Dispenser for dispensing pharmaceutical liquids

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9833356-B2
Application number	US-201214359501-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 8, 2012
Priority date	Nov 21, 2011
Publication date	Dec 5, 2017
Grant date	Dec 5, 2017

Abstract

Dispenser for dispensing pharmaceutical liquid having a housing, a liquid reservoir arranged within the housing, an exit opening through which liquid is discharged into a surrounding atmosphere, an outlet channel connecting the liquid reservoir to the exit opening and having an outlet valve, openable in a pressure-dependent manner or actuatable manually, arranged in the outlet channel. With the valve closed, the outlet channel is subdivided into a first portion upstream of the outlet valve and a second portion downstream of the outlet valve. The housing is of antibacterial design in the region of surfaces which are intended to come into contact with the liquid, wherein it is exclusively surfaces in the region of the second portion and/or of an outer surface of the housing which have this antibacterial design.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A dispenser for dispensing pharmaceutical liquid in droplet form, said dispenser comprising:
an exit opening through which liquid is discharged into a surrounding atmosphere;
a housing assembly including a housing component and an insert;
a liquid reservoir disposed within said housing assembly;
an outlet channel connecting said liquid reservoir to said exit opening; and
an outlet valve disposed in said outlet channel and openable manually or in a pressure-dependent manner, said outlet valve having a closed position in which said outlet valve separates said outlet channel into a first outlet channel portion disposed upstream of said outlet valve and a second outlet channel portion disposed downstream of said outlet valve, said housing component defining said first outlet channel portion;
said housing assembly comprising antibacterial material at surfaces disposed to contact liquid downstream of said outlet valve, and it is exclusively said surfaces which comprise said antibacterial material;
said insert being supported on said housing component, said insert being a separate component from said housing component and being a separate component from said outlet valve, said insert including said surfaces comprising said antibacterial material, a first of said surfaces defining part of said second outlet channel portion and a second of said surfaces defining a first portion of a droplet-forming surface, the droplet-forming surface being disposed in surrounding relation with said exit opening and downstream of said second outlet channel portion, said first portion of said droplet-forming surface being bounded by an edge forming a second portion of said droplet-forming surface;
wherein said housing component defines a recess therein which opens outwardly in a direction away from said outlet valve, said insert being disposed within said recess and being insertable into the recess in a direction opposite to a dispensing direction of the liquid through the exit opening into the surrounding atmosphere.

2. The dispenser according to claim 1 , wherein said housing component defines a recess at a terminal end thereof in which said insert is disposed, said recess having a shape conforming to an external shape of said insert, said part of said second outlet channel portion extends through said insert and terminates at said exit opening at said droplet-forming surface.

3. The dispenser according to claim 1 , wherein said insert is inserted into and disposed within said housing component.

4. The dispenser according to claim 1 , wherein said housing component includes a terminal end in which said recess is disposed, said recess conforming in shape to an external shape of said insert, said terminal end defining thereon said edge forming said second portion of said droplet-forming surface, said part of said second outlet channel portion extends through said insert and terminates at said exit opening at said droplet-forming surface, said exit opening being defined by said insert.

5. The dispenser according to claim 1 , wherein said insert comprises a porous material, said part of said second outlet channel portion extends through said porous material to convey liquid from said first outlet channel portion to said exit opening.

6. The dispenser according to claim 1 , wherein said first and second surfaces comprise plastic and said antibacterial material comprises an antibacterial additive introduced into said plastic material.

7. The dispenser according to claim 1 , wherein said antibacterial material comprises an antibacterially-active coating applied to said first and second surfaces.

8. The dispenser according to claim 1 , wherein said insert is annular in configuration and includes an inner wall defining said first surface.

9. The dispenser according to claim 1 , wherein said insert includes an end facing in a direction away from said outlet valve, said end defining said second surface and having an annular configuration.

10. The dispenser according to claim 1 , wherein said first portion of said droplet-forming surface is recessed inwardly relative to said edge forming said second portion of said droplet-forming surface.

11. The dispenser according to claim 10 , wherein said edge is defined on said housing component.

12. A dispenser for dispensing pharmaceutical liquid in droplet form, said dispenser comprising:
an exit opening through which liquid is discharged into a surrounding atmosphere;
a liquid reservoir;
an outlet channel connecting said liquid reservoir to said exit opening;
an outlet valve disposed in said outlet channel and openable manually or in a pressure-dependent manner, said outlet valve having a closed position in which said outlet valve separates said outlet channel into a first outlet channel portion disposed upstream of said outlet valve and a second outlet channel portion disposed downstream of said outlet valve;
a housing assembly including a housing component, part of said second outlet channel portion penetrates through said housing component, said liquid reservoir being disposed within said housing assembly, said housing assembly comprising antibacterial material at surfaces disposed to contact liquid downstream of said outlet valve, and it is exclusively said surfaces which comprise said antibacterial material, said housing assembly further including an attachment separate from said housing component, said attachment being fixed to an outer surface of said housing component at an area thereof disposed immediately adjacent said exit opening, said attachment including said surfaces comprising said antibacterial material.

13. The dispenser according to claim 12 , wherein said part of said second outlet channel portion is a first part, and said attachment defines therein a second part of said second outlet channel portion disposed downstream of said first part.

14. The dispenser according to claim 13 , wherein said housing component defines therein said first outlet channel portion and includes a terminal end disposed immediately adjacent said exit opening, said attachment being substantially cup-shaped and extending over said terminal end.

15. The dispenser according to claim 12 , wherein said part of said second outlet channel portion is a first part, said attachment defines therein a second part of said second outlet channel portion, and said housing component defines therein said first outlet channel portion.

16. The dispenser according to claim 15 , wherein a first of said surfaces of said attachment comprising said antibacterial material defines part of a droplet-forming surface disposed in surrounding relation with said exit opening, a second of said surfaces of said attachment comprising said antibacterial material defines a further part of said droplet-forming surface, said first surface being recessed inwardly towards said outlet valve relative to said second surface, said part of said second outlet channel portion is said first part, and a third of said surfaces defines said second part of said second outlet channel portion which penetrates through said attachment and is disposed downstream of said first part.

17. The dispenser according to claim 12 , wherein said surfaces of said attachment together define a droplet-forming area, wherein one of said surfaces is an annular surface disposed in surrounding relation with said exit opening and another of said surfaces is an annular edge disposed in surrounding relation with said annular surface, said annular surface being recessed inwardly in a direction towards said outlet valve relative

Assignees

• Wochele Matthias
• Aptar Radolfzell Gmbh

Inventors

• Wochele Matthias

Classifications

• A61F9/0008 Primary

  Introducing ophthalmic products into the ocular cavity or retaining products therein (putting in contact lenses A61F9/0061; introducing or retaining media in cavities of the body in general A61M31/00) · CPC title

• A61J1/2075

  for external venting · CPC title

• A61J1/2037

  having valve means · CPC title

• A61J1/145

  using air filters · CPC title

• A61J1/067

  Flexible ampoules, the contents of which are expelled by squeezing · CPC title