CONTAINER FOR FLUID PRODUCTS, PARTICULARLY PHARMACEUTICALS, COSMETICS, MEDICAL PRODUCTS OR THE LIKE

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a container for fluid products, particularly pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, medical products or the like.

Background Art

[0002] Single-dose or multi-dose containers made of plastic material are known for medical products, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics or other products, which are manufactured by blowing and/or molding in two parts.

[0003] WO2010084393 describes a single-dose container comprising a containment body of a fluid product that has a neck with an elongated shape and a transversal and breakable closure partition. On the neck defined by the containment body a cap is fitted sliding, by screwing, which has a perforating element able to pierce the closure partition following the sliding of the cap itself.

[0004] Therefore by approaching the cap to the containment body the breaking of the closure partition is obtained and the consequent opening of the containment body, so as to allow the outflow of the fluid product.

[0005] These containers of known type have several drawbacks.

[0006] The container described by WO2010084393 is not of the "child proof' type, since to be opened the cap only needs to slide with respect to the containment body. The high opening convenience therefore makes the use of these containers unsafe if handled by children.

[0007] A further drawback consists in the fact that such a container, also following the movement of the cap, does not guarantee the breaking of the closure partition and, therefore, the correct dispensing of the fluid product.

[0008] In particular, following the breaking of the closure partition, the latter may nevertheless remain anchored, even only partially, to the containment body, thus impeding the flow of the fluid product to the outside.

[0009] Further containers for fluid products are disclosed in US4620638 and WO91/13814.

Description of the Invention

[0010] The main aim of the present invention is to provide a container for fluid products, particularly pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, medical products or the like, which is of the child proof type and which, at the same time, is reliable in operation.

[0011] Within this aim, one object of the present invention is to provide a container that guarantees the opening of the containment body and the consequent correct outflow of the fluid product

[0012] Another object of the present invention is to provide a container for fluid products, particularly pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, medical products or the like which allows to overcome the mentioned drawbacks of the prior art within the ambit of a simple, rational, easy and effective to use as well as affordable solution.

[0013] The above mentioned objects are achieved by the present container for fluid products, particularly pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, medical products or the like according to claim 1.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014] Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become better evident from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive embodiment of a container for fluid products, particularly pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, medical products or the like, illustrated by way of an indicative but not limitative example in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an axonometric view of a container according to the invention;

Figure 2 is an axonometric view from below of the cap of the container of Figure 1;

Figure 2a is an enlargement of a detail of Figure 2;

Figure 3 is an axonometric view of the containment body and of the closure element of the container of Figure 1;

Figure 3a is an enlargement of a detail of Figure 3;

Figure 4 is a sectional view, along a first longitudinal track plane, of the container of Figure 1 with the cap in its rest position;

Figure 5 is an axonometric view of a detail of the container of Figure 1, along a second longitudinal track plane, with the cap in its rest position;

Figure 6 is a sectional view, along the first track plane, of the container of Figure 1 with the cap in its work position;

Figure 7 is an axonometric view of a detail of the container of Figure 1, along the second track plane, with the cap in its work position;

Figure 8 is a section of the container of Figure 1 along a transversal track plane;

Figure 8a is an enlargement of a detail of Figure 8.

Embodiments of the Invention

[0015] With particular reference to these figures, generally indicated by reference number 1 is a container for fluid products, particularly pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, medical products or the like.

[0016] The container 1 may be manufactured in series by injection molding of plastic material to form strips made up of several pieces joined together via the connecting means 2, 3, 4.

[0017] The container 1 comprises a body 5 for containing a fluid product, the type of eye drops, anti-allergenic substances, eyewashes, but also creams, poultices or any other type of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and/or medical products.

[0018] The body 5 is non-sealable and may be either single-dose or multi-dose.

[0019] The body 5 has a substantially open bottom 6 intended to be filled with the fluid product and to be closed, e.g. by sealing, when filling is completed.

[0020] On the side opposite the bottom 6 the body 5 has an extremity portion 7 with an elongated shape and defining an output mouth 8 of the fluid product.

[0021] The container 1 then comprises a closure element 9 of the tear-off breakable type, which is associated with the body 5 at the mouth 8 to prevent the outflow of the fluid product.

[0022] On the extremity portion 7 a cap 10 is fitted which defines a channel 11 through which the user may dispense and apply the fluid product in a practical and easy manner.

[0023] The channel 11 extends longitudinally and is of the through type, being open at its opposite extremities, one of which defines a gap 12 for dispensing the fluid product to the outside while the other is fitted on the extremity portion 7.

[0024] The cap 10 is movable sliding with respect to the body 5, as indicated by arrow 13 shown in the figures, and is movable in rotation with respect to the extremity portion 7.

[0025] More in detail, the cap 10 is movable in rotation with respect to the body 5 around the longitudinal axis X of the channel 11.

[0026] Suitably, both the channel 11 and the extremity portion 7 have a substantially circular section.

[0027] Advantageously, the connecting means 2, 3, 4 which join together the containers 1 comprise a pair of fins 2 which extend from diametrically opposite sides of each body 5 and are associated with the fins 2 of the adjacent containers 1 along corresponding weakened-section connection stretches that make up a series of first pre-established breaking lines 3.

[0028] Similarly, the connecting means 2, 3, 4 comprise corresponding portions of the caps 10 which are associable with the caps 10 of the adjacent containers 1 along as many weakened-section connection stretches that make up a series of second pre-established breaking lines 4.

[0029] According to the invention, the cap 10 is movable sliding with respect to the body 5 between a rest position, in which the channel 11 is released from the closure element 9, and a work position, in which the channel 11 engages in rotation with the closure element 9.

[0030] In its rest position the cap 10 is therefore free to rotate with respect to the body 5 while in its work position, in which the cap 10 is approached to the body 5 with respect to its rest position, the channel 11 is able to drive in rotation the closure element 9 around the axis X.

[0031] The cap 10 is then able to tear off the closure element 9 from the body 5 as a result of its rotation around the axis X so as to place in communication the body 5 with the channel 11 and allow the outflow of the fluid product to the outside. Advantageously, the closure element 9 has an elongated conformation and extends along a transversal direction with respect to the channel 11.

[0032] Preferably, the channel 11 defines at least a housing seat 14 within which the closure element 9 is inserted as a result of the shift of the cap 10 from the rest position to the work position.

[0033] The seat 14 is shaped so as to constrain the closure element 9 in rotation around the axis X to the cap 10.

[0034] Between the seat 14 and the closure element 9, with the cap 10 in its work position, one or more transit areas 15 are defined for the passage of the fluid product.

[0035] More in detail, with the cap 10 in the work position, the walls which delimit laterally the seat 14 are spaced away from the walls which delimit laterally the closure element 9, so as to define the interspaces for the passage of the fluid product.

[0036] In the preferred embodiment shown in the illustrations, the closure element 9 has a first portion 9a, which defines an abutment surface 16 arranged transversally to the axis X and against which leans the bottom wall 14a of the seat 14 as a result of the shift of the cap 10 approaching the body 5, and a second portion 9b able to be inserted within the seat 14 with the cap itself in the work position.

[0037] The abutment surface 16 thus defines the end-of-stroke position of the cap 10 approaching the body 5.

[0038] The second portion 9b of the closure element 9 extends from the abutment surface 16, on the side opposite to the body 5, and has a smaller transversal cross-section than the first portion 9a.

[0039] As can be seen from Figures 8 and 8a, the profile delimiting the abutment surface 16 and the profile delimiting the bottom wall 14a are at least a first and at least a second curvilinear stretches 17 and 18 respectively, having a mutually opposite curvature so as to define at least one of the transit areas 15 for the passage of the fluid product.

[0040] More in particular, both the closure element 9 and the seat 14 are symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal median plane and have two respective curvilinear stretches 17 and 18, arranged on the opposite side of such median plane, where the first stretches 17 are at least partly contained within the profile delimited by the second stretches 18.

[0041] Suitably, the connection area 19 of the closure element 9 to the body 5 is of the weakened section type and therefore defines a pre-established breaking line. In the embodiment shown in the illustrations, the connection area 19 is substantially circular.

[0042] The operation of this invention is as follows.

[0043] With the cap 10 initially in the rest position the body 5 is closed by the closure element 9.

[0044] To cause the opening of the body 5 therefore, as mentioned above, the cap 10 has to be brought from its rest position to its work position, approaching it to the body 5, so as to introduce the second portion 9b of the closure element 9 within the seat 14.

[0045] More particularly, the cap 10 reaches the work position at the moment when the bottom wall 14a rests against the abutment surface 16 defined by the first portion 9a.

[0046] In this configuration of use, the closure element 9 is therefore integral in rotation to the cap 10 around the axis X.

[0047] It follows, therefore, that the rotation of cap 10 also causes the rotation of the closure element 9 with respect to the body 5 and its detachment from it along the connection area 19.

[0048] As a result of the rotation of cap 10, the closure element 9 is therefore separated from the body 5, allowing for the passage of the fluid product through the connection area 19 and placing in communication the body 5 with the channel 11.

[0049] The fluid product coming out of the body 5 crosses therefore the connection area 19, enters the channel 11 and passes through the transit areas 15 defined between the closure element 9 and the seat 14, as far as reaching the gap 12.

[0050] It has been ascertained in practice how the described invention achieves the proposed objects and in particular the fact is underlined that the container according to the present invention is safe to use, since the cap performs two distinct motions, i.e. the translation and the rotation with respect to the containment body, to cause the opening of the latter and thus allowing the dispensing of the fluid product.

[0051] Moreover, the presence of the closure element of the breakable type ensures the correct dispensing of the fluid product as a result of the movement of the cap.

Claims

1. Container (1) for fluid products, particularly pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, medical products or the like, comprising:

- a body (5) for containing a fluid product;

- a tear-off breakable closure element (9) associated with the extremity portion (7) of said body (5) to prevent the outflow of the fluid product; and

- a cap (10) defining a channel (11) having a gap (12) for the outflow of the fluid product, which is fitted sliding on said extremity portion (7) and is movable in rotation with respect to it;

wherein:

- said cap (10) is movable sliding with respect to said body (5) between a rest position, in which said channel (11) is released in rotation from said closure element (9), and a work position, in which said channel (11) engages in rotation with said closure element (9), the latter separating from said body (5) due to the rotation of said cap (10) so as to allow the passage of the fluid product through said channel (11); and

- said channel (11) defines at least a housing seat (14) within which said closure element (9) is inserted with said cap (10) in work position and shaped so as to constrain in rotation said closure element (9) to the cap itself;

characterized in that said closure element (9) has a first portion (9a), which defines an abutment surface (16) against which leans the bottom wall (14a) of said housing seat (14) as a result of the shift of said cap (10) towards said work position, and a second portion (9b) able to be inserted within said housing seat (14) with said cap (10) in work position.

2. Container (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said channel (11) and said closure element (9) have both an elongated conformation and extend along respective directions transversal to one another.

3. Container (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the rotation axis (X) of said cap (10) with respect to said body (5) corresponds to the longitudinal axis of said channel (11).

4. Container (1) according to one or more of preceding claims, characterized in that, in said work position, between said housing seat (14) and said closure element (9) one or more transit areas (15) are defined for the passage of the fluid product.

5. Container (1) according to one or more of preceding claims, characterized in that said second portion (9b) extends from said abutment surface (16) and has a transversal cross-section smaller than said first portion (9a).

6. Container (1) according to one or more of preceding claims, characterized in that the profile delimiting said abutment surface (16) and the profile delimiting said seat (14) have at least a first and at least a second curvilinear stretch (17, 18) respectively, said first and second stretches (17, 18) having mutually opposite curvature and defining at least one of said transit areas (15) for the passage of the fluid product.

7. Container (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that said closure element (9) and said housing seat (14) are symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal median plane and have two respective curvilinear stretches (17, 18), arranged on the opposite side of such median plane, where the first stretches (17) are at least partly contained within the profile delimited by the second stretches (18).

8. Container (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said closure element (9) has a connection area (19) to said body (5) having a substantially circular conformation.

Ansprüche

1. Behälter (1) für fluide Produkte, insbesondere pharmazeutische, kosmetische, medizinische Produkte oder ähnliches, welcher umfasst:

- einen Körper (5) zum Enthalten eines Fluidprodukts;

- ein durch Abreißen abbrechbares Verschlusselement (9), das mit dem Extremitätsabschnitt (7) von dem Körper (5) verbunden ist, um das Ausströmen des fluiden Produkts zu verhindern, und

- einen Deckel (10), der einen Kanal (11) definiert, welcher einen Spalt (12) für das Ausströmen des fluiden Produkts hat, der verschiebbar an dem Extremitätsabschnitt (7) angebaut ist, und der in Bezug dazu drehbar beweglich ist;

wobei

- der Deckel (10) in Bezug auf den Körper (5) zwischen einer Ruheposition, in welcher der Kanal (11) drehend von dem Verschlusselement (9) freigegeben wird, und einer Einsatzposition, in welcher der Kanal (11) drehend mit dem Verschlusselement (9) einrastet, verschiebbar beweglich ist, wobei letzteres durch die Drehung von dem Deckel (10) von dem Körper (5) getrennt wird, um derart das Durchströmen von dem Fluidprodukt durch den Kanal (11) zu ermöglichen, und

- der Kanal (11) mindestens einen Gehäusesitz (14) definiert, in dem das Verschlusselement (9) mit dem Deckel (10) in Einsatzposition eingeführt wird, und derart geformt ist, um drehend das Verschlusselement (9) an dem Deckel selbst zurückzuhalten;

dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Verschlusselement (9) einen ersten Abschnitt (9a) hat, der eine Anstossfläche (16) definiert, gegen welche die Bodenwand (14a) von dem Gehäusesitz (14) lehnt, als ein Resultat von der Verschiebung des Deckels (10) zu der Einsatzposition, und einen zweiten Abschnitt (9b), der mit dem Deckel (10) in Einsatzposition in den Gehäusesitz (14) eingeführt werden kann.

2. Behälter (1) nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Kanal (11) und das Verschlusselement (9) beide eine längliche Form haben, und sich entlang jeweiliger Richtungen transversal zu einander erstrecken.

3. Behälter (1) nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Drehachse (X) von dem Deckel (10) in Bezug auf den Körper (5) der Längsachse von dem Kanal (11) entspricht.

4. Behälter (1) nach einem oder mehreren der vorstehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass in der Einsatzposition zwischen dem Gehäusesitz (14) und dem Verschlusselement (9) eine oder mehrere Transitbereiche (15) für das Durchströmen des fluiden Produkts definiert sind.

5. Behälter (1) nach einem oder mehreren der vorstehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass sich der zweite Abschnitt (9b) von der Anstossfläche (16) erstreckt und einen transversalen Querschnitt hat, der kleiner ist als der erste Abschnitt (9a).

6. Behälter (1) nach einem oder mehreren der vorstehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Profil, welches die Anstossfläche (16) begrenzt, und das Profil, das den Gehäusesitz (14) begrenzt, jeweils mindestens eine erste und mindestens eine zweite kurvenförmige Ausdehnung (17, 18) haben, und die ersten und zweiten Ausdehnungen (17, 18) einander entgegengesetzte Krümmungen haben, und mindestens einen von den Transitbereichen (15) für das Durchströmen des fluiden Produkts definieren.

7. Behälter (1) nach Anspruch 6, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Verschlusselement (9) und der Gehäusesitz (14) auf eine Längsmittelebene bezogen symmetrisch sind, und zwei jeweilige kurvenförmige Ausdehnungen (17, 18) haben, die auf der entgegengesetzten Seite von dieser Mittelebene angeordnet sind, wobei die ersten Ausdehnungen (17) mindestens teilweise innerhalb des durch die zweiten Ausdehnungen (18) begrenzten Profils umfasst sind.

8. Behälter (1) nach einem oder mehreren der vorstehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Verschlusselement (9) einen Verbindungsbereich (19) zu dem Körper (5) hat, welcher eine im Wesentlichen kreisförmige Form hat.

Revendications

1. Récipient (1) pour produits fluides, en particulier pour produits pharmaceutiques, cosmétiques, médicaux ou similaires, comprenant :

- un corps (5) destiné à contenir un produit fluide ;

- un élément de fermeture cassable détachable (9) associé à la partie d'extrémité (7) dudit corps (5) pour prévenir l'écoulement du produit fluide ; et

- un bouchon (10) définissant un canal (11) ayant un espace (12) pour l'écoulement du produit fluide, lequel est monté coulissant sur ladite partie d'extrémité (7) et est mobile en rotation par rapport à celle-ci :
dans lequel :

- ledit bouchon (10) est mobile en coulissant par rapport audit corps (5) entre une position de repos, dans laquelle ledit canal (11) est libéré en rotation dudit élément de fermeture (9), et une position de travail, dans laquelle ledit canal (11) vient en prise en rotation avec ledit élément de fermeture (9), ce dernier se séparant dudit corps (5) en raison de la rotation dudit bouchon (10) de façon à permettre le passage du produit fluide au travers dudit canal (11) ; et

- ledit canal (11) définit au moins un siège (14) de logement dans lequel ledit élément de fermeture (9) est inséré avec ledit bouchon (10) en position de travail et formé de façon à limiter en rotation ledit élément de fermeture (9) au bouchon lui-même ; caractérisé en ce que ledit élément de fermeture (9) a une première partie (9a) qui définit une surface de butée (16) contre laquelle s'appuie la paroi de fond (14a) dudit siège (14) de logement de façon à entraîner le décalage dudit bouchon (10) vers ladite position de travail, et une seconde partie (9b) pouvant être insérée dans ledit siège (14) de logement avec ledit couvercle (10) en position de travail.

2. Récipient (1) selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que ledit canal (11) et ledit élément de fermeture (9) ont tous deux une conformation allongée et s'étendent le long de directions respectives transversales l'une par rapport à l'autre.

3. Récipient (1) selon la revendication 1 ou 2, caractérisé en ce que l'axe de rotation (X) dudit bouchon (10) par rapport audit corps (5) correspond à l'axe longitudinal dudit canal (11).

4. Récipient (1) selon une ou plusieurs des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que, dans ladite position de travail, entre ledit siège (14) de logement et ledit élément de fermeture (9), une ou plusieurs zones de transport (15) sont définies pour le passage du produit fluide.

5. Récipient (1) selon une ou plusieurs des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que ladite seconde partie (9b) s'étend de ladite surface de butée (16) et a une section transversale plus petite que ladite première partie (9a).

6. Récipient (1) selon une ou plusieurs des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que le profil délimitant ladite surface de butée (16) et le profil délimitant ledit siège (14) ont au moins un premier et au moins un second allongement curviligne (17, 18) respectivement, lesdits premier et second allongements (17, 18) ayant une courbure réciproquement opposée et définissant au moins l'une desdites zones de transport (15) pour le passage du produit fluide.

7. Récipient (1) selon la revendication 6, caractérisé en ce que ledit élément de fermeture (9) et ledit siège (14) de logement sont symétriques par rapport à un plan médian longitudinal et ont deux allongements curvilignes (17, 18) respectifs agencés sur le côté opposé d'un tel plan médian, où les premiers allongements (17) sont au moins partiellement contenus dans le profil délimité par les seconds allongements (18).

8. Récipient (1) selon une ou plusieurs des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que ledit élément de fermeture (9) a une zone de connexion (19) audit corps (5) ayant une conformation sensiblement circulaire.

Drawing