific needs.

All of these variants and changes fall within scope of the invention, as defined in the following claims.