DISPENSER FOR DISCHARGING PHARMACEUTICAL LIQUIDS

Abstract

A dispenser for discharging pharmaceutical liquids, in particular in the form of individual drops. Such a dispenser is designed as a side-actuation dispenser with an actuation button on the dispenser in the region of a lateral surface of the housing and has a liquid store, a pump device with a pump chamber which has a variable volume, and a dispensing opening for dispensing the liquid. The actuation button is a spring-loaded toggle switch, the volume of the liquid channel is reduced using an insert, and a special housing design is provided for the purpose of adapting the dispenser to the customer's needs.

Claims

1. A droplet dispenser for discharge of pharmaceutical liquids in the form of individual droplets, having the following features: a. the droplet dispenser has a liquid reservoir, a pump device having a volumetrically variable pump chamber, and a delivery opening for delivery of the liquid, and b. the droplet dispenser has a droplet formation surface surrounding the delivery opening, and c. the droplet dispenser has an elongate housing aligned in a main direction of extension, wherein the delivery opening is provided at a distal end of the dispenser, and d. the droplet dispenser has an actuating button which is provided in the region of an outer surface of the housing at the side of the dispenser and is depressible between an unactuated starting position and an actuated final position, and e. the volumetrically variable pump chamber is bounded on one side by a displaceable and/or deformable pump chamber wall connected to the actuating button in a connecting region in such a way that it reduces the size of the pump chamber through depression of the actuating button, and f. the droplet dispenser has a spring device that acts on the actuating button in a force input region and by which the actuating button is subjected to a force in the direction of its unactuated starting position, and g. the actuating button takes the form of a rocker button designed to be rockable with respect to the housing by rocking about a rocker axis.

2. The droplet dispenser as claimed in claim 1, having the following further feature: a. the rocker axis is provided at an opposite end of the rocker button from the delivery opening based on the main direction of extension.

3. The droplet dispenser as claimed in claim 1, having the following further feature: a. a detent is provided at the remote side of the rocker button from the rocker axis, and makes it difficult to depress the rocker button.

4. The droplet dispenser as claimed in claim 1, having the following further feature: a. the force input region and the connecting region are provided on the rocker button at different distances from the rocker axis.

5. The droplet dispenser as claimed in claim 1, having at least one of the following further features: a. an elastically deformable compensation section is provided between the rocker button and the displaceable and/or deformable pump chamber wall, and/or b. the pump chamber wall is formed by a deformable membrane part.

6. The droplet dispenser as claimed in claim 1, having the following further feature: a. at least one axis section accommodated in a bearing on the housing side is provided in the rocker button.

7. A dispenser for discharge of pharmaceutical liquids, for the dropwise discharge of pharmaceutical liquids in the form of individual droplets, having the following features: a. the dispenser has a liquid reservoir, a pump device having a volumetrically variable pump chamber, and a delivery opening for delivery of the liquid, and b. the dispenser has an elongate housing aligned in a main direction of extension, wherein the delivery opening is provided at the distal end of the dispenser, and c. the dispenser has an actuating button which is provided in the region of an outer surface of the housing at the side of the dispenser and is depressible between an unactuated starting position and an actuated final position, d. the dispenser has a channel section which is aligned in main direction of extension, which is provided downstream of the pump chamber between an outlet valve of the pump device and a delivery valve, and through which liquid can be conveyed to the delivery opening, and e. the dispenser has an insert inserted into the channel section from a distal end in order to reduce its free volume.

8. The dispenser as claimed in claim 7, having the following further features: a. the dispenser has a first housing component in which the channel section is provided, and b. the dispenser has a second housing component which is disposed at the distal end of the first housing component and which is penetrated by the delivery opening, and c. the insert is provided in the second housing component.

9. The dispenser as claimed in claim 8, having the following further features: a. the first housing component has a first circumferential land at its distal end, and b. the second housing component has a second circumferential land, and c. a sealing surface on the outside of the second circumferential land adjoins an inner face of the first circumferential land to form a circumferential seal region.

10. A dispenser for discharge of pharmaceutical liquids, for the dropwise discharge of pharmaceutical liquids in the form of individual droplets, having the following features: a. the dispenser has a liquid reservoir, a pump device having a volumetrically variable pump chamber, and a delivery opening for delivery of the liquid, and b. the dispenser has an elongate housing aligned in a main direction of extension, wherein the delivery opening is provided at the distal end of the dispenser, and c. the dispenser has an actuating button which is provided in the region of an outer surface of the housing at the side of the dispenser and is depressible between an unactuated starting position and an actuated final position, d. the housing has a first housing component that bounds at least sections of the pump chamber, and e. the housing has a second housing component penetrated by the delivery opening, and f. the housing has an outer housing component that at least partly surrounds the first and second housing components, wherein the second housing component projects out of the outer housing component through an aperture therein, and wherein an aperture for actuation of the actuating button is provided, and g. the outer housing component has no liquid-guiding surfaces at all that bound a liquid pathway between the liquid reservoir and the delivery opening.

11. The dispenser as claimed in claim 10, having the following further feature: a. the second housing component is secured between a distal end of the outer housing component and the distal end of the first housing component.

12. The dispenser as claimed in claim 10, having the following further features: a. the actuating button has a first button component, which is mounted on the first housing component so as to be movable, and/or which has a connecting region for connection to a displaceable pump chamber wall and/or which has a force input region for introduction of the force from the spring device, and b. the actuating button has a second button component mounted on the outside of the first button component and has a pressure surface for direct manual application of force.

13. The dispenser as claimed in claim 1, having the following further feature: a. the dispenser is designed as a droplet dispenser and has means for droplet formation downstream of the delivery opening.

14. The dispenser as claimed in claim 1, having the following further feature: a. the dispenser has a dispenser cap that can be placed onto the housing and protects the delivery opening when in place.

15. The dispenser as claimed in claim 1, having at least one of the following features: a. the difference between a maximum pump chamber volume and a minimum pump chamber volume is between 20 μl and 50 μl, and/or b. the quotient between a minimum pump chamber volume and a maximum pump chamber volume is not more than 1:2, and/or c. the dispenser has a delivery valve upstream of the delivery opening, and/or d. the liquid reservoir of the dispenser has an outer surface in one-piece form together with the housing surrounding the pump device, wherein a base in the form of a separate part is secured to the outer surface at an opposite end from the delivery opening, and/or e. the liquid reservoir is connected to a surrounding atmosphere by a ventilation channel, or the liquid reservoir has a variable internal volume and is bounded for the purpose by a flexible or displaceable wall.

16. The droplet dispenser as claimed in claim 3, wherein an actuating force of at least 10 newtons is required at the remote end of the rocker button from the rocker axis to overcome the detent.

17. The droplet dispenser as claimed in claim 4, wherein the force input region is further removed from the rocker axis than the connecting region, and/or the distance between the rocker axis and the force input region and the distance between the rocker axis and the connecting region differ from one another by at least 20% based on the smaller of the distances.

18. The dispenser as claimed in claim 13, wherein the means for droplet formation comprises a droplet formation surface which surrounds the delivery opening, and/or the dispenser has a coordination between the pump device and the means for droplet formation by way of which a complete actuation of the actuating button produces exactly one falling droplet.

19. The dispenser as claimed in claim 18, wherein the droplet formation surface is flat or concave in form, and/or is surrounded by a sharp break-off edge.

20. The dispenser as claimed in claim 14, wherein the dispenser cap is configured as a ventilated cap and has a ventilation opening through which the delivery opening is or can be connected to a surrounding atmosphere even with the dispenser cap in place, and/or the dispenser cap has a pad which, with the dispenser cap in place, is positioned over or on the delivery opening such that any liquid residue that remains downstream of the delivery opening is absorbed and/or decontaminated thereby.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] Further advantages and aspects of the invention are apparent from the claims and from the description that follows of preferred working examples of the invention, which are elucidated hereinafter with reference to the figures.

[0043] FIGS. 1A and 1B show a dispenser of the invention, comprising a main unit and dispenser cap in a non-sectional diagram.

[0044] FIGS. 2A and 2B show the dispenser in a cross section diagram together with the internal pump chamber which is bounded by a membrane part and a valve component.

[0045] FIGS. 3 and 4 show the dispenser in perspective cross section diagrams.

[0046] FIGS. 5 and 6 show the operation of actuating the dispenser.

[0047] FIG. 7 illustrates the assembly sequences of the individual parts of the dispenser.

[0048] FIG. 8 shows the coupling between the actuating button of the dispenser and the membrane part.

[0049] FIGS. 9 and 10 show details of the valve component and the membrane component.

[0050] FIG. 11 shows an alternative design of the dispenser.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE WORKING EXAMPLES

[0051] FIGS. 1A and 1B show a first working example of the dispenser of the invention in a non-section diagram together with its dispenser cap. The main unit of this configuration of the dispenser shown in FIG. 1A has an elongate housing composed of various housing constituents 30, 12, 52, 44 and aligned in a main direction of extension 2. As described hereinafter, a pump device 16 is provided within the housing, by means of which liquid can be conveyed from a liquid reservoir 14 at a proximal end of the dispenser 10 to a delivery opening 28 at a distal end of the dispenser 10. For actuation of the pump device 16, an actuating button 70 is provided.

[0052] The dispenser cap 100 shown in FIG. 1B can be placed by means of a thread onto the housing of the dispenser 10.

[0053] FIGS. 2A and 2B show the main unit of the dispenser 10 and the dispenser cap 100 in cross section view.

[0054] The main elements are to be described first with reference to this drawing.

[0055] As apparent in FIG. 2A, the main unit of the dispenser 10 consists of multiple housing portions, the first housing component 30 of which is the largest housing component and effectively constitutes a central carrier for further components of the dispenser. This housing component 30 provides the outer wall of the liquid reservoir 14 at its proximal end. It is the carrier for various components of the pump device, especially a membrane part 60 and a valve component 90 disposed on opposite sides of a pump chamber 20. The actuating button 70 is hinged so as to pivot about a rocker axis 6 in the first housing component 30. The actuating button 70 itself consists of two button components 76, 80, with the inner button component 80 connected to the membrane part 60 in the manner described hereinafter, such that the membrane part 60 can be depressed into the pump chamber 20 by means of the actuating button 70. A return spring 72 is provided between the button component 80 and the first housing component.

[0056] A second housing component 44 is joined on at the distal end of the first housing component 30. This second housing component 44 is provided at a fixed location in the first housing component 30 and, together therewith, seals off an interior within which a deformable delivery valve body 96 is disposed, to which is in turn assigned a delivery valve spring 98. A further housing component, the outer housing component 52, surrounds the housing components 30, 44 mentioned, with the housing component 44 projecting through an aperture 58 in the outer housing component 52 by an applicator tip 46, and with the outer housing component 52 having an aperture 56 in an outer surface 54 through which the actuating button 70 can be depressed in the manner illustrated by the arrow 8, in order thereby to displace the membrane part 60 in the direction illustrated by the arrow 4.

[0057] The dispenser is further elucidated by the perspective diagrams of FIGS. 3 and 4 and with reference to the details of FIGS. 8 to 10.

[0058] Before the discharge of liquid, the liquid is stored in the liquid reservoir 14, which, in the case of the working example of FIGS. 1A to 10, is bounded by an outer surface 15 which is part of the first housing component 30, and which is closed at the proximal end of the dispenser by a snap-in base 12. The dispenser 10 is typically used in an alignment in which the delivery opening 28 points downward, such that the liquid in the liquid reservoir 14 directly adjoins the valve component 90 during the actuation of the actuating button 70, namely at an inlet valve lip 92 of the inlet valve 18. In the case of reduced pressure in the adjoining pump chamber 20, the liquid can thus flow into the pump chamber 20. The pump chamber 20 itself is bounded by the valve component 90 mentioned, an annular housing section 36 of the first housing component 30, and the internally deformable membrane part 60 already mentioned.

[0059] If the membrane part is displaced in the direction of the arrow 4 and in the direction of the valve component 90, an elevated pressure is established in the pump chamber, which opens an outlet valve 22 by deflecting the outlet valve lips 94 thereof. The liquid can thus flow into a channel section 24 which is aligned in the main direction of extension 2 and leads as far as the distal end of the housing component 30. At this distal end of the housing component 30, two annular lands 32, 34 are provided. The outer land 32 has an internal diameter matched to an annular land 48 of the second housing component 44 in such a way that an interspace defined by the two housing components 30, 44 is insulated from the environment. At the annular land 48 of the second housing component 44, an appendage in the form of a lance is provided, which forms an insert 50 that projects into the channel section 24 and predominantly fills its volume. The liquid that has flowed through the channel section 24 of minimized volume as far as the second housing component 44 cannot directly escape here through the delivery opening 28, since the delivery opening 28 has an upstream delivery valve 26 comprising the delivery valve body 96 already mentioned, which is pressed against and hence closes the delivery opening 28 in a sealing manner by means of the delivery valve spring 98. With rising liquid pressure at the delivery valve 26, however, the delivery valve body 96 is deformed by the force of the delivery valve spring 98 and hence opens the liquid pathway, such that the liquid can escape through the delivery opening 28 under comparatively low pressure and forms a droplet at the droplet formation means provided beyond the delivery opening 28 in the form of a droplet formation surface 120. Only when this has a volume defined by the geometry of the means of droplet formation does it become detached, and hence it can be applied, for example, to an eye, a nostril or an ear of the user.

[0060] When the user releases the actuating button 70 after actuation, it is returned to its starting position by the spring device 72 configured, in the manner of a helical metal spring. The membrane part 60 is pulled therewith and the volume of the pump chamber 20 is increased again, such that liquid is sucked from the liquid reservoir 14 into the pump chamber 20. In order to prevent this from giving rise to a reduced pressure in the liquid reservoir 14, the dispenser 10 has a ventilation channel 110 which is provided with a sterile filter 112 and permits flow of further air from an environment into the liquid reservoir 14.

[0061] Both the valve component 90 mentioned and the membrane part 60 are each configured as a component produced by two-component injection molding. Each component has a rigid component section, namely a securing ring 91, 62, onto each of which is molded a component made of soft plastic. In the case of the enlarged valve component in FIG. 9, the soft plastic especially forms the components already mentioned for the inlet valve lip 92, and the outlet valve lip 94 that cannot be seen in FIG. 9 owing to the perspective. In the case of the membrane part 60, the constituents produced from soft plastic form a pump chamber wall 64 that points in the direction of the pump chamber 20, and a thicker middle portion that merges into a compensating section 66 and a connecting section 68 on the side remote from the pump chamber.

[0062] Again with reference to the cross section diagrams of FIG. 4, in which the outer button component 76 is absent, it is apparent that the connecting section 68 mentioned projects into the button component 80 in a connecting region 70A. It is secured here by a clamp connection. This clamp connection is elucidated in detail by FIG. 8, which shows a detail of the dispenser with button component 76 removed. As is apparent here, three apertures 82, 86 are provided in the button component 80. The aperture 82 is the actual coupling aperture. It is configured in the form of an elongate aperture, the opposite longitudinal sides of which form clamp faces 84 for definition of the connecting section. These are provided with sharp-edged profiling, which press from both sides into the connecting section 68 and hence create the desired firm clamp connection. The apertures 86 aligned in parallel thereto form assembly apertures that serve the purpose of enabling deflection of the lands between the coupling aperture and the assembly apertures during assembly without damage to these lands or other parts of the button component 80.

[0063] Likewise referring to FIG. 8, the securing of the button component 80 is elucidated. The button component 80 has two molded-on axis sections 74 that define the rocker axis 6. These axis sections 74 are mounted laterally in bearing loops 40 that are part of the first housing component 30. At the opposite end of the actuating button 70, it has two similarly configured guide loops 88, into which pins 42 of the first housing component 30 project. This prevents the spring device 72 from pushing the entirety of the button component 80 and the rocker button 70 out of the housing.

[0064] As is readily apparent from FIGS. 3 and 4, a connecting region 70A in which the button component 80 is connected to the connecting section 68 of the membrane part 60, and a force input region 70B in which the spring device 72 acts on the button component 76, are separated by different distances from the rocker axis 6. This firstly facilitates the assembly of the individual parts in the limited build space. Secondly, this advantageously allows matching of the design of the dispenser and the return force acting on the actuating button 70.

[0065] As can be seen from FIG. 8, the inner button component 80 shown therein is configured with particular regard to its technical function in terms of its shaping. In order nevertheless to achieve an esthetically pleasing configuration of the actuating button 70, the second, outer button component 76 is provided, connected to the inner button component 80 by means of a snap connection. Provided on this outer button component 76 is the pressure surface 78 on which a user places their thumb for the purpose of actuation.

[0066] As already elucidated, the dispenser shown is designed as a droplet dispenser. It is designed here such that actuation of the actuating button from an unactuated starting position to its actuated final position is to bring about the discharge of exactly one droplet. Accordingly, the pump chamber 20 is quite small and has a utilizable pump chamber volume, i.e. a difference between maximum volume and minimum volume of the pump chamber 20, of 40 μl.

[0067] The effect of this very small pump volume is that particular precautions have to be taken in order to put the dispenser into operation. As supplied, the dispenser has the pump chamber 20 filled with air. The liquid pathway from the pump chamber 20 to the delivery opening 28 is likewise filled with air.

[0068] For it to be possible at all, proceeding from this starting state, to displace the air from the pump chamber 20, the pump device 16 has a very small quotient between the minimum volume of the pump chamber 20 in the actuated state and the maximum volume of the pump chamber 20 in the unactuated state. This is illustrated by FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG. 5 shows the unactuated state. FIG. 6 shows the actuated state.

[0069] It is apparent that, in the actuated state, the membrane part 60 has been displaced far enough in the direction of the valve component 90 placed onto an annular opposing wall 38 in such a way that it comes into touch contact therewith. Where the membrane part 60 and the valve component 90 come into touch contact, no residual volume remains between them. It is further apparent that the pump chamber wall 64 which is formed by the membrane part 60, in the transformation to the actuated state, is partly upturned or rolled off, such that, toward the end of the actuation, it adjoins the annular housing section 36 or only a very narrow gap remains between them. The minimum volume of the pump chamber achievable thereby, which is shown in FIG. 6, is less than 2 μl. The quotient of minimum volume and maximum volume of the pump chamber 20 is thus below 1:20.

[0070] It is also apparent from FIGS. 5 and 6 that the rocking mobility of the actuating button has the effect that the connecting section 68 of the membrane part 60 is also correspondingly rocked. In order nevertheless to enable the very small minimum volume of the pump chamber 20 mentioned, the compensation section 66 is deformed in the manner shown in FIG. 6.

[0071] A similar problem to that with the pump chamber 20 is also apparent with regard to the liquid pathway to the delivery opening 28. Here too, it is advantageous if the volume is at a minimum in order that only little air is present here in the state as supplied, which has to be driven out prior to discharge.

[0072] Here, in particular, it is the configuration of the insert 50 already described that greatly reduces the volume, such that the air driven out from the pump chamber 20 in the direction of the channel section 24, after two to three actuating operations of the actuating button 70, has reached a sufficient pressure to open the delivery valve 26.

[0073] Also provided in FIGS. 5 and 6, shown by dotted lines, is an optional detent 37 that requires a minimum force on actuation. This is especially appropriate if the dispenser is designed for a pump volume lower than that required for purely gravitational detachment of the droplet. Given such small volumes, the pressure pulse generated by the abrupt pump chamber compression can nevertheless result in detachment of the droplet from the droplet formation surface 120.

[0074] The assembly sequence is elucidated hereinafter with reference to FIG. 7.

[0075] Proceeding from the first housing component 30, the valve component 90 is inserted first and secured by means of its securing ring 91 to the annular opposing wall 38 of the first housing component 30. Subsequently, the return spring 72 and the membrane part 60 are inserted, with the membrane part 60 firmly clamped to the outside of the annular housing section 36 by means of a securing ring 62, creating a liquid-tight connection.

[0076] Subsequently, the internal button component 80 is inserted, which is pressed here into the bearing loops 40 in the region of the axis sections 74 and pushed over the pins 42 provided in the first housing component 30 in the region of the guide loops 88. During the insertion of the button component 80, the coupling aperture 82 is widened by a spreader, such that the connecting section 68 of the membrane part can fit into the coupling aperture without deformation. Subsequently, the spreader is removed, and the clamp connection described is thus created.

[0077] Thereafter, a preassembled composite of deformable delivery valve body 96 and second housing component 44 is pushed onto the end face of the first housing component 30, preceded by placement of the delivery valve spring 98 on this end face, and with additional insertion of the insert 50 into the channel section 24 of the first housing component 30.

[0078] As the last manufacturing step, the outer housing component 52 is first pushed onto the composite of the preassembled parts, which also achieves securing of the first housing component 30 and the second housing component 44 to one another. Subsequently, the second button component 76 is pressed and snap-fitted onto the first button component 80.

[0079] The two latter components 52, 76 have no contact with liquid at all, and therefore do not affect the discharge characteristics of the dispenser. These two components 52, 76 are those components that can be adapted as intended with regard to shape and color, in order to be able to match the dispenser 10 to individual wishes of a manufacturer of pharmaceutical liquids.

[0080] FIG. 11 shows a second working example of a dispenser of the invention. This has just a single difference from the aforementioned dispenser, namely a configuration of the first housing component 30 and of the outer housing component 52 such that these permit coupling to a separate bottle body 130.