Technical Field

The present invention relates to a dosing device, in particular a manual doser for oral use for liquid products, gels or the like. The use of the dosing device can be extended to living creatures in general, therefore not only to human beings but also to animals.

It is known that long-stay patients or those subject to prolonged ventilation can develop dry mouth problems or oral cavity disorders such as mouth ulcers or fissures, also due to an alteration of the normal balance of the oral mucosa.

Prior art

In response to this requirement, fluid and/or liquid dosing devices are known (medications, gels, foods, supplements or the like) in the form of manual dosers provided with a dosing portion and a handle, coupled to one another and internally delimiting a containment chamber of the product to be dosed.

Such a device is known from EP3495014, in the name of the Applicant, the two portions of which (dosing portion and handle) are coupled through a shape coupling provided by a pair of annular reliefs of the handle and corresponding annular recesses of the dosing portion.

The Applicant has discovered that the aforementioned solution can be improved with reference to the coupling between the handle and the dosing portion, in order to obtain a more manageable connection (handle and dosing portion are repeatedly separated and put back together in order to perform the necessary filling operations) and able to more reliably guarantee the correct mutual coupling of the two parts. In fact, it appears that the mutual coupling between the two parts requires an axial thrust between the two components to obtain a mutual connection, which can sometimes hinder the obtaining of the exact connection suitable to establish optimal shape coupling.

Therefore, a non-optimal coupling can lead to the instability of the coupling and to the risk of leaks of the fluid product contained.

Objects of the present invention

In this situation, the technical task of the invention is to provide a dosing device which overcomes the drawbacks described above.

In particular, it is an object of the invention to provide a dosing device the two parts of which are easy to assemble.

It is also an aim of the invention to provide a dosing device which reliably and repeatably guarantees correct and complete coupling between the two parts.

It is also an aim of the invention to provide a dosing device which guarantees a correct sealing action of the fluid contained, effectively hindering any accidental leaks of the fluid contained.

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the indicative and thus non-limiting description of an embodiment of a dosing device made according to the invention.

Brief description of the figures

This description will be explained below with reference to the appended figures, provided solely for indicative and therefore non-limiting purposes, in which:

- figure 1 shows a perspective view of a dosing device according to the invention in a disassembled configuration,

- figure 2 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the device of figure 1 in the disassembled configuration;

- figure 3 is an enlargement of a detail of the view of figure 3. - figure 4 shows the device of figure 1 in a longitudinal section and according to a partially assembled configuration;

- figures 5 and 6 represent two views, from different angles, of the device of figure 1 in the partially assembled configuration.

Description of at least one preferred embodiment according to the present invention

In accordance with the attached drawings, no. 10 comprehensively represents a dosing device according to the invention.

The dosing device 10 essentially comprises two parts that can be removably coupled to one another. In particular, the dosing device 10 comprises a dosing portion 20 and a gripping handle 30, which are internally hollow and can be stably coupled to one another to define an assembly configuration in which they delimit, in cooperation with one another, an internal volume “V” for containing a fluid to be dispensed. Within the context of the invention the fluid does not constitute a limitation, however a peculiar use of the device is for the bodily application, preferably oral, of hydrating fluids or medication (gels, foods, supplements or the like).

For that purpose, the dosing portion 20 has, on its own central portion and/or free end, a plurality of dispensing openings 21 for the outlet of the fluid contained in the internal volume “V”. Such openings 21 can be distributed in a single uniform area or in two or more mutually distinct areas.

Preferably, the dispensing openings 21 are arranged on both sides of the free end.

Such dispensing openings 21 could be in the form of holes or slits. Furthermore, preferably, such slits are distributed according to a direction which is angled with respect to the main extension axis “X” comprised between 0° and 90°, preferably 45°. Furthermore, according to an embodiment not illustrated, the dosing portion 20 can further have a plurality of hemispherical shaped reliefs distributed in the same area (or in the same areas) in which the openings 21 are located, e.g. dispersed between the openings 21. Such reliefs can have a massaging function.

The dosing portion 20 is made of an elastically deformable material, preferably silicone. The gripping handle 30 can be made of any material, either elastically deformable (e.g. silicone, too) or rigid (e.g. rigid plastic). The dosing portion 20 and the gripping handle 30 extend about respective longitudinal axes, in particular they have a main extension direction along the respective longitudinal axis, and such axes coincide with a main extension axis “X” of the device 10 in the assembled configuration. Such main extension axis “X” further defines a mutual coupling direction between the dosing portion 20 and the handle 30.

The description of application EP3495014 is incorporated for reference purposes with particular reference to the aspects related to the dosing device.

According to the invention, the dosing portion 20 and the handle 30 can be removably coupled to one another by means of a threaded connection.

For that purpose, the dosing portion 20 and the gripping handle 30 have respective coupling portions 22, 31 arranged at an end of the dosing portion 20 and of the gripping handle 30, respectively, and shaped to be mutually coupled in a reversible way through screwing.

According to one aspect of the invention, the coupling portions 22, 31 define respective conical threads. In other words, the coupling portions 22, 31 have a tapered shape so that the respective threads have a variable diameter along the main extension axis “X” of the device 10.

In more detail, the coupling portion 22 of the dosing portion 20 has a tapered shape away from the central portion of the dosing portion 20 itself. The coupling portion 31 of the gripping handle 30, instead, has a tapered shape towards the central portion of the handle 30 itself, therefore with concavity facing outwards and configured in a counter-shaped way to the shape of the coupling portion 22 of the dosing portion 20.

As the dosing portion is made of elastically deformable material (silicone), it appears that the coupling portion 22 of the dosing portion 20 is also elastically deformable and therefore able to grip elastically onto the coupling portion 31 of the gripping handle 30.

According to a variant embodiment not illustrated, the coupling portion tapered towards the outside is made on the gripping handle rather than on the dosing portion, therefore with an opposite configuration with respect to the one illustrated in the figures and described above.

The coupling portion tapered towards the outside (therefore the coupling portion 22 of the dosing portion 20 in the embodiment illustrated) therefore has an outer thread whereas the other coupling portion 31 has an inner thread.

The mentioned outer thread is made by a relief 23 which extends continuously from a start to an end along a line which winds with a decreasing diameter along the axis “X” of the dosing device 1. Likewise, the mentioned inner thread is made by a groove 32 which extends continuously from a start to an end along a line which winds with a decreasing diameter along the axis “X” of the dosing device 1. Advantageously, the relief 23 defines, in the cross section (transversal or perpendicular to the extension line of the outer thread), a hook or prong shape. Such hook or prong shape is in particular configured to define a concavity facing the opposite side with respect to the inner end portion of the dosing portion 20, where such inner end portion can be considered as an end of the dosing portion 20 facing towards the gripping handle 30.

In other words, the relief 23 extends “backwards” with respect to the coupling direction of the dosing portion 20 with the gripping handle 30, in particular (in the cross section as illustrated in figure 3) along a direction inclined by an angle of inclination “a” having a magnitude less than 90° with respect to the main extension axis “X”, preferably such angle being comprised between 30° and 85°. Such “backwards” conformation defines, together with a main tubular shaped body of the coupling portion 22 of the dosing portion 20, the mentioned concavity (also facing “backwards”).

In a specular way, the groove 32 of the coupling portion 31 of the gripping handle 30 defines a concavity facing the inner end portion of the gripping handle 30, where such inner end portion can be considered as the end of the gripping handle 30 facing towards the dosing portion 20. Therefore, preferably, the groove 32 extends “forwards” with respect to the coupling direction of the gripping handle 30 with the dosing portion 20, in particular (in the cross section as illustrated in figure 3) along a direction inclined by an angle of inclination having a magnitude less than 90° with respect to the main extension axis “X”, preferably such angle being identical to the aforementioned angle of inclination “a” and comprised between 50° and 90°, and more preferably equal to about 70°. Such “forwards” conformation defines, together with a main tubular shaped body of the coupling portion 31 of the gripping handle 30, the mentioned concavity (also facing “forwards”).

Preferably, each of the aforesaid conical threads extends for a complete number of turns greater than 1.5, preferably comprised between 1 and 3 and more preferably equal to 2.5 (number of threads comprised between 1.5 and 5 threads and more preferably equal to 3).

Furthermore, each of said conical threads defines an angle of conicity “b” comprised between 2° and 20°, preferably comprised between 5° and 15° and more preferably equal to 6°.

In one embodiment, illustrated in the appended figures, the internal volume “V” is defined in part by a first chamber, internal to the gripping handle 30, and in part by a second chamber, internal to the dosing portion 20, wherein the two chambers are adapted to be in communication with one another in an assembled configuration of the device 1.

In this solution, optionally, the device 1 further comprises a cap (not illustrated) removably applicable to at least one of the two coupling portions 22, 31 for isolating the two chambers from one another in a transport configuration not intended for the dispensing of the fluid. In this way, the first chamber can act as a tank and the cap prevents any accidental dispensing of the fluid. According to a variant embodiment not shown, the gripping handle 30 is made of solid material and the internal volume “V” is defined, entirely or substantially entirely, by the internal chamber to the dosing portion 20 (e.g. leaving only the coupling portion 31 of the gripping handle 30 hollow).

The present invention achieves the proposed objects, overcoming the disadvantages complained of in the known art.

In fact, the creation of a conical shape for the threads enables a significant improvement in the threaded coupling, guaranteeing complete screwing also with the creation of the silicone dosing portion (whose friction and deformability tend to hinder screwing) and also with screwing angles greater than a full turn.

Furthermore, the hook or prong conformation of the threads optimizes the fluid seal thanks to the local deformation of the threads themselves, in particular if they are made of deformable material (silicone). Such effect is maximised in conjunction with the conical thread, whose reliability thanks to the complete screwing generates significant benefits in terms of contrasting accidental fluid leaks.