Two-component packaging unit

• US 7,210,575 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2003
• Issued: 05/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pharmaton S.A. (C.H. Boehringer Sohn AG & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH (C.H. Boehringer Sohn AG & Co. KG)
• Inventors: Oswald, Klaus
• Primary Examiner(s): FIDEI, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US10/670,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20040112770A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• Field of Search: 206/219, 206/222, 215/DIG.8, 422/99, 422/102, 220/522
• US Class Current: 206/219
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/2885 the element being the auxiliary container falling into the main container; the additional article or materials in solid block form falling into the main container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3222 with additional means facilitating admixture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 215/08 Mixing

Abstract

The invention relates to a packaging unit for two substances to be stored separately from each other and mixed together before use, particularly a liquid and a powdered substance. The invention comprises a first container and a second container which is moveably suspended in the neck of the first container. The second container is moved by screwing tight the closure cap of the first container and thereby opened.

Claims

1. A packaging unit in the form of a container with a closure cap for two substances to be stored separately from each other and mixed together before use, the packaging unit comprising

a first bottle-like container (1) comprising

a shoulder region (2) and an opening region (3), the opening region (3) comprising an external screw thread (6) and an annular constriction (7) with an internal diameter,

a second container (4) frictionally secured in the annular constriction (7), and

a closure cap (5) covering the opening region (3), wherein

the second container (4) comprises a lower part (8) with a maximum external diameter that is less than the internal diameter of the annular constriction (7), an upper part (10) with a maximum external diameter that is less than the internal diameter of the annular constriction (7), and a central part (9) with an external diameter that is the same size or greater than the internal diameter of the annular constriction (7), the central part (9) being located inside or below the annular constriction (7) when the packaging unit is in an initially sealed state,

the upper part (10) of the second container (4) is closed by a lid (12) that is insertable in the upper part (10).

2. The packaging unit according to claim 1, wherein the lid (12) is not an integral part of the closure cap (5).

3. The packaging unit according to claim 1, wherein the upper part (10) comprises at least two recesses (11),

the lid (12) comprises flange-like projections (13) adapted to pass through the recesses (11) in the upper part (10) and abut the constriction (7),

the closure cap (5) comprises an outer cylinder (14) with an internal screw thread (15) and, integrally formed thereon, an inner cylinder (16) with a sealed base region (17), the inner cylinder (16) adapted to engage the opening region (3) of the first container (1) and abut upper part (10) of the second container (4), and

the second container (4) is held in frictionally locking manner with its central part (9) in the annular constriction (7) of the first container (1) in such a way that, by rotating the closure cap (5) into the first container (1), the second container (4) is pushed by the pressure of the inner cylinder (16) onto the cylindrical upper part (10) of the second container into the first container until the lid (12) is released, whereby the opening of the second container (4) communicates with the interior of the first container.

4. The packaging unit according to claim 1, wherein on the sealed base region (17) of the inner cylinder (16) of the closure cap (5) is formed a cylindrical projection (18) which is of a suitable size for engagement in the lid (12), whereby after being released from the second container (4) the lid (12) is held clamped by the closure cap (5).

5. The packaging unit according to claim 1, wherein the second container (4) comprises a pot-shaped lower part (8), a central part (9) with a greater external diameter than the lower part and a cylindrical upper part (10) with one or more axially extending recesses (11) and with an annular, peripherally encircling flange (17), while at least the region underneath the flange (17) has an external diameter which is at least equal to that of the central part and

the second container (4) is tightly sealed off with a cup-like lid (12) by tight clamping,

the closure cap (5) comprises an outer cylinder (14) with an internal screw thread (15) and a cylindrical projection (18) formed thereon, the cylindrical projection (18) engages in the opening region (3) of the first container (1) and rests above the cup-shaped top region of the lid (12), and

the second container (4) is frictionally secured with its central part (9) in the cylindrical constriction (7) of the first container (1) so that by rotating the closure cap (5) into the

first container (1) the cylindrical projection (18) pushes the second container (4) by pressure on the lid (12) until the flange (17) or minimum of one projection (18) rests on the top edge of the constriction (7) and the upper outer region of the upper part of the second container is frictionally connected to the constriction (7), while at the same time the cylindrical projection (18) also engages frictionally in the cup-shaped upper part of the lid (12) in such a way that after removal of the closure cap the lid (12) is moved along by the cylindrical projection (18) and the now exposed opening of the second container (4) can communicate with the interior of the first container.

6. The packaging unit according to claim 5, wherein the axial length of the recesses (11) in the upper part (10) is greater than the axial height of the cylindrical constriction (7).

7. The packaging unit according to claim 1, wherein the second container (4) comprises a pot-shaped lower part (8) with a barb-like member which is situated underneath the constriction (7) in the initially sealed state of the packaging unit and which has an external diameter which is at least slightly greater than the internal diameter of the constriction (7), and a cylindrical upper part (10) the external diameter of which is less than the internal diameter of the constriction (7),

the second container is sealed by a releasable lid which is frictionally connected to the inside of the closure cap or is an integral part thereof,

so that in the initially sealed state of the packaging unit the lower part (8) of the second container is located underneath the constriction (7) and the upper part is connected to the closure cap (5) through the constriction (7).

8. The packaging unit according to claim 7, wherein in the inner cylinder (16) of the closure cap (5) is provided a metering aid, preferably a measuring cup (21), which is frictionally secured therein.

9. The packaging unit according to claim 7, wherein the lid (12) or optionally the region of the closure cap (5) acting as a lid comprises, on its outside which provides the sealing effect with the second container, an annular, peripherally encircling sealing region (22) and axially below it a region which has at least one axially directed recess (24) which extends from the base of the lid (12) to the peripherally encircling sealing region (22).

10. The packaging unit according to claim 9, wherein axially underneath the annular, peripherally encircling sealing region (22) are formed axial webs (23) which define a peripherally encircling region have the same external diameter as the external diameter of the sealing region, this region comprising, between the webs (23), axially directed recesses (24) which extend from the base of the lid (12) to the peripherally encircling sealing region (22).

11. The packaging unit according to claim 10, wherein the axially directed recesses (24) are wider than the webs (23) between them.

12. The packaging unit according to claim 11, wherein the peripherally encircling sealing region (22) is formed underneath the top edge of the outside of the lid (12) or of the region of the closure cap (5) which serves as a lid, forming a seal with the second container.

13. The packaging unit according to claim 12, wherein the lid (12) is an integral part of the closure cap (5).

14. The packaging unit according to claim 13, wherein the external diameter of the second container above the barb-like member is approximately the same as the internal diameter of the constriction (7), so that at this point the second container is securely held in the constriction (7) in the original sealed state of the packaging unit.