RECEPTACLE FOR HOLDING AN ACTIVE SUBSTANCE AND CORRESPONDING CAP AND CONTAINER

Abstract

A receptacle is designed for a chamber for an active substance. The receptacle includes two main elements. A first element is a transverse wall with a first main side facing an interior of the chamber, and a peripheral wall formed with the first main side of the transverse wall. A second element includes a bottom wall and a sheath extending from the bottom wall. The peripheral wall and the sheath surround one another and are in contact with each other so that the chamber is formed between the bottom wall, the transverse wall, the peripheral wall and/or the sheath. At least one ventilation groove is provided between the peripheral wall and the sheath form a ventilation channel connecting the chamber with the outside atmosphere.

Claims

1. A receptacle to regulate atmosphere in a container for storing sensitive products, wherein the receptacle forms a chamber which is at least partially filled with an active substance, wherein the receptacle comprises two main elements: a first element comprising: a transverse wall with a first main side facing an interior of the chamber; and a peripheral wall, integrally formed with the first main of the transverse wall; and a second element comprising: a bottom wall; and a sheath extending from the bottom wall and integrally formed with the bottom wall; wherein the peripheral wall of the first element and the sheath of the second element are dimensioned and mutually arranged to surround one another and are in contact with each other in abutting regions so that an inner volume of the chamber, which receives the active substance, is delimited by the bottom wall of the second element, the transverse wall of the first element, and either the peripheral wall of the first element or the sheath of the second element; and wherein at least one ventilation groove, formed as a recess in at least one of the first and second elements, is provided between the peripheral wall of the first element and the sheath of the second element, and wherein at least one radial passage, formed as a recess in at least one of the first and second elements is provided to connect the ventilation groove with the inner volume of the chamber, such that the ventilation groove and the radial passage form at least a part of a ventilation path connecting the chamber with atmosphere in the container.

2. The receptacle according to claim 1, wherein an open end of the sheath, remote from the bottom wall, is in abutment against the transverse wall of the first element.

3. The receptacle according to claim 1, wherein at least one section of the ventilation path, connecting the chamber with the atmosphere in the container, has a cross-sectional dimension of 0.2 mm or less.

4. The receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the at least one ventilation groove has a depth of 0.2 mm or less.

5. The receptacle according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of the length (L) to a depth (d) of each ventilation groove is greater than 10.

6. The receptacle according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of a length (L) to a width (w) of each ventilation groove is greater than 10.

7. The receptacle according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of ventilation grooves are provided.

8. The receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the sheath has at least one ventilation groove extending to an open end of the sheath remote from the bottom wall.

9. The receptacle according to claim 8, wherein an open end of the sheath remote from the bottom wall is a crenelated rim comprising at least one radial crenel, wherein the at least one ventilation groove is arranged such that the ventilation groove ends at a radial crenel of the crenelated rim or at a section of the ventilation path which connects an end of the ventilation groove with at least one radial crenel.

10. The receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the sheath surrounds the peripheral wall, and the at least one ventilation groove is arranged on an inner peripheral surface of the sheath.

11. The receptacle according to claim 10, further comprising at least one bottom ventilation groove in the bottom wall of the sheath facing the chamber, wherein the at least one bottom ventilation groove is in communication with the at least one ventilation groove arranged on an inner peripheral surface of the sheath.

12. The receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral wall surrounds the sheath, and the at least one ventilation groove is arranged on an outer peripheral surface of the sheath.

13. The receptacle according to claim 12, wherein the sheath comprises an outer radial collar which is configured to cover an end of the at least one ventilation groove in a vicinity of the bottom wall while leaving a radial clearance (C) with the peripheral wall of the first element.

14. The receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the first element is a constitutive part of the container.

15. The receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the first element and the second element of the receptacle are connected by a press-fit connection.

16. The receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the first element and the second element of the receptacle are connected by a snap-fit connection.

17. The receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle is made of a plastic material which is pharmaceutically approved.

18. A cap for closing an open end of a container body comprising the receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the cap is provided with a base with a first main side facing an interior of the container when closing the container; and wherein the first element of the receptacle is integrally formed with the cap, wherein the transverse wall is integrally formed with the base of the cap, and wherein the peripheral wall comprises a skirt integrally formed with the base of the cap.

19. A container body comprising the receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the container body is provided with a base with a first main side facing an interior of the container; and wherein the first element of the receptacle is a bottom part of the container body, wherein the transverse wall is a bottom wall of the container body, and the peripheral wall is a side wall of the container body.

20. A container comprising the receptacle according to claim 1.

21. The container according to claim 20, comprising a container body and an openable or removable cap, wherein the cap comprises an annular sealing member, which sealing member cooperates with a side wall of the container body at its open end to establish a circumferential seal between the cap and the container body.

22. (canceled)

23. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein the at least one ventilation groove runs in a direction perpendicular to the bottom wall of the second element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0062] In the following, the invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0063] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a receptacle according to the invention incorporated in a cap;

[0064] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional side view of the receptacle according to the embodiment of FIG. 1;

[0065] FIG. 3A shows the second element of the embodiment according to FIG. 1;

[0066] FIG. 3B shows a variant of the second element as shown in FIG. 3A;

[0067] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of the second element according to FIG. 3A;

[0068] FIG. 5 is a top view of the second element according to FIG. 3A which additionally shows the position of the cross-sectional view of FIG. 4 indicated by arrows;

[0069] FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of a receptacle according to the invention incorporated in a cap;

[0070] FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional side view of the receptacle according to the embodiment of FIG. 6;

[0071] FIG. 8A shows the second element of the embodiment according to FIG. 6;

[0072] FIG. 8B shows a variant of the second element as shown in FIG. 8A;

[0073] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional side view of the second element according to FIG. 8A;

[0074] FIG. 10 is a top view of the second element according to FIG. 8A which additionally shows the position of the cross-sectional view of FIG. 9 indicated by arrows;

[0075] FIG. 11 shows a third embodiment of a receptacle;

[0076] FIG. 12 shows an exploded view of a fourth embodiment of a receptacle according to the invention incorporated in a container body;

[0077] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view along lines XIII-XIII in FIG. 12;

[0078] FIG. 14 is a view at larger scale of the detail XIV in FIG. 12;

[0079] FIG. 15 is a view at larger scale of the detail XV in FIG. 12; and

[0080] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the second element of the fourth embodiment shown in FIGS. 12 and 13.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0081] In the following, several embodiments of the invention will be described. Wherever appropriate, the same elements will be denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0082] As will be shown below with reference to the specific embodiments and its variants, the major difference between the first embodiment according to FIG. 1 to FIG. 5 and the second embodiment according to FIG. 6 to FIG. 11 lies in the mutual radial arrangements of the concentrically arranged skirt of the first element and the sheath of the second element.

[0083] In FIGS. 1 and 2, a cap 10 is shown which comprises the receptacle 12 according to the invention. The cap 10 has a transverse wall 14 with a first main side 16 facing the interior of a container 1 which the cap 10 is supposed to close.

[0084] The transverse wall 14 is integrally provided with the circular skirt 18. Further, an annular sealing element 22 is integrally formed with the transverse wall 14 and also extends away from the first main side 16. When the cap 10 is closed onto the container body 11, the skirt 18 and the sealing element 22 extend towards the inside of the container 1. Radially outside the sealing element 22 and concentrically arranged relative to the sealing element 22 is an outer rim 24. The rim 24 can for example cooperate with the sealing element 22 to establish a moisture tight seal with the wall of the container body 11 surrounding its upper opening. The rim 24 can also be connected to a tamper evident ring for providing a visual indication of first opening to the end user. The rim 24 can also comprise a surface, a cavity or any geometry facilitating the opening of the container 1 by the end user.

[0085] The transverse wall 14 of the cap 10 together with the skirt 18 constitutes the first element 30 of two elements forming the receptacle 12. The second element 26 comprises a bottom wall 28 and a sheath 20. The sheath 20 is integrally formed with the bottom wall 28, has a substantially tubular shape and extends perpendicularly from the bottom wall 28. In the example as shown in FIG. 2, the outer diameter of the sheath 20 is selected such that the second element 26 can be placed inside the skirt 18.

[0086] The second element 26 is dimensioned so that it is frictionally held, preferably tightly held by means of a press-fit at the abutting regions 21 between the sheath 20 and the skirt 18, within the skirt 18 of the first element 30 which comprises at least a part of the transverse wall 14 and the skirt 18 integrally formed therewith.

[0087] Bound by the first main side 16 of the transverse wall 14, the sheath 20 and the bottom wall 28, a chamber 32 is formed which contains an active substance 34.

[0088] In order to allow the exchange of air between the chamber 32 and the atmosphere 36 in the container 1, a ventilation path with ventilation grooves 38 is provided. The ventilation grooves 38 are formed, as can be best seen in FIG. 3A, in the outer circumferential surface of the sheath 20, so that in the assembled state of the first element 30 and the second element 26, the ventilation grooves 38 are formed between the inner circumferential surface of the skirt 18 and the outer circumferential surface of the sheath 20. In the variant according to FIG. 3B, ribs 27 are formed on the outer surface of the sheath 20 of the second element 26. The ribs 27 provide the abutting regions 21 and the grooves 38 are formed between two adjacent ribs 27, respectively. In the variant of FIG. 3B, the sheath 20 comprises an outer radial collar 39 which is configured to cover an end of the ventilation grooves 38 in the vicinity of the bottom wall 28 and to leave a radial clearance with the skirt 18 when the sheath is engaged relative to the skirt.

[0089] The second element 26 is arranged so that the open end 29 of the sheath 20 abuts against the first main side 16, and further provisions have to be made so that the outside atmosphere 36 can enter the chamber 32 in an unobstructed way.

[0090] To this end, the sheath 20 is provided with radial crenels 40 which are arranged so that each ventilation path ends at one or more radial crenels 40. At the position of each radial crenel 40, the sheath 20 does not abut against the first main side 16 of the transverse wall 14 so that the outside atmosphere 36 can communicate via the ventilation path comprising the ventilation grooves 38 and associated radial crenels 40 with the air inside the chamber 32.

[0091] Turning now to the second embodiment as shown in FIGS. 6 to 10, the overall structure is quite similar to that as described in the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 5. Therefore, the description of many elements also denoted in one of FIGS. 6 to 10 can be omitted with reference to the previous explanations.

[0092] As can be seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, the second element 26 of the receptacle 12 is arranged relative to the first element 30 such that the radial arrangement of the skirt 18 and the sheath 20 is reversed. As can be best seen in FIG. 7, the sheath 20 is arranged radially outwards and concentrically to the skirt 18. The sheath 20 is dimensioned such that it tightly fits over the outer circumferential surface of the skirt 18 so that it is frictionally held at the abutting regions 21, once the receptacle 12 has been mounted by combining the first and second elements.

[0093] The chamber 32 is formed between the first main side 16 of the transverse wall 14, the skirt 18 and the bottom wall 28 of the second element. If required, bottom grooves 41 or bottom ribs forming depressions between the ribs can be provided in the bottom wall 28 facing the interior of the chamber. Further, the lower rim 15 of the skirt 18 can also be provided with radial crenels so that an air communication between the ventilation grooves 38 and the chamber 32 is established in case that the skirt 18 fully extends into contact with the bottom wall 28.

[0094] In order to provide air communication between the atmosphere 36 in the container 1 and the chamber 32, a ventilation path comprising ventilation grooves 38 is provided. In this embodiment, the ventilation grooves 38 are arranged at the inner circumferential surface of the sheath 20 of the second element 26. Accordingly, channels are formed between the abutting surfaces 21 of the sheath 20 and the skirt 18.

[0095] Like in the previous embodiment, radial crenels 40 are formed at the open end 29 of the sheath 20 which is not connected to the bottom wall 28. The radial crenels 40 are arranged in communication via the ventilation path comprising the ventilation grooves 38 so that the air communication between the outside atmosphere 36 and the chamber 32 is possible over the path marked with the arrow A in FIG. 7, the radial crenels 40 of the sheath 20, the ventilation grooves 38 and the crenels in the skirt 18 or the bottom grooves 41.

[0096] Although the above embodiments relate to a receptacle 12, the first element 30 of which is integrally formed with the transverse wall 14 of the cap 10, a receptacle can also be formed by two separate elements which can be fixed in a suitable way to the cap or another part of the container.

[0097] In the embodiment as shown in FIGS. 8A, 9 and 10, the ventilation grooves 38 are arranged at the positions of the radial crenels 40.

[0098] According to the variant according to FIG. 8B, a more complex ventilation path 45 is provided comprising the ventilation grooves 38, intermediate sections 43 and radial crenels 40. A tortuous ventilation path has the advantage that dust particles are more efficiently prevented from escaping through a tortuous path with a plurality of sharp bends. Further, a tortuous ventilation path can even form areas in which potential dust particles will accumulate but cannot escape to the outside atmosphere. The ventilation grooves 38 and the radial crenels 40 are arranged radially offset. The ventilation path 45 comprises additional intermediate sections 43 which are the circumferentially extending connecting sections 43 connecting the ends of the ventilation grooves 38 with the radial crenels 40. Such geometry leads to a tortuous ventilation path 45 which further prevents dust particles within the chamber escaping through the ventilation path.

[0099] FIG. 11 shows a third embodiment of a receptacle which is very similar to that according to FIG. 7. The major difference to the embodiment of FIG. 7 lies in the fact that the first element 30 of the receptacle 12 according to FIG. 11 is not integrally formed with a cap. Instead, the first element 30 and the second element 26 form a receptacle which is a separate canister and which can be attached to the base of a cap, preferably by means of a snap-fit connection.

[0100] In the fourth embodiment shown in FIGS. 12 to 16, elements that are similar to those of the previous embodiments have the same references. In the fourth embodiment, the receptacle 12 according to the invention is integrated in a bottom part 50 of the body 11 of a container 1 for storing sensitive products. The bottom part 50 of the container body 11 has a transverse base wall 54 with a first main side 56 facing the interior of the container 1.

[0101] The transverse wall 54 is integrally provided with the circular side wall 58 of the container body 11. The transverse wall 54 together with the side wall 58 constitute the first element 50 of the two elements forming the receptacle 12. The second element 26, in a way similar to the previous embodiments, comprises a bottom wall 28 and a sheath 20. The sheath 20 is integrally formed with the bottom wall 28, has a substantially tubular shape and extends perpendicularly from the bottom wall 28. As visible e.g. in the exploded view of FIG. 12 and the assembled view of FIG. 13, the outer diameter of the sheath 20 is selected such that the second element 26 can be placed inside the side wall 58 of the container body 11 in the bottom part 50 thereof.

[0102] The second element 26 is dimensioned so that, in the assembled configuration of the receptacle 12, it is frictionally held, preferably tightly held by means of a press-fit at the abutting regions 21 between the sheath 20 and the side wall 58, within the side wall 58 of the first element 50. In this fourth embodiment, the chamber 32 which contains an active substance 34 is delimited by the first main side 56 of the transverse wall 54, the sheath 20 and the bottom wall 28.

[0103] In order to allow the exchange of air between the chamber 32 and the atmosphere in the container 1, a ventilation path with ventilation grooves 38 is provided. The ventilation grooves 38 are formed, as can be best seen in FIG. 16, in the outer circumferential surface of the sheath 20, so that in the assembled state of the first element 50 and the second element 26, the ventilation grooves 38 are formed between the inner circumferential surface of the side wall 58 and the outer circumferential surface of the sheath 20.

[0104] The sheath 20 comprises an outer radial collar 39 which is configured to cover an end of the ventilation grooves 38 in the vicinity of the bottom wall 28 and to come in abutment against an inner shoulder of the container body 11, while leaving a radial clearance C with the side wall 58. The collar 39 covering the end of the ventilation grooves 38 makes it possible to avoid that sensitive products received in the container body 11 pass inside the ventilation grooves 38. In addition, the clearance C between the collar 39 and the side wall 58 allows a circulation of gas between the ventilation groove 38 and the container, the fitting between the first element 50 and the second element 26 being realized in the abutting regions 21.

[0105] When the collar 39 rests against the inner shoulder of the container body 11, the second element 26 is arranged so that the open end 29 of the sheath 20 remote from the bottom wall 28 abuts against the first main side 56. The end 29 of the sheath 20 is provided with radial crenels 40 which are arranged so that each ventilation groove 38 ends at a radial crenel 40, so that gases from the atmosphere of the container 1 can enter the chamber 32 in an unobstructed way. At the position of each radial crenel 40, the outside atmosphere in the container 1 can communicate via the ventilation path comprising the ventilation grooves 38 and associated radial crenels 40 with the air inside the chamber 32.

[0106] Advantageously, in the embodiments described above, each ventilation groove 38 has a depth d of 0.2 mm or less, preferably 0.1 mm or less, more preferably 0.05 mm or less. Preferably, the ratio of the length L to the depth d of each ventilation groove 38 is greater than 10, preferably greater than 20, more preferably greater than 40. In addition, the ratio of the length L to the width w of each ventilation groove 38 is greater than 10, preferably greater than 20, more preferably greater than 40. Such dimensions increase the difficulty for the active substance 34 to escape out of the chamber 32, while allowing gas exchange between the chamber 32 and the atmosphere 36 in the container 1 through the ventilation path. As shown in the figures, the length L of each ventilation groove 38 is taken in its longitudinal direction; the depth d of each ventilation groove 38 is taken from a bottom of the ventilation groove 38 to the adjacent abutting region 21; the width w of each ventilation groove 38 is taken in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction and the depth direction of the ventilation groove.

[0107] The receptacle according to the invention can be fully manufactured from the same plastic material as the container. In those cases in which a pharmaceutically approved material should be used, it has the advantage that no further material like cardboard has to be used.