Discharger

Abstract

A discharger for discharging a predetermined amount of fluid from a separate container including a discharge section defining a longitudinal axis and having a proximal end and a distal end and having a discharge passage for the fluid extending between an inlet opening and an outlet opening of the discharge section. The discharger further includes an intermediate section including a distal portion cooperating with the proximal end of the discharge section and a proximal portion defining a receiving space which is adapted to be loaded with the separate container holding an amount of fluid to be discharged by the discharger. The distal portion and the proximal portion are formed in one piece and are interconnected by a breakable section.

Claims

1. A discharger for discharging a predetermined amount of fluid from a separate container, comprising: a discharge section defining a longitudinal axis and having a proximal end and a distal end and having a discharge passage for the fluid extending between an inlet opening and an outlet opening of the discharge section; and an intermediate section comprising a distal portion engaging the proximal end of the discharge section and a proximal portion defining a receiving space configured to be loaded with the separate container holding an amount of the fluid to be discharged by the discharger, the distal portion and the proximal portion being formed in one piece and are interconnected by a breakable section, and after breakage of the breakable section, the distal portion is configured to act as a piston configured to displace the fluid in the separate container.

2. The discharger according to claim 1, wherein the breakable section comprises a predetermined breaking area configured to break upon applying an axial force to the intermediate section.

3. The discharger according to claim 1, wherein after breakage of the breakable section the proximal portion of the intermediate section is movable relative to the distal portion of the intermediate section along the longitudinal axis between a starting position and a final discharge position.

4. The discharger according to claim 3, wherein in the starting position, the proximal portion of the intermediate section at least partially protrudes from the distal portion of the intermediate section and receives the distal portion to be guided through the proximal portion when the proximal portion is being moved towards the distal end of the discharge section and towards the final discharge position.

5. The discharger according to claim 3, wherein the distal portion of the intermediate section comprises an activator configured to establish a flow connection for the fluid from within the receiving space of the proximal portion of the intermediate section to the inlet opening of the discharge section.

6. The discharger according to claim 5, wherein the flow connection is established automatically after breakage of the breakable section by moving the proximal portion of the intermediate section relative to the distal portion of the intermediate section along the longitudinal axis from the starting position towards the distal end of the discharge section and towards the final discharge position.

7. The discharger according to claim 6, wherein the activator is configured to not enable the flow connection for the fluid from within the receiving space of the proximal portion of the intermediate section to the inlet opening of the discharge section before breakage of the breakable section or in the starting position.

8. The discharger according to claim 7, wherein the activator is positioned at least partially inside the proximal portion of the intermediate section so as to protrude into the receiving space and beyond the receiving space when the proximal portion is being moved from the starting position towards the final discharge position.

9. The discharger according to claim 5, wherein the activator is sealingly fitted within the proximal portion of the intermediate section so as to prevent at least substantial fluid leakage through the breakable section after breakage.

10. The discharger according to claim 5, wherein the activator is shaped at least approximately complementary to an inner wall portion of the container configured to be loaded within the receiving space so as to minimize a residual amount of the fluid contained within the container when the proximal portion of the intermediate section is in the final discharge position.

11. The discharger according claim 1, wherein the proximal portion of the intermediate section has a receiving end with an insertion opening, the receiving space being accessible through the insertion opening, the proximal portion is configured to be loaded within the container by enabling the container to be slid through the insertion opening into the receiving space and the receiving space is dimensioned such that when loaded, the container at least partially protrudes from the proximal portion.

12. The discharger according to claim 11, wherein inside the proximal portion of the intermediate section a transition portion is provided which serves as a stop for the container being loaded into the receiving space.

13. The discharger according to claim 1, further comprising the container, the container including the predetermined amount of fluid to be discharged by the discharger.

14. The discharger according to claim 1, wherein the discharge section comprises projections.

15. A method comprising: operating a discharger according to claim 1 to discharge the fluid, the fluid including at least one medical, dental or veterinary agent the amount of the fluid lying in the range of 0.1 to 5 ml.

16. The discharger according to claim 1, wherein the container is a cartridge or a capsule, the container including a predetermined amount of the fluid to be discharged by the discharger, the container having a generally cylindrical outer shape, and the fluid inside the container being protected from environmental influences by a breakable seal or the container has a distal end face at least a part of which being formed by the breakable seal.

17. The discharger according to claim 1, wherein the discharge section comprises projections molded on or being integrally formed with the discharge section.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the amount of the fluid is approximately 0.5 ml.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will be explained in more detail hereinafter with reference to the drawings.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a discharger comprising a container according to the present disclosure,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view along the longitudinal axis of the discharger of FIG. 1, and

(4) FIG. 3 shows the discharger of FIG. 2 with the proximal portion of the intermediate section in the final discharge position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

(5) In the following the same reference numerals will be used for parts having the same or equivalent function. Any statements made having regard to the direction of a component are made relative to the position shown in the drawing and can naturally vary in the actual position of application.

(6) FIG. 1 shows a discharger 10 comprising a discharge section 12 defining a longitudinal axis A.sub.L, an intermediate section 24 and a container 50. The discharge section 12 has a proximal end 14 and a distal end 16 and includes wing-like projections 44 being approximately situated in the middle between the proximal end 14 and the distal end 16. The projections 44 are in the shape of a finger flange and, for example, are integrally formed with the discharge section 12 by injection molding. On its distal end 16 the discharge section 12 comprises a distal end portion 46 defining an outlet opening 22. The distal end portion 46 can, for example, be an individual part fixed (e.g. welded) to the discharge section 12, or it can be integrally formed with the discharge section 12, e.g. by injection molding. In this embodiment, the distal end portion 46 is designed as a spray head, preferably for a large area application. However, the distal end portion 46 can be adapted to the type and site of application and can also comprise a needle (cannula), a brush, a sponge, a pipette or the like.

(7) The intermediate section 24 comprises a proximal portion 28 and a distal portion 26 being formed in one piece and being interconnected by a breakable section 32. The breakable section 32 is located at a distal end 29 of the proximal portion 28 and has the shape of a tearable film or a web. The breakable section 32 is made of the same material as the proximal portion 28 and the distal portion 26.

(8) The distal portion 26 of the intermediate section 24 has a receiving end 48 with an opening 49 for receiving the proximal end 14 of the discharge section 12. The proximal end 14 is merely plugged into the distal portion 26 without further securing the connection by welding or gluing.

(9) The proximal portion 28 of the intermediate section 24 also has a receiving end 38 with an insertion opening 40 and defines a receiving space 30 which is adapted to be loaded with a separate container 50. The container has a proximal end 57 and is plugged into the receiving space 30 by sliding the container 50 through the insertion opening 40.

(10) In total, the discharger 10 includes three individual parts, namely the discharge section 12, the intermediate section 24 and the container 50. In general, the distal end portion 46 can be a further individual part, too.

(11) The distal portion 26 of the intermediate section 24 comprises a sealing lip 25 disposed circumferentially around the distal portion 26. The sealing lip 25 is defined by a circumferential area of the distal portion 26 being larger in diameter than the remaining distal portion 26.

(12) FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the discharger 10, wherein for the purpose of improved visualization, the distal end 16 as well as the distal end portion 46 of the discharge section 12 have been omitted.

(13) FIG. 2 reveals that the distal portion 26 of the intermediate section 24 further comprises an activation means or device 34 enclosed by the proximal portion 28 of the intermediate section 24. The activation device 34 is in the shape of a piercing-tip having a dome-shaped contour 35 being essentially complementary to an inner wall portion 56 of the container 50. The activation device 34 further comprises a flow channel 36 providing a flow connection to an inlet opening 20 of a discharge passage 18 centrally running inside the discharge section 12 along the longitudinal axis A.sub.L. The flow channel 36 is centrally located within the dome-shaped activation device 34 and further comprises two separated deformable ridge-like protrusions 37 located adjacent to an entry opening of the flow channel 36. The flow channel 36 extends along the longitudinal axis A.sub.L.

(14) FIG. 2 moreover reveals that the container 50 comprises a fluid reservoir 51 holding an amount of fluid 52 to be discharged. The container 50 further comprises a distal end face 58 formed by a breakable seal 54. The inner wall portion 56 of an inner wall 59 of the container 50 is rotationally symmetric and approximately complementary to the dome-shaped contour 35 of the activation device 34.

(15) In addition, it can be seen that the receiving space 30 is defined by an area between the receiving end 38 and a transition portion 42 serving as a stop for the container 50 when being loaded into the receiving space 30. Only roughly one seventh of the total length of the container 50 is received in the receiving space 30. The rest of the container 50 protrudes from the receiving end 38 of the proximal portion 28.

(16) FIG. 3 shows the discharger 10 with the proximal portion 28 in its final discharge position, i.e. the proximal portion 28 has been fully moved towards the distal end 16 (cf. FIG. 1) of the discharge section 12. In this position, the breakable section 32 (cf. FIGS. 1 and 2) is broken and the distal portion 26 of the intermediate section 24 is located in the fluid reservoir 51 of the container 50. The seal 54 has been pierced and the fluid 52 has been displaced by the activation device 34. The deformable ridge-like protrusions 37 (cf. FIG. 2) have been compressed such that the activation device 34 and the inner wall portion 56 of the container 50 establish a form-fitting connection.

(17) It can be further seen, that the sealing lip 25 of the distal portion 26 tightly fits to the inner wall 59 of the container 50, thereby preventing fluid leakage of the container 50 past the receiving end 48 of the distal portion 26. The complementary shapes of the inner wall portion 56 of the container 50 and the contour 35 of the activation device 34 ensure that virtually no residual amounts of fluid 52 remain within the container 50.

(18) For operating the discharger 10, i.e. to discharge the fluid 52 inside the container 50 through the discharge passage 18 out of the outlet opening 22, the proximal portion 28 together with the container 50 protruding from the receiving end 38 needs to be pushed towards the distal end 16.

(19) When the proximal portion 28 is in an initial position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the breakable section 32 is still intact and the activation device 34 is still positioned spaced apart from the seal 54 of the container 50. In other words, the activation device 34 does not yet protrude into the fluid reservoir 51 of the container 50.

(20) When applying an axial force to the proximal portion 28 of the intermediate section 24 by actuating the proximal end 57 of the container 50 like a push button which can be pushed by the user with a thumb while counteracting this actuation by holding the projections 44 with two fingers behind these projections 44, in a first step, the breakable section 32 breaks and the proximal portion 28 is transferred into its starting position. In the starting position the proximal portion 28 is moveable relative to the distal portion 26 along the longitudinal axis A.sub.L towards the distal end 16 of the discharge section 12. In a second step, for discharging the fluid 52 the user has to deliberately push the container 50 towards the distal end 16.

(21) In general, the movement of the proximal portion 28 between the initial position and the starting position and further towards the final discharge position preferably can be adapted to be a flowing movement, such that the fluid can be discharged uniformly.

(22) While the proximal portion 28 together with the container 50 moves towards the distal end 16, the deformable ridge-like protrusions 37 initially punctuate the seal 54 while the dome-shaped activation device 34 then pierces the seal 54. The activation device 34 enters into the fluid reservoir 51 of the container 50, thereby urging the fluid 52 out of the container 50 through the flow channel 36 being connected to the discharge passage 18. Due to the complementary shapes of the activation device 34 and the inner wall portion 56 of the container 50 the fluid 52 can only escape through the flow channel 36. Since the distal portion 26 sealingly fits into the fluid reservoir 51 by the sealing lip 25, leakage of fluid past the distal portion 26 is prohibited at any time.

(23) In general, the discharger 10 may be fabricated from any suitable material. Preferably, the material can be plastic. The material may be selected from the group comprising polypropylene, cyclic olefin polymer, polyethylene, polyamide, polybutylene terephthalate and polymethyl methacrylate. Alternatively, the material may be glass, metal or an alloy.

(24) It is particularly preferred that the discharger 10, i.e. each of the container 50, the intermediate section 24 and the discharge section 12, may be fabricated by injection molding as injection-molded part.

(25) With respect to one common classification applied in the medical, dental or veterinary field or the health care sector, the discharger as provided by the present disclosure belongs to the group consisting of systems without projection cap.