Measuring mechanism, and fixed-quantity dispensing container and fixed-quantity applicator including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12196592-B2
Application number	US-202017639517-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 7, 2020
Priority date	Sep 10, 2019
Publication date	Jan 14, 2025
Grant date	Jan 14, 2025

Abstract

A mechanism for measuring an amount of a liquid composition and discharging it, and a quantitative dispensing container and a quantitative applicator including such a mechanism including a base and a head defining a measurement space therebetween. The base and the head are configured to be capable of changing the volume of the measurement space in response to a predetermined operation of the head including a measurement operation for increasing the volume of the measurement space and a discharge operation for reducing the volume of the measurement space. The base includes a first passageway for allowing the composition to flow from the outside into the measurement space, and a first check valve located on the first passageway. The first check valve of the base increases its sealability if there is a positive pressure in the measurement space.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A measuring mechanism for measuring a liquid composition,
the measuring mechanism including a base and a head defining a measurement space between the base and the head,
the base including a first passageway adapted to allow the liquid composition to flow from a supplier into the measurement space, and a first check valve located on the first passageway,
the head including a second passageway adapted to discharge the composition inside the measurement space to an outside, and a second check valve located on the second passageway, and
the measuring mechanism adapted to discharge a measured amount of the composition to the outside in response to a predetermined operation of the head including a measurement operation for increasing a volume of the measurement space and a discharge operation for reducing the volume of the measurement space, the measured amount being a predetermined fixed amount or an arbitrary amount,
wherein a valve body of the first check valve is shaped as a disk made of a material containing silicone, and only an upper surface and a peripheral surface of the valve body are exposed to the measurement space when pressures in the measurement space and the supplier are substantially equal or when pressure in the measurement space is a positive pressure relative to pressure in the supplier.

2. The measuring mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein
the head adapted to, during the measurement operation, be pulled up relative to the base to open the first check valve while the second check valve remains closed such that the liquid composition flows into the measurement space defined by the base and the head to measure the predetermined fixed amount or the arbitrary amount, and
the head adapted to, during the discharge operation, be pushed down relative to the base such that the first check valve is closed and the second check valve is opened to discharge the measured amount of the composition to the outside.

3. The measuring mechanism according to claim 1 ,
wherein a valve seat is provided on the first passageway, a valve body of the first check valve being located closer to the measurement space than the valve seat is, and
the first check valve is a check valve adapted to:
a) be closed by the valve body of the first check valve abutting the valve seat on the first passageway in a direction toward the supplier away from the measurement space when the pressures in the measurement space and the outside are substantially equal, and
b) be opened when the pressure in the measurement space is a negative pressure relative to the pressure in the supplier, and
wherein a valve seat is provided on the second passageway, a valve body of the second check valve being located closer to the outside than the valve seat is, and
the second check valve is a check valve adapted to:
c) be closed by the valve body of the second check valve abutting the valve seat on the second passageway in a direction toward the measurement space away from the outside when the pressures in the measurement space and the outside are substantially equal, and
d) be opened when the pressure in the measurement space is a positive pressure relative to the pressure in the outside.

4. The measuring mechanism according to claim 3 , wherein
the valve seat on the first passageway is flat, and
the first check valve is further configured to:
f) increase sealability when pressure in the measurement space is a positive pressure relative to pressure in the supplier.

5. The measuring mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the first check valve has an elastic support adapted to support a periphery of the valve body so as to bias the valve body toward the valve seat.

6. The measuring mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the composition is a composition to be applied to a body surface of a human, the composition being a pharmaceutical preparation or a cosmetic product offered in the form of a liquid preparation, a lotion preparation, a cream preparation, an ointment preparation, a light ointment preparation, a foam preparation, a liniment preparation, or a gel preparation.

7. The measuring mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the composition is a pharmaceutical preparation having a viscosity at 25° C. not higher than 100000 mPa·s.

8. The measuring mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the composition is a pharmaceutical preparation having a viscosity at 25° C. not higher than 95000 mPa·s.

9. The measuring mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the composition is a pharmaceutical preparation having a viscosity at 25° C. not higher than 30000 mPa·s.

10. The measuring mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the composition is a pharmaceutical preparation having a viscosity at 25° C. not higher than 1000 mPa·s.

11. The measuring mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the composition is a pharmaceutical preparation to be applied to a body surface of a human to cure, prevent or treat mycosis, tinea unguium, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, pruritus, pain, rosacea, wounds, decubitus, epidermolysis bullosa, xeroderma pigmentosum, congenital leukopathia, hypogonadism, or hyperhidrosis.

12. The measuring mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the composition is a pharmaceutical preparation to be applied to a body surface of a human to cure, prevent or treat mycosis, hypogonadism, or hyperhidrosis.

13. The measuring mechanism according to claim 12 , wherein the composition is a pharmaceutical preparation to be applied to an axilla of a human to cure, prevent or treat hypogonadism or hyperhidrosis.

14. A quantitative dispensing container including a container body for preserving the liquid composition and the measuring mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the measuring mechanism is mounted on the container body,
the measuring mechanism including the base attached to the container body and the head defining the measurement space between the base and the head, the base and the head constructed such that the volume of the measurement space is changeable by an operation of the head,
the first check valve of the base including a valve body having such an outer-surface geometry that a sealability of the first check valve increases as a pressure inside the measurement space increases.

15. The quantitative dispensing container according to claim 14 , wherein a flat valve seat is provided on the first passageway, the valve body of the first check valve is shaped as a plate adapted to abut the valve seat in a direction toward the container body away from the measurement space and has an upper surface adapted to receive a pressure in the measurement space so as to increase sealability.

16. The quantitative dispensing container according to claim 15 , wherein the valve body of the first check valve is shaped as a disk, and only the upper surface and a peripheral surface are exposed to the measurement space when the pressure in the measurement space and the pressure in the outside are substantially equal or when the pressure in the measurement space is a positive pressure relative to the pressure in the outside.

17. The quantitative dispensing container according to claim 15 , wherein the first check valve includes an elastic support adapted to support a periphery of the valve body so as to bias the valve body toward the valve seat.

18. The quantitative dispensing container according to claim 14 , wherein an outside-air inlet is provided in the base or the container body, the outside-air inlet is adapted to communicate an interior of the container body with outside

Assignees

• Taisei Kako Co
• Kaken Pharma Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kurosawa Tomohiro
• Ogawa Yukihiro
• Nagao Tatsuro
• Iseki Hiroshi
• Kinoshita Keisuke
• Nishihara Yuki
• Ishimaru Takashi

Classifications

• B65D47/242

  moving helically · CPC title

• B65D47/24

  with poppet valves {or lift valves, i.e. valves opening or closing a passageway by a relative motion substantially perpendicular to the plane of the seat} · CPC title

• B65D2251/0087

  of the 47-type · CPC title

• G01F11/14

  wherein the measuring chamber reciprocates · CPC title

• B65D51/18 Primary

  Arrangements of closures with protective outer cap-like covers or of two or more co-operating closures {(B65D51/247 takes precedence)} · CPC title