CARTRIDGE FOR A DISPENSING DEVICE

Abstract

A cartridge for a dispenser, has at least one non-inherently rigid elongate film pouch and has a chamber for receiving a material, having a head part interacting with the film pouch and having an inherently rigid insert connected to the film pouch facing the head part, wherein the insert is arranged radially within the head part at least in regions. The insert and the head part are connected in a form-fitting and/or force-fitting manner. An outwards facing surface of the insert interacts in regions radially (R) with an inward facing surface of the head unit in a connection region transversely to a longitudinal direction (L) of the insert. The surface of the insert and of the head part have, in the connection region, a larger diameter in a region facing away from the head part than in a region facing the head part in the longitudinal direction (L), respectively.

Claims

1. A cartridge for a dispensing device, comprising: at least one non-inherently rigid elongate film pouch, a chamber for receiving a material, a head part for interacting with the film pouch and an inherently rigid insert which is connected to the film pouch on a side facing the head part, wherein the insert is arranged radially inside the head part at least in regions and a connection device is provided, by which the insert can be connected to the head part in a form-fitting and/or force-fitting manner, wherein the insert has at least one first connecting element of the connecting device and the head part have at least one second connecting element, wherein the insert, in a longitudinal direction (L) in a connection region, interacts, by a surface which at least in regions faces radially (R) outwards, with a surface of the head part which, at least in regions, faces radially (R) inwards, wherein the surface of the insert and the surface of the head part, in the connection region, have a larger diameter in a region facing away from the head part in the longitudinal direction (L) than in a region facing the head part in the longitudinal direction (L).

2. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the insert and the head part are substantially complementary to one another in the connection region.

3. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the insert and the head part are conical in the connection region, an angle of from 1 to 15 in cross-section in each case being present between the surface of the insert and the surface of the head part in the connection region and the longitudinal direction (L).

4. The cartridge according to claim 3, wherein the angle is between 2 and 10.

5. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the insert has a convex shape in the connection region and the head part has a concave shape in the connection region.

6. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the connecting device is designed as a latching connection or a snap connection.

7. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first connecting element of the connection device has at least one latching lug which interacts with the second connecting element of the head part which is designed as a recess.

8. The cartridge according to claim 7, wherein the insert has a plurality of latching lugs which can be brought into engagement with one or more recesses in the head part.

9. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein, transversely to the longitudinal direction (L), at least one first connecting element of the insert has an oversize relative to the at least one second connecting element of the head part.

10. The cartridge according to claim 9, wherein the oversize is less than 1%, of a diameter of the film pouch.

11. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein a region of the head part having the at least one second connecting element of the head part and facing in the longitudinal direction a base region of the film pouch has, in an unloaded base position, a distance to a shoulder of the insert in the longitudinal direction (L), such that a movement of the insert relative to the head part in the longitudinal direction (L) is made possible.

12. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the insert has a passage closed by a cover.

13. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the film pouch is formed by a cylindrical film tube which is closed at the bottom by a base part.

14. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the head part is designed to connect at least two inserts.

15. The cartridge according to claim 10, wherein the oversize is less than 0.6% of a diameter of the film pouch.

Description

[0043] In the figures, identical and equivalent components are provided with the same reference signs. In the figures:

[0044] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section through a cartridge according to the invention in an exploded view;

[0045] FIG. 2 is a simplified sectional view of a detail of the cartridge according to FIG. 1 in the assembled position, whereby a connecting device for connecting an insert to a head part can be seen in more detail;

[0046] FIG. 3 is a simplified sectional view of the cartridge according to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 in an unloaded state, wherein an interaction region of the insert with the head part can be seen in more detail;

[0047] FIG. 4 shows a detail, corresponding to FIG. 3, of the cartridge according to FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, wherein a state in the case is shown of an external force being applied to the film pouch by a piston of a dispensing device; and

[0048] FIG. 5 is a simplified three-dimensional view of the insert of the cartridge according to FIG. 1 to FIG. 4 in isolation.

EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

[0049] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a cartridge 10 in a longitudinal section.

[0050] The cartridge 10 comprises a head part 12, two covers 14, two inserts 16 and two film pouches 18.

[0051] The film pouches 18 are inherently non-rigid and each have a cylindrical and substantially elongate shape. The film pouches 18 each delimit a chamber 20, wherein the insert 16 defines an opening 22. The chamber 20 is in particular sealingly closable by the film pouch, the insert 16 and the cover 14. The two film pouches 18 differ, like the inserts 176 and the covers 14, in terms of their dimensioning or their diameter, but are comparable as regards their structure. For example, cross-sections of the film pouches 18 have a cross-sectional area ratio of 1:3 or 1:5, wherein the cross-sectional area ratio of the film pouches 18 can in principle be selected as desired. In addition, the film pouches 18 have a substantially comparable length in the longitudinal direction L.

[0052] In the embodiment shown, the film pouch 18 is formed by a base part 24 and a film tube 26. The base part 24 has a base 28 and a collar 30 extending around the base 28. The film tube 26 is attached on the outside of the collar 30 by welding or gluing. In principle, the film tube 26 can also be attached to the inside of the collar 30 by welding or gluing.

[0053] The film tube 26 can be produced, for example, from a film by gluing or welding edge regions. It is also possible for a prefabricated film tube or a prefabricated film pouch to be used.

[0054] The base 28 is, for example, circular, such that the chamber 20 is cylindrical. In principle, however, any shape of the base 28 is conceivable, for example rectangular or polygonal.

[0055] The insert 16 is inherently rigid and internally at least partially inserted through the opening 22 into the corresponding chamber 20 of an associated film pouch 18, wherein the film tube 26 can be connected to the insert 16 externally in particular via a welding method. The cover 14 is preferably likewise connected to the insert 16 via a welding method.

[0056] The insert 16, which can be seen in more detail in FIG. 2 to FIG. 5, has a curved profile on an inner face 38 facing the chamber 20 so that the chamber 20 tapers toward the head part 12.

[0057] On a side facing the head part 12 in the longitudinal direction L, the insert 16 has a surface 46 at which the cover 14 is connected. The surface 46 is arranged obliquely in relation to a transverse direction running perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L, so that the insert 16 is conical in this region. The surface 46 facing the head part 12 forms an angle of, for example, approximately 15-35 to the horizontal H.

[0058] The inner face 38 of the insert 16 facing the chamber 20 encloses a passage 60 which tapers in the direction of the head part 12.

[0059] In principle, the insert 16 is annular, so that it can be coupled to the cylindrical film tube 26.

[0060] The inner face of the film tube 26 is connected to the insert 16, the film tube 26 being connected to an outer face 42 of the insert 16 in the horizontal direction H. The film tube 26 is preferably welded or glued to the insert 16.

[0061] The cover 14 is provided between the head part 12 and the insert 16, as can be seen from FIG. 1. In the assembled state of the cartridge 10, the cover 14 rests in radially outer regions on the surface 46.

[0062] The cover 14 is connected to the insert 16, for example by welding or gluing, and closes the passage 60. Accordingly, the cover 14 closes the chamber 20, so that the chamber 20 is preferably completely sealed in the assembled state of the cover 14.

[0063] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the head part 12 has two receptacles 66, in each case an insert 16 being connectable to a receptacle 66.

[0064] The receptacle 66 further comprises an expansion region 74 which is designed as a depression in the receptacle 66 and, as can be seen in FIG. 1, forms an expansion space 74 which has an expansion height 90.

[0065] The head part 12 also has an outlet nozzle 76 with an outlet opening 78 and an outlet channel 80. The outlet opening 78 is in fluidic connection with the expansion space 74 and the receptacle 66 via the outlet channel 80.

[0066] The outlet nozzle 76 shown in FIG. 1 has two outlet channels 80 which are in fluidic connection with the respective receptacle 66 and are separated from one another by a partition 82 which extends from a connecting piece 84 separating the receptacles 66 to the outlet opening 78.

[0067] It is possible for the two outlet channels 80, as shown in FIG. 1, to have different cross-sections, in particular different diameters, in order to set a desired mixing ratio of the materials in the individual film pouches.

[0068] The outlet nozzle 76 also has a thread 86 by means of which an attachment (not visible) can be attached to the outlet opening 78 of the head part 12.

[0069] A connecting device 200, which can be seen in FIG. 2 to FIG. 5, is provided for the form-fitting connection of the insert 16 to the head part 12. For this purpose, the insert 16 has at least one first connecting element 201 designed as a latching lug and the head part 12 has at least one second connecting element 202 designed as a counter-latching element. In the invention, the at least one second connecting element 202 is designed as a recess or groove in the head part 12 and is in particular designed to be complementary to the connecting element 201 designed as a latching lug, but can also be designed, for example, in the form of a uniform groove.

[0070] The insert 16 or the film pouch 18 can in the mounted state be secured on the head part 12 in a simple manner by means of the connecting device 200.

[0071] As can be seen in more detail in FIG. 5, for example, the insert 16 of the invention has a single connecting element 201 which extends completely all around in the circumferential direction and is designed to interact with a completely circumferential recess or groove 202 in the head part 12.

[0072] In an alternative embodiment to this, it can also be provided that the insert 16 has multiple connecting elements, for example six latching lugs, distributed in the circumferential direction, which interact in particular with a corresponding number of grooves or recesses in the head part. The positions of the connecting elements in relation to one another can be coordinated here and distributed uniformly or non-uniformly over the relevant circumference. A non-uniform distribution has the advantage that the connection of the insert 16 to the head part 12 is possible only in a defined position and thereby only one orientation is possible.

[0073] The connecting device 200 according to FIG. 5 is designed to be detachable, i.e., the latching lug 201 can be reversibly brought into engagement with the recess 202 of the head part 12. The latching lug 201 can be coordinated with the design of the head part 12 in the region of the recess 202 in such a way that the latching lug 201 releases from the recess 202 in the head part 12 when a force acting in the longitudinal direction L in a direction pointing away from the head part 12 exceeds a defined limit value. As a result, damage to the head part 12, the insert 16 and the film pouch 18 can be prevented and renewed attachment of the insert 16 to the film pouch 18 on the head part 12 can be achieved.

[0074] In the unloaded state of the film pouch 18 according to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, i.e., without an external force acting on the film pouch 18 from a piston of a dispensing device, in a connecting region 204 extending in the longitudinal direction L by means of a first surface 206, which faces outwards in the radial direction R at least in regions, the insert 16 interacts with a surface 208 of the head part 12 which faces inwards in the radial direction R at least in regions.

[0075] The insert 16 is conical in the region of the first surface 206, wherein the insert 16 has a larger diameter in a region facing the base part 24 than in a region facing the head part 12. Comparably, the head part 12 in the region of the receptacle 66 in the connection region 204 is radially on the inside, wherein the second surface 208 of the head part 12 has a larger diameter in the connection region 204 in a region facing the base part 24 than in a region facing the head part 12 in the longitudinal direction L. In the unloaded state of the film pouch 18, the insert 16 rests with the first face 206 in particular almost over the entire connection region 204 on the second face 208 of the head part 12.

[0076] In the invention, the insert 16 and the head part 12 are substantially complementary to one another in the connection region 204, so that a large interaction region of the insert 16 with the head part 12 is created.

[0077] In cross-section according to FIG. 2 to FIG. 4, the first surface 206 and the second surface 208 each have an angle 210 of 1 to 15, in particular of 2 to 10, particularly preferably of 3 to 5 relative to the longitudinal direction L.

[0078] Furthermore, transversely to the longitudinal direction L, the connecting element 201 designed here as a latching lug has an oversize relative to the connecting element 204 designed as a recess, which connection element is, for example, approximately 0.6% of a diameter of the film pouch 18. This means that a maximum diameter of the connecting element designed as a latching lug 201 when in the state not connected to the head part 12 has a diameter larger by 0.6% than a largest inner diameter of the head part 12 in the region of the connecting element 204 designed as a recess 204. As a result of this oversize, in the state when the insert 16 is connected to the head part 12, on the one hand a secure hold and, on the other hand, a desired pressing action is achieved even in the unloaded state of the film pouch 18, as a result of which a reliable seal is achieved between the insert 16 and the head part 12.

[0079] As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 in the unloaded state of the film pouch 18, a distance 214 is present in the longitudinal direction L between a lower end of the head part 12 in the region of the receptacle 66 and a shoulder 212, which distance allows a movement of the insert 16 relative to the head part 12.

[0080] If a force F acts on the film pouch 18 in the longitudinal direction L in the direction of the head part 12, for example during a dispensing process by a piston of a dispensing device, the insert 16 is displaced relative to the head part 12 in the longitudinal direction L in the direction of the head part 12 or in a direction facing away from the base part 24, as can be seen in more detail in FIG. 4. In this case, a pressing force increases between the insert 16 and the head part 12, so that a sealing effect between the insert 16 and the head part 12 is increased and the risk of a material located in the film pouch 18 escaping between the insert 16 and the head part 12 in the connecting region 204 is reduced.

[0081] In the case of a film pouch 18 having a diameter of approximately 50 mm, a preferred maximum displacement of the insert 16 relative to the head part 12 is in particular less than 2 mm, preferably approximately 1 mm.

[0082] In the embodiments shown, the cartridge 10 comprises one or two chambers 20 and a corresponding number of covers 14, inserts 16, film pouches 18, receptacles 66 and outlet channels 80. In general, a cartridge can in particular also have only one film pouch.