Abstract:
The invention relates to a dosing device that comprises a medium reservoir (S) and a pump device for dosing and dispensing a medium stored in said medium reservoir. The pump device is associated with a pump chamber, and with at least one inlet and one outlet valve. According to the invention, the inlet valve is configured as a sliding valve ( 10, 12 ) which, in its closed position, can be displaced by a dosing stroke that defines a dosing volume for the pump chamber ( 17 ). The invention further relates to the use of said dosing device for dispensing pharmaceutical active substances, especially for nasal administration.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a dosing device with a medium reservoir, as well as with a pumping device for dosing and dispensing a medium stored in the medium reservoir, a pump chamber, at least one inlet valve and at least one outlet valve being associated with the pumping device, as well as a pumping device for such a dosing device. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     DE 33 15 334 A1 discloses a dosing device provided with a pumping device and which is equipped with a medium reservoir for storing in particular liquid, pasty or creamy media. In addition to an inlet valve, an outlet valve and an additional outlet valve in the vicinity of an outlet opening are associated with the pump chamber, the additional outlet valve being opened by means of a stepped plunger or piston through a liquid pressure which has built up within the pumping device. For this purpose a valve body is provided and is urged into the closing direction by a spring web arrangement. 
     The problem of the invention is to provide a dosing device of the aforementioned type permitting a precise dosing and dispensing of a medium. 
     This problem is solved in that the inlet valve is constructed as a slide valve, which is movable by means of a dosing stroke in its closed position and this defines a dosing volume for the pump chamber. As a result of the dosing stroke of the slide valve an extremely precise dosing is made possible. As a function of the dosing stroke length different dosing volumes can be obtained. 
     According to a development of the invention, on both sides the slide valve can be transferred into an open position over and beyond the dosing stroke, which makes it possible to bring about a particularly precise dosing. In addition, through the bilateral transferability of the slide valve into its open position a priming of the dosing device is made possible. Thus, when the dosing device is first put into operation the air volume in the pump chamber can be displaced, particularly into the medium reservoir. In the direction of the medium reservoir, i.e. away from the pump chamber, the slide valve passes into the open over and beyond the dosing stroke, i.e. into its open position facing the medium reservoir. 
     According to a further development of the invention the dosing stroke is formed by a housing-side dosing channel matched to the slide valve contour and which is bounded both towards the pump chamber and also the medium reservoir by in each case a cross-sectional widening. Preferably the dosing channel is formed on a detachably positioned component. Thus, as a function of the necessary dosing volume it is possible to use a suitable component with a dosing channel of differing length. The dosing channel length defines the dosing stroke and therefore also the dosing volume of the dosing device. By simply replacing the component the dosing device is made suitable for different uses. As soon as the slide valve has reached the particular cross-sectional widening, it opens, so that in both stroke directions the slide valve can be transferred into an open position. 
     According to a further development of the invention the pump chamber has at least one housing-side reception space, with which is associated a displacement body movable together with the slide valve and whose shape is matched to the cross-section of the reception space in such a way that the displacement body, on introduction into the reception space, almost completely fills the latter. This makes it possible to keep the clearance volume of the pump chamber of the dosing device extremely small, which further improves the dosing precision. 
     In a further development of the invention a pump spring arrangement used as a return stroke drive is positioned outside the flow paths of the medium to be dispensed and in particular outside the pump chamber. Therefore the pump spring arrangement cannot be attacked by the ingredients of the particular medium to be dispensed. Through the pump spring arrangement positioned outside the flow paths of the medium it is also ensured that there is no contamination of the medium by the pump spring arrangement and in particular by the corrosion thereof. 
     According to a further development of the invention a return stroke spring arrangement associated with an outlet valve body is positioned separately from the flow path of the medium to be dispensed. In particular, the return stroke spring arrangement is housed in a medium-tight area separate from the pump chamber. Thus, the return stroke spring arrangement cannot be attacked by ingredients of the medium. 
     Improved use possibilities are created for the pumping device in that it is designed as a subassembly manufactured separately from the dosing device and detachably connectable to the latter. This makes it possible to construct the pumping device in a unitary manner and introduce it into different dosing devices. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further advantages and features of the invention can be gathered from the claims and the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the attached drawings, wherein show: 
         FIG. 1  In a longitudinal section an embodiment of a dosing device with a pumping device and a pressure compensating device. 
         FIG. 2  Another embodiment of a dosing device with a flexible wall medium reservoir and a pumping device similar to  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  The dosing device in  FIG. 2  in longitudinal section. 
         FIG. 4  A larger scale representation in half-section form of a reception unit of the dosing device according to  FIG. 3  serving as a cover. 
         FIG. 5  A longitudinal section through a dosing device similar to  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  The dosing device of  FIG. 5  with the operating handle removed. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A dosing device according to  FIG. 1  has a cover  1 , which can be locked onto a medium reservoir, preferably the form of a bottle-like or can-like container. For this purpose the cover  1  is cup-shaped and has on its inner circumference a not further designated annular shoulder, which can be locked onto a corresponding annular flange in a neck area of the medium reservoir. In an upper area of the cover  1  is provided a not designated, circumferential, elastic seal, which is compressed on locking the cover  1  on the medium reservoir neck and consequently ensures a tight sealing of the medium reservoir. A cup-like reception part  2  is integrally shaped onto the cover  1  and projects upwards counter to the not shown medium reservoir coaxial to a centre line axis of the cover  1 . The reception part  2  forms an outer, jacket-like casing part for a subsequently further described pumping device, which is part of the dosing device of  FIG. 1 . A fixed pump casing part  3  is also provided integrally and projecting from the cover  1  and in fact coaxially within the reception part  2  and said part  3  is provided with a discharge channel  6  coaxially to the centre line axis of the cover  1  and said channel is open both downwards to the medium reservoir and upwards towards a dosing opening  18 . In a lower portion of the discharge channel  6  is inserted a fundamentally known, preferably flexible suction connection  7 . An upper portion of the discharge channel  6  is in the form of a dosing segment  13 , in that said upper portion, starting from a stepped taper of the discharge channel  6 , constitutes a cylindrical dosing channel with a reduced diameter compared with the lower portion of the discharge channel  6 . The dosing segment  13  in the form of a dosing channel is surrounded by an inner cylinder jacket  4 . 
     In radially spaced manner with respect to the inner cylinder jacket  4 , the inner pump casing part  3  forms an outer cylinder jacket  5  which, like the inner cylinder jacket  4 , is integrally shaped onto the cover  1 . The outer cylinder jacket  5  is oriented coaxially to the inner cylinder jacket. Between the inner cylinder jacket  4  and the outer cylinder jacket  5  is left an annular displacement area  14 , to which further reference will be made hereinafter and which forms part of a pump chamber. 
     Relative to the reception part  2  fixable in secured manner to the medium reservoir, including the inner pump casing part  3 , is mounted in lift-movable or stroke-movable manner a pump unit. The stroke-movable pump unit has an outer pump casing part  8 , which is firmly connected to an inner pump plunger or piston unit  9  to  11 . The pump plunger unit  9  to  11  is manufactured separately as an integral component and is locked in the interior of the outer pump casing part  8 . The pump plunger unit has a plunger body  9 , which forms in an upper area a cylinder space for a coaxially positioned, stroke-movable outlet valve  16 . The outlet valve  16  is so pressure-loaded in the closing direction by a compression spring arrangement, here in the form of a not further designated helical compression spring, that the plunger-like outlet valve  16  closes the outlet opening  18 . The compression spring arrangement is placed in the interior of the plunger-like outlet valve  16  and is supported on a base of the cylinder space of the plunger body  9 . The cylinder space of the plunger body  9  is provided in its upper marginal area with a circumferential sealing lip, which engages in circumferentially tight manner on the outer jacket of the plunger-like outlet valve  16 . As a result the cylinder space and consequently also the reception space for the compression spring arrangement is sealed against the penetration of a medium, particularly a liquid. The outlet valve  16  is at the same time constructed as a filler, in that it almost completely fills the outer pump casing part  8 . The plunger body  9  is also designed as a filling member, in that its outer contour is largely adapted to the inner contour of the outer pump casing part  8 . 
     In the plunger body  9  is formed a first portion of an outlet chamber  17  belonging to the pump chamber and which is open to the displacement area  14  and dosing segment  13 . Said first portion is radially outwardly open in its upper area and passes into an annular chamber portion of the outlet chamber  17 , which is formed between the outer jacket of the plunger body  9 , the outer contour of the outlet valve  16  and the inner contour of the outer pump casing part  8 . As a result of the locking connection of the plunger body  9  in an annular locking flange area with the outer pump casing part  8 , the annular chamber portion is axially downwardly closed. In the direction of the outlet opening  18 , the outlet valve  16  closes the annular chamber portion of the outlet chamber  17 . 
     In a lower area the plunger body  9  forms a coaxially inner valve plunger  10 , which together with the inner cylinder jacket  4  in the vicinity of the dosing segment  13  forms an inlet valve, in the form of a slide valve, for the pumping device. For this purpose the valve plunger  10 , which is integrally shaped onto the plunger body  9 , is provided in a lower area with an annular dosing lip  12 , forming a sliding piston which engages tightly on an inner wall of the dosing channel forming the dosing segment  13  on introducing the valve plunger  10  into said dosing segment  13 . The diameter of the sliding piston or dosing lip  12  is larger than the diameter of the valve plunger  10 . The length of the valve plunger  10  and the stroke of the plunger body  9  and consequently the entire, stroke-movable pump unit are dimensioned in such a way that the dosing lip  12  in an upper opening position shown in  FIG. 1  is positioned a short distance above the dosing segment  13 . In a lower, completely downwardly pressed end position of the stroke-movable pump unit, the dosing lip  12  is introduced into the stepped widening of the discharge channel  6 , i.e. it has moved downwards over and beyond the dosing segment  13 . As the external diameter of the dosing lip  12  is smaller than the diameter of the discharge channel  6  in the stepped widened area and the diameter of the valve plunger  10  is smaller than the internal diameter of the dosing segment  13 , in said lower end position of the pump unit there can be a medium exchange between the outlet chamber  17  and the medium reservoir, via the suction connection  7 . 
     Coaxially and in radially spaced manner the valve plunger  10  is surrounded by a bell-like displacement plunger  11 , which by means of a lower sealing edge is engaged in circumferentially tight manner on an inner wall of the annular displacement area  14 . The cross-section of the bell-shaped displacement plunger  11  is adapted to the cross-section of the displacement area  14  in such a way that in the downwardly moved end position of the plunger body there is virtually no clearance volume in the displacement area, because in this position the displacement plunger  11  is completely introduced into the displacement area  14 . The annular space between the outer wall of the valve plunger  10  and the inner wall of the displacement plunger  11  has its volume matched to the body volume of the inner cylinder jacket  4 , so that the remaining clearance volume is further reduced in the case of a downwardly moved pump unit. In the vicinity of its outer jacket, the plunger-like outlet valve  16  is provided with several annular steps, which form pressure application faces for opening the outlet valve  16 . The protective cap  19  has a conically downwardly widening bell shape, which is inverted over an upper shaped section of the outer pump casing part  8  and comes to rest axially on an annular shoulder ledge of the pump casing part  8 . The protective cap is manually detachably locked onto the shaped section of the pump casing part  8 . The external diameter of the protective cap  19  is smaller than the maximum external diameter of the pump casing part  8 . The upper shaped section of the pump casing part  8  is designed as a nose olive, in order to permit application to the nose of the medium contained in the medium reservoir. Preferably the medium stored in the medium reservoir contains at least one pharmaceutical substance. 
     On an outer jacket area of the outer pump casing part  8  is locked an operating handle  20 , which is provided on its top on at least two opposite sides with in each case one finger rest. In  FIG. 1  the finger rests are provided with profiles. For axially securing the operating handle  20 , a circumferential locking web  21  is provided on the outer circumference of the pump casing part  8  and above which is associated at least one locking groove in which are axially engaged the corresponding inner marginal portions of the operating handle  20 . The operating handle  20  is preferably locked on the pump casing part  8  by means of a non-detachable locking connection, i.e. following the axial locking of the operating handle  20  it is no longer possible to remove it without destruction from the pump casing part  8 . 
     Below the locking web  21  the pump casing part  8  has a cylindrical guide jacket, which is provided in its lower marginal area with several stop cams  23  distributed at the same height over the outer circumference of the guide jacket and which cooperate with a radially inwardly projecting, circumferential locking collar  24  of the jacket-like or cup-like reception part  2 . The locking cams  23  and locking collar  24  form locking profiles, which ensure the axial securing of the stroke-moveable pump casing part  8  on the fixed reception part  2 . The locking profiles  23 ,  24  axially retain the pump casing part  8  counter to the compressive force of a pump spring arrangement  15 , which serves as a pump drive for the resetting of the stroke-movable pump unit into the starting position of  FIG. 1 . A manual pressing down of the pump unit consequently takes place counter to the compressive force of the pump spring arrangement  15 . As can be gathered from  FIG. 1 , the pump spring arrangement  15  is positioned outside the outer cylinder jacket  5  of the inner, fixed pump casing part  8 , so that the pump spring arrangement  15  is located outside the pump area through which the medium flows. Thus, it is not possible for the pump spring arrangement  15  to be in contact with the medium, e.g. a liquid containing at least one pharmaceutical substance. 
     The operating handle  20  has an annular securing extension  22 , which as a cylinder jacket projects downwards and in the upper end position of the pump unit shown in  FIG. 1  projects axially over the reception part  2  to the extent that it overlaps the area of the locking profiles  23 ,  24 . The distance from the outside of the reception part to the inner wall of the protective extension  22  is preferably smaller than the radial extension of the locking profiles  23 ,  24 , so that the rigid, annular protective extension  22  provides a protection against a detachment of the locking profiles  23 ,  24  and therefore serves as a removal preventer for the pump casing part  8 . 
     As the cover  1  in conjunction with the previously described pumping device tightly seals a container serving as a medium reservoir, in the case of corresponding pumping processes there must be a pressure compensation in order not to impair the function of the pumping device. In the embodiment shown a pressure compensating device  25 ,  26 , D is provided for this purpose and is integrated into the cover  1 . The pressure compensating device has a nozzle hole D tapering in a pronounced manner to the outside and serving as a pressure compensating opening, whose narrowest diameter preferably does not exceed 0.2 mm to 0.3 mm. This ensures a gas exchange, whereas a liquid loss is minimized due to the extremely small nozzle hole D. This leads to a reduced evaporation, which is particularly advantageous for the filter arrangement  25  additionally provided in  FIG. 1 . The filter arrangement  25  has a not further designated reception housing for a membrane-like filter  26 . The reception housing is inserted in a corresponding receptacle of the cover  1  and is preferably bonded into the same or is fixed thereto in some other way. The membrane-like filter  26  is extruded round by the reception housing in the embodiment shown and is consequently integrated into the same. It is alternatively possible to laminate the membrane-like filter  26  on an upper front edge of the reception housing. The membrane-like filter is preferably a PP/PTFE membrane or a TPE/PES membrane. The filter  26  serves to prevent contamination of the medium in the medium reservoir, in that the atmospheric air sucked for pressure compensation purposes through the nozzle hole D in the case of a corresponding pumping process is cleaned or purified by the corresponding membrane. Thus, the entry of water or moisture is prevented by the filter arrangement  25 . 
     The function of the dosing device shown in  FIG. 1  will now be described. The inlet valve formed by the valve plunger  10  in conjunction with the dosing lip  12  and dosing segment  13  operates in the case of a manual operation of the operating handle  20  as a slide, in that the outer pump casing part  8  together with the pump unit  9  to  11  is moved downwards. Due to the fact that in the case of a complete stroke of the pump unit the dosing lip  12  passes downwards below the dosing segment  13  and therefore below the stepped ledge in the discharge channel  6  into the open, a so-called priming is made possible. This means that the air in the pump area of the pumping device defined by the outlet chamber  17 , the displacement area  14  and the annular space between the inner valve plunger  10  and the outer displacement plunger  11 , during a stroke movement of the pump unit can escape downwards into the discharge channel  6  and therefore into the suction connection  7  and medium reservoir. During the following return stroke the corresponding suction of the liquid medium takes place. Due to the extremely small clearance volume within the pump area of the pumping device serving as a pump chamber preferably a single stroke is sufficient for priming purposes in order to bring about an adequate suction of the medium to be dispensed in the pump chamber. The length of the stroke of the dosing lip  12  along the dosing segment  13  defines the dosing volume. The defined dosing segment  13  stepped in tapered manner with respect to the remaining discharge channel  6  in conjunction with the valve plunger  10  running downwards into the open in slide form makes it possible, even after the end of priming, i.e. following the complete filling of the entire medium path in the discharge channel  6 , as well as in the pumping or dosing chamber of the pumping device, a particularly accurate and reliable dosing. 
     A discharge process takes place as soon as the liquid pressure in the pump chamber, i.e. particularly in the upper area of the outlet chamber  17 , which acts on the plunger-like outlet valve  16 , exceeds the counter pressure applied by the compression spring arrangement. The liquid pressure forces the outlet valve  16  downwards counter to the compressive force of the compression spring arrangement, so that the corresponding medium discharge process takes place via the outlet opening  18 . The outlet opening  18  is preferably nozzle-shaped in order to bring about an atomization of the dispensed medium. Obviously, prior to a corresponding discharge process, the protective cap  19  is removed. 
     The dosing device shown in  FIG. 1  comprises a few plastic components and at present of only six plastic components. A first plastic component is constituted by the cover  1  in conjunction with the reception part  2  and the inner pump casing part  3 . The second plastic component is formed by the outer pump casing part  8 . The third plastic component is the pump plunger unit  9  to  11 . The fourth plastic component is the plunger-like outlet valve  16 . The fifth plastic component is the operating handle  20  provided with the finger rests and the final plastic component is the protective cap  19 . For assembling the dosing device firstly the plunger-like outlet valve  16  together with the compression spring arrangement acting thereon is inserted in the pump plunger unit  9  and then the latter together with the outlet valve  16  is locked in the interior of the outer pump casing part  8 , so that an upper face of the outlet valve  16  is pressed against the corresponding valve seat in the vicinity of the outlet opening  18 . Then the outer pump casing part  8 , together with the pump plunger part  9  to  11 , is axially inserted into the fixed plastic component, so that locking and axial securing take place in the vicinity of the locking profiles  23 ,  24 . The operating handle  20  is now locked axially from above on the outer pump casing part  8 , so that the locking connection and axial securing between the pump casing part  8  and reception part  2  of the cover  1  is covered and secured. The filter arrangement  25  and circumferential seal are inserted in the cover  1 . The cover  1  can then be tightly engaged on a corresponding medium reservoir. Prior to the axial engagement of the outer pump casing part  8  on the cover  1 , the pump spring arrangement  15  is inserted. 
     In the embodiment according to  FIGS. 2 to 4  a pumping device P corresponds to the pumping device described hereinbefore relative to  FIG. 1 , so that for a more detailed explanation of the pumping device P reference is made to the detailed description concerning  FIG. 1 . Identically functioning parts are given the same reference numerals compared with  FIG. 1 , but followed by the letter “a”. Details will now only be given of differences between the pumping device P compared with the pumping device of  FIG. 1 . A description will also be given of the remaining dosing device in which the pumping device P is integrated. The essential difference compared with the embodiment of  FIG. 1  is that the pumping device P can be manufactured as a separate subassembly with respect to the dosing device and is detachably connected thereto. In the embodiment according to  FIGS. 2 to 4  the reception part  2   a  is admittedly in one piece with the inner pump casing part. The inner pump casing part, which is surrounded by the pump spring arrangement  15   a , together with the reception part  2   a  nevertheless constitutes a unit separate from a cover  28  for a container cup P. The cover  28  has a sleeve-like or annular design and is provided with a reception depression into which can be locked the reception part  2   a  of the pumping device P by using a circumferential annular flange. For this purpose an edge of the reception depression is provided with an annular locking point, which is clearly visible in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , but is not further designated. A tight, clearance-free seating of the annular flange and therefore the reception part  2   a  in the reception depression of the cover  28  is ensured by an annular seal  29 , which is positioned below the annular flange and rests on a dish edge of the annular reception depression of the cover  28 . The cover  28  is a plastic part and is locked or firmly connected by crimping to an upper marginal area of the container cup B. 
     Below the dish edge of the reception depression, the cover  28  is provided by a profile ring  27  shaped in one piece and which as an extension to the cover  28  projects into the interior of the container cup B. As can be gathered from  FIG. 4 , the profile ring is provided with several parallel, spaced annular ribs  32 , which project radially outwards to a centre line axis of the cover  28 . There are also several vertical oriented rib webs extending over the height of the profile ring  27  and which are not further designated in  FIGS. 2 to 4 . These rib webs are distributed over the circumference of the profile ring  27 . The sectional view of  FIGS. 2 and 3  is in each case traversed by two such rib webs. 
     With respect to its pump operating function, the operating handle  20   a  for pumping device P corresponds to the operating handle  20  of  FIG. 1 . The operating handle  20   a  is additionally designed as a cup-shaped cylinder jacket, which axially engages over the container cup B by more than half of its height. The outer jacket of the container cup B and an inner wall of a lower marginal area of the cylinder jacket  22  of the operating handle  20   a  are provided with corresponding stop profiles  30 ,  31  which positively engage behind one another in the axial direction. This gives an axial securing action for the operating handle  20   a . As the operating handle  20   a , like the operating handle  20  of  FIG. 1 , is locked on the outer pump casing part of the pumping device P, the stop profiles  30 ,  31  simultaneously create the stroke limitation for the pumping device P, which offers the necessary retaining force against the compressive force of the pump spring arrangement  15 . 
     The embodiment of  FIG. 2  and the representation of  FIG. 3  are slightly modified. Thus, in the embodiment according to  FIG. 3  the reception part  2   a  of the pumping device P contains a receptacle for the insertion of a filter arrangement, as shown in  FIG. 1 . Thus, if the cover  28  provides a tight seal for the container cup B, the latter can be directly used as a medium reservoir for a corresponding liquid, because despite the dimensionally stable container cup B through the receptacle provided with the nozzle hole, optionally with the additional insertion of a filter arrangement, there is an adequate pressure compensation during the operation of the pumping device P. 
     However, in the case of  FIG. 2  there is no such pressure compensating device for the container cup B. Instead the container cup B has a medium reservoir S with flexible wall. The medium reservoir S is here in the form of a film bag produced from a one or multiple-layer film, which is circumferentially tightly connected to the profile ring  27 . Preferably the film bag is welded to the profile ring  27  and the profiles of the latter enlarge the surface for a tight welding of the film bag to the profile ring  27 . This ensures excellent security of the welded connection and a tight sealing of the film bag with the profile ring  27 . The film bag serving as a medium reservoir S is consequently only open to the pumping device P, so that the same pumping and discharge function can be obtained as in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . With each discharge process there is a reduction of the volume of the medium reservoir S, so that the film bag contracts. The flexible film bag wall consequently permits a pressure and volume compensation within the medium reservoir S during corresponding discharge processes of the pumping device P. 
     In the embodiment of  FIGS. 5 and 6  a dosing device is shown and its pumping device corresponds to that of  FIG. 1 . Parts of the dosing device having the same functions are given the same reference numerals as in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , but followed by the letter “b”. For further details reference is made to the description concerning  FIG. 1 . Hereinafter reference is made solely to the differences shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . The essential difference is that the reception part  2   b , in much the same way as in the embodiment according to  FIGS. 2 to 4  is designed separately with respect to a cover  1   b . The cover  1   b  is in the form of a crimped cover, which can be mounted on a corresponding container neck of a medium reservoir. The mounting of the reception part  2   b  together with the cover  1   b  in the form of a crimped cover takes place accompanied by the interposing of a not designated, circumferential, elastic seal. The operating handle  20   b  has a cup-shaped protective extension  22   b , which is drawn downwards over the cover  1   b  in the form of a crimped cover, so that the protective extension  22   b  axially covers a crimped area of the cover  1   b  in the form of a crimped cover. This avoids a detachment of the cover  1   b  from a corresponding medium reservoir container neck as soon as the operating handle  20   b  has been locked on the outer pump casing part  8   b  of the pumping device in accordance with the representation and description according to  FIG. 1 . As the protective extension covers the crimped area of the cover  1   b , the separately manufactured operating handle is only fitted on the pump casing part  8   b  when the cover  1   b  has been crimped onto a corresponding medium reservoir container neck, because a crimping process would not be possible when the operating handle  22   b  was already locked on.