Device for the dosed filling of a container with a filling material

Abstract

A device for the dosed filling of a container with a filling material has a holding unit for holding the container and a filling unit by which a defined amount of filling material is withdrawn from a material store and transferred into the container. The filling unit has a dosing chamber. The dosing chamber is mounted displaceably alternately between a first position and in a second position. In its first position, the dosing chamber is in contact with the material store so that filling material can be transferred out of the material store into the dosing chamber. In its second position, the dosing chamber is situated above the container so that the filling material in the dosing chamber can be emptied into the container. The material store is in the form of a separate container and can be fastened detachably to the device by a fastening unit.

Claims

1. A device for metered filling of a drinking straw with a medicament, comprising: a receiving unit having a downwardly protruding tube for receiving the drinking straw with frictional engagement; a fastening unit for detachably fastening a material store; a filling unit, configured to remove a defined quantity of the medicament from the material store and transfer the defined quantity of the medicament into the drinking straw; and a counting unit, wherein the filling unit comprises at least one metering chamber, wherein the at least one metering chamber is rotatably mounted so that the at least one metering chamber is present alternately in a first position and in a second position, wherein in the first position the at least one metering chamber is in contact with the material store so that the medicament falls into the at least one metering chamber from the material store, wherein in the second position the at least one metering chamber is arranged above the drinking straw so that the medicament located in the at least one metering chamber falls into the drinking straw, and wherein the counting unit displays a number of changes in position of the at least one metering chamber.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one metering chamber includes a first metering chamber and a second metering chamber, wherein the first metering chamber and the second metering chamber are arranged alternately in their respective first position and in their respective second position, and wherein the first metering chamber and the second metering chamber are arranged in their respective second position in an identical position above the drinking straw.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the first metering chamber and the second metering chamber are displaceable in each case from their respective first position into their respective second position by a rotational movement.

4. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a funnel element arranged between the at least one metering chamber and an upper edge of the drinking straw.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the fastening unit for the material store has an inner thread.

6. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a printer unit.

7. A device for metered filling of a drinking straw with a medicament, comprising: a cover disc comprising an inner thread for receiving a medicament container having an outer thread; a plate including a receiving unit having a downwardly protruding tube for receiving the drinking straw with frictional engagement; a metering disc comprising a plurality of metering chambers rotatably arranged between the cover disc and the plate; a first funnel formed in the cover disc, a narrow side of the first funnel facing the metering disc and a wide side of the first funnel facing the inner thread; a second funnel formed in the plate, a narrow side of the second funnel facing the downwardly protruding tube and a wide side of the second funnel facing the metering disc; and a counting unit for counting and displaying a number of changes in position of the metering chambers.

8. A method, comprising: providing the device according to claim 7; providing the medicament container filled with the medicament in form of granules, pellets, or microcapsules; removing a screw lid from the medicament container; screwing the device, in an upside-down orientation, onto the medicament container; pushing the drinking straw onto the downwardly protruding tube; turning the device such that the medicament container is in an upside-down orientation; and rotating the metering disc.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention is described and explained hereinafter in detail with reference to exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic longitudinal section through a first embodiment of the device for the metered filling of a container, in which the individual metering chamber is located in its first position below the material store,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic longitudinal section through the device according to FIG. 1, in which the individual metering chamber is located in its second position above the container, and

(4) FIG. 3 shows a schematic longitudinal section through a second embodiment of the device, in which the first metering chamber is located in its first position below the material store and the second metering chamber is located in its second position above the container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) A first embodiment of the device 10 for the metered filling of a container is shown schematically in FIGS. 1 and 2. The device 10 has a container 20 as material store. In the container 20, a filling material 22 can be held in storage. The filling material 22 in the present exemplary embodiment is in the form of pellets which in each case contain a defined quantity of an active substance. Thus a uniform distribution may be achieved of the concentration of the active substance in the filling material 22.

(6) In the present example, the container 20 has an outer thread 24. A screw lid (not shown here) can be fastened to the outer thread 24, provided that the container 20 is not fastened to the device 10. In order to fasten the container 20 to the device 10, the screw lid is removed, and the container 20 is screwed with the outer thread 24 into the inner thread 26 of the cover disc 28 of the device 10. For this purpose, the device 10 is normally turned such that the container 20 with the outer thread 24 faces upwards and the cover disc 28 with the inner thread 26 faces downwards. In this state, the device 10 can be fastened to the container 20 without the filling material 22 being able to trickle out of the container.

(7) A metering disc 30 is located below the cover disc 28. In the present example, an individual metering chamber 32 is formed in the metering disc 30. The metering chamber 32 can receive a defined quantity of filling material 22. In the present example, the metering disc 30 can be moved to and fro in the longitudinal direction 34. In this way, the metering chamber 32 is transferred from its first position 36 shown in FIG. 1, underneath the material store 20, to a second position 38 shown in FIG. 2. From this second position 38, the metering chamber 32 can be moved back again to its first position 36.

(8) In its second position 38, the metering chamber 32 is located above the opening of a container 40 that is to be filled. In the present example, the container 40 is designed as a drinking straw. The drinking straw 40 is fastened by its upper edge region to a receiving unit 42. In the present example, the receiving unit 42 has a protruding tube over which the upper edge region of the drinking straw can be pushed and can be fastened with frictional engagement. To be able to remove the drinking straw 40 after filling and replace it with a new, empty drinking straw, the drinking straw 40 simply has to be pulled down from the receiving unit 42. A new drinking straw 40 can then be fastened to the receiving unit 42. In the present example, the receiving unit 42 is present on a stationary plate 44 underneath the metering disc 30. A funnel element in the form of a funnel-shaped opening 46 is formed in this stationary plate 44. This funnel-shaped opening 46 leads directly into the receiving unit 42.

(9) In the present example, the removal of the filling material 22 from the material store 20 is monitored by means of a counting unit 50. In the present example, the counting unit 50 determines the number of changes in position of the metering chamber 32. The counting unit 50 is connected to a printer unit 52. As a result, the result may be emitted via the printer unit 52 and thus recorded. In contrast to the exemplary embodiment shown here, the counting unit 50 and/or the printer unit 52 could also be dispensed with.

(10) A second embodiment of the device 12 is shown schematically in FIG. 3. The device 12 likewise has a container 20.2 configured as a material store, in which a filling material 22 is held in storage. In the present example, the container 20.2 has an outer thread 24.2. A screw lid (not shown here) can be fastened to the outer thread 24.2, provided that the container 20.2 is not fastened to the device 12. In order to fasten the container 20.2 to the device 12, the screw lid is removed, and the container 20.2 is screwed with the outer thread 24.2 into the inner thread 26.2 of the cover disc 28.2 of the device 12. Whereas the container 20 according to FIGS. 1 and 2 was positioned directly above the metering chamber 32, the cover disc 28.2 of the device 12 according to FIG. 3 is considerably thicker. In this way, a funnel element 60 can be formed in the cover disc 28.2. By virtue of the funnel element 60, the opening of the container 20.2 can have a considerably greater diameter.

(11) A metering disc 62 is located below the cover disc 28.2. In the present exemplary embodiment, two metering chambers 64, 66 are formed in the metering disc 62. The two metering chambers 64, 66 in each case may receive a specific quantity of filling material 22, wherein both metering chambers 64, 66 in each case may receive exactly the same quantity of filling material 22. The metering disc 62 in the present example may be rotated to and fro. Whilst in FIG. 3 the first metering chamber 64 is in its first position 68 below the material store 20, the second metering chamber 66 in FIG. 3 is in its second position 70 above the drinking straw 40 to be filled. After rotating the metering disc 62, the first metering chamber 64 would be located in its second position above the drinking straw 40 and the second metering chamber 66 in its first position below the material store 20.2. As in the case of the device 10 according to FIGS. 1 and 2, the device 12 according to FIG. 3 also has a stationary plate 44 with a funnel-shaped opening 46 and a receiving unit 42 for the drinking straw 40 below the metering disc 62.

(12) In the present example, the removal of the filling material 22 from the material store 20.2 is monitored by means of a counting unit 50. In the present example, the counting unit 50 determines the number of changes in position of the two metering chambers 64, 66. The counting unit 50 is connected to a printer unit 52 corresponding to FIG. 3. The result may be output, therefore, via the printer unit 52 and thus recorded. In contrast to the exemplary embodiment shown here, the counter unit 50 and/or the printer unit 52 could also be dispensed with.

(13) Generally, more than one filling of the metering chamber 32, 64, 66 is required in order to fill the desired quantity of filling material 22 and thus also the desired dose of active substance into the drinking straw 40. The metering disc 30, 62 is, therefore, generally repeatedly moved to and fro before the drinking straw 40 is removed. If the concentration of active substance in the filling material 22 is known, in this manner different quantities of active substance may be filled accurately.

(14) If other quantities of filling material are to be filled, a replacement of the metering disc 30, 62 and thus an adaptation of the size of the metering chambers 32, 64, 66 may also be possible. Optionally, the adaptation of the size of the metering chambers 32, 64, 66 could also be implemented by different inserts in the metering disc 30, 62.