Method for producing a cartridge

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12030679-B2
Application number	US-201917413224-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 13, 2019
Priority date	Dec 18, 2018
Publication date	Jul 9, 2024
Grant date	Jul 9, 2024

Abstract

A method for producing a cartridge is proposed, where a fluid is filled into an opening of a container and a closure part is inserted into the container, thereby moving a movable piston arranged within the container.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for producing a cartridge ( 3 ), comprising the steps of:
providing a container ( 20 ), which includes engaging elements on at least one of a proximal end and a distal end of the container ( 20 ) that are adapted for insertion of the cartridge ( 3 ) into, and retaining thereof within, a housing of a dispensing device;
providing a closure part ( 23 ) and a fluid piston ( 24 );
arranging the fluid piston ( 24 ) in the container ( 20 );
filling a fluid ( 2 ) into an opening ( 20 G) of the container ( 20 ); and
inserting the closure part ( 23 ) into the opening ( 20 G), such that the fluid piston ( 24 ) arranged within the container ( 20 ) is moved,
wherein at least one of: (i) the closure part comprises an outer/flange portion ( 23 A) and an end/tapered portion ( 23 C), (ii) the outer portion ( 23 A) and the end portion ( 23 C) each comprises or forms an axial end of the closure part ( 23 ), (iii) the outer diameter of the outer portion ( 23 A) is larger than the outer diameter of the end portion ( 23 C), (iv) the outer portion ( 23 A) is arranged on a side facing away from the interior of the container ( 20 ), and (v) the end portion ( 23 C) is arranged on a side facing the interior of the container ( 20 ); and
wherein at least one of: (vi) a radial sealing (S 1 ) is formed between the container ( 20 ) and the closure part ( 23 ), (vii) the radial sealing (S 1 ) is formed between a top portion ( 20 C) of the container ( 20 ) and the closure part ( 23 ), (viii) the radial sealing (S 1 ) is formed between the container ( 20 ) and an intermediate portion ( 23 B) of the closure part ( 23 ), and (ix) the radial sealing (S 1 ) is gas-tight and/or liquid-tight.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid piston ( 24 ) is initially offset to the bottom side ( 20 D) of the container ( 20 ).

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid ( 2 ) is filled into the container ( 20 ) until the required fluid volume (VF) and/or a first filling level (L 1 ) is reached, wherein the first filling level is predefined.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein at least one of:
the filling level is measured/detected by means of a sensor;
the first filling level (L 1 ) is measured/detected by means of a sensor; and
the sensor is at least one of a conductive level sensor, an ultrasonic level sensor, a capacitance level sensor and/or an optical level sensor.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein at least one of:
the filling of the container ( 20 is stopped automatically when a predefined filling level is reached, and
the predefined filling level is the first filling level (L 1 ).

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of: (i) the filling level of the fluid ( 2 ) is detected, and (ii) the filling level of the fluid ( 2 ) is detected in a contactless manner.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
the closure part ( 23 ) is tapered towards the interior of the container ( 20 );
the closure part ( 23 ) is cone-shaped towards the interior of the container ( 20 ), and
the closure part ( 23 ) comprises a decreasing outer diameter in the direction of the interior of the container ( 20 ).

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
the closure part comprises an intermediate/sealing portion ( 23 B),
the intermediate portion ( 23 B) is arranged between the outer portion ( 23 A) and the end portion ( 23 C), and
the outer diameter of the outer portion ( 23 A) is larger than the outer diameter of the intermediate portion ( 23 B).

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
the outer portion ( 23 A) is flange-like and/or abuts axially the container ( 20 ), forming an axial sealing (S 2 ); and
the outer portion ( 23 A) includes a top portion ( 20 C) and/or top side ( 20 F) forming an axial sealing (S 2 ).

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the closure part ( 23 ) is partially and/or loosely inserted into the container ( 20 ), thereby pushing gas out of the container ( 20 ).

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein at least one of:
the closure part ( 23 ) is inserted into the container ( 20 ) until the closure part ( 23 ) seals the container ( 20 ) and/or reaches a first position, in which the closure part ( 23 ) radially abuts the container ( 20 ), and
the closure part ( 23 ) is inserted into the container ( 20 ) until the closure part ( 23 ) seals the container ( 20 ) and/or reaches a second position, in which the closure part ( 23 ) axially abuts the container ( 20 ).

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein at least one of:
the closure part ( 23 ), after the first position is reached, is further inserted into the container ( 20 ) such that the fluid piston ( 24 ) is moved/pushed, and
the closure part ( 23 ), after the first position is reached, is further inserted into the container ( 20 ) to a second position, such that the fluid piston ( 24 ) is moved/pushed, and
the second position is such that an axial sealing between the closure part ( 23 ) and the container ( 20 ) is established and/or the closing/sealing of container ( 20 ) is completed.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein, by further inserting the closure part ( 23 ) into the container ( 20 ), the fluid piston ( 24 ) is moved/pushed away from the opening ( 20 G) of the container ( 20 ) and/or towards the bottom side ( 20 D) of the container ( 20 ).

14. The method according to claim 10 , wherein at least one of:
the container ( 20 ) is sealed by means of the closure part ( 23 ) only when or after the second filling level (L 2 ) is reached and/or the closure part ( 23 ) is in the first position, and
the container ( 20 ) is sealed, in a liquid-tight and/or gas-tight manner, by means of the closure part ( 23 ) only when or after the second filling level (L 2 ) is reached and/or the closure part ( 23 ) is in the first position.

15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the closure part ( 23 ) is immersed into the fluid ( 2 ), thereby displacing fluid ( 2 ) and/or gas in the container ( 20 ).

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein at least one of:
the closure part ( 23 ) is immersed into the fluid ( 2 ) until a second filling level (L 2 ) is reached and/or until the closure part ( 23 ) reaches a first position in which it seals the container ( 20 ), and
the closure part ( 23 ) is immersed into the fluid ( 2 ) until a second filling level (L 2 ) is reached and/or until the closure part ( 23 ) reaches a first position in which it radially seals the container ( 20 ).

17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein gas contained in the container ( 20 ) can escape and/or is at least partially or completely pushed out of the container ( 20 ) until a second filling level (L 2 ) is reached and/or until the closure part ( 23 ) seals the container ( 20 ) and/or reaches a first position.

18. The method according to claim 1 , wherein less than at least one of: 10%, 5% and 1% of the volume ( 4 ) of the container ( 20 ) is filled with gas when the closure part ( 23 ) seals the container ( 20 ) and/or the second filling level (L 2 ) is reached.

19. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
the fluid piston ( 24 ) is moved away from the opening ( 20 G) of the container ( 20 ) and/or towards a bottom side ( 20 D) of the container ( 20 ) and/or from an initial position to an end position and/or such that an offset (D) between the fluid piston ( 24 ) and the bottom side ( 20 D) is changed, and
the

Assignees

• Boehringer Ingelheim Int

Inventors

• Eicher Joachim
• Wuttke Gilbert
• Graessl Herbert

Classifications

• B05B11/1091

  being first hold in a loaded state by locking means or the like, then released (B05B11/1092 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B05B11/028

  Pistons separating the content remaining in the container from the atmospheric air to compensate underpressure inside the container · CPC title

• B65B7/28

  by applying separate preformed closures, e.g. lids, covers · CPC title

• B65B3/30

  by volumetric measurement · CPC title

• B05B11/0054

  Cartridges, i.e. containers specially designed for easy attachment to or easy removal from the rest of the sprayer (attachment arrangements between pump and container B05B11/1043) · CPC title