ES2942562T3 - Closing and dosing device for bottles and cap closure - Google Patents

Abstract

A dosing closure device for bottles, in particular for storing and dispensing liquid pharmaceuticals, is provided with - a bottle neck (1) of the bottle, - a multi-part cap closure (3) that can be mounted on the bottle neck (1), comprising = an inner cap (4) with a mounting element to hold onto the neck of the bottle (1), = an intermediate base (5) removably fixed to the inner cap (4 ), = an outer cap (6) removably attached to it with a mounting element to be attached to the neck of the bottle (1), and = a dosing insert (7) held in the outer cap (6), then of the first opening of the closure of the lid (3) removing the inner lid (4) and the intermediate base (5) and the first placement of the outer cap (6) can be brought onto the neck of the bottle (1) in position permanently hooked in the outlet mouth (28) of the neck of the bottle (1). (Automatic translation with Google Translate, without legal value)

Description

DESCRIPTION

Closing and dosing device for bottles and cap closure

The invention relates to a closure and dosing device for bottles, in particular for storing and dispensing liquid pharmaceuticals, with the characteristics indicated in the preamble of claim 1 and to a cap closure made up of several parts that can be used in a closure device of this type and can be mounted on a bottleneck.

Closing and dosing devices for bottles and cap closures that can be plugged into bottles with an inner cap with a mounting element for fastening to the bottle neck are known in many variants. The inner stopper serves as a mounting part with which the stopper closure closes the bottle neck of a bottle, at least after the first filling, in the dispensing line and up to the first opening. Different plug closure mounting parts can then be attached to such an inner plug, with the help of which a wide variety of plug closure functionalities can be realized. In this respect, there are increasing hygiene standards, for example, to the effect that dropper inserts with dropper tubes that engage in the bottleneck must not come into contact with the liquid contents of the bottle before first use.

In order to solve this problem, DE 102016 109162 A1 describes, for example, a closure and metering device in which an inner cap is combined with a tearable locking part and an outer cap slidably supported on it. In the starting position, there is an empty space between the outer stopper and the inner stopper, in which the dosing insert fixed inside the outer stopper is stored outside the bottleneck closed with a sealing disc. For the first opening of the stopper closure, the tear-off ring must be removed and the outer stopper pushed along the inner stopper towards the bottle neck. During this, the dosing insert passes through the sealing disc and is fixed to the inner cap.

On the one hand, the above construction is relatively complex, since a reliable displacement mechanism must be realized between the inner and outer plugs. Furthermore, the collapsible cap used in this state of the art is undesirable for many applications due to the risk of unreliable closure. Furthermore, this previously known closing and dosing device has the disadvantage that the sealing disc is only pierced by the dosing insert, whereby residues of the sealing disc can cause, for example, blockage of the outlet opening of the dosing insert.

A similar sealing and pushing mechanism is described in DE 102016224222 B4. The problem of the perforated sealing disc is avoided by a spacer ring that surrounds the dosing nozzle of the insert and ensures reliable pushing of the sealing disc out of the flow cross section of the bottleneck. However, also in this case there is a push mechanism and a folding stopper.

WO 2015/150673 A1 describes a closure and metering device for bottles with a bottle neck and a multi-part cap closure that can be mounted on the bottle neck. Said stopper closure comprises an inner stopper with a mounting element for fixing to the neck of the bottle.

From the document WO 2020/064424 A1 published later, a closing and dosing device for bottles is known which offers a reliable sealing of the bottle and a separate storage of a dosing insert between the filling of the bottle, in the dispensing line until its first opening by the consumer, without complicated displacement mechanisms and without the problem of a sealing disk remaining in the bottleneck.

This closing device comprises

- an intermediate socket removably fixed on the inner cap,

- an outer cap removably fixed thereon, with a mounting element for fixing it to the neck of the bottle, and

- a dosing insert held inside the outer stopper, which can be permanently engaged in the outlet opening of the bottle neck after the first opening of the stopper closure, by removing the inner stopper and the intermediate base and placing it for the first time of the outer stopper over the neck of the bottle.

As can be seen, the closure and dosing device is based on individual cap closure components that cannot be displaced relative to one another, but are detachably attached to one another and can be used selectively during the phases of use. of the closing and dosing device according to their respective function. Therefore, the inner stopper serves on the one hand for the reliable closure of the bottle after filling and in the dispensing line. A sealing disc can improve the sealing effect, and a circlip can ensure consumer safety in the usual way. In addition, the inner cap serves as a support for an intermediate base detachably attached to it and acts as an adapter for intermediate storage of the outer cap with dosing insert after filling and in the dispensing line. Of the bottle. For the first use of the closure device, it is enough to remove the intermediate socket of the inner cap and open the latter.

The inner plug is then no longer needed. The outer stopper with the dosing insert is then removed from the intermediate socket and inserted into the bottleneck. Then the intermediate socket can also be discarded.

By screwing the outer cap into the bottleneck, the dosing insert is brought into its engaged position in the bottleneck outlet opening, where it remains permanently. Subsequently, for each use of the closure and dosing device, only the outer cap has to be removed and the contents of the bottle can be dispensed drop by drop in the usual way for the user with the help of the dosing insert.

The aim of the present invention relates to the formation of the intermediate base formed in one piece, which must be specially adapted to the different functionalities and in particular must offer a compact, optically ordered appearance with a reliable mounting connection between the plug interior and the intermediate plinth. In order to achieve this objective, according to the characterizing part of claim 1, the intermediate plinth has a cup-shaped base part open at the bottom and a socket-shaped clamping part open at the top. With the base part, the intermediate plinth is mounted on the inner plug, which therefore serves as an anchoring element. For the detachable fixing of these two components to one another, a retaining device is provided, which consists of a circumferential annular projection around the front edge of the base part and a circumferential annular shoulder (19) on the outside of the inner plug, which cooperate with it. The holding piece performs the function of detachably holding the outer cap and receiving the dosing insert before opening for the first time.

Preferred variants of the object of the invention appear in the dependent claims. As already mentioned, the inner plug can have a sealing disk and/or a security ring inserted therein. In addition, it is possible to design the inner cap and correspondingly also the outer cap as screw caps with an internal thread as a mounting element on the bottle neck.

A reliable, separable connection between the inner plug and the intermediate socket can be made of a simple design by means of a latch with the aid of an annular projection on the base part of the intermediate socket and an annular shoulder on the outside of the inner plug.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the clamping part of the intermediate base is provided with longitudinally axially running support webs, distributed over its circumference, on which the outer plug is releasably fastened by being connected by friction. The latter can be easily removed or unscrewed from the intermediate socket, the internal thread of the external plug behaving more or less as a self-tapping thread with respect to the supporting webs.

A variant of the invention relates to the fixing of the dosing insert in the outer cap with the aid of an internal mounting pin in the outer cap, on which the dosing insert with a central dosing nozzle is fixed, preferably under a friction fit. , before the first use of the closing and dosing device.

A friction fit may also be provided for positional engagement of the dosing insert in the outlet opening of the bottle neck, by engaging a locking collar of the dosing insert in the outlet opening under a friction fit.

By coordinating the frictional values between the dosing insert and outlet opening on the one hand and the mounting pin on the other hand, a reliable transfer of the dosing insert from its mounting position in the stopper is ensured outboard to the meshing position on the bottleneck. The invention further relates to a multi-part cap closure which can be mounted on a bottle neck, according to claim 9, as already explained in detail in connection with independent claim 1. To avoid repetition, you can refer to it. Further features, details and advantages of the invention result from the following description of an exemplary embodiment with the aid of the attached drawings. Show:

1 a perspective view of a cap closure made up of several parts,

2 a perspective view of the stopper closure in a partly cut-away view, FIG. 3 an axial section of the stopper closure,

Figures 4 and 5 exploded views of the cap closure in section and side elevation representation, and

6 is a sectional representation of the closure and metering device in the state of use.

As can be seen in the drawings, a closure and dosing device for storing and dispensing, for example, liquid drugs, consists of a bottle neck 1, a bottle 2 - see figure 6 - on one side, and on the other hand a stopper closure 3 made up of several parts that can be mounted on the bottle neck 2. Its structure will be explained with the help of figures 2 to 5. It has four components manufactured respectively in a single piece of material specifically, an inner plug 4, an intermediate socket 5, an outer plug 6 and a dosing insert 7. As can be seen in figures 3 and 4, the inner plug 4 has an internal thread 8 as mounting element to be screwed onto the external thread 9 in the bottle neck 1 (see FIG. 6). In addition, the inner stopper 4 is provided at its lower end with a security ring 11 connected by tearable cores 10, the structure and mode of action of which are described in detail in the document DE 1020105040 745 A1. To the upper wall 12 of the inner cap 4 is fixed a sealing disc 13 made of an aluminum foam composite material, with the aid of a suitable adhesive. After the bottle has been filled and the cap closure 3 has been screwed on, this sealing disc sits firmly on the upper edge 14 (see FIG. 6) of the bottle neck 1.

The intermediate base 5 serves as a kind of adapter and is formed in one piece by a cup-shaped base part 15 open at the bottom and a socket-shaped holding part 16 open at the top. With the base part 15, the intermediate base 5 is mounted on the inner stopper 4 from above. For the releasable fastening of these two components to one another, a holding device is provided, which is formed by a circumferential annular projection 18 on the inside in front of the front edge 17 of the base part 5 and by a circumferential annular shoulder 19 on the outside of the inner plug, which cooperates with it. When the plug closure 3 is first fitted, the intermediate socket 5 is pushed onto the inner plug 4 until the annular projection 18 engages on the annular shoulder 19, which is furthered by the corresponding oblique flanks 20, 21 on the annular projection 18 and the annular shoulder 19.

The outer cap 6 is provided on its inner side with an internal thread 22 identical to the inner cap, with the help of which the outer cap 6 can be screwed, in the use position - see figure 6 - with the external thread 9 of the bottle neck. 1. The outer cap 6 also has a one-piece mounting pin 24 on the inside of its upper wall 23, on which the dosing insert 7 is held by friction-fitting its dosing nozzle 25. Dosing nozzle 25 is provided on its inside with narrow wings 26 that run longitudinally axially. The dosing insert 7 is additionally provided with a clamping collar 27 arranged concentrically around the dosing nozzle 25, with which it can be fixed by friction fit in positional engagement in the outlet opening 28 of the bottleneck 1 (see Fig. 6).

The outer cap 6 with the dosing insert 7 mounted on it is fixed on the clamping piece 16 of the intermediate base 5. The latter has relatively soft support webs 29 on its outer side, which run parallel to the longitudinal axis and on which it is mounted. the outer plug 6 with its internal thread 22. Therefore, the fixing between the outer plug 6 and the intermediate socket 5 is carried out by means of a friction joint. In the installed position, the dosing insert 7 is accommodated in the interior space 30 of the clamping part 16.

The function of the closing and metering device will now be explained as follows:

The cap closure 3 can be prefabricated as an assembly by the manufacturer and delivered to a bottle filler in the configuration shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The cap closure as a whole is then screwed onto a filled bottle, being the transmittable torques between the intermediate socket 5 and the inner stopper 4 have been designed in such a way that the safety ring 11 can be made to pass over the corresponding retaining flank 31 of the bottleneck 1 without risk of tearing. During this first closure, moreover, the sealing disc 13 comes into intimate contact with the upper edge 14 of the neck of the bottle 1. Being closed in this way, the bottle can be transported, stored and offered for sale.

For the first opening of a bottle made in this way, the outer cap 6 with the dosing insert 7 attached to it must be unscrewed from the cap closure 3 by turning, which, due to the meshing that occurs with the soft support webs 29 In the clamping part 16 of the intermediate socket 5 it is produced easily and without problems as a self-tapping thread. Next, the module made up of the intermediate socket 5 and the inner stopper 4 is unscrewed, during which the safety ring 11 tears from the inner stopper 8, signaling the first opening of the bottle.

For further use, the outer cap 6 with the dosing insert 7 seated in it is screwed onto the outer thread 9 of the bottle neck 1. During this, the dosing insert 7 enters the outlet opening 28 of the bottle neck 1 and it is held there under a friction fit with the help of its fixing collar 27. Each time the outer cap 6 is unscrewed to dispense liquid from the bottle 1, the mounting pin 24, which at the same time serves as a sealing plug for the metering nozzle 25 is withdrawn therefrom. Since the friction fit between the mounting pin 24 and the dosing nozzle 25 is less tight than between the clamping collar 27 and the bottleneck 1, the dosing insert 7 remains reliably seated in the bottleneck 1.

Claims (9)

1. Closing and dosing device for bottles, in particular for storing and dispensing liquid pharmaceuticals, with - a bottleneck (1) of the bottle, - a stopper closure (3) made up of several parts that can be assembled on the neck of the bottle (1), comprising = an inner stopper (4) with a mounting element for fixing to the bottle neck (1), characterized by = an intermediate socket (5) formed in one piece, detachably attached to the inner plug (4), = an outer plug (6) detachably attached to it, with a mounting element for attachment to the bottle neck (1), and = a dosing insert (7) held inside the outer plug (6), which after the first opening of the plug closure (3) by removing the inner plug (4) and the intermediate socket (5) and the first fitting of the plug (6) on the bottleneck (1) can be permanently engaged in positional engagement in the outlet opening (28) of the bottleneck (1), the intermediate base (5) having a single piece of base (15) in the shape of a cup open at the bottom and a fastening part (16) in the form of a socket open at the top, mounting the intermediate base (5) with the base part (15) in the shape of a cup on the inner stopper ( 4) and a retaining device is provided for releasably fastening these two components to one another, consisting of an annular projection (18) circumferentially on the inside in front of the front edge (17) of the base part (5) and an annular shoulder (19) circumferential on the outside on the inner stopper (4), which cooperates with it, the outer stopper (6) being detachably attached to the retaining part (16) and being at least partly received in the retaining part ( 16) the dosing insert (7). Closing and dosing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the inner plug (4) is designed as a screw plug with an inner thread as a mounting element, a sealing disc (13) inserted into it and/or or a safety ring (11). Closing and dosing device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the intermediate base (5) has a circumferential annular projection (18) inside the base part (15) with which it is connected. it can engage with a circumferential annular shoulder (19) on the outside of the inner stopper (4). Closing and dosing device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the clamping part (16) of the intermediate base (5) is provided with supporting webs (29) running longitudinally axially, distributed by its circumference, on which the outer cap (6) is removably fixed by means of a friction joint. Closing and dosing device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outer cap (6) is designed as a screw cap with an internal thread (8) as a mounting element for screwing onto an external thread of the bottleneck (1). Closing and dosing device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outer cap (6) is provided on its inner side with a centrally arranged mounting pin (24) on which the insert is held dosing device (7) with a central dosing nozzle (25), preferably with a friction fit, before the first use of the closing and dosing device. Closing and dosing device according to claim 6, characterized in that the dosing insert (7) is provided with a fixing collar (27) with which it can be fixed by frictional engagement in positional engagement in the opening of outlet (28) of the bottleneck (1). Closing and dosing device according to claims 6 and 7, characterized in that the frictional connection of the dosing insert (7) in positional engagement in the outlet opening (28) is stronger than its frictional connection on mounting pin (24). 9. Cap closure (3) made up of several parts, which can be assembled on a bottle neck (1) and comprising - an inner stopper (4) with a mounting element for fixing to the bottle neck (1), characterized by - an intermediate socket (5) detachably attached to the inner stopper (4), - an outer stopper (6) detachably fixed thereon, with a mounting element for fixing it to the neck of the bottle (1), and - a dosing insert (7) held inside the outer plug (6), which after the first opening of the plug closure (3) by removing the inner plug (4) and the intermediate socket (5) and the first placement of the plug outer (6) on the bottleneck (1), can be permanently placed in positional mesh at the outlet opening (28) of the bottle neck, the intermediate base (5) having a single-piece base part (15) in the form of a cup open at the bottom and a clamping part (16) in the form of a socket open at the top, the intermediate base (5) with the cup-shaped base part (15) being mounted on the inner stopper (4) and a retaining device formed by an annular projection (18) being provided for separable fixing of these two components to each other. circumferential on the inside in front of the front edge (17) of the base part (5) and an annular shoulder (19) circumferential on the outside on the inner stopper (4), which cooperates with it, being removably attached to the base part. fastening (16) the outer cap (6) and being housed at least partially in the fastening part (16) the dosing insert (7).