Dispensing Apparatus

Abstract

Dispensing apparatus is provided for delivering and/or dispensing a pre-determined amount of a product in use. The apparatus includes dispensing means having inlet means for allowing product to enter the dispensing means in use, outlet means for allowing product containable within the dispensing means in use to be dispensed therefrom during a dispensing action of the apparatus, and channel means provided between the inlet means and the outlet means for allowing product to move between the inlet means and the outlet means in use. Recess means are defined in the channel means. The dimensions of the recess means define or substantially define the pie-determined amount of product that can be delivered through the outlet means for each dispensing action of the apparatus. The inlet means and/or at least one aperture defined in the dispensing means is arranged and/or is of such dimensions that excess product contained in the channel means that cannot fit into the recess means is able to pass through said inlet means and/or said at least one aperture and out of the channel means in use prior to a dispensing action of product from the outlet means.

Claims

1. A dispensing apparatus for delivering and/or dispensing a pre-determined amount of a product in use, said apparatus including dispensing mechanism having an inlet for allowing product to enter the dispensing mechanism in use, an outlet for allowing product containable within the dispensing mechanism in use to be dispensed therefrom during a dispensing action of the apparatus, and a channel provided between the inlet and the outlet for allowing product to move between the inlet and the outlet in use, and wherein a recess is defined in the channel, dimensions of the recess defining or substantially defining the pre-determined amount of product that can be delivered through the outlet for each dispensing action of the apparatus, and wherein the inlet and/or at least one aperture defined in the dispensing mechanism is arranged and/or is of such dimensions that excess product contained in the channel that cannot fit into the recess is able to pass through said inlet and/or said at least one aperture and out of the channel in use prior to a dispensing action of product from the outlet.

2. The dispensing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the inlet and/or the outlet includes at least one aperture.

3. The dispensing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the recess is defined in a wall or walls of the channel, or is defined in the channel between the outlet and the inlet and/or the at least one aperture.

4. The dispensing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the inlet and/or the at least one aperture is defined in the channel a pre-determined spaced distance apart from the recess, is defined in the channel between the recess and the outlet, or is arranged transverse to the outlet.

5.-8. (canceled)

9. The dispensing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the outlet is provided at or adjacent a first end of the channel, and the inlet and/or at least one aperture are provided at a second end of the channel and/or at an end opposite to an end in which the outlet is defined.

10. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

12. The dispensing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the inlet, the at least one aperture and/or the one or walls defining the inlet and/or the at least one aperture have a narrowing taper from an external wall of the channel to an internal wall of the channel and/or vice versa, or are linear or substantially linear in form from the external wall of the channel to the internal wall of the channel.

13. (canceled)

14. The dispensing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein two or more inlets and/or apertures are defined in the channel, and wherein the two or more inlets and/or apertures are located at the same height and/or distance from the first and/or second ends of the channel, or are located at different heights and/or distances from the first and/or second ends of the channel.

15. (canceled)

16. The dispensing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the recess is suspended and/or supported within the channel and one or more further apertures or spaces are defined wholly or partially around the recess to allow excess product not contained within the recess to move past the recess in use.

17. The dispensing apparatus according to claim 16 wherein one or more arms are provided to support and/or suspend the recess within the channel.

18. The dispensing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus includes a deformable and/or flexible bottle, container or reservoir into which the dispensing mechanism and/or channel is/are located in use or integrally formed therewith and wherein the bottle, container or reservoir is arranged such that deformation or flexing of the same in use allows a volume of air or gas containable within the bottle, container or reservoir to be propelled through the inlet and/or the at least one aperture in the channel, along the channel and out through the outlet of the dispensing mechanism.

19. (canceled)

20. The dispensing apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the dispensing mechanism and/or channel are located in and fitted to the bottle, container or reservoir by friction fit, interference fit, snap fit, attachment, screw thread arrangement, protrusion/recess arrangement, snap fit connection, welding, adhesive or inter-engaging members.

21. The dispensing apparatus according to claim 18 wherein a cap, lid or closure are provided over the outlet of the dispensing mechanism and/or channel when in the bottle, container or reservoir when the apparatus is not in use or during a priming operation of the apparatus.

22. The dispensing apparatus according to claim 21 wherein a pin or protrusion member defined on an interior surface of the cap, lid or closure locates in an aperture of the outlet when said cap, lid or closure is engaged on or located with the outlet in use.

23-27. (canceled)

28. A method of using a dispensing apparatus for delivering and/or dispensing a pre-determined amount of a product in use, said apparatus including dispensing mechanism having an inlet for allowing product to enter the dispensing mechanism in use, an outlet for allowing product containable within the dispensing mechanism in use to be dispensed therefrom during a dispensing action of the apparatus, and a channel provided between the inlet and the outlet for allowing product to move between the inlet and the outlet in use, and wherein said method includes the steps of moving product through the inlet and into the channel of the dispensing mechanism, allowing product contained within the channel to move into the recess defined in the channel, dimensions of the recess defining or substantially defining the pre-determined amount of product that can be delivered through the outlet for each dispensing action of the apparatus, allowing excess product contained in the channel that cannot fit into the recess to move through the inlet and/or at least one aperture and out of the channel prior to dispensing product contained within the recess from the outlet.

29. A method according to claim 28 wherein the dispensing mechanism is located in a bottle, container or reservoir in use, said bottle, container or reservoir is inverted prior to a dispensing action to allow product contained within the bottle, container or reservoir to pass through the inlet and into the channel of the dispensing mechanism, and wherein the bottle, container or reservoir is returned to an upright or starting position after inverting so as to allow product contained within the channel to fall into the recess prior to a dispensing action.

30. (canceled)

Description

[0070] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein:

[0071] FIGS. 1a and 1b show metered dose dispensing apparatus with a lid fitted and the lid removed respectively according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0072] FIGS. 2a and 2b show an external view and a cross sectional view of a channel member forming part of the metered dose dispensing apparatus respectively according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0073] FIGS. 3a and 3b show an external view and a cross sectional view of the lid for the dispensing bottle according to an embodiment of the present invention respectively;

[0074] FIG. 4 shows a table with experimental results illustrating the dispensing action accuracy of dispensing apparatus according to the present invention;

[0075] FIGS. 5a-5c show a cross sectional view, an external view and an end view from the outlet means end of the dispensing apparatus according to a further embodiment of the present invention respectively.

[0076] Referring firstly to FIGS. 1a-3b, there is illustrated metered dose dispensing apparatus 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention comprising a deformable bottle 4. The bottle 4 has a base 6, a top 8 and side walls 10.

[0077] A channel member 12 is located in bottle 4. The channel member 12 is substantially elongate in form having outlet means provided at a first end 14 and a second blind, opposite end 16.

[0078] A hollow channel 18 is defined through channel member 12 between an outlet aperture 20 defined at first end 14 and a recess 22 defined adjacent second blind end 16. The recess 22 is of such dimensions and shape so as to contain a pre-determined amount of a composition. The hollow channel 18 in this example is linear in form.

[0079] Channel member 12 has an outwardly protruding flange 24 provided a spaced distance apart from first end 1. A lower surface 25 of flange 24 sits on the top surface 8 of bottle 4 in use. The outlet means has a narrowing taper from flange 24 towards first end 14 to allow the outlet means to be at least partially located in a cavity in which the composition is to be dispensed in use, such as for example, the nasal cavity of a human.

[0080] A section 26 of channel member 12 adjacent and below flange 24 is of slightly larger dimensions than a section 28 adjacent second end 16. The external dimensions of section 26 are slightly smaller than the internal dimensions of a neck section 30 of bottle 4 located below top surface 8 to allow a snug friction fit engagement between the channel member 12 and the bottle 4 in use.

[0081] A pair of further apertures 32 are defined in section 28 of channel member 12 above recess 22. The apertures 32 are in communication with hollow channel 18 and the bottle 4.

[0082] In the illustrated example, the apertures 32 are substantially of the same dimensions and shape and are located substantially opposite to each other in side walls of the channel member 12. The apertures 32 are shown as being substantially linear in form but could have a narrowing and/or broadening taper to allow composition to pass therethrough in a particular direction with greater ease if required.

[0083] Each further aperture 32 is typically in the form of a channel 32′ having an opening 34 defined on an external surface of channel member 12 and an opening 36 defined on an internal surface of a wall defining hollow channel 18. The further aperture channel 32′ is provided substantially perpendicular to hollow channel 18. The internal opening 36 of further aperture 32 is located directly above an opening 38 of recess 22. A wall of channel 32′ is substantially level or flush with the opening 38 of recess 22. As such, any excess composition that is not located in recess 22 typically passes through further apertures 32 located either side of recess 22.

[0084] The recess 22 in the illustrations is located in line and co-axial with hollow channel 18.

[0085] Closure means in the form of a cap 40 is provided over top 8 of bottle 4 in use. In this example, the cap 40 is a screw cap having an internal threaded screw arrangement 42 for engagement with a complementary threaded screw arrangement 44 provided on an outer surface of neck section 30 of bottle 4 in use.

[0086] A plurality of rib members 46 are provided on an external surface of cap 40 adjacent a lower edge 48 thereof to allow easy gripping of the cap 40 by a user to rotate the cap into and out of engagement with the bottle 4 in use.

[0087] A pin 50 is located on an inner surface 52 of top 54 of cap 40 and protrudes inwardly and/or downwardly of top 54. With the cap 40 located on top 8 of bottle 4, the pin 50 locates in outlet aperture 20 of channel member 12, thereby preventing composition from exiting the channel member 12.

[0088] Tamper evident means 56 are provided on cap 40 that engage with a plurality of outwardly protruding ribs 58 on neck section 30 of bottle 4. In the illustrated example, the tamper evident means 56 is in the form of a ring that is attached by frangible means or portions 60 to lower surface 48 of cap 40. However, other tamper evident means could be provided if required.

[0089] An inner surface of ring engages with the protruding ribs 58 on the neck section of bottle 4. On rotation of cap 40 relative to bottle 4, the inner surface of the ring remains in engagement with the protruding ribs 58 and the rotating force breaks frangible portions 60, thereby allowing release and separation of cap 40 from the tamper evident ring. Detachment of the tamper evident ring from cap 40 allows a user to determine whether the cap 40 has previously been opened.

[0090] In the illustrated example, a powdered composition is typically contained in bottle 4. The level of the composition contained in bottle 4 is typically below second end 16 of channel member 12. This allows air and composition to pass easily through further apertures 32 in use without obstruction.

[0091] In use of the metered dose dispensing apparatus 2, the bottle 4 is normally located in an upright starting or storage position, as shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b. In this position, the base 6 of bottle 4 is located on a surface or is located below top surface 8. The composition contained within the bottle 4 is therefore resting on base 6 below channel member 12.

[0092] A user undertakes a priming action to fill recess 22 with composition. In order to do this, the user inverts bottle 4, such that base 6 is above top 8. The user may need to tap and/or shake the bottle a few times to move the composition from the bottle, through the further apertures 32 and into the channel member 12. The composition cannot exit the outlet aperture 20 because cap 40 is in place on bottle 4. The user then returns the bottle 4 to the starting, upright position and taps and/or shakes the same. This allows composition contained in the channel member to fall into recess 22, and excess composition that is not contained in recess 22 to pass out through further apertures 32 of channel member 12 and back into the bottle. The bottle is now primed with a metered dose of the composition. The user removes cap 40 from bottle 4 so that the bottle 4 is ready for use.

[0093] The user then locates the top end 14 of the channel member 12 in or just below their nasal cavity and squeezes the side walls 10 of bottle 4 towards each other. This action pushes air contained in bottle 4 through further apertures 32. As air passes opening 38 of recess 22, it entrains composition located in recess 22 in the airflow and carries the composition along channel 18, out through outlet aperture 20 and into the nasal cavity. Thus, the metered close is typically delivered from the bottle with the bottle located in a substantially upright position, thereby increasing the ease with which delivery of a composition can be made into a cavity, such as the nasal cavity.

[0094] As described in the applicant's previous patent, if the powdered composition contains HPMC, this powder forms a gel like substance on contact with moisture in the mucosa of the nasal cavity.

[0095] The dispensing apparatus of the present invention provides accurate and reproducible dispensing of a metered dose. This is illustrated in the table shown in FIG. 4. Ten 15 ml bottles (labelled 1-10) were partially filled with a powdered composition containing a mixture of HPMC and mint. The recess 22 in the channel member 12 was arranged so as to contain a metered dose of 800 mg of the powdered composition. The weight of each bottle with its powdered content was measured and recorded in column 2. The number of metered dosages contained in each bottle was recorded in column 3. The weight of the bottle with its powdered content was measured after a dispensing action and was recorded in column 4. This allowed the weight of the metered dose delivered during the dispensing action to be calculated, as shown in column 5. The % accuracy of the dose delivered as a measure of average weight of powder delivered is shown in column 6. It can be seen than the average % accuracy is 0.004, thereby providing sufficient accuracy in metered dose to prevent over dosing or under dosing with the composition.

[0096] An alternative embodiment of the channel member 12 is shown in FIGS. 5a-5c. In this embodiment the second end 16 is not a blind end as with the previous embodiment but is provided with the further apertures 32 surrounding the recess 22. The recess 22 is supported substantially centrally of hollow channel 18 via support arms 100 just above second end 16. As such, excess composition not contained in recess 22 falls out through second end 16 through further apertures 32.

[0097] It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the dimensions of the recess can be changed to allow different dosages of composition to be contained therein, thereby changing the metered dose that can be delivered via the apparatus.

[0098] The further apertures are arranged on the channel member such that they do not interfere with the engagement of the channel member with the neck of the bottle and allow excess composition that is not contained within the recess of the channel member to move into and out of the channel member.

[0099] The metered dose apparatus of the present invention could be used with any other suitable composition dispensing apparatus, such as for example a liquid dropper and/or the like.