Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Container
The present invention relates to a container, in particular for medicines or
foodstuffs
in the form of tablets, dragees, capsules, beads, or the like, comprising a
closing
device and an insert for desiccants, the closing device and the desiccant
insert
comprising cooperating coupling means by which the desiccant insert can be
fastened to the closing device.
The container may have the shape of a small bottle including a bottle neck or,
for
instance, the shape of a small tube and may be made from plastics, glass or
also
e.g. from a sheet metal, as is sometimes the case with small tubes for
tablets.
It is known that a desiccant insert is firmly mounted on the bottom side of a
stopper.
GB 731 417 suggests a container of the above-mentioned type whose closing cap
has a cylindrical flange which rests on the inner wall of the container neck
and
includes a surrounding groove into which a desiccant insert is locked with an
annular
projection.
When the contents of the container is to be tamper-proof, such a stopper may
be
provided with a tear-off ring gripping around the container neck, which
requires quite
considerable expenses.
Furthermore, it is known that a desiccant insert is accommodated as a
separated
structural member in the container. This procedure has the drawback that the
desiccant insert rests on the container contents, i.e. tablets, dragees, etc.,
and that
the medicines or foodstuffs positioned in direct vicinity thereof desiccate
too much.
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2
It is the object of the present invention to improve a container of the above-
mentioned type in such a manner that the container contents is made tamper-
proof
by a simple measure prior to the first use of the container.
According to the invention this object is achieved by the features of patent
claim 1.
Advantageous developments of the invention are characterized in the subclaims.
According to the invention the closing device, which is preferably a twist-
type closure,
but may also have the shape of an axially movable cap gripping over the edge
of the
container opening, as well as the desiccant insert comprise cooperating
coupling
means with which the desiccant insert can be fastened to the closing device
prior to
the first use of the container.
In an initial state the closing device and the desiccant insert are separated
by a foil,
or the like, which seals the container opening, and after removal of the foil
the
closing device is moved towards the desiccant insert contained in the
container until
the coupling means engage one another and the desiccant insert is fastened to
the
closing device.
Thus the contents of the container is made tamper-proof by a very simple
measure
in that a sealed foil closes the container opening which cannot be opened in
an
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3
unnoticed way for manipulating the contents of the container. The term "foil"
is here
to be understood as a very comprehensive one because a tearable plastic cap,
for
instance, may also be provided as a tamper-proof device - though this might
not be
very expedient.
In the initial state prior to the first removal of a tablet, or the like, the
closing device
and the desiccant insert are thus separated by the device for ensuring tamper-
proof
handling. The device is removed by the user prior to use, whereupon the
closing
device - in case it is a twist-type closure - is preferably screwed forwards
as far as a
stop in the direction of the desiccant insert until the two members are
coupled. When
the closing device is a cap gripping over the edge of the container opening,
the cap
is moved forwards axially towards the desiccant insert until the coupling
means
engage one another, and in this case cap and insert may then jointly form a
stopper.
Furthermore, the desiccant insert may contain a substantially cylindrical
desiccant
chamber in which the preferably granular desiccant is accommodated, and the
desiccant chamber may tightly be seated with an annular circumferential bead,
a so-
called olive, within the container opening. The desiccant chamber expediently
consists of plastics and converges at its lower end in slightly conical
fashion so that it
can be easily inserted into the container opening, most of the time, a bottle
neck.
To reliably couple the desiccant insert with the closing device, the desiccant
insert
must be positioned and held in the container opening such that the coupling
means
reliably impinge onto or engage one another. To this end the desiccant insert
or the
desiccant chamber should be provided with a holding device which is supported
on
or in the container opening, so that the desiccant insert is prevented from
further
entering into the container. To this end the upper terminal wall of the
desiccant
chamber may have molded thereon an annular wall comprising an outwardly
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oriented flange which may be seated on a shoulder on the upper edge of the
container opening. It is thereby ensured that the desiccant chamber is not
pressed
by the closing device into the container, whereby the desired connection with
the
closing device would not be established.
In a further development of the invention, the closing device should remain
rotatable
relative to the desiccant insert in the coupled state. This is imperative in
cases where
the closing device is a twist-type closure and the desiccant chamber is firmly
seated
in the container to tightly seal the latter.
Such a rotatable connection can e.g. be accomplished by the measure that
spring
arms project from the upper side of the desiccant chamber or from the bottom
side of
the closing device with locking hooks that are gripped from behind by an
annular
projection of the other structural member upon coupling. A non-positive
connection is
thereby established in axial direction, with the annular projection, however,
rotatably
gripping around or engaging the spring arms.
These coupling means constitute an expedient development which can be replaced
by other suitable coupling means.
When the closing device is an axially displaceable cap which grips over the
wall of
the container opening, means may be provided to snap the same in an easily
detachable manner into a rearward position relative to the desiccant chamber
and
into a forwardly moved coupling position. To this end an inner annular bead of
the
cap may e.g. enter into two axially spaced-apart annular recesses in the
container
wall. Cap and desiccant chamber can in such a case be connected for joint
rotation.
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An embodiment of the present invention will now be described in more detail
with
reference to the attached drawing, in which:
Fig. 1 shows an inventive container prior to its first use;
Fig. 2 shows the container in its used state;
Fig. 3 shows the container with the closing device being removed; and
Fig. 4 is a top view on the desiccant chamber of the container.
The container 1 has the shape of a small bottle comprising a container neck 2
which
has positioned therein an approximately cylindrical desiccant chamber 3 whose
circumferential wall has an annularly surrounding bead-like thickened portion
4 which
tightly rests on the inner wall of the container neck 2. The lower end section
5 of the
desiccant chamber 3 converges in slightly conical fashion to facilitate the
insertion of
the desiccant chamber 3 into the container neck 2.
The container neck has seated thereon a press-and-twist closure 6 which is
described in more detail in European patent application 94 110 152.9, which is
herewith explicitly referred to. Said press-and-twist closure includes an
inner screw
cap 7 which is covered by an outer cap 8. The screw cap 7 is provided on its
outer
cylindrical wall with a ribbing which is continued in the outer annular
portion of the lid
section. The ribbing consists of lamellar ribs each having a flat inclined
long side and
a short side. The outer cap 8 has a lid section 9 which is convex relative to
the screw
cap 7 and which is centrally supported on the lid section of the screw cap 7
and
elastically deformable in an approximately planar orientation by applying
axial
pressure. Projections molded on the inside of the lid section of the outer cap
8
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engage into the ribbing of the lid section of the screw cap 7 so that a torque
can be
transmitted in the opening direction of the closure. Moreover, the outer cap 8
communicates by way of front faces of an annular attachment in the lower edge
portion of the circumferential wall with projections of the screw cap 7 in
reverse
rotational direction for joint rotation. Said screw-type closure is child-
proof to a
considerable extent.
Four axially projecting spring arms 11 that are provided on their outsides
with hook-
like projections 12 are molded onto the upper terminal wall 10 of the
desiccant
chamber 3 in an arrangement that is annular on the whole (see Fig. 4). Said
spring
arms 11 are arranged to be concentric around the center point 13 of the upper
terminal wall 10 of the desiccant chamber 3.
Radially projecting to the outside in the same direction is an annular wall 14
with
flanges 15 that are bent outwards at a right angle and extend each over a
circumferential portion of about 150° and are opposite to each other.
The desiccant chamber 3 is supported with flanges 15 on an annular shoulder 16
on
the upper edge portion of the container neck 2, whereby it is ensured that the
desiccant chamber 3 cannot be moved further forwards into the container 1. The
desiccant chamber 3 is positioned by the surrounding annular bead 4 and the
flange
15 in an exact position inside the container neck 2, i.e., it is not only
unable to travel
further into the container 1, but is also prevented from performing tilting
movements
in the container neck. An exact positioning of the spring arms 11 is thereby
ensured.
In the initial state prior to first use, as shown in Fig. 1, the container
neck 2 is sealed
with a foil 17 which of course also covers the flange 15 of the desiccant
chamber 3.
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In the state shown in Fig. 1, the press-and-twist closure 6 is screwed away
from the
container neck 2 to such an extent that an annular projection protruding at a
right
angle from the bottom side of the screw cap 7 is accommodated above the foil
17.
This annular projection 18 extends in concentric fashion relative to the
center point of
the screw cap 7 and the annularly arranged spring arms 11 and has such radial
dimensions that it grips around the spring arms 11 radially on the outside
when the
foil 17 has been removed and the press-and-twist closure has been screwed
forwards into the position shown in Fig. 2.
Upon impingement on the spring arms 11 the annular projection 18 with suitable
inclined surfaces with which the annular projection 18 impinges on the spring
arms
11 presses said spring arms slightly radially inwards until an inwardly
oriented
annular projection 19 on the annular section 18 has traveled over the hook-
like
projections 12, whereupon the spring arms 11 return into the initial position
in rivhich
the screw cap 7 is locked with the desiccant chamber 3. This guarantees axial
cohesion thereof, while the screw cap 7 remains rotatable relative to the
desiccant
chamber 3.
For removing a tablet or the like, the press-and-twist closure 6 is unscrewed
from the
container neck 2, as shown in Fig. 3, the desiccant chamber 3 being also
removed
from the container.
It goes without saying that the container may also be provided with a simple
screw
cap instead of a child-proof press-and-twist closure.
In a particularly advantageous development of the invention, the lower conical
section of the desiccant chamber 3 is formed by a separate cap 20 (see Fig. 1
) which
is snapped onto the lower edge of the remaining chamber by interposition of a
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horizontal partition 21 made of cardboard, which is shown in broken line in
the figure.
The desiccant is provided in the upper chamber 22 while the lower part 23 of
the
composite desiccant chamber serves as a spacer relative to the tablets, etc.
in the
container and has a perforated bottom wall.
