Abstract:
The dispensing assembly with a syringe comprises at least one container and accessories such as a mixer or a closure cap. The fastening area of the syringe and the fastening areas of the accessories are configured such that the accessories are capable to be slipped-on the syringe and removable therefrom without a twisting motion by applying pressure to their fastening area, retaining means on one part cooperating with retaining means on the other part. To this end, the fastening area of the syringe is provided on opposed lateral portions to which pressure is not intended to be applied with at least a first pair of retaining elements, and these retaining elements cooperate with a corresponding first pair of retaining elements on the accessories. In further developments, the fastening area may comprise two pairs of retaining means and the containers of the syringe may be attachable to one another. Such dispensing assemblies are more cost-effective to produce and simpler to handle.

Description:
[0001]    This application is the National Phase of PCT/CH2007/000160, filed Mar. 23, 2007, which claims priority to Switzerland Application No. 00453/06, filed Mar. 24, 2006, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a dispensing assembly including a syringe or cartridge having at least one container and accessories, the fastening area of the syringe or cartridge or of an intermediate part and the fastening area of the accessories being configured such that the accessories are capable to be slipped-on the syringe or cartridge and removable therefrom without a twisting motion by applying pressure to their fastening area and retaining means on one part cooperating with retaining means on the other part. 
         [0003]    A large number of syringes, double syringes, cartridges or double cartridges are known in the art to which accessories such as mixers, dispensing tips, spray nozzles, or adapters are connected for dispensing. 
         [0004]    Generally, two kinds of fastening means are known in the art, namely fastening members of the bayonet type, on one hand, and fastening members with threaded rings, on the other hand. These fastening means have in common that the fastening members are either relatively demanding to manufacture or an additional part is required and that generally the attachment and removal of the members may be complicated. 
         [0005]    Another fastening type according to the preamble of claim  1  is disclosed in US 2005/230422 A1 where the mixer or accessory is snapped onto the cartridge by means of hooks and when the fastening area of the cartridge is compressed, retaining noses arranged therein are disengaged from the hooks on the mixer. 
         [0006]    DE 202 19 529 U1 discloses a snap closure where spring arms are provided on the outlet of the cartridge which are caused to lock with an accessory by being deformed. Again, to release the connection, a pressure has to be exerted on the spring arms. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    On this background, it is the object of the present invention to provide a dispensing assembly including a syringe or cartridge having at least one container where the accessories are simple to couple or to remove and whose manufacturing costs are lower than in assemblies of the prior art. This is accomplished by the a dispensing assembly wherein the fastening area of the syringe or cartridge is provided on opposed lateral portions to which pressure is not intended to be applied with at least a first pair of retaining elements that cooperates with a corresponding first pair of retaining elements on the accessories. 
         [0008]    Another object of the invention is to allow the containers of the syringes to be separately manufactured and filled and then jointly dispensed while providing the same coupling and uncoupling capabilities. This is accomplished by the a dispensing assembly wherein the double syringe or double cartridge consists of containers that are attached to one another, with associated containers having respective outlets of which at least one is detached and connected to the other container by connecting means, the connecting means comprising a unit consisting of at least a container receptacle a support wall, and a retaining flange, the support wall having at least one recess for receiving at least one of the container outlets and each container receptacle having a guiding sleeve and the outlet side being configured as a fastening area for the attachment of a mixer or accessory. 
         [0009]    Another object of the invention is to achieve an increased retention of the accessories on the cartridge while providing the same coupling and uncoupling capabilities. This is accomplished by the a dispensing assembly wherein the fastening area of the cartridge or syringe is provided on opposed lateral portions to which pressure is intended to be applied with a second pair of retaining elements that cooperates with a corresponding second pair of retaining elements on the accessories. 
         [0010]    Hereinafter, the term “syringe” is meant to include both a single and a double or multiple syringe or a single, double, or multiple cartridge. Also, double cartridges having concentrically arranged containers or a cylindrical container having a separating wall are encompassed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The invention will be explained in more detail hereinafter with reference to drawings of exemplary embodiments. 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a first exemplary embodiment of a double syringe according to the invention having a slip-on closure cap, 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  shows an enlarged detail of the fastening area of the syringe of  FIG. 1 , 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  shows the fastening area of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  with the closure cap slipped-on thereto and schematically indicated forces that are applied, 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  shows a section according to line IV-IV in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  shows a section according to line V-V in  FIG. 3 , 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  shows a variant of the embodiment of  FIG. 5  with a slipped-on mixer, 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  shows a perspective view of the syringe of  FIG. 1  with a slipped-on mixer, 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  shows a perspective view of the double syringe and the mixer of  FIG. 7  with an intermediate piece to be slipped-on, 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  shows a perspective view of an embodiment variant of a double syringe having containers and outlets of different diameters, 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  shows a section according to line X-X in  FIG. 9 , 
           [0022]      FIG. 11  shows a perspective view of a second exemplary embodiment of the invention with a conventional double syringe and an adapter, 
           [0023]      FIG. 12  shows, in analogy to  FIG. 3 , the fastening area of the syringe of  FIG. 11  with the slipped-on closure cap and the course of the applied forces, 
           [0024]      FIG. 13  shows a section according to line XIII-XIII in  FIG. 12 , 
           [0025]      FIG. 14  shows a variant of the embodiment of  FIG. 13  with a slipped-on mixer, 
           [0026]      FIG. 15  shows a first exemplary embodiment of a two-part cartridge, 
           [0027]      FIGS. 16 and 17  show a second exemplary embodiment of a two-part cartridge, 
           [0028]      FIGS. 18-24  show an exemplary embodiment of a A A dispensing assembly having an increased retaining force, 
           [0029]      FIG. 18  shows a double cartridge and mixer in an exploded view, 
           [0030]      FIG. 19  shows the fastening area of the cartridge of  FIG. 18  on an enlarged scale, 
           [0031]      FIG. 20  shows the fastening area of the mixer, 
           [0032]      FIG. 21  shows a section in plane XXI-XXI in  FIG. 18 , 
           [0033]      FIG. 22  shows a section in plane XXII-XXII in  FIG. 18 , 
           [0034]      FIG. 23  shows the cartridge of  FIG. 18  with a closure cap, 
           [0035]      FIG. 24  shows the closure cap of  FIG. 23  on an enlarged scale and in a perspective view. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0036]      FIG. 1  shows a syringe  1  and a closure cap  2 . Hereinafter, as mentioned before, the term “syringe” is meant to include both a single syringe and a double or multiple syringe as well as a single cartridge or a double or multiple cartridge. The depicted syringes are all double syringes. 
         [0037]    Syringe  1  has two containers  3  and  4  and a retaining flange  5 . In contrast to the conventional syringes, its fastening area  6  is not provided with bayonet fastening means or screw connections but with snap coupling means which cooperate with corresponding snap coupling means on a respective accessory such as a closure cap, mixer, adapter, spray nozzle or the like accessories. 
         [0038]    Fastening area  6  on the outlet side has an outlet flange  7  on which the two individual outlets  8  and  9  are arranged. Each outlet  8  and  9  has an essentially diametrically arranged, outwardly directed ridge  10  respectively  11  that tapers from outlet flange  7  toward the outlet. Each ridge has a respective saddle portion  12 ,  13  that ends at a distance from the outlet flange, thus forming respective snap noses  14 ,  15  that snap into snap openings  26 ,  26 A. 
         [0039]    The two saddle portions  12  and  13  are not designed alike, saddle portion  12  of this example having an end ridge  16  on its outlet side while saddle portion  13  has none. The presence or absence of end ridge  16  provides a coding means such that the accessory can only be attached in an unequivocal orientation. Furthermore, on both sides of their connecting plane defined by arrows V-V in  FIG. 3 , the two outlets are provided with clamping guides  17 . Additionally, outlet flange  7  has a visual coding nose  18  that serves as an orientation aid for the accessory, the latter having a corresponding orientation nose  19 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 4  shows closure cap  2  that has an essentially oval fastening area  20 , its housing having a corrugation  21  that serves as a finger rest. In its interior, the closure cap has an attachment portion  22  comprising two plugs  23  and  24 , see  FIG. 5 , as well as a clamping portion  25  that is shaped so as to be attachable onto the outlets and clamping guides  17  to exercise a clamping action there. 
         [0041]    An essentially oval fastening area, respectively an oval housing portion  28 , has proven to be particularly advantageous for its compressibility, but the invention is not limited to this particular shape. The invention is also applicable to a housing portion having a circular or other cross-section. 
         [0042]    In the direction of the connecting line between the two outlets, clamping portion  25  has two coding slots  27  and  27 A, these coding slots having different widths for receiving either end ridge  16  of saddle portion  12  or saddle ridge  11  that has no end ridge. In other words, the widths of coding slots  27 ,  27 A also constitute coding means that ensure that the cap can only be attached in a single position, thereby preventing any contamination in the case of multiple use. 
         [0043]    Particularly in  FIG. 5  it is visible that closure cap  2  has two opposed snap openings  26 ,  26 A at its open end which engage behind snap noses  14  and  15  on the syringe to ensure a firm lock. 
         [0044]      FIG. 3  shows the applied forces and  FIG. 4  the deformation that occurs when pressure is applied on both sides of fastening area  20  of accessory  2 . In this case, as shown in  FIG. 4  by chain dotted lines, the housing portion provided with corrugation  21  is compressed and the snap openings designated by arrows S are thereby moved away from the snap noses, thereby releasing the snap noses and allowing the accessory to be withdrawn in the direction R. 
         [0045]    In  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the depicted accessory is a mixer  29  whose fastening area  30  is designed analogously to fastening area  20  of the closure cap, the two separate inlets  31  and  32  being slidable over outlets  8  and  9  of the syringe. The cross-section of mixer fastening area  30  essentially corresponds to the cross-section of fastening area  6  according to  FIGS. 4 and 5  of the syringe or closure, respectively, with snap openings  30 A and  30 B. 
         [0046]    In  FIG. 8 , the depicted accessory is an intermediate piece  35  having a fastening area  36  on the syringe side and a fastening area  37  on the side of the accessory. The two fastening areas are identical to the previously described fastening areas, i.e. the compressible fastening area  36  corresponds to fastening area  30  of the previous example and fastening area  37  corresponds to fastening area  6  of the syringe. Connecting tube  38  may be rigid or flexible and has two channels which carry the two components separately. 
         [0047]    In  FIGS. 9 and 10 , a variant with a double syringe  50  is depicted where the two containers  51  and  52  have different diameters, respectively different volumes of e.g. 4:1. Correspondingly, outlets  53  and  54  also have different diameters while the other parts of fastening area  59  are the same as previously. 
         [0048]    It is logical that plugs  56  and  57  of closure cap  58  and inlets  31  and  32  of the mixer correspondingly have different diameters while here also the other parts of fastening area  59  are the same as previously. The different diameters of the outlets and plugs, respectively, and of the mixer inlets provide an additional coding possibility. 
         [0049]    In the exemplary embodiments according to  FIGS. 1 to 10 , a dispensing assembly has been described that is particularly inexpensive to manufacture and easy to handle. However, there may be reasons that make it seem advantageous to use existing syringes e.g. with bayonet couplings. 
         [0050]      FIGS. 11 to 14  illustrate exemplary embodiments that are based on a conventional syringe having a bayonet coupling. A double syringe  39  of this kind with bayonet slots  40  is shown in  FIG. 11 . In order to be able to slip-on accessories to such a conventional double syringe, an adapter  41  is required that is connectable to the syringe, on one hand, and has a fastening area as depicted in the preceding examples, on the other hand. To this end, adapter  41  includes bayonet cams  42  and coding segments  42 A that may be coded like bayonet slots  40  as it is known in the art. On its other side, the adapter has a fastening area  43  that corresponds to fastening area  6  of the previous example. For the alignment of the attachable accessories, the adapter further comprises an aligning nose  44  as well as a coding nose  44 A. 
         [0051]    In  FIG. 12 , analogously to  FIG. 3 , closure cap  2  is slipped-on the double syringe and the adapter. Otherwise, the individual elements are the same as in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0052]    In  FIG. 13  it is seen that inlets  48  and  49  of the adapter are pushed into outlets  60  and  61  of the double syringe and bayonet coupling  40  and  42  is engaged. 
         [0053]    In  FIG. 14 , analogously to  FIG. 6 , the outlet side of double syringe  39  is shown with the adapter engaged therein and mixer  29  slipped-on thereto. Adapter  41  is identical to the adapter of  FIG. 13  while mixer  29  is identical to that of  FIG. 6  and is slipped-on and withdrawn in the same manner. 
         [0054]    In analogy to the adapter for bayonet couplings, it is also possible to use an adapter for screw connections by means of a coupling nut between the accessory and the syringe. In this case, the adapter has a collar for a coupling nut and the thread is provided on the syringe outlet flange. 
         [0055]    The exemplary embodiments according to  FIGS. 1 to 14  have in common that the syringe including the at least two containers is made in one piece. This may be a disadvantage for certain two-component materials as the two components may not be compatible with the plastic material of the double syringe or cartridge. Therefore, different requirements apply to the syringe material. Thus, for example, a polypropylene container would be ideal for one component while the other component might require a container of polyamide. Furthermore, in the medical field, there is a need to fill the containers for the two components separately and to subject them to different subsequent treatments, e.g. different sterilization processes, sterile or non-sterile filling procedures. 
         [0056]    The second object is attained by providing a two-part syringe, more particularly a double syringe, that is rugged and torsionally rigid and able to receive a large number of conventional accessories without requiring adapter elements. The exemplary embodiments according to  FIGS. 15 to 17  meet these requirements. 
         [0057]    In the exemplary embodiment according to  FIG. 15 , double syringe  143  essentially comprises two cylindrical containers  144  and  145  which can be received in a rigid holder with container receptacles that receives the two cylinders on their entire length. Snap means may be provided to retain the cylinders. The two cylindrical containers  144  and  145  have respective outlets  147  and  148  whose diameter is smaller than that of the containers and which are located at the edge of front surfaces  149  and  150  of the containers. 
         [0058]    Fastening area  120  of the syringe is designed analogously to the first exemplary embodiments. Each outlet has a respective ridge  110 ,  111  that tapers from the front surface toward the outlet end. Each ridge has a respective saddle portion  112 ,  113  that ends at a distance from the front surface, thus forming respective snap noses  114 ,  115  that snap into snap openings  126 ,  126 A in mixer  129 . 
         [0059]    As previously, the two saddle portions  112  and  113  are not designed alike, saddle portion  112  of this example having an end ridge  116  on its outlet side while saddle portion  113  has none. Perpendicularly to the plane defined by the ridges, clamping guides  117  are provided. In the case of a coded arrangement, a visual coding nose  118  may be provided on the front surface which cooperates with an orientation nose  119  on the mixer. 
         [0060]    The design of syringe  162  according to  FIGS. 16 and 17  is similar to that according to  FIG. 15 , but first container  163  forms a unit together with retaining flange  153  and support wall  165  and container receptacle  154  while second container  164  is the same as container  145 . Support wall  165  has a recess  166  for receiving the outlet of second container  163 . Container  163  is provided with cams  178  for holding down second container  164 . The remaining parts, particularly fastening area  120 , are the same as previously described. 
         [0061]    Whereas in the exemplary embodiments according to  FIGS. 1 to 17 , the fastening area is particularly suitable for double syringes,  FIGS. 18 to 24  illustrate an exemplary embodiment for a dispensing assembly whose fastening area is designed for a higher retaining force and therefore particularly suitable for cartridges where higher dispensing forces arise. 
         [0062]      FIG. 18  shows an exploded drawing of a double cartridge  200  including the two containers  201  and  202  and an end flange  203  and of a mixer  204  comprising mixer tube  205 , mixing helix  204 H and mixer inlet portion  204 A. Fastening area  220  of the cartridge is well visible in  FIG. 19  and fastening area  230  of the mixer in  FIG. 20 . 
         [0063]    Fastening area  220  of the cartridge, see also  FIG. 19 , comprises a flange  206  having respective snap openings  207 ,  208  in the boundary area of the two containers and a visual coding member  209  in the form of a nose. On its circumference, in the area of the two front faces of the containers, flange  206  has two coding rims  210 ,  211 , coding rim  211  having a coding gap  212 . 
         [0064]    The two outlets  213  and  214  are surrounded by a crown  215 . The two outlets may have different diameters as in the present exemplary embodiment or equal diameters, outlet  214  having a smaller diameter than outlet  213 . Near snap openings  207  and  208 , crown  215  has respective recesses  216 ,  217 . In contrast to the previously described exemplary embodiments according to  FIGS. 1 to 17 , the snap noses are not provided on the outlets but on crown  215 , snap noses  218 ,  219  being arranged in the area of the connecting line of the two outlets or cartridge centers, respectively, see particularly  FIG. 19 . 
         [0065]    Fastening area  230  of mixer  204  is designed correspondingly. Housing  221  of the fastening area of the mixer is provided with the external coding means, namely visual coding nose  222 , coding cam  223  that fits into coding gap  212  on the cartridge, and a coding segment  224  that fits between the coding rims on the mixer. In  FIG. 20 , the interior elements of the mixer are depicted, i.e. the two inlets  225  and  226 , the inlets having different diameters in accordance with the outlets or alternatively equal diameters. The mixer housing further comprises two snap openings  227  and  228  for receiving snap noses  218  and  219  on the cartridge. 
         [0066]    In contrast to the preceding exemplary embodiments, the fastening area of the mixer comprises two additional retaining elements, the two snap ledges  229  and  229 A, whose noses are adapted to engage behind snap openings  207  and  208  on the cartridge flange in order to provide a higher retaining force than in the previous exemplary embodiments. 
         [0067]    The sectional views of  FIGS. 21 and 22  illustrate the forces F that are applied to the fastening area of the mixer during the withdrawal of the mixer, thereby compressing the latter in the direction of the two F arrows and expanding it in the direction of the two arrows S. In this manner, the positions of these  FIGS. 21 and 22  are reached,  FIG. 21  showing a sectional view according to plane XXI-XXI and  FIG. 22  a sectional view according to plane XXII-XXII in  FIG. 18  and both sectional views illustrating that, according to  FIG. 21 , during the compression of the fastening area of the mixer, snap openings  227  and  228  of the mixer are moved in the directions of arrows S and disengaged from snap noses  218  and  219  on the cartridge, and simultaneously, according to  FIG. 22 , during the compression of the fastening area of the mixer in the direction of arrows F, the noses of snap ledges  229  and  229 A are disengaged from snap openings  207  and  208  on the cartridge. As a result of these two movements, the mixer can be withdrawn. 
         [0068]      FIGS. 23 and 24  show closure cap  231 , which corresponds to closure cap  2  of the first exemplary embodiment. In  FIG. 23 , cartridge  200  and a closure cap  231  are shown in a perspective view. In  FIG. 24 , analogously to the mixer housing, cap housing  232  has a visual coding member  233  and a coding segment  234 . In the interior of the cap housing, two plugs  235  and  236  are arranged which may have different diameters in accordance with the outlets of the cartridge, or alternatively equal diameters. In analogy to the mixer, the cap has two snap ledges  237  and  238  and, rotated by 90°, two snap openings  239 ,  240 . The process of snapping in and withdrawing the cap is the same as with the mixer. 
         [0069]    The last exemplary embodiment according to  FIGS. 18 to 24  has been disclosed in the form of a double cartridge that is injection-molded in one piece. It is also possible to design such a cartridge analogously to the separate syringes according to  FIGS. 16 and 17  with separate containers  163  and  164 , fastening area  220  of the cartridge and of accessories  230  according to  FIGS. 18 to 24  being transferable to the separate containers and container receptacles  154 , respectively, in full analogy to the previous examples according to  FIGS. 16 ,  17 .