Dip tube

Abstract

A dip tube (10) for extracting a fluid (102) from a bottle (104) comprises an adapter (12) configured to be at least partially inserted into a neck (106) of the bottle (104) and being provided with a connecting port (38) which is configured to be connected to a suction device (118), an elongated hollow withdrawal tube (14) which has a cross-sectional area that is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the adapter (12) and which is configured to protrude from the adapter (12) into a fluid receiving space (108) of the bottle (104), when the adapter (12) is inserted in the bottle neck (106), and which is arranged in fluid communication with the connecting port (38) of the adapter (12), and a sealing disc (52) extending from an outer circumferential surface (54) of the withdrawal tube (14) and being configured to abut against an inner surface (128) of the bottle (104) so as to seal the fluid receiving space (108) of the bottle (104).

Claims

1. A dip tube for extracting a fluid from a bottle, the dip tube comprising: an adapter configured to be at least partially inserted into a bottle neck of the bottle and being provided with a connecting port which is configured to be connected to a suction device, an elongated hollow withdrawal tube which has a cross-sectional area that is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the adapter and which is configured to protrude from the adapter into a fluid receiving space of the bottle, when the adapter is inserted in the bottle neck, and which is arranged in fluid communication with the connecting port of the adapter, and a sealing disc extending from an outer circumferential surface of the elongated hollow withdrawal tube and being configured to abut against an inner surface of the bottle so as to seal the fluid receiving space of the bottle, wherein the sealing disc is provided with a spillage prevention opening configured to allow a passage of fluid therethrough upon positioning the sealing disc within the bottle.

2. The dip tube according to claim 1, wherein the sealing disc extends substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the elongated hollow withdrawal tube.

3. The dip tube according to claim 1, wherein the spillage prevention opening is designed in the form of a notch extending from an outer circumferential surface of the sealing disc in the direction of a central portion of the sealing disc.

4. The dip tube according to claim 1, wherein the adapter comprises a stopper flange configured to abut against an upper rim of the bottle neck, wherein the stopper flange in particular is configured to allow the fastening of a preferably child resistant bottle closure cap to the bottle with the adapter being inserted in the bottle neck.

5. The dip tube according to claim 4, wherein the dip tube comprises a first sealing device configured to sealingly abut against at least one of the upper rim of the bottle neck and an inner surface of an end face of the bottle closure cap, wherein the first sealing device in particular comprises at least one of: a first sealing rib having: a first portion extending from a first surface of the stopper flange and being configured to sealingly abut against the inner surface of the end face of the bottle closure cap, and a second portion extending from a second surface of the stopper flange and being configured to sealingly abut against the upper rim of the bottle neck, and a second sealing rib extending from a surface of the adapter which faces away from the bottle when the adapter is inserted in the bottle neck and being configured to sealingly abut against the inner surface of the end face of the bottle closure cap, the second sealing rib in particular extending concentrically with the first portion of the first sealing rib.

6. The dip tube according to claim 5, wherein the adapter comprises a plug portion configured to be received within the bottle neck, and wherein the dip tube preferably is provided with a second sealing device configured to sealingly abut against an inner surface of the bottle neck, wherein the second sealing device comprises: a third sealing rib extending from an outer circumferential surface of the plug portion, and a fourth sealing rib extending from the outer circumferential surface of the plug portion at a distance from the third sealing rib.

7. The dip tube according to claim 1, wherein the adapter, in a region arranged adjacent to the elongated hollow withdrawal tube, is designed in such a manner that a cross-sectional area of the adapter decreases in a direction towards an end face of the adapter which faces the elongated hollow withdrawal tube.

8. The dip tube according to claim 1, wherein the elongated hollow withdrawal tube comprises a first portion which faces the adapter and a second portion which faces away from the adapter, an outer dimension of the first portion being larger than an outer dimension of the second portion and/or a wall thickness of the first portion being larger than a wall thickness of the second portion.

9. The dip tube according to claim 1, wherein the dip tube is designed in the form of a one-piece component and/or wherein the dip tube is made of polyolefine, in particular low density polyethylene.

10. An administration system, comprising: a bottle having a fluid receiving space and a bottle neck, and a dip tube according to claim 1, the dip tube being configured to be inserted into the bottle in order to extract a fluid, in particular a medication, from the bottle.

11. The administration system according to claim 10, further comprising a suction device having a connecting element adapted to be connected to the connecting port of the dip tube adapter.

12. A dip tube for extracting a fluid from a bottle, the dip tube comprising: an adapter configured to be at least partially inserted into a bottle neck of the bottle and being provided with a connecting port which is configured to be connected to a suction device, an elongated hollow withdrawal tube which has a cross-sectional area that is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the adapter and which is configured to protrude from the adapter into a fluid receiving space of the bottle, when the adapter is inserted in the bottle neck, and which is arranged in fluid communication with the connecting port of the adapter, and a sealing disc extending from an outer circumferential surface of the elongated hollow withdrawal tube and being configured to abut against an inner surface of the bottle so as to seal the fluid receiving space of the bottle, wherein a spillage channel is formed in the adapter, the spillage channel having an access opening formed in a surface of the adapter which faces away from the bottle when the adapter is inserted in the bottle neck.

13. The dip tube according to claim 12, wherein the spillage channel extends around the connecting port of the adapter.

14. The dip tube according to claim 12, wherein the elongated hollow withdrawal tube comprises a first portion which faces the adapter and a second portion which faces away from the adapter, an outer dimension of the first portion being larger than an outer dimension of the second portion and/or a wall thickness of the first portion being larger than a wall thickness of the second portion.

15. The dip tube according to claim 12, wherein the dip tube is designed in the form of a one-piece component and/or wherein the dip tube is made of polyolefine, in particular low density polyethylene.

16. An administration system, comprising: a bottle having a fluid receiving space and a bottle neck, and a dip tube according to claim 12, the dip tube being configured to be inserted into the bottle in order to extract a fluid, in particular a medication, from the bottle.

17. A dip tube for extracting a fluid from a bottle, the dip tube comprising: an adapter configured to be at least partially inserted into a bottle neck of the bottle and being provided with a connecting port which is configured to be connected to a suction device, an elongated hollow withdrawal tube which has a cross-sectional area that is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the adapter and which is configured to protrude from the adapter into a fluid receiving space of the bottle, when the adapter is inserted in the bottle neck, and which is arranged in fluid communication with the connecting port of the adapter, and a sealing disc extending from an outer circumferential surface of the elongated hollow withdrawal tube and being configured to abut against an inner surface of the bottle so as to seal the fluid receiving space of the bottle, wherein the adapter is provided with a vent hole which is configured to establish a venting path between the fluid receiving space of the bottle and an ambient atmosphere, wherein the vent hole extends from an end face of the adapter which faces the elongated hollow withdrawal tube to a bottom surface of a spillage channel formed in the adapter.

18. The dip tube of claim 17, wherein the spillage channel has an access opening formed in a surface of the adapter which faces away from the bottle when the adapter is inserted in the bottle neck.

19. The dip tube according to claim 17, wherein the elongated hollow withdrawal tube comprises a first portion which faces the adapter and a second portion which faces away from the adapter, an outer dimension of the first portion being larger than an outer dimension of the second portion and/or a wall thickness of the first portion being larger than a wall thickness of the second portion.

20. The dip tube according to claim 17, wherein the dip tube is designed in the form of a one-piece component and/or wherein the dip tube is made of polyolefine, in particular low density polyethylene.

21. An administration system, comprising: a bottle having a fluid receiving space and a bottle neck, and a dip tube according to claim 17, the dip tube being configured to be inserted into the bottle in order to extract a fluid, in particular a medication, from the bottle.

Description

(1) A preferred embodiment of the invention now will be described in greater detail with reference to the appended schematic drawings, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a three-dimensional view of a dip tube for extracting a fluid from a bottle,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a three-dimensional top view of the dip tube according to FIG. 1,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a side view of the dip tube according to FIG. 1,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the dip tube according to FIG. 1,

(6) FIG. 5 shows a detailed view of a first sealing rib of the first sealing device of the dip tube depicted in FIG. 4,

(7) FIG. 6 shows an administration system comprising the dip tube according to FIGS. 1 to 6, and

(8) FIGS. 7a-f illustrate the use of the administration system according to FIG. 7.

(9) FIGS. 1 to 6 illustrate a dip tube 10 for use in an administration system 100 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 for extracting a fluid 102 from a bottle 104. The dip tube 10 comprises an adapter 12 and an elongated hollow withdrawal tube 14. The withdrawal tube 14 has a cross-sectional area that is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the adapter 12. The dip tube 10 is designed in the form of a one-piece component and made of low density polyethylene. As becomes apparent from FIGS. 6 and 7, in use in the administration system 100, the dip tube 10 is inserted into the bottle 104 in such a manner that a part of the adapter 12 is inserted into a neck 106 of the bottle 104 and the withdrawal tube 14 protrudes from the adapter 12 into a fluid receiving space 108 of the bottle 104.

(10) As shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, the adapter 12 comprises a plug portion 16 which is configured to be received within the bottle neck 106. In order to allow the plug portion 16 of the adapter 12 to be inserted into the bottle neck 106, an outer contour of the plug portion 16 is adapted to an inner contour of the bottle neck 106. In the embodiment of the dip tube 10 shown in the drawings, the dip tube 10 is designed for insertion into a bottle 104 having a bottle neck 106 with a circular cross-section. Therefore, the plug portion 16 of the adapter 12 also has a substantially circular cross-section. In particular, the plug portion 16 of the adapter 12 is configured to be inserted and fit into a PP18 mm bottle neck-finish.

(11) In a region 16a adjacent to the withdrawal tube 14, the adapter 12, i.e. the plug portion 16 of the adapter 12, is designed in such a manner that a cross-sectional area of the adapter 12 decreases in a direction towards an end face 17 of the adapter 12 which faces the withdrawal tube 14. In the embodiment of the dip tube 10 shown in the drawings, wherein the plug portion 16 of the adapter 12 has a substantially circular cross-section and a substantially circular cylindrical shape, the adapter region 16a with a decreasing cross-sectional area has a substantially frustro conical shape.

(12) The adapter 12 further comprises a stopper flange 18 which, in the embodiment of the dip tube 10 as shown in the drawings, radially protrudes from the plug portion 16 of the adapter 12 in the region of a proximal end thereof. When the dip tube 10 is inserted in the bottle 104, the stopper flange 18 of the adapter 12 abuts against an upper rim 110 of the bottle neck 106 and hence limits an insertion depth of the adapter 12 into the bottle neck 106. The design of the stopper flange 18 is adapted to the design of the bottle neck 106, i.e. the stopper flange 18 is of a ring-shaped design, wherein an outer diameter of the stopper flange 18 is selected in such a manner that the stopper flange 18 is securely supported by the upper rim 110 of the bottle neck 106, but does not or at least not substantially extend beyond an outer circumferential surface of the bottle neck 106. Further, an extension of the stopper flange 18 in a direction along a central longitudinal axis Ln of the bottle neck 106 is <1 mm.

(13) This design of the stopper flange 18 allows the fastening of a bottle closure cap 112 to the bottle 104 with the adapter 12 being inserted in the bottle neck 106. Hence, the dip tube 10 may remain inserted in the bottle 104 after the first use of the bottle 104, i.e. after extracting a first dose of fluid 102 from the bottle 104 with the aid of the dip tube 10, see in particular FIGS. 7e-f. In the embodiment of a bottle 104 shown in the drawings, the bottle closure cap 112 is designed in the form of a child resistant bottle closure cap. In the region of its inner surface, the bottle closure cap 112 is provided with a thread that is adapted to interact with a complementary thread 114 provided in the region of an outer circumferential surface of the bottle neck 106.

(14) As shown in particular in FIGS. 4 and 5, the dip tube 10 comprises a first sealing device 20 which is configured to sealingly abut against the upper rim 110 of the bottle neck 106 and, when the closure cap 112 is screw fastened to the bottle neck 106 with the dip tube 10 being inserted in the bottle 104 as illustrated in FIG. 7f, to also sealingly abut against an inner surface of an end face 116 of the bottle closure cap 112. The first sealing device 20 comprises a ring-shaped first sealing rib 22 that has a first portion 24 and a second portion 26, see in particular FIG. 5.

(15) The first portion 24 of the first sealing rib 22 extends from a first surface 28 of the stopper flange 18 which faces the inner surface of the end face 116 of the bottle closure cap 112, when the dip tube 10 is inserted in the bottle 104 and the closure cap 112 is screw fastened to the bottle neck 106 as illustrated in FIG. 7f. In a region adjacent to the first surface 28 of the stopper flange 18, the first portion 24 of the first sealing rib 22 has a width w1 that is larger than a width w2 of a tip region 32 of the first portion 24 of the first sealing rib 22. When the dip tube 10 is inserted in the bottle 104 and the closure cap 112 is screw fastened to the bottle neck 106, the first portion 24 of the first sealing rib 22 sealingly abuts against the inner surface of the end face 116 of the bottle closure cap 112 and hence forms a seal between the first surface 28 of the stopper flange 18 and the inner surface of the end face 116 of the bottle closure cap 112.

(16) The second portion 26 of the first sealing rib 22 extends from a second surface 30 of the stopper flange 18 which is arranged opposite to the first surface 28 and which faces the upper rim 110 of the bottle neck 106, when the dip tube 10 is inserted in the bottle 104. A width w3 of the second portion 26 of the first sealing rib 22 is smaller than the width w1 of the first portion 24 of the first sealing rib 22 in a region adjacent to the first surface 28 of the stopper flange 18 and smaller than a width of the upper rim 110 of the bottleneck 106, but larger than the width w2 of the first portion 24 of the first sealing rib 22 in its tip region 32. When the dip tube 10 is inserted in the bottle 104, the second portion 26 of the first sealing rib 22 sealingly abuts against the upper rim 110 of the bottle neck 106 and hence forms a seal between the second surface 30 of the stopper flange 18 and the upper rim 110 of the bottle neck 106.

(17) In the embodiment of the dip tube 10 shown in the drawings the first sealing device 20 comprises only one first rib 22 with a first and the second portion 24, 26. It is, however, also conceivable that the first sealing device 20 comprises a plurality, in particular two first ribs 22, one extending from the first surface 28 of the stopper flange 18 and one extending from the second surface 30 of the stopper flange 18. The two first ribs 22 may be arranged offset relative to each other and may also have different shapes in dependence on the design of the bottle neck 106 and the design of the bottle closure cap 112.

(18) The first sealing device 22 further comprises a second sealing rib 34 that extends from a surface 36 of the adapter 12 which faces away from the bottle 104 when the adapter 12 is inserted in the bottle neck 106 and hence extends coplanar with the first surface 28 of the stopper flange 18. Like the first sealing rib 22, the second sealing rib 34 is also of a ring-shaped design, extends concentrically with the first portion 24 of the first sealing rib 22 and surrounds a connecting port 38 which is formed in the adapter 12 and which will be described in greater detail below. When the dip tube 10 is inserted in the bottle 104 and the closure cap 112 is screw fastened to the bottle neck 106 as illustrated in FIG. 7f, the second sealing rib 34 of the first sealing device 20 sealingly abuts against the inner surface of the end face 116 of the bottle closure cap 112 and hence forms a seal between the surface 36 of the adapter 12 and the inner surface of the end face 116 of the bottle closure cap 112.

(19) The dip tube 10 further comprises a second sealing device 40 which is configured to sealingly abut against an inner surface of the bottle neck 106 and in particular to form a press fit with the inner surface of the bottle neck 106, when the adapter 12 is inserted in the bottle neck 106. The second sealing rib comprises a third and a fourth sealing rib 42, 44. The ring-shaped third sealing rib 42 extends from an outer circumferential surface 46 of the plug portion 16 of the adapter 12 and is provided with a flattened tip in order to enlarge the contact area with the inner surface of the bottle neck 106. The fourth sealing rib 44 is also ring-shaped and provided with a flattened tip and extends from the outer circumferential surface 46 of the plug portion 16 of the adapter 12 at a distance from the third sealing rib 42. The third and the fourth sealing rib 42, 44 have an outer diameter which slightly exceeds an inner diameter of the bottle neck 106. Further, since the dip tube 10 and hence also the third and the fourth sealing rib 42, 44 are made from low-density polyurethane, the third and the fourth sealing rib 42, 44 are slightly compressible.

(20) The connecting port 38 which is formed in the adapter 12 is configured to be connected to a suction device 118 which, in the embodiment of an administration system 100 shown in the drawings, is designed in the form of an oral administration syringe. The connecting port 38 therefore has a design that is adapted to a design of a connecting element, i.e. a tip 120 of the suction device 118 which is intended to be inserted into the connecting port 38. In particular, the connecting port 38 has a tapered inner surface, i.e. an inner diameter of the connecting port 38 decreases in a direction of the through-opening 48 extending through the adapter 12. The connecting port 38 thus is suitable to firmly receive the section device tip 120 which is provided with a complementary tapered outer surface. The through-opening 48 has a constant inner diameter which is smaller than a minimum inner diameter of the connecting port 38. Thus, a shoulder 50 formed in a transition region between the connecting port 38 and the through-opening 48 defines an abutting surface for interacting with a front end face of the suction device tip 120 in order to limit an insertion depth of the suction device tip 120 into the connecting port 38.

(21) As becomes apparent in particular from FIGS. 6 and 7d-f, the withdrawal tube 14 has a length which allows the withdrawal tube 14 to protrude from the adapter 14 into the fluid receiving space 108 of the bottle 104, when the dip tube 10 is inserted in the bottle 14 and the adapter 12 is arranged in its final position in the bottle neck 106. The fluid receiving space 108 of the bottle 104 is defined by the maximum fluid filling level of the bottle 104 upon delivery. Further, the withdrawal tube 14 has a proximal first portion 14a which faces the adapter 12 and a distal second portion 14b which faces away from the adapter 12. An outer dimension, i.e. an outer diameter, of the first portion 14a is larger than an outer dimension, i.e. an outer diameter, of the second portion 14b. In addition, the first portion 14a has a wall thickness that is larger than a wall thickness of the second portion 14b.

(22) The withdrawal tube 14, i.e. an inner lumen of the hollow withdrawal tube 14, is arranged in fluid communication with the connecting port 38 of the adapter 12 via the through-opening 48. Hence, fluid withdrawn from the bottle 104 via the withdrawal tube 14 can be transferred to the connecting port 38 and further to a container 126 of the suction device 118 the tip 120 of which is connected to the connecting port 38.

(23) The dip tube 10 further comprises a sealing disc 52 which extends substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis Lw of the withdrawal tube 14 from an outer circumferential surface 54 of the withdrawal tube 14. The sealing disc 52 which, in the embodiment of a dip tube 10 shown in the drawings, is designed in the form of circular plate, is configured to abut against an inner surface 128 of the bottle 104 so as to seal the fluid receiving space 108 of the bottle 104, see in particular FIG. 6. In the embodiment of a dip tube 10 shown in the drawings, the sealing disc 52 extends from the outer surface 54 of the withdrawal tube 14 in such a position along the length of the withdrawal tube 14 that the sealing disc 52 is arranged slightly above an upper end surface of the fluid receiving space 108 of the bottle 104 in a transition region between the bottle neck 106 and a bottle portion having an enlarged cross-sectional area as compared to the bottle neck 106. When the dip tube 10 is inserted in the bottle 104, the sealing disc 52 thus forms a physical “separation wall” which substantially separates the fluid receiving space 108 from a remaining part of the bottle 104.

(24) The sealing disc 52 is provided with a spillage prevention opening 56 which is configured to allow a passage of fluid 102 therethrough upon inserting the dip tube 10 into the bottle 104 and hence positioning the sealing disc 52 within the bottle 104. In the embodiment of a dip tube 10 as depicted in the drawings, the spillage prevention opening 56 is designed in the form of a notch extending radially inwards from an outer circumferential surface 58 of the sealing disc 52 in the direction of a central portion of the sealing disc 52.

(25) The adapter 12 of the tube 10 is provided with a spillage channel 60. The spillage channel 60 has an access opening 62 formed in the surface 36 of the adapter 12 which faces away from the bottle 104 when the adapter 12 is inserted in the bottle neck 106 and serves to collect fluid 102 which is inadvertently received on the adapter surface 36, for example upon disconnecting the tip 120 of the suction device 118 from the connecting port 38 of the adapter 12. In the embodiment of the dip tube 10 shown in the drawings, the spillage channel 60 has a ring-shaped cross-section and concentrically extends around the connecting port 38. Further, the spillage channel 60, in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis La of the adapter 12, extends along more than 80% of the length of the adapter 12.

(26) Finally, the adapter 12 of the dip tube 10 is provided with a vent hole 64 which establishes a venting path between the fluid receiving space 108 of the bottle 104 and an ambient atmosphere when the dip tube is inserted in the bottle 104. In particular, the vent hole 64 extends from the end face 17 of the adapter 12 which faces the withdrawal tube 14 to a bottom surface 66 of the spillage channel 60.

(27) The administration system 100 according to FIG. 6 comprises the dip tube 10, the bottle 104 and the suction device 118. In the embodiment of an administration system 100 shown herein, the bottle 104 is a 30 ml amber glass bottle, a 5 ml amber glass bottle or a 20 ml amber glass bottle provided with a PP18 mm bottle neck-finish. The fluid 102 received within the bottle 104 contains a liquid medication for oral administration.

(28) The use of the administration system 100 is depicted in greater detail in FIGS. 7a-f. The bottle 104 with the fluid 102 in the form of a liquid medication for oral administration contained therein, the dip tube 10 and the suction device 118 are delivered as separate components. In a first step, the child resistant closure cap 116 is unscrewed from the bottle neck 106, see FIGS. 7a-b. Thereafter, the dip tube 10 is inserted into the bottle 104 until the adapter 12 of the dip tube 10 is firmly received within the bottle neck 106 and the second surface 28 of the stopper flange 18 abuts against the upper rim 110 of the bottle neck 106.

(29) Upon attaching the dip tube 10 to the bottle 104, the frustro conical region 16a of the adapter plug portion 16 simplifies the insertion of the adapter 12 into the bottle neck 106. Further, due to the interaction of the frustro conical region 16a of the adapter plug portion 16 with the inner surface of the bottle neck 106, the adapter 12 is guided into the desired position relative to the bottle neck 106 until the adapter has reached its final position within the bottleneck 106. Further, upon inserting the adapter 12 into the bottle neck 106, the third and the fourth sealing rib 42, 44 of the second sealing device 40 are slightly compressed so as to finally form a press fit with the inner surface of the bottle neck 106. Hence, the adapter 12 can be inserted into the bottle neck 106 with a convenient insertion force, whereas, however, a high detachment force would be required for detaching the adapter 12 from the bottle neck 106.

(30) Upon inserting the dip tube 10 into the bottle 104 the sealing disc 52 which radially extends from the outer surface 54 is positioned within the bottle 104 slightly above the upper end surface of the fluid receiving space 108 of the bottle 104 in the transition region between the bottle neck 106 and the bottle portion having an enlarged cross-sectional area as compared to the bottle neck 106. Fluid 102 that comes into contact with the sealing disc 52 upon positioning the sealing disc 52 within the bottle 104 may first pass through the spillage prevention opening 56 and later flow back into the fluid receiving space 108 of the bottle 104 when the sealing disc 52 has reached its final position within the bottle 104. As a result, spillage and hence leakage of fluid 102 upon positioning the sealing disc 52 within the bottle 104 is prevented.

(31) In order to allow the bottle 104 to be emptied as far as possible, the length of the withdrawal tube 14 is adjusted to the dimensions of the bottle 104 such that the withdrawal tube substantially extends to a bottom 124 of the bottle 104. Further, due to the design of the withdrawal tube 14 with a large diameter/large wall thickness proximal first portion 14a and a small diameter/small wall thickness distal second portion 14b, the distal second portion 14b of the withdrawal tube 14 is deformable to a certain extent upon abutting against an inner surface of the bottom 124 of the bottle 104, while the first portion 14a of the withdrawal tube 14 provides for the desired stability and structural integrity of the withdrawal to 14, in particular upon inserting the dip tube 10 into the bottle 104.

(32) In order to extract a dose of the medication fluid 102 from the bottle 104, the suction device 118 is connected to the dip tube 10 by bringing the tip 120 of the suction device 118 into engagement with the connecting port 38 formed in the adapter 12. Thereafter, fluid 102 can be sucked into the container 126 of the suction device 118 by actuating a plunger 132 of the suction device 118, while the bottle 104 remains in its upright position. The fluid 102 which is sucked into the container 126 with the first suction stroke, however, may contain gas bubbles, i.e. air bubbles that would affect the dosage accuracy for the liquid medication. If need be, the fluid 102 therefore may be discharged back into the bottle 104 and sucked into the container 126 again several times until the fluid 102 is substantially free from at least large air bubbles. Air introduced into the bottle 104 in the course of this repeated discharge of fluid 102 back into the bottle 104 and sucking of fluid 102 from the bottle 104 into the container 126 may vent from the interior of the bottle 104 via the vent hole 64. Hence, overpressurization of the bottle 104 and spillage of fluid 102 from the bottle 104 can be prevented.

(33) After extracting a dose of the medication fluid 102 from the bottle 104 by means of the suction device 118, the suction device 118 is detached from the connecting port 38 of the dip tube adapter 12 and the bottle closure cap 112 is again fastened to the bottle neck 106, while the dip tube 10 remains inserted in the bottle, see FIG. 8e. The design of the adapter 12 and in particular the design of the stopper flange 18 ensures that the screw fastening of the bottle closure cap 112 to the bottle neck 106 is not affected by the presence of the adapter 12. Fluid 102 which may, in the course of detaching the suction device 118 from the adapter 12, inadvertently be applied to the first surface 22 of the stopper flange 18 is collected in the spillage channel 60 and, via the vent hole 64, discharged back into the interior of the bottle 104.

(34) The sealing disc 52 which forms a physical “separation wall” extending between the fluid receiving space 108 and an opening 130 of the bottle 104, prevents fluid contained in the fluid receiving space 108 from inadvertently flowing in the direction of the opening 130 of the bottle 104, for example when the bottle 104 is tumbled down. Further, due to the presence of the second sealing device 40, fluid is prevented from leaking from the system 100 via a leakage path between the outer surface 46 of the plug portion 16 and the inner surface of the bottle neck 106.

(35) In addition, when the bottle closure cap 112 is properly secured to the bottle neck 106, the bottle closure cap 112 applies a slight pressing force to the adapter 12 of the dip tube 10. As a result, the second portion 26 of the first sealing rib 22 is pressed against the upper rim 110 of bottle neck 106 so as to form a seal. This sealing interaction of the second portion 26 of the first sealing rib 22 with the upper rim 110 of the bottle neck 106 further improves the leakage proofness of the administration system 100, since it prevents any residual fluid droplets which may be present in the region of the upper rim 110 of the bottle neck 106 from leaking from the system 100.

(36) Moreover, the inner surface of the end face 116 of the bottle closure cap 112 sealingly interacts with both the first portion 24 of the first sealing rib 22 and the second sealing rib 34 of the first sealing device 20. While the second sealing rib 34 prevents fluid 102 from leaking from the bottle 104 via the connecting port 38 of the adapter 12, the first portion 24 of the first sealing rib 22 prevents fluid which is collected in the spillage channel 60 but still not discharged back into the interior of the bottle 104 via the vent hole 64, from leaking from the system 100. As a result, leakage proofness of the administration system 100 is insured even in case the bottle 104 with the dip tube 10 inserted therein is inadvertently tumbled down.