U.S. patent application number 11/915507 was filed with the patent office on 2008-08-28 for reservoir with a cutter for substances to be mixed with liquids at moment of use in particular for single-dose containers.
This patent application is currently assigned to BORMIOLI ROCCO & FIGLIO S.P.A.. Invention is credited to Emilio Morini.
Application Number | 20080202949 11/915507 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35811628 |
Filed Date | 2008-08-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080202949 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Morini; Emilio |
August 28, 2008 |
Reservoir With a Cutter for Substances to be Mixed With Liquids at
Moment of Use in Particular for Single-Dose Containers
Abstract
The reservoir with a cutter for substances to be mixed with
liquids at moment of use, in particular for single-dose containers,
is of a type comprising a breakable bottom (8a) connected to a
reservoir by means of an easy-break line (8b) and superiorly closed
by a cutter (9) which on command causes breakage of the easy-break
line (8b). The reservoir comprises a barrier element (6), which is
easily removable or cuttable or penetrable by action of the cutter
(9) and which is impermeable to humidity. The barrier element (6)
is connected to the reservoir in a position between an inside of
the container and the substance contained in the reservoir, and
intercepts any humidity migrating from inside the container to
inside the reservoir across the breakable line (8b).
Inventors: |
Morini; Emilio; (Colorno
(Parma), IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PEARNE & GORDON LLP
1801 EAST 9TH STREET, SUITE 1200
CLEVELAND
OH
44114-3108
US
|
Assignee: |
BORMIOLI ROCCO & FIGLIO
S.P.A.
I-43036 Fidenza (Parma)
IT
|
Family ID: |
35811628 |
Appl. No.: |
11/915507 |
Filed: |
July 15, 2005 |
PCT Filed: |
July 15, 2005 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/IT2005/000405 |
371 Date: |
November 26, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/219 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 51/285
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/219 |
International
Class: |
B65D 25/08 20060101
B65D025/08 |
Claims
1). A reservoir with a cutter for substances to be mixed with
liquids at moment of use, in particular for single-dose containers,
of a type comprising a breakable bottom (8a) connected to a
reservoir by means of an easy-break line (8b) and superiorly closed
by a cutter (9) which on command causes breakage of the easy-break
line (8b), wherein the reservoir comprises a barrier element (6),
which is easily removable or cuttable or penetrable by action of
the cutter (9) and which is impermeable to humidity, connected to
the reservoir in a position between a substance contained in the
reservoir and the outside environment, such as to intercept any
humidity migrating from inside the container to inside the
reservoir across the breakable line (8b).
2). The reservoir of claim 1, wherein the barrier element is
connected externally to a bottom zone of the reservoir (8).
3). The reservoir of claim 2, wherein: it comprises a
closed-perimeter projection (5), made in an external zone of the
bottom of the reservoir, which completely surrounds the easy-break
line (8b); the barrier comprises a thin sheet (6) of multi-layer
material, of known type, comprising at least a metal layer and a
layer of plastic material; the sheet (6) being heat-weldable to the
projection (5).
4). The reservoir of claim 3, wherein the sheet (6) comprises a
layer of aluminium and a layer of polyethylene.
5). The reservoir of claim 3, wherein the projection (5) has an
annular shape and is made at a lower peripheral edge of the
reservoir.
6). The reservoir of claim 5, wherein the projection (5) is made in
a single piece with the reservoir during a forming operation
thereof, and defines a flat surface at an edge of which the sheet
(6) is heat-welded.
7). The reservoir of claim 6, wherein it comprises one or more
connection points (5a) arranged internally of the perimeter of the
projection (5), projecting externally of the bottom (8a) of the
reservoir in such a way that a terminal part thereof is coplanar to
the flat surface defined by the projection (5).
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The invention relates to the field of single-dose containers
in which a substance is to be mixed at moment of use with a
liquid.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] For some time now the prior art has taught containers, in
particular single-dose containers, on which a capsule is fitted,
the capsule being of various types: internally of the capsule there
is a reservoir, having a breakable bottom, internally of which
there is a cutting element which, following a pressure exerted
thereon, causes the breakage of the breakable bottom. A substance
is contained inside the reservoir, usually a powder or granules,
which on rupture of the bottom falls into the container and is
suspended in the liquid contained therein.
[0003] Independently of how the capsule and the reservoir are made,
the breakable bottom of the reservoir, normally made of a plastic
material, is connected to the remaining part of the reservoir by a
circumferential line having a very much smaller thickness so as to
be easily broken by exerting a little pressure on the cutting
element. For purposes of explanation, while the thickness of the
walls of the reservoir is usually comprised between 1 and 2
millimetres, the circumferential line along which the cut is
performed is of a thickness which, in order to allow an easy
cutting operation, generally does not go above 0.15 mm. and is even
less in some cases.
[0004] The substances contained in the reservoir, which are soluble
in the liquid contained in the container and are dissolved in the
liquid at moment of use, are generally sensitive to humidity both
because of their physical nature (they are prone to clotting
together to make unwanted lumps) or due to their chemical nature
(their properties can be modified); this is often the reason why
these preparations involve mixing the dry substance in the liquid
only at moment of use.
[0005] The materials the reservoirs containing the dry substance
are made of are by their nature permeable to damp, although only by
modest amounts; this permeability does not lead to significant
consequences in the zones of the reservoir having greater wall
thickness, as the time needed for migration of the humidity to
those zones is very long; the phenomenon is, however, of
considerable importance in the proximity of the circumferential
line of the reservoir along which the cut is to be made, as the
thickness of that line is extremely small and the time for
migration of humidity through it is much less. This phenomenon
leads to deterioration, over relatively short times, of the
chemical-physical characteristics of the substance contained in the
reservoir, or at least part of it.
[0006] In order to obviate the above drawback, plastic materials
have been used to make the reservoirs which materials have a lower
permeability to humidity. But apart from the fact that this
solution does not eliminate the problem, but only slows it down,
these materials have characteristics that make them very difficult
to break with normally-used cutters, and their use has been
abandoned.
[0007] A further solution which has been adopted is to put into the
reservoir a greater than necessary quantity of the powder
substance, so that as the deterioration thereof is progressive,
even if a part of it deteriorates there will still be enough, and
for a long enough time, for the aims of the preparation. This
however is an expensive solution, and is not very precise in terms
of doses effectively used.
[0008] Another solution is to indicate a use-by date which takes
account of the absorption times of the humidity through the
circumferential line in the reservoir; this time limit is much more
restricted than the actual degradation times of the substance. This
is also rather an expensive solution.
[0009] The main aim of the present invention is to obviate the
drawbacks in the prior art, by providing a reservoir with a cutter
that is easy to cut through and which has long permeability times
with regard to humidity.
[0010] An advantage of the present invention is that it provides a
reservoir that can be used with existing containers without any
need for modifications to the packaging line, and that is easy to
construct.
[0011] A further advantage of the invention is that it provides a
reservoir which is impermeable to humidity over a long period of
time both when the reservoir is free (it is an independent product)
and when it is inserted in the container to constitute the
definitive packaging.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
[0012] Further characteristics and advantages of the present
invention will better emerge from the detailed description that
follows of a preferred embodiment of the reservoir, illustrated
purely by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying figures
of the drawings, in which:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a section in vertical elevation of the
reservoir;
[0014] FIG. 2 shows, in small scale, a vertical elevation,
partially sectioned, of the reservoir of the invention applied on a
capsule inserted on a container.
[0015] In the figures of the drawings, 1 denotes a container having
a mouth, at the end of a neck 2, which is closed by a capsule 3 of
known type. A reservoir 8 is afforded internally of the capsule 3,
which reservoir 8 has a breakable bottom 8a and contains a cutter
9; the reservoir 8 is inserted sealedly in the mouth 2 of the
container 1.
[0016] The substance to be inserted into the container at moment of
use is located internally of the reservoir 8, or internally of the
cutter 9 (as illustrated in FIG. 2), if the cutter is internally
hollow. To perform this operation the capsule is opened and a
pressure is applied on the upper part of the cutter so that the end
part of the cutter moves towards the bottom of the reservoir and
cuts the breakable bottom along an easy-break line 8b. The cutter
has a cylindrical shape and exhibits a spout-shape, with the
perimeter thereof being the inclined cutting edge of the element.
Thus the action of the cutter on the line 8b, which develops along
the internal circumference of the reservoir, has a progressive
action and is thus facilitated; the extremely thin width of the
line 8b also makes the cutting operation easier. In many cases a
small cutting arc is included in the cutter, in particular at a
zone of the cutter that is most distant from the bottom of the
reservoir, which either does not cut or does not arrive (with the
cutter at endrun position) at the bottom of the reservoir and
cannot cut it. This is in order that the cut part of the reservoir
does not detach completely and therefore does not fall into the
underlying container.
[0017] The above all belongs to the prior art. Both the container
and the capsule are not necessarily like the ones illustrated, but
can be of any type.
[0018] The reservoir 8 comprises a barrier element the chief
characteristics of which are that it is easily removable, or
cuttable, or in any case penetrable, by the cutter or by the
cutting action thereof, and that it is impermeable to humidity. The
barrier element is connected to the reservoir at a position which
places it between the substance contained in the reservoir and the
outside environment so that it can intercept any humidity which
might migrate through the line 8b from the container towards the
inside of the reservoir. Naturally, if the reservoir is inserted in
the container, the outside environment will be represented by the
inside of the container itself, and passage of humidity coming
therefrom will be prevented.
[0019] A rather simple way to create this barrier is to use a thin
sheet 6 of multi-layer material comprising at least one metal layer
and a plastic layer; from among the various known multilayer
materials, a preferable choice for the barrier would be a material
comprising at least one layer of aluminium, a metal which even in
very thin sheets constitutes an, excellent barrier to humidity, and
a layer of polyethylene, with functions that will be better
explained herein below.
[0020] It is particularly easy and practical to connect a barrier
element such as the one described above, to the outside of the
bottom zone of the reservoir. For this purpose the reservoir 8
comprises at least a closed-perimeter projection 5, made in the
external zone of the bottom of the reservoir which completely
surrounds the line 8b; in particular, the projection 5 is annular
and is afforded at the lower peripheral edge of the reservoir
8.
[0021] The projection 5, which is realised in a single piece with
the reservoir during the forming thereof, defines a flat surface to
an edge of which, represented by the perimeter of the projection 5,
the sheet 6 is heat-welded. This operation is made extremely easy
because of the presence of the layer of polyethylene present in the
sheet 6.
[0022] The bottom 8a of the reservoir 8 is generally concave; as a
consequence, when the sheet 6 is connected to the projection 5,
between the bottom 8a and the sheet 6, an empty zone is created, in
which the sheet is free. To avoid this situation causing an
accidental laceration of the sheet, although this is improbable,
connection points 5a can be included, arranged internally of the
perimeter of the projection 5 and projecting externalwards of the
bottom 8a of the reservoir in order that the terminal part thereof
is coplanar with the flat surface defined by the projection 5. The
sheet 6 is thus heat-welded to the reservoir 8 not only at the
projection 5, but also at the connection points 5a, and the
possibility of an accidental laceration of the sheet is
considerably reduced.
[0023] The presence of the barrier sheet, the thickness of which is
extremely small (around 0.05 mm) does not minimally influence the
functioning of the cutter, which is perfectly able, with no
appreciable additional force, to cut the breakable bottom of the
reservoir 5 and the sheet 6. Further, as happens with the bottom
8a, the sheet 6 too is not cut completely, but a piece remains
attached (corresponding to the non-cut part of the bottom) to the
reservoir 5, and does not fall into the underlying container, where
the substance falls.
[0024] The described reservoir can be used in all applications for
which known reservoirs are used and, with respect to known
reservoirs, exhibits the very considerable advantage of not
allowing humidity originating from outside or from the container to
reach the substance in the reservoir. Obtaining this advantage is
also easy and economical and requires no modifications to present
packaging lines inasmuch as the reservoir is supplied to the
packaging lines already structured as described herein and can be
inserted in a container in the same way as traditional
reservoirs.
[0025] As it is often true that the person packing the reservoir
containing the powders is different from the one who is packaging
the final product by insertion of the reservoir in the container,
and given that the reservoir protects the powders contained therein
from possible infiltrations of humidity present in the outside
environment, the risk of infiltration of humidity over a possibly
quite long period is prevented when it is inserted in the
container.
[0026] The above-illustrated ways of realizing the barrier element
enable a simple and easy realisation of the invention. Though more
complex, the barrier element can be realised in other ways: for
example, the sheet 6 could be connected internally of the reservoir
during the forming process of the reservoir itself, or the
easy-break line 8b could be covered with a sheet of material,
obviously a biocompatible material which does not react in any way
either with the substance contained in the reservoir 5 or with the
liquid contained in the container, which material remains in the
plastic state and can easily be crossed by the cutter.
* * * * *