SACCHETTI, Davide (Via Achille Grandi 18, Carpi, I-41012, IT)
| CLAIMS 1. A single-dose container (1), particularly for fluid products, comprising - at least one hollow body (2) for receiving a fluid, which has a neck (3) provided with at least one opening (4) for dispensing calibrated drops of said fluid, - closure means (5), which comprise at least one grip (6) of at least one plug (7) for temporarily closing said opening (4) and at least one strip (8), which is associated with said grip (6) along weakened regions (9) and is adapted to fit on said neck (3); characterized in that it comprises - on said neck (3), at least one element (10) for the abutment of said strip (8), said abutment element being adapted to prevent the extraction of said strip (8) in a direction for extraction from said neck (3) toward said opening (4), - means for blocking mutual rotation between said strip (8) and said neck (3), which are interposed between said strip (8) and at least one of said abutment element (10) and said neck (3); - said strip (8) being free to slide, in the direction opposite to said extraction direction, along said neck (3) once said weakened regions (9) have been broken to open said hollow body (2). 2. The container (1) according to claim 1 , characterized in that said abutment element (10) comprises at least one collar (11), which protrudes externally with respect to said neck (3) and forms a lower surface (12) (which is directed away from the portion of said neck that is affected by said opening) for the abutment of said strip (8). 3. The container (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said locking means comprise at least one pair of complementary flat surfaces (13), which are formed respectively on said abutment element (10) and on said strip (8) to lock the mutual rotation between said strip and said abutment element. 4. The container (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said abutment element (10) comprises at least one plate-like element (15) that protrudes radially from said collar (11) and forms said lower surface (12). 5. The container (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that said strip (8) comprises at least one receptacle (16) for accommodating, substantially snugly, said plate-like element (15) for the abutment of the bottom (16) of said receptacle (16) against said lower surface (12) of said plate-like element. 6. The container (1) according to one or more of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said strip (8) comprises at least one pawl element (18) that protrudes inside it and is adapted to anchor itself to said lower surface (12) of said abutment element (10). 7. The container (1 ) according to claim 3, characterized in that said strip (8) and said collar (11) have a polygonal shape, comprising a plurality of said pairs of complementary flat surfaces (13) formed by the faces of said strip and said collar. |
PRODUCTS
Technical field
The present invention relates to a single-dose container, particularly for fluid products such as, for example, pharmaceutical products and medicines, which is generally made by injection molding of plastic material.
More specifically, an application of the single-dose container, according to the present invention, lies in the field of administering medicines containing highly potent active ingredients that require a high degree of precision in administering the dispensing dose.
Background Art
Monodose or polydose containers are known which are made of polymeric material and which comprise two distinct parts made separately and designed to be assembled later.
A first part, which defines the actual container element itself, is constituted by a hollow body for containing a predetermined dose of product, the hollow body being provided with an outlet for dispensing the product itself.
The second part is constituted by closure means which can be coupled to the body in order to occlude the dispensing mouth up until the time of application thereof.
Some examples of these containers are described in the following patents: GB-A-1 446 300, FR-A- 1 471 203, and EP 1 289 842.
These devices of the known type are not, however, without drawbacks, among which is the fact that they do not make it possible to evidently and immediately detect any attempts at tampering with and/or opening of the containers, i.e. according to the aims and objects of these patents these containers of the known type are not effectively and fully tamper evident^ which is however required.
Furthermore, another drawback found in containers of the known type is the fact that they can be reclosed, voluntarily or not. This leads to problems, especially in certain types of application (for example when the containers contain medical products that are highly perishable or subject to mutability of the active ingredient), which relate to the safety of the patient to whom the product, contaminated and/or degraded (and/or with changed specifications), is administered.
Disclosure of the Invention
The aim of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks in the background art, by providing a single-dose container, particularly for fluid products, which makes it possible to draw attention - immediately, clearly and in a way that is perceptible to anyone - to any tampering or opening performed on the container 1.
Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a container that cannot be reclosed, i.e. which is effectively single-dose and single-use, so that it can be used for applying medical substances with high perishability and/or high potency and/or requiring precision of the dose to be administered.
Another object of the invention is to make it possible to dispense the product in a flow of calibrated drops which is extremely precise and repeated or constant.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a simple structure, that is easy and practical to implement, safe to use and effective in operation, and low cost.
This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by the present single-dose container, particularly for fluid products, which comprises
- at least one hollow body for containing a fluid, which has a neck provided with at least one opening for dispensing calibrated drops of said fluid,
- closure means, which comprise at least one grip of at least one plug for temporarily closing said opening and at least one strip, which is associated with said grip along weakened regions and is adapted to fit on said neck;
characterized in that it comprises
- on said neck, at least one element for the abutment of said strip, said abutment element being adapted to prevent the extraction of said strip in a direction for extraction from said neck toward said opening,
- means for blocking mutual rotation between said strip and said neck, which are interposed between said strip and at least one of said abutment element and said neck;
- said strip being free to slide, in the direction opposite to said extraction direction, along said neck once said weakened regions have been broken in order to open said hollow body.
Brief description of the drawings
Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become better apparent from the detailed description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of a single-dose container, particularly for fluid products, which is illustrated for the purposes of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings wherein:
Figure 1 is a partially sectional view of a strip of a first embodiment of containers, according to the invention;
Figure 2 is a partially sectional view of the strip of hollow bodies of the first embodiment of containers in Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a bottom view of Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a top view of Figure 2;
Figure 5 is a view of a detail of Figure 2;
Figure 6 is a partially sectional view of the strip of closure means of the first embodiment of containers in Figure 1 ;
Figure 7 is a bottom view of Figure 6;
Figure 8 is a top view of Figure 6; Figure 9 is a view of a detail of Figure 8;
Figure 10 is a view of a detail of Figure 6;
Figure 11 is a partially sectional view of a strip of a second embodiment of containers, according to the invention;
Figure 12 is a sectional view of a container in Figure 11 taken along the line XII-XII in Figure 11 ;
Figure 13 is a view of a detail of Figure 12;
Figure 14 is a partially sectional view of the strip of hollow bodies of the second embodiment of containers in Figure 1 1 ;
Figure 15 is a bottom view of Figure 14;
Figure 16 is a top view of Figure 14;
Figure 17 is a partially sectional view of the strip of closure means of the second embodiment of containers in Figure 11 ;
Figure 18 is a sectional view of the closure means in Figure 17, taken along the line XVIII-XVIII in Figure 17;
Figure 19 is a bottom view of Figure 17;
Figure 20 is a top view of Figure 17.
Ways of carrying out the Invention
With reference to the figures, the reference numeral 1 generally designates a single-dose container, particularly for fluid products such as, for example, pharmaceutical products and medicines.
The container 1 is, generally, made of a polymeric material of the type of polyethylene or polypropylene, using forming techniques such as, for example, injection molding.
The container 1 is made up of two parts that are mutually assembled after their formation.
A first part of the container 1 is a hollow body 2, for example longitudinal, for containing a fluid, which has a neck 3 that is provided with at least one opening 4 for dispensing calibrated drops of fluid.
For the opening to be able to dispense calibrated drops of fluid, it is necessary for it to have uniform edges and to have particularly accurate formation tolerances.
The second part of the container 1 is constituted by closure means 5 which comprise at least one grip 6 of at least one plug 7 for temporarily closing the opening 4.
The closure means also comprise at least one strip 8 that is associated with the grip along weakened regions 9, which are for example defined by bridges made of one piece with the outer lateral surface of the strip facing the grip 6, and is adapted to fit on the neck 3.
The distinctive characteristic of the invention consists in that the container 1 comprises, on the neck 3, at least one abutment element 10 of the strip 8.
Specifically, the abutment element 10 is, specifically, adapted to prevent the extraction of the strip 8 in an extraction direction, defined from the neck 3 toward the opening 4, and thus maintain the strip 8 in position, fitted on the neck 3.
Furthermore, specifically, the container 1 comprises means of locking the mutual rotation between the strip 8 and the neck 3 which are interposed between the strip 8 and at least one of the abutment element 10 and the neck 3.
The strip 8, therefore, is free to slide, in the direction opposite to the above-mentioned extraction direction, along the neck 3 once the weakened regions 9, i.e. the bridges, are broken, for example by simple mutual rotation between the neck 3 and the grip 6 (and consequently between the grip 6 and the strip 8), for opening the hollow body.
The abutment element 10, advantageously, comprises at least one collar 11 that protrudes externally with respect to the neck 3.
The collar 11 defines a lower surface 12, which is directed away from the portion of the neck 3 which is affected by the opening 4, the lower surface being adapted as an abutment for the strip 8, at least one portion of which is inserted under pressure in the lower portion of the neck which is provided below the lower surface 12.
The locking means comprise at least one pair of complementary flat surfaces 13 that are formed respectively on the abutment element 10 and on the strip 8 for blocking the mutual rotation between the strip 8 and the abutment element 10.
Specifically, the strip 8 and the collar 11 are polygonal in shape and comprise, therefore, a plurality of pairs of complementary flat surfaces 13 that are formed by the faces of the strip and of the collar.
Advantageously, the strip 8 and the collar 11 are hexagonal in plan and are adapted, at the same time, to guide the correct mutual positioning and to block the mutual rotation.
The weakened regions 9 are constituted, as noted, by a plurality of breakable bridges that connect the grip 6 with the outer lateral surface of the strip 8.
The weakened regions 9 can, furthermore, comprise tabs, tapes or simple fracture lines defined between the grip 6 and the outer lateral surface of the strip 8.
The body 2 is provided with a mouth 14, for example at the end opposite the opening 4, through which the fluid product is introduced to fill the container itself, and which can be closed by welding.
In a first and preferred embodiment of the container 1 , shown in Figures 1 to 10, the abutment element 10 comprises at least one plate-like element 15 that protrudes radially from the collar 11.
The plate-like element 15 forms, essentially, the lower surface 12.
In the preferred embodiment, furthermore, the strip 8 comprises at least one accommodation receptacle 16 that is adapted to accommodate substantially snugly the plate-like element 15 for the abutment of the bottom 17 of the accommodation receptacle 16 against the lower surface 12 of the plate-like element 15. The bottom 17 and the lower surface 12 come into direct contact when the closure means 5 close the opening 4 of the body 2.
In particular, the abutment element 10 comprises a pair of plate-like elements 15 that are arranged diametrically opposite with respect to the longitudinal axis of the body 2 and the strip 8 comprises a respective pair of accommodation receptacles 16.
Furthermore, the lateral walls of the accommodation receptacle 16 contribute, by laterally abutting against the plate-like element 15, to preventing the mutual rotation between the strip 8 and the collar 1 1 and, therefore, they facilitate the breaking of the bridges to open the container 1.
In a second embodiment of the container 1, shown in Figures 11 to 20, the strip 8 comprises at least one pawl element 18 that protrudes inside it.
The pawl element 18 is such as to define an anchoring surface 19 (directed for example toward the plug 7) and is adapted to be anchored to the lower surface 12 of the abutment element 10, with the anchoring surface 19 in direct contact with the lower surface 12.
The pawl element 18 keeps the strip 8 anchored to the collar 11 , while at the same time holding the grip 6 and, therefore, the plug 7 in a configuration of closure of the container 1, up until the breakage of the bridges; once the bridges are broken the strip 8 is free to slide in the direction opposite to the extraction direction and detach itself from the grip with which it was associated.
The strip 8, in this embodiment, comprises a pair of pawl elements 18 that are arranged diametrically opposite with respect to the longitudinal axis of the closure means 5 and of the body 2.
Advantageously, the grip 6 comprises a cupola shell 20 that is adapted to fit on the neck 3 of the body 2, in the portion that is proximate to the opening 4 thereof.
In particular, the cupola shell 20 is substantially coaxial with the plug 7 (which fits to measure and without play inside the opening 4); the strip 8 is also substantially coaxial with the plug 7 and, consequently, with the cupola shell 20 with which it is associated by means of the above-mentioned bridges.
Advantageously, the containers 1 can be assembled in strips of containers that comprise a series of mutually associated containers 1.
In particular, the bodies 2 of two consecutive containers of the strip comprise connection tabs 21, which are joined together along weakened lines 22.
Furthermore, the grips 6 of the respective closure means 5 are also joined together along weakened lines 23, and it is therefore possible to detach a single container 1 from the strip of containers at the time of use thereof.
Any attempt at tampering with and/or opening the container 1 which is aimed at modifying the relative position (in the closed configuration) of the closure means 5 with respect to the body 2, as it was assembled and packaged, for example by means of the application of a twisting and/or traction force on the grip 6 with respect to the body 2, will lead to the breaking of the bridges of the weakened region 9 and the consequent detachment of the strip 8 from the grip 6.
This detachment consequently leads to the sliding of the strip 8 along the longitudinal axis of the body 2 away from the opening 4, the strip 8 remaining free to slide for example between the tabs 21 and the collar 10 of the body 2.
This position of the strip 8, which is unstable and obviously removed from the closure position of the container 1, unequivocally and very evidently indicates the opening of and/or tampering with the container 1 and therefore, for contained products that have a high perishability, especially if free from preservatives, it indicates the necessity of not using the container which is open. In practice it has been found that the invention as described achieves the intended aim and objects and, in particular, attention is drawn to the fact that the single-dose container, particularly for fluid products, according to the invention, makes it possible to draw attention - immediately, clearly and in a way that is perceptible to anyone - to any tampering or opening performed on the container 1 , since the security strip's perceptibly changing position along the longitudinal axis of the container when the weakened bridges are broken renders the tampering performed on the container 1 easily evident.
Furthermore, it has been found that the container according to the invention cannot be reclosed, i.e. it actually is single-dose and single-use, and it is specifically adapted to administering medical substances that have a high perishability, dangerousness and precision of application; indeed the container according to the invention at the same time enables the dispensing of product in a flow of calibrated drops that is extremely precise and repeatable.
The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims.
Moreover, all the details may be substituted by other, technically equivalent elements.
In practice the materials employed, as well as the contingent dimensions and shapes, may be any according to requirements.
The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. MO2010A000154 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.
Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.
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