EP0184742B1 - Dispenser for the dosed delivery of tablets, pastes or the like - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a dispenser for portioned individual dispensing of tablets, pastes or the like with a housing tube which has a dispensing opening at one end and, opposite this, is equipped with a pressure plate for transporting the dispensed material in the direction of the dispensing opening, which pressure plate by means of an dispensing opening adjacent actuating handle, which is rod-connected to the pressure floor, can be shifted gradually in the direction of the dispensing opening.

A dispenser for dispensing pasty goods is known from US-A-3,255,935. There the rod connecting the actuating handle to the pressure floor runs centrally in the housing tube. From FR-A-850 458 it is known to design the rod of the dispenser mechanism as a toothed rack. But here, too, the rack takes a course that runs through the center of the interior of the tube housing.

The object of the invention is to design a dispenser of the generic type in such a way that the space-dividing position of the elements forming the dispenser mechanism is avoided, but there is nevertheless an orderly and reliable function.

This object is achieved by the invention specified in claim 1.

The subclaims are advantageous developments of the dispenser according to the invention.

As a result of such a configuration, a generic dispenser of increased utility value is obtained. Practically the entire clear cross section of the housing tube remains free for the output material. The means forming the dispensing mechanism have been moved to the periphery. This primarily enables the advantage of dispensing bound particles such as tablets or the like from a housing tube which corresponds in size to the usual tablet tube. The completely free interior, on the other hand, allows refill packs of pasty contents to be used, for example, which have a flexible envelope. Depending on the size of the dispenser, a rod connection between the actuating handle and the pressure base running on the inner surface of the housing wall is sufficient to leave the interior of the housing free. In the case of larger designs in particular, it is expedient to arrange two toothed racks which run diametrically opposite one another, act on the pressure base and are longitudinally different from the actuating handle. This results in a balanced, tilt-free displacement even of a very flat pressure plate (short piston). Furthermore, it proves to be advantageous that the housing tube has a brake that presses laterally on the tablet lying in front and the actuating handle is designed as an angular slide which forms with its one angle leg a cover lying in front of the mouth of the housing tube and of which slide at least one in Rack that extends in the direction of the housing tube bottom and extends to the side of the tablet storage space, which shifts the pressure base against the last tablet in the ratchet feed by one tablet thickness each in the direction of the lid that is lifted by one tablet thickness from the edge of the housing tube mouth. The brake on the output side holds back the penultimate tablet. It is therefore certain that only one tablet will fail. The unit of slide and cover reduces the number of parts. The rack, which is matched to the ratchet function, freely undermines the pressure base, which can be shifted depending on the direction, when the slide is pulled back.

This withdrawal can be spring-loaded, so that the dispenser closes automatically, which leads to hygienically perfect packaging. An advantageous embodiment also consists of two diametrically opposed longitudinal grooves in the housing tube wall for guiding the racks. The brake is implemented in a structurally simple manner as an elastic tongue molded onto the housing wall. An advantageous way of assigning the washer results with simple means in that the actuating handle, which is made of elastic material, viewed in cross section, encompasses more than half of the lateral surface of the housing tube, which is circular in cross section. Furthermore, the invention proposes that longitudinal ribs are provided on the inner wall of the housing for frictionally holding the pressure floor, which grinds along these longitudinal ribs with an outwardly directed collar. Instead of using a slide as an actuating handle, in an advantageous further development the procedure can be such that the actuating handle is designed as a forked double lever mounted at opposite points of the housing tube by means of fork tines, the end region of which lies opposite the actuating handle key and engages with the rack through the housing tube wall is. The fork shape of the double lever also provides a favorable clip assignment, the coupling points themselves also forming the locking projections. In addition, it proves to be favorable that the racks are spring-loaded in the direction of displacement into their basic position. The reset is automatic. This is achieved with simple means in that the spring load is transferred to the stimulating end of the racks with the interposition of a ring. Specifically, it can be done here that the spring loading results from the tongues of a ring acting on the end face of the toothed racks. It is favorable here that the ring is designed as an insert of a head cap of the housing tube which has a central dispensing opening. The inner ceiling is the contradiction bearing for the spring body. Furthermore, an advantageous additional device is created by an actuating handle lock when a closure cap is placed on the dispensing opening. This configuration can be implemented in such a way that the front edge of the closure cap lying in front of an opening in the ceiling of the head plate represents the blocking surface for the rack upward movement. On the other hand, it can also be done in such a way that the ring has a finger which engages in the opening of the ceiling and is blocked from movement by the edge of the screw-on closure cap. The dispenser can therefore only be actuated if the closure cap has been removed from the dispenser head beforehand. Therefore, unwanted donation does not occur if the donor is properly sealed. Furthermore, the invention proposes that the pressure base on its surface facing the filling space has a cup-shaped recess for storing a sealing seal of an inner bag containing the dispensed material, the gathered wall of which emerges at the other end from the discharge opening of the top plate. For the convenient insertion of a new inner bag into the dispenser, so that this dispenser can function as a reusable dispenser, the invention also proposes that the pressure base be removed from the upper cross section of the housing tube. Finally, it proves to be advantageous that the head cap is designed as a screw body, the thread of which is directed in the opposite direction to that of the closure cap. The dispenser housing cannot be loosened or unscrewed when the closure cap is screwed on or off. Finally, it is also advantageous that the ring is captive, but is locked in the head cap in axial stroke play.

• Fig. 1 einen Längsschnitt durch den Spender gemäß dem ersten Ausführungsbeispiel, und zwar in Schließstellung,
• Fig. 2 den Schnitt gemäß Linie 11-11 in Fig. 1,
• Fig. 3 die Stimansicht des Spenders, und zwar vom ausgabeseitigen Ende her gesehen,
• Fig. 4 den Schnitt gemäß Linie IV-IV in Fig. 1,
• Fig. 5 den Spender in Ausgabestellung, wiederum im Längsschnitt,
• Fig. 6 den Spender gemäß dem zweiten Ausführungsbeispiel, ebenfalls im Längsschnitt,
• Fig. 7 den Schnitt gemäß Linie VII-VII in Fig. 6 und
• Fig. 8 in perspektivischer Explosionszeichnung den oberen Bereich dieses Spenders.

The subject matter of the invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of two illustrative exemplary embodiments. It shows

• 1 shows a longitudinal section through the dispenser according to the first embodiment, in the closed position,
• 2 shows the section along line 11-11 in Fig. 1,
• 3 shows the end view of the dispenser, seen from the end on the dispensing side,
• 4 shows the section along line IV-IV in FIG. 1,
• 5 the dispenser in the dispensing position, again in longitudinal section,
• 6 the dispenser according to the second embodiment, also in longitudinal section,
• Fig. 7 shows the section along line VII-VII in Fig. 6 and
• Fig. 8 is a perspective exploded view of the upper area of this dispenser.

The dispenser shown in FIGS. 1-5 is geared towards the single delivery of tablets 1. It has a housing tube 2 of circular cross-section. The latter contains the tablets stacked in a broadside system. The lateral surface thereof leads to inward longitudinal ribs 3 starting from the inner surface of the housing tube wall W.

The right-hand end of the housing tube 2 can be kept closed by a closure base 4 inserted in the form of a plug. The latter has a concentrically formed, inwardly directed collar 5 which is chamfered on the outside edge and which comes into a clamped fit with the longitudinal ribs 3.

The other end of the housing tube 2 forms a tablet discharge cross section which is open transversely. The discharge opening 6 results from the axial advance (arrow x) of a slide Sch. The latter has an angular shape. One of its angled legs a forms a cover 8 that closes in front of the housing tube mouth rim 7, while the other angled leg b extending along the housing side forms an actuating handle 9.

The inner surface of the lid 8 facing the tablet storage space V forms a centering protrusion 10. It is a frustoconical shape which overflows the end edges of the longitudinal ribs.

From the cover 8 of the slide Sch, two parallel racks 11 pointing in the direction of the housing tube bottom extend. The latter are molded onto the cover 8 in the same way. They are rooted on the inside of the cover ring shoulder 12 sealingly fitting onto the housing tube mouth rim 7. The toothed racks 11 extend over the entire length of the housing tube 2 and work together with a pressure base 13 resting against the last tablet 1 'to form a transport device. The latter is shifted depending on the slide displacement in the ratchet feed by one tablet thickness y each in the direction (arrow x) of the cover 8 which is raised by one tablet thickness from the housing mouth edge 7.

The toothed racks 11 extend diametrically opposite one another and are guided in longitudinal grooves 14 of the housing tube wall W formed by two longitudinal ribs 3.

The racks 11 have a sawtooth structure such that the teeth 15 of the same design have a steep, i.e. H. have flank 15 'lying in the transverse plane of the housing tube 2 and an obliquely sloping flank 15 ". There is a close tooth sequence.

In the same diametral, ratchet tongues 16 extend from the pressure base 13, directed backwards and diverging, and their outer transverse edge 16 'resiliently abuts the steep flank 15' of the saw teeth 15. The width of the ratchet tongues 16 corresponds essentially to that of the toothed racks 11. As can be seen in FIG. 4, the ratchet tongues 16 are rooted in the end face of a cup wall 17 of the otherwise rotationally symmetrical pressure plate 13. The cup bottom of the latter, which is closed by an intermediate wall 18, is set into the actual one annular pressure surface 19 of the pressure plate continues. The periphery then has a pot wall 20 running in the opposite direction. The latter runs concentrically with the pot wall 17, but goes in at the level of the transverse partition 18 in a lip-shaped, diverging collar 21 over. The latter is in frictional engagement with the longitudinal ribs 3. This leads to the fact that the racks 11 pass under the ratchet tongues 16 when the dispenser is closed and the pressure base 18 maintains its position unchanged. It is only during the subsequent counter stroke in the direction of arrow x that the pressure plate 13 which advances the row of tablets is carried along.

The housing tube 2 forms a brake B, which presses the tablet 1 ″ lying in front of it. The inside of the housing tube wall W is molded onto the inside and loads the jacket wall of the tablet. It is an elastic tongue 22. This can be molded on or else by means of split-off 5, in which the tablet discharge cross section is open on the transverse side, the next tablet slides out or falls out. Brake B thus favors the safe separation of the Stack of tablets.

The angled leg b forming the actuating handle 9 and running parallel to the housing tube 2 is curved according to the cylindrical shape of the housing tube 2 mentioned. It fits around the casing tube jacket wall in a form-fitting manner. With regard to the wrap, a dimension is selected such that the handle 9, which is made of elastic material, encompasses more than half of the housing tube 2. In addition to the bracket already formed by the rack and pinion guide, this results in a practical clip assignment. All parts are made of plastic.

The output displacement stroke is stop limited. For this purpose, a guide projection 23 extends from the inside of the handle 9. The latter protrudes into a guide shaft 24, the transverse end flanks 25 and 26 of which cooperate with the corresponding flanks of the projection. The depth of engagement is small, so that the projection can be clipped in easily with slight deformation of the material. The projection 23 also contributes to securing the actuation handle 9 against rotation. The end flank 25 can relieve the lid 8.

In order to increase the grip of the actuating handle, its outer surface has a roughening. The roughening consists of transverse ribs 27.

The output cross-sectional end region of the toothed racks 11 is kept tooth-free.

The function is briefly summarized as follows:

By moving the slide Sch over the actuating handle 9, the pressure base 13 is advanced over the racks 11 in the direction of the arrow x. The cover 8 lifts off at a distance from the mouth edge 7 of the housing tube 2, which corresponds to the thickness y of a tablet or is slightly above it. The downward-facing dispensing opening 6 releases the tablet 1. The then last tablet 1 "cannot fall out with it. This prevents the brake B. The ordered stack of tablets is brought along with it. There is no space between the tablets, so that there is no risk that they will tip over and wear out due to such a corresponding space or crumble.

By pulling back the slide Sch, the tooth structure undermines the ratchet tongues 16, but the pressure base 13 itself is held in a frictionally locking manner on the ridges of the longitudinal ribs 3.

The dispenser according to FIGS. 6-8 is used to dispense pasty dispensed material such as toothpaste, mayonnaise, mustard or the like. This dispenser works on the same basic principle as explained in detail above. If there is agreement, the reference numerals are applied analogously, sometimes without repeated text.

7, the rod connection between the actuating handle 9, which is realized here as a double lever 30, and pressure floor 13 on the inner surface of the housing tube wall W, so that the interior of the dispenser is also free of parts of the dispenser mechanism . The two toothed racks 11 are "embedded here in the housing wall W, which has correspondingly deeply dimensioned longitudinal grooves 14 for guiding the toothed racks, so that there is no exposed position in relation to the remaining parts of the inner surface which have a corresponding toothing character. These teeth are identified identically (15, 15 ', 15 ").

The width of the toothed racks 11 measured in the circumferential direction occupies an angular range of approximately 90 °. With correspondingly radially oriented channel flanks 14 'and parallel longitudinal edges of the racks 11 lying closely in front of them, the racks 11 are bonded. When the pressure base 13 is removed, they cannot tip into the interior of the dispenser.

Here too, the teeth 15 are designed as saw teeth, as is the tooth structure on the inner surface of the tube housing 2. In the basic position, the steep flanks 15 'of the teeth 15 assume a plane alignment with the teeth 15 on the inner surface.

In contrast to the pressure floor according to the first exemplary embodiment, the ratchet tongues 16 are now formed by the cup wall 20, more precisely by the obliquely flared lip-shaped collar 21. This is interrupted in a crenellated manner, so that there are individual, more radially movable fingers, which no longer engage in a frictional manner with respect to the toothed inner surface, but rather in a form-fitting manner.

The actuating handle 9 designed as a double lever 30 is forked. It encompasses the housing tube wall W. The two correspondingly curved fork tines 31 are mounted at opposite points of the housing tube 2. The locations have the reference number 32. They lie outside the diametrals of the housing tube 2, which is circular in cross section. That of the side protruding actuating handle button 33 opposite end region - it is the shorter arm of the double lever 30 - is articulated with the rack or racks 11 coupled. This end region of the fork tines 31 engages with a pin 34 oriented centrally on the longitudinal central axis zz of the housing tube in a suitable bearing recess 35 at the upper rack end there. A second pin 36 of the fork tines 31 forming the adjacent bearing point 32 is inserted in a bearing recess 37 of the housing tube wall.

To connect the pins 34 to the racks 11, the housing tube wall W is broken. The opening realized as a vertical longitudinal slot 38 results from FIG. 6. The longitudinal slot determines the angle of the double lever and thus the displacement stroke of the racks 11. The bearing recess 37 also has a longitudinal slot shape. There, the longitudinal slot extends horizontally. It gives the double lever 30 a certain amount of movement so that there is no jamming due to the arcuate swivel path of the pins 34 in relation to the vertical longitudinal slot 38.

The toothed racks 11 are spring-loaded in the direction of their basic position (FIG. 6). A correspondingly large helical compression spring, which can be accommodated in the cross-sectional widened head region of the dispenser and serves to load the upper end face 11 'of the toothed racks 11, can serve this purpose. In the present exemplary embodiment, the spring load is transferred to the end faces 11 'mentioned with the interposition of a ring 39. The spring elements are molded onto this ring 39 in the same way. These are inclined tongues 40, which are supported with their free end in a fixed position and the ring downwards, i. H. press in the direction of the pressure plate 13.

The ring 39 is designed as an insert of a head cap 41 which now has a central dispensing opening 6 and which is connected to the housing tube 2. Their shape is clear from Fig. 8. It is designed as a screw body. A lower, reduced-section cylindrical collar 42 has ribs 43 on its outer surface. It is a multi-start left-hand thread. The counter ribs 44 sit on an outwardly displaced jacket wall section 45 of the housing tube 2. The corresponding offset brings a horizontal shoulder 46. The spring-loaded horizontal ends 11 ′ of the toothed racks 11 extend in alignment with this in the basic position. The lower end edge of the ring 39 rests on this shoulder 46 .

In order to secure the ring 39 in the dome-like space of the head cap 41 against falling out, an annular bead 47 directed outwards from its upper end edge engages in a groove 48 in the axial direction on the inner wall of the collar 42. The height of the groove takes into account the working stroke of the dispenser mechanism.

The dispenser is provided with a locking device, which means that the double lever 30 can only be actuated if the dispensing opening 6, which is normally covered by a closure cap 49, is previously exposed. This cap 49 can be screwed on. For this purpose, the head cap 41 forms an upwardly directed, second, concentrically extending collar 50. On its cylindrical lateral surface there are right-hand thread-forming ribs 51 which interact with counter-ribs 52 or grooves on the inner wall of the closure cap 49. Furthermore, this locking device is designed such that the front edge 49 'of the closure cap 49 lying in front of an opening 53 in the ceiling 54 of the head cap 41 represents the locking surface for the rack upward movement. An advantageous embodiment is that the ring 39 has a finger 55 which engages in the aforementioned opening 53 of the ceiling 53 and is blocked from the end edge 49 'of the screw-on closure cap 49. In the exemplary embodiment, three fingers 55 arranged in the same angular distribution are molded onto the ring. These are in the direction of displacement of the ring. The tongues 40, which are guided and protected in a protective manner on the underside of the ceiling 54, preferably in an annular channel 56, are formed in the intermediate areas. They extend in the course of the rounding of the said ring channel 56. When the closure cap 49 is unscrewed, the obstacle to the axial displacement of the ring 39 is eliminated.

In this exemplary embodiment, the output material (pasty mass) is located in an inner bag 57 which can be inserted into the housing tube 2 after unscrewing the head cap 41. This has the shape of a "sausage" which is tied at both ends, and thus has a cylindrical shape which leaves an annular gap in front of it The inner surface of the tubular housing 2 lies, also at a distance from the toothing of the toothed racks 11. So that the so-called “sausage tip _” , ie the end of the inner sack 57 provided with a seal 58, is not mechanically loaded, the actual pressure surface 19 of the filling chamber facing the filling chamber has A recess 59 extends centrally over the entire depth of the cup-shaped component 13. The other, upper end of the inner bag 57, with its centrally gathered wall 57 ', passes through the outlet opening 6 of the head cap 41 formed by a connecting piece Section forms the outlet mouth as it were, with increasing output of the outlet the inner bag 57 compresses practically like a bellows to form radial folds. Almost completely free output is possible. The top shoulder of the inner bag is supported on the inside of the blanket 54. The pressure floor 13, which is locked in the downward direction, can be removed after emptying at the top of the dispenser. The cross-section there takes this into account. After removal of the pot-shaped pressure base 13, this can be reinserted from the lower stand edge of the housing tube 2 after a new, full interior sack was inserted.

A round tube as housing tube 2 is also conceivable.

The function of this dispenser is as follows: by pressing the button 33, the pins 34 pull the racks 11 upwards. The pressure plate 13 is dragged along via the toothing. The mass located in the inner bag 11 is displaced in the direction of the dispensing opening and reaches the outside via the dispensing opening 6 while the upper part of the inner bag is supported on the ceiling. The stroke is limited, so that a maximum portion is pressed out, which can also be undercut. The displacement occurs against the force of the spring element 39/40. After releasing the actuating handle 9, the ring 39 forming it pushes the racks back into the starting position. The new position of the pressure base 13 is secured in that it is supported on the toothing of the inner surface of the housing tube 2.

Claims (19)

1. Dispenser for the portioned individual dispensing of tablets (1), pastes or the like, with a tube housing (2) which at one end has a dispensing opening (6) and, opposite this, is equiped with a movable pressure plate (13) for the transport of the product to be dispensed in the direction of the dispensing opening (6), which pressure plate (13), by means of an operating handle (9) which is adjacent to the dispensing opening and connected with rods to the pressure plate, is displaceable by steps in the direction of the dispensing opening, characterized in that the rod connection (11) between the operating handle (9) and the pressure plate (13) runs on the internal surface of the tube housing wall (W), leaving the internal space of the tube housing (2) free.

2. Dispenser according to Claim 1, characterized by two toothed racks (11) which run diametrically opposite each other, engage on the pressure plate (13) and are longitudinally movable by the operating handle (9).

3. Dispenser according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the tube housing (2) has a brake (B) which presses on the foremost tablet (1") and that the operating handle (9) is formed as an angular slide (Sch) which with its one angle side (a) has a lid (8) situated in front of the tube housing opening edge (7) and from which slide at least one toothed rack (11) originates, which runs in the direction of the bottom of the housing and extends at the side of the tablet storage space (V) and which moves the pressure plate (13), which bears against the last tablet (1'), in a ratchet advance (arrow x) by the thickness (y) of one tablet each time in the direction of the lid (8) which is raised by the thickness of one tablet from the tube housing opening edge (7).

4. Dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by two longitudinal grooves (14) which lie diametrically opposite each other in the housing wall (W) for the guidance of the toothed racks (11).

5. Dispenser according to Claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the brake (B) is formed as a flexible tongue (22) which is moulded on the housing wall (W).

6. Dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the operating handle (9) which is made from flexible material - seen in cross section - encompasses more than half the outer surface on the tube housing (2) which is circular in cross section.

7. Dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that longitudinal ribs (3) jut out on the internal wall of the housing for the frictional holding of the pressure plate (13), which rubs along the longitudinal ribs (3) which a collar (21) which is directed outwards.

8. Dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the operating handle (9) is formed as a forked double lever (30) which, by means of the fork prongs (31), is mounted at point (32) on the tube housing (2) which lie opposite each other, the end area of the double lever which lies opposite the operating handle key (33) extending through the housing wall (W) and being connected to the toothed rack (11).

9. Dispenser according to one of Claims 2 to 8, characterized in that the toothed racks (11) are spring loaded in the direction of a movement into their normal position.

10. Dispenser according to Claim 9, characterized in that the spring loading is transmitted to the front end (11') of the toothed racks (11) by the interposition of a ring (39).

11. Dispenser according to Claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the spring loading results from the tongues (40) of a ring (39) acting upon the front end (11') of the toothed racks (11).

12. Dispenser according to Claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the ring (39) is formed as an insert in a cap (41) of the tube housing (2), which cap has the dispensing opening (6) in its centre.

13. Dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by locking of the operating handle when a sealing cap (49) is mounted on the dispensing opening (6).

14. Dispenser according to Claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the front edge (49') of the sealing cap (49), which front edge lies in front of an opening (53) in the outer surface (54) of the cap (41), represents the locking surface for the upward movement of the toothed racks.

15. Dispenser according to Claim 14, characterized in that the ring (39) has a finger (55) which extends into the opening (53) in the outer surface (54) and which is prevented from moving by the front edge (49') of the screwable sealing cap (49).

16. Dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pressure plate (13) has, on its surface which faces towards the filling space, a cup-shaped recess (59) for incorporating a seal closure (58) on an inner bag (57) which contains the product to be dispensed and the gathered wall (57') of which emerges at the other end from the dispensing opening (6) in the cap (41).

17. Dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pressure plate (13) can be removed through the upper cross section of the tube housing (2).

18. Dispenser according to one of Claims 12 to 17, characterized in that the cap (41) is formed as a screw element, the thread (43) of which runs in the opposite direction to that (52) of the sealing cap (49).

19. Dispenser according to one of Claims 10 to 18, characterized in that the ring (39) is captive but is locked with axial lifting play in the cap (41) (annular bead 47, groove 48).

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