Apparatus for controllably discharging flowable media

• US 5,813,570 A
• Filed: 01/30/1996
• Issued: 09/29/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aptar Radolfzell GmbH (AptarGroup Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Ing. Erich Pfeiffer GmbH (AptarGroup Incorporated)
• Inventors: Fuchs, Karl-Heinz, Ritsche, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Huson, Gregory L.
• Application Number:
  US08/594,055
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 604/203, 222/82, 222/83, 222/83.5, 222/309, 222/327, 222/153.06, 222/153.13
• US Class Current: 222/82
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/08 Inhaling devices inserted into the nose
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/0027 Means for neutralising the actuation of the sprayer pump locking means B05B11/1059; Means for preventing access to the sprayer actuation means
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/0032 Manually actuated means located downstream the discharge nozzle for closing or covering it, e.g. shutters automatically removed during actuation of a spray pump B05B11/1053
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/02 Membranes or pistons acting on the contents inside the container, e.g. follower pistons

Abstract

A discharge apparatus for flowable media, comprising: a basic body, at least partly receiving a pump unit; the pump unit having a pump chamber connectable to a discharge opening via a discharge channel; a pump cylinder and a pump piston bounding the pump chamber; the pump cylinder forming a medium reservoir; the pump piston being displaceably guided in the pump cylinder for discharging all the medium contained in the medium reservoir by a single pump stroke in a pump stroke direction; and, at least one breakable material bridge between the pump unit and the basic body which can be destroyed by an actuating force exerted in the pump stroke direction, whereby the medium is discharged from the apparatus with a predetermined discharging pressure by a predetermined actuating force level and the apparatus is provided with a destroyable tamper-evident closure.

Claims

1. Discharge apparatus for flowable media, comprising:

a basic body, at least partly receiving a pump unit;

said pump unit having a pump chamber connectable to a discharge opening via a discharge channel;

a pump cylinder and a pump piston bounding said pump chamber;

said pump cylinder forming a medium reservoir;

said pump piston being displaceably guided in said pump cylinder for discharging all said medium contained in said medium reservoir by a single pump stroke in a pump stroke direction; and

,

at least one breakable material bridge between said pump unit and said basic body which can be destroyed by an actuating force exerted in said pump stroke direction,

whereby said medium is discharged from said apparatus with a predetermined discharging pressure by a predetermined actuating force level and said apparatus is provided with a destroyable tamper-evident closure.

2. Discharge apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one material bridge is formed by a one-piece construction of the casing and pump portions.

3. Discharge apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a ring shaped fastening element is via the at least one material bridge integral with one portion of a group of portions including a casing portion and a pump portion;

said fastening element being fitted to the other portion of said group of portions.

4. Discharge apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the fastening element surrounds an outer projection of the housing, the cooperating snapping means being provided at the outside of the projection and on the inside of the fastening element.

5. Discharge apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the fastening element is a ring with L-shaped cross section consisting of a bottom ring portion and a substantially cylindrical jacket portion.

6. Discharge apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising at the inner side of the jacket portion a snap profile cooperating with a correspondingly shaped snap profile at the outside of the projection.

7. Discharge apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the snapping means are barb-like to provide a smaller holding force in snapping-in direction than in a direction opposite thereto, in which opposite direction the holding force being greater than a force to break the at least one material bridge.

8. Discharge apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a guide for the pump portion being formed by the fastening element and inner webs of the basic body.

9. Discharge apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the fastening element has an engagement face for an assembly tool, exerting a force for engaging the snapping means.

10. Discharge apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one material bridge is constructed in the interior of a base casing part provided with actuating shoulders which base casing part is locked to a central portion at least partly receiving the pump and including the discharge opening.

11. Discharge apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one material bridge is formed integral with an actuating sleeve receiving at least partly the pump cylinder.

12. Discharge apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising several material bridges substantially in one plane.

13. Discharge apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one material bridge is constructed in the shape of a tip connected to a wall.

14. Discharge apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the material bridge is constructed in the vicinity of an upper edge of an actuating sleeve and a downwardly directed edge in the interior of the casing portion.

15. Discharge apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a cutting edge for cutting through the at least one material bridge.

20. Discharge apparatus according to claim 1, wherein on the pump unit a marking is provided cooperating with a marking on the basic body and which are mutually displaced during pump actuation.

21. Discharge apparatus according to claim 1, wherein between a tamper-evident closure position in which the parts movable against one another for actuation are fixed by said closure, and a discharge start position determined by the start of medium discharge, there is a spacing defining an idle path.

16. Discharge apparatus for flowable media, comprising:

a basic body at least partly receiving a pump chamber connectable to a discharge opening via a discharge channel, the pump chamber being bounded by a pump cylinder and a pump piston plug;

said pump cylinder forming a medium reservoir;

said pump piston plug being displaceably guided in said pump cylinder for discharging all said medium contained in said medium reservoir in a single pump stroke in a pump stroke direction;

a ram arranged to pierce said pump piston plug under action of a predetermined axial actuating force applied to said piston plug in said pump stroke direction; and

,

said piston plug having a piercing resistance to the action of said actuating force,

whereby said apparatus requires a predetermined actuating force level, and in response to said predetermined force level, discharges the medium with a predetermined discharge pressure and whereby said apparatus is provided with a destroyable, tamper-evident closure.

17. Discharge apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the ram has lateral channels for conducting the medium.

18. Discharge apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the ram is made from plastic and designed to penetrate, prior to piercing of a closure web in the piston plug, with its outer face sealingly a depression in the piston plug;

a shoulder connected to the ram resting in sealing manner on a face of the piston plug.

19. Discharge apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the ram has at its tip a double-sided wedge shape.

22. Discharge apparatus for flowable media, comprising:

a basic body at least partly receiving a pump unit;

said pump unit having a pump chamber connectable to a discharge opening via a discharge channel;

a pump cylinder and a pump piston bounding said pump chamber;

said pump cylinder forming a medium reservoir;

said pump piston being displaceably guided in said pump cylinder for discharging all said medium contained in said medium reservoir in two partial pump strokes;

a first and a second bridge element each having at least one breakable material bridge between said pump unit and said basic body which can be destroyed by an actuating force exerted in a pump stroke direction;

thereby providing both a predetermined actuating force level for discharging said medium with a predetermined discharging pressure during each of said partial pump strokes and destroyable tamper-evident closures for each of the partial pump strokes;

said first and second bridge elements being spaced such that said first bridge element allows, after breakage of its material bridges, said first partial stroke of said pump piston, said first partial stroke being limited by said second bridge element; and

,

said pump piston being free for said second partial stroke after breakage of said material bridges of said second bridge element under a new predetermined actuating force, the pump piston is free for a second partial stroke.

23. Discharge apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the first element has an abutting surface on which the second element abuts at the end of the first partial stroke.

24. Discharge apparatus for flowable media, comprising:

a basic body at least partly receiving a pump unit;

said pump unit having a pump chamber connectable to a discharge opening via a discharge channel;

a pump cylinder and a pump piston bounding said pump chamber;

said pump cylinder forming a medium reservoir and being at least partly contained in a plastic actuating sleeve;

said pump piston being displaceably guided in said pump cylinder for discharging all said medium contained in said medium reservoir in at least one pump stroke;

said basic body having a central, substantially cylindrical portion having at its upper ends a spray nozzle and at its lower end actuating and gripping shoulders including a generally flat radial projection of considerably greater dimensions in two directions opposite to each other than in a direction perpendicular thereto;

at least one breakable material bridge integral with a fastening element and said actuating sleeve said material bridge being destroyable by an actuating force exerted in a pump stroke direction;

thereby providing both a predetermined actuating force level for discharging said medium with a predetermined discharging pressure and a destroyable tamper-evident closure;

said fastening element being a ring surrounding an outside housing projection;

said housing projection projecting from the underside of said gripping shoulders; and

,

said actuating sleeve projecting centrally through and far beyond said fastening element.