Package Of Separated Materials To Be Mixed

Abstract

A package in which two materials maintained in separated relation can be mixed and dispensed in which a liquid is preloaded in one member and a material to be taken up in the liquid in another member and the two members are joined to form a package in which the materials are maintained in their separated relation but in which the liquid can be transferred from the one member to the other without member separation for taking up the other material in solution or suspension.

Description

This invention is addressed to a package in which two materials can be maintained in separated relation and from which the material can be dispensed after intermixing.

There are a number of applications, primarily in the chemical and pharmaceutical arts, where it is desirable to combine two materials in a predetermined ratio but where the materials cannot be premixed in the desired ratio to provide a stock solution because of the instability of the mixture or solution. Under such circumstances, it is necessary that such admixture be effected almost immediately prior to use.

This means that the materials must be kept separated one from the other until immediately prior to admixture. When made available in separate containers, error can arise with respect to removal of specified amounts of materials for admixture in the desired ratio. This means that separate containers for each of the materials must be provided as well as a container for admixture and it means further that contamination can take place during the separate handling of the materials and their admixture in a separate container.

Devices of the type illustrated in U. S. Pats. No. 3,464,414, No. 3,198,194, and No. 2,695,614 have been provided in which a single container is divided into separate compartments by means of a plug seated in a restricted portion between the compartments, with a view towards sealing the compartments one from the other. The plug is adapted to be displaced from the restricted portion into the lower compartment in response to fluid pressure to enable the material in the one compartment to flow into the other through the freed constricted portion connecting the compartments.

This construction is faced with a number of problems, such as providing an effective seal to prevent transmission of vapors from one compartment to the other and it is faced further by the contamination by the plug which is displaced into the one compartment in which the materials are to be mixed. In addition, difficulties are often experienced in loading the device with the plug in sealing relationship between the compartments and in displacement of the plug to provide communication between compartments.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple and efficient package in which the materials subsequently to be mixed, at least one of which is a liquid, can be preloaded into separate members which are adapted to be joined in sealing relation whereby the two materials can be safely maintained in their separated relation, completely sealed one from the other, wherein the liquid component in one compartment can be displaced for admixture with material in another compartment without displacement of a foreign material into the mixing compartment, and wherein the materials in the separated compartments can be introduced in exact measured amounts for admixture in the desired ratio for immediate use without exposure to the atmosphere or other containers thereby to provide for an uncontaminated, measured increment of the solution or mixture.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will hereinafter appear and for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional elevational view of the package representative of the practice of this invention in loaded condition;

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view of the package shown in FIG. 1 with the elements in actuated position;

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevational view of the separated vial with the freshly mixed solution;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged elevational view of the sealing plug; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional elevational view of a modification in the sealing plug and means for establishing communication therethrough.

The invention will be described with reference to a device or package in which one material is a particulate, powdered, or other solid material while the other is a liquid in which the solid material is to be suspended or dissolved. It will be understood that instead of a solid particulate or powdered material, the one material can be a liquid, gel or the like for admixture or solution with the other liquid immediately prior to use.

Referring now to the drawings for a detailed description of the invention, the numeral 10 indicates an outer vial which may be in the form of a test tube or other tubular member which is closed at the bottom 12 and open at the top 14 with the lip 16, about the top, extending curvilinearly outwardly. The vial can be formed of metal, plastic or the like material but it is preferred to form the vial of glass.

A tubular member 20 which is open at both ends 22 and 24 is dimensioned to have an outer wall to wall dimension which is less than the inner wall to wall dimension of the vial 10 so as to enable the forward end portion 26 of the tubular member to be received in telescoping relation within the open end 14 of the vial. The tubular member is formed with a passage 28 extending continuously therethrough between the open ends. The forward end portion of the tubular member is formed with a neck portion 30 of smaller cross-section to provide an inner step-shoulder 32 and the neck portion is fitted about its outer wall with a sealing member 34 of elastomeric material.

The sealing member 34 is in the form of a stopper having an outer ribbed portion 36 which fits in gripping relation about the neck and is adapted to have an outer wall to wall dimension slightly greater than the inner wall to wall dimension of the vial so as to grip the vial in sealing relation, as a stopper, while enabling relative axial movement therebetween for insertion of the tubular member into the end of the vial during assembly and to enable removal of the tubular member for separation from the vial after the materials have been admixed and it is desired to pour the solution or mixture from the vial.

The rubber stopper 34 is preferably though not necessarily formed with a diaphragm or disc 38 which spans the open end of the tubular member to seal the passage and, when present, it is provided with one or more openings 40 in portions offset laterally from the axial alignment with the passage and in position to abut the flanged portion of the neck 30 when in normal position to plug the openings and which are unseated from the abutment when the diaphragm is flexed in response to internal pressure imposed by the liquid, as will hereinafter be described.

When dependence is had on a separate sealing member, provided within the passage of the tubular member, openings through the disc portion can be axially aligned with the passage.

The primary seal is provided in the passage of the tubular member in the form of a rubber-like sealing plug 42 having one or more axially spaced sealing ribs 44 dimensioned to engage the walls of the passage through the tubular member in sealing engagement. For this purpose, it is desirable to dimension the sealing ribs crosswise by an amount slightly greater than the inner wall to wall dimension of the tubular member so that the ribbed portions 44 will be flexed in response to compression during engagement with the walls so as to insure a sealing engagement therewith. The sealing disc may be of uniform thickness throughout its cross-section or it can be formed with a rim portion 46 of greater thickness than the web portion 48 spanning the area between the rim. One or more slits 50 are provided to extend through the central portion whereby the slits are closed under normal conditions but are opened in response to fluid pressure to enable fluid to pass therethrough.

In the preferred embodiment, the sealing plug is in the form of an integrally formed disc member having axially spaced parallel circumferential ribs extending radially outwardly from an annular rim portion with the flexible web having a central slit 50 spanning the area between the rim.

Instead of forming the sealing member with a central web portion having a slit, the sealing member can be formed, as shown in FIG. 5, with a web portion 52 which is free of any openings but which is in position to be pierced by a bayonet 54 fixed to the neck portion of the tubular member with the piercing point 56 in axial alignment with the central portion of the web 52 but spaced a short distance forwardly therefrom in position to pierce the web either upon flexure of the web in response to internal fluid pressure or in response to axial displacement of the sealing plug to bring the web into engagement with the bayonet, in response to fluid pressure.

A piston plug 60 of resilient material stoppers the rearward end portion of the tubular member and it is provided with means on the end thereof for operative engagement by an actuator 62 to effect displacement of the piston plug through the passage of the tubular member to force liquid 64 from the tubular member into the vial. The piston plug 60 is formed of a resilient material and is dimensioned to be received in the passage of the tubular member in sealing engagement for axial sliding movement. The outer end portion of the piston plug can be provided with an attached actuator rod 62 dimensioned to have a length greater than the distance that the plug is adapted to be displaced into the tubular member for forcing the liquid therefrom. Instead, the piston plug can be provided with a threaded stud or with a threaded recessed portion 66 into which the threaded forward end 68 of an actuator can be screwed.

The rearward end of the tubular member is formed with a radially outwardly extending flanged rim 70 which functions as a finger grip. Instead, a flanged bracket, which receives the tubular member in fitting relationship, can be employed as a finger grip.

The liquid component is adapted to be loaded into the tubular member 20 and it may be preloaded therein in the desired amount for confinement therein by the piston plug 60 and the sealing plug 42.

The particulate material can be preloaded in the desired amount in the vial and sealed therein with a conventional stopper or by assembly of the preloaded tubular member onto the end of the vial.

After the vial 10 has been loaded with the measured increment of material to be dissolved or suspended in the liquid, the preloaded tubular member can be inserted as a stopper for the vial to effect the assembled package.

It will be apparent that the vial and tubular members are capable of separate loading for mass production and subsequent assembly to provide the desired amount of liquid and material to be dissolved or suspended therein. The assembled unit can be shipped or stored over extended periods of time without fear of contamination or premixing of the one material with the other.

When it is desired to combine the two materials, it is only necessary to effect displacement of the piston plug, as by means of the actuator 62, while holding the assembly with one hand with two fingers about the flanged rim portion 70 and the thumb on the actuator.

In response to displacement of the piston plug, the sealing disc 38 and/or the sealing plug 42 are flexed axially forwardly to free the passage through which the liquid can flow under pressure from the tubular member into the vial. When the measured amount of liquid has been transferred from the tubular member to the vial, the assembly can be shaken while the vial is still stoppered to admix the materials for solution or suspension. Thereafter, the tubular member is removed to free the open end 14 of the vial for pouring the freshly formed mixture or solution therefrom.

It will be apparent that the package described is subject to a number of variations and modifications without departing from the spirit of the invention, especially as defined in the following claims.

Claims

I claim:

1. A package of measured amounts of two materials, at least one of which is a liquid, in which the materials are maintained in a separated relation in the package until substantially immediately prior to use and are admixed while still in the package from which the mixture of materials can be poured comprising a vial in the form of a test tube having an opening only at the top containing a measured amount of a material to be mixed with the liquid, a tubular member having a neck portion at the forward end with a passage extending continuously therethrough from the open rearward end to the open forward end, said tubular member being dimensioned to have a forward wall to wall dimension which is less than the wall to wall dimension of the vial, a sealing member on the neck portion of the tubular member dimensioned to engage the walls of the vial in sealing engagement when the tubular member is inserted in the open end portion of the vial as a stopper, sealing means closing the passage through the tubular member at the forward end portion to separate the passage of the tubular member from the material in the vial in normal position and to provide an open passage communicating the interior of the vial with the passage upon actuation to operative position in response to pressure from the liquid in the tubular member, a piston ring dimensioned slidably to be received in the passage of the tubular member, and means for actuating the piston ring from normal position in the rearward end of the passage to operated position in the forward end portion of the passage to force the liquid from the tubular member, the liquid in the tubular member being maintained in sealing relation within the tubular member between the sealing means and the piston ring.

2. A package as claimed in claim 1 in which the sealing means on the neck end portion of the tubular member comprises a diaphragm spanning the open end of the passage at the forward end of the tubular member and having a passage which remains closed while the diaphragm is in normal position and which opens responsive to flexure of the diaphragm in response to liquid pressure from within the tubular member.

3. A package as claimed in claim 1 in which the sealing means comprises a sealing ring of flexible material within the forward end portion of the passage through the tubular member but rearward of the neck portion, and means for opening a passage through the sealing ring responsive to internal pressure from the liquid in the tubular member.

4. A package as claimed in claim 3 in which the sealing ring is formed with a slit through the central portion thereof which remains closed when in normal position and which opens in response to flexure of the ring in response to fluid pressure.

5. A package as claimed in claim 2 in which the passage in the diaphragm is in endwise alignment with the end portions of the tubular member for abutment with the neck flange to effect a sealing relation therewith when in normal seated position.

6. A package as claimed in claim 1 in which the sealing means comprises a sealing ring of flexible material within the forward end portion of the passage through the tubular member but rearward of the neck portion, a diaphragm extending crosswise of the sealing ring to seal off the passage, a support extending crosswise within the passage between the diaphragm and the shoulder formed by the neck portion of the tubular member and which engages the shoulder as a stop, a bayonet fixed to the support with the pointed end extending in the direction of the diaphragm for piercing the diaphragm responsive to internal fluid pressure.

7. A package as claimed in claim 2 in which the sealing member and diaphragm are of unitary construction of a flexible sealing material.

8. A package as claimed in claim 3 in which the sealing ring is formed of an elastomeric material having circular ribs dimensioned to extend into sealing engagement with the inner wall of the tubular member.

9. A package as claimed in claim 1 which includes means on the rearward end of the piston ring for attachment of an actuator and which includes an elongate actuator dimensioned to exceed the length of travel of the piston ring through the tubular member.

10. A package as claimed in claim 9 in which the actuator comprises an elongate rod dimensioned to be received in telescoping relation within the tubular member and with means for attachment of the actuator to the piston ring.

11. A package as claimed in claim 1 which includes flange members extending radially outwardly from the rearward end portion of the tubular member for use as a finger grip.

12. A package as claimed in claim 3 in which the sealing ring comprises a unitary disc member having a central body portion and rim portions of greater thickness than the central body portion.

13. A package as claimed in claim 3 in which the sealing ring comprises a pair of axially spaced rim portions, a tubular portion joining the inner areas of said rim portions and a disc portion spanning the tubular portion with a slit therethrough.