JP2009165680A - Eyedropper - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an eyedropper easier to squeeze the contents while maintaining water vapor barrier properties. <P>SOLUTION: In its external form, the eyedropper consists of a cylindrical barrel part 13 and a bottom part 12 continued from the barrel part 13, both made of a thermoplastic resin. A thin wall part 13c is formed running over the circumference of the inner wall surface 13b of the barrel part 13. When the barrel part 13 is cut at any plane passing through the axial line X of the barrel part 13, the resultant form in longitudinal section is nearly symmetrical relative to its axial line X. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an ophthalmic container provided with a container body formed of a thermoplastic resin, which is used for dripping a chemical solution.

  Among these types of containers, for example, as a chemical solution container filled with a chemical solution, the inner volume of the container body is reduced by making the body portion of the container body into a hollow cylindrical shape and pressing the body portion inward. The one in which the internal chemical solution is dropped is widely used. Such a container main body is appropriately set to a predetermined thickness in accordance with the material of the container main body, the amount of chemical liquid to be filled, and the like in order to prevent the permeation of moisture contained in the chemical liquid.

  However, with the above-described conventional chemical solution container, there are cases in which the body part is too hard for an elderly person or a child with a weak pressing force to easily press the inside.

  Therefore, for the purpose of facilitating the dropping of the chemical liquid even with a weak pressing force (hereinafter, in this specification, the fact that the chemical liquid is easily dripping with a weak pressing force may be simply referred to as “excellent in squeeze”). There has been proposed an ophthalmic container in which a flat gripping surface is formed in each of two locations in the circumferential direction of a cylindrical body (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2001-120638 A

  If the eye drop container described in Patent Document 1 is used, it becomes easier to drop the eye drop with a lower pressing force than conventional containers, but further improvements including water vapor barrier properties are desired.

  This invention is made | formed in view of the said situation, and it aims at providing the eye drop container excellent in squeeze property, ensuring water vapor | steam barrier property.

  As a result of intensive studies to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present inventors have formed a thin-walled portion that circulates in the circumferential direction on the inner wall surface of the barrel portion in an ophthalmic container having a cylindrical barrel portion with the outer shape, The present inventors have found that the above-mentioned problems can be solved by forming a longitudinal cross-sectional shape cut along an arbitrary plane passing through the axis of the body part substantially symmetrically with respect to the axis of the body part, and the present invention has been completed.

That is, the gist of the present invention is as follows.
[1] An ophthalmic container formed of a thermoplastic resin, having an outer cylindrical portion and a bottom continuous with the cylindrical portion,
The inner wall surface of the body portion is formed with a thin portion that circulates in the circumferential direction of the inner wall surface,
An ophthalmic container characterized in that a longitudinal cross-sectional shape cut by an arbitrary plane passing through the axis of the trunk is formed substantially symmetrically with respect to the axis of the trunk,
[2] The ophthalmic container according to [1], wherein the thin-walled portion is formed near a central portion in the height direction of the trunk portion.
[3] The ophthalmic container according to the above [1], wherein the thin-walled portion is formed in the vicinity of a central portion in the height direction of the trunk portion and on the lower side thereof.
[4] The ophthalmic container according to the above [1], wherein the thin-walled portion is continuously formed from the vicinity of the central portion in the height direction of the trunk portion to the lower end of the trunk portion.
[5] The eye drop container according to [1], wherein the thermoplastic resin is polyethylene,
[6] The diameter of the trunk portion is 16 to 26 mm, the height is 20 to 30 mm, and the minimum thickness of the thin portion is 0.3 to 0.6 mm. The eye drop container described.

  The present invention is an eye drop container formed of a thermoplastic resin having a cylindrical body having an outer shape and a bottom continuous to the body, and the inner wall surface of the barrel is surrounded by the inner wall surface. A thin-walled portion that circulates in the direction is formed, and a vertical cross-sectional shape cut by an arbitrary plane passing through the axis of the trunk portion is formed substantially symmetrically with respect to the axis of the barrel portion. The effect which was excellent in squeeze property is ensured, ensuring property.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 1 to 4 show an example of an embodiment of an eye drop container according to the present invention. The container body 1 and a male screw 11a formed on a screw cylinder portion 11 of the container body 1 are detachably screwed. It is comprised roughly from the cap 3 combined.

  The container body 1 is obtained by blow-molding a flexible thermoplastic resin. Inside the container body 1, an eye drop chemical (hereinafter simply referred to as “eyedrops”) is contained in the container body. It is filled after molding or simultaneously with molding. The container body 1 includes a bottom 12, a hollow cylindrical body 13 that is continuous with the periphery of the bottom 12, and a shoulder 13 a of the body 13, and a screw cylinder 11 having an external thread 11 a formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof. And an opening cylinder part 11b that is continuous with the screw cylinder part 11 and is slightly smaller in diameter than the screw cylinder part 11, and an inner stopper 2 for injecting liquid is fitted into the opening cylinder part 11b. Yes.

  The magnitude | size of the container main body 1 is not specifically limited, What is necessary is just to dimension-design so that it may become the volume which can be filled with 1-20 mL of eye drops. For example, when the full capacity of the container body 1 is 7 mL, the height of the container body 1 is 32 to 42 mm (about 37 mm), preferably 34 to 40 mm, and the height of the body 13 is 20 to 30 mm (about 25 mm) as a reference value. ), Preferably 22-28 mm, the diameter of the body 13 is 16-26 mm (about 21 mm), preferably 18-24 mm, and the diameter of the open cylinder 11b is 9-19 mm (about 14 mm), preferably 11-17 mm, What shape | molded the thickness of the normal part of the part 13 to 0.6-0.9 mm (about 0.7 mm) can be used. When the full capacity is increased or decreased from 7 mL, the reference value of each part can be changed as appropriate in accordance with the increase / decrease ratio of the full capacity.

  The inner wall surface 13b of the body portion 13 is formed with a thin portion 13c that circulates around the inner wall surface 13b in the circumferential direction in the vicinity of the central portion in the height direction of the body portion 13, as shown in FIG. A longitudinal cross-sectional shape cut along an arbitrary plane passing through the axis X is formed substantially symmetrically with respect to the axis X. In this specification, the thin-walled portion 13c is formed at least in the vicinity of the central portion in the height direction of the trunk portion 13 or in a region below the central portion and above the central portion in the height direction of the trunk portion 13. It refers to a portion or region having a smaller thickness than the formed portion having a normal thickness. In the present invention, it is preferable to form the thin portion 13c from the viewpoint of exerting an excellent squeeze force. However, if the thickness of the thin portion 13c is too thin, it is difficult to ensure the water vapor barrier property. In order to exhibit an excellent squeeze force while ensuring a water vapor barrier property, it is necessary to set the minimum thickness of the thin portion 13c within a predetermined range. For example, a container body having a full capacity of 7 mL has a resin weight of 1. When molding in the range of 7 to 2.2 g, the minimum thickness of the thin portion 13c is preferably 0.3 to 0.6 mm, and more preferably 0.4 to 0.5 mm.

  The thin portion 13c can be formed by controlling the thickness of the parison used for blow molding. That is, by using a known parison controller, a hollow cylindrical parison having a thinned portion corresponding to the thin portion after blow molding (in the case of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 4, the central portion in the height direction of the parison) is manufactured. And the container main body 1 can be manufactured by using this for blow molding.

The material which comprises the container main body 1 is not specifically limited, For example, although the thermoplastic resin which can be blow-molded, such as polyethylene, a polypropylene, or a polyethylene terephthalate, is mentioned, Polyethylene is preferable at the point which is excellent in flexibility. When the material is polyethylene, the resin density of the container body is not particularly limited, but is usually 0.91 to 0.96 g / cm ³ , and preferably 0.91 to 0.94 g / cm ³ .

  The inner plug 2 is obtained by injection molding a flexible thermoplastic resin, and includes a circular plate portion 21 and an outer cylinder that is integral with the circular plate portion 21 and hangs down from the periphery of the circular plate portion 21. Part 22, an inner cylinder part 23 depending from the lower surface of the circular plate part 21, and a columnar liquid injection part 24 projecting from the upper surface of the circular plate part 21. The opening cylinder part 11b of the said container main body 1 is fitted by the clearance gap between the cylinder parts 23. FIG. A liquid injection port 25 is formed at the tip of the liquid injection part 24, and a liquid passing part 26 through which the ophthalmic solution extruded from the container body 1 passes from the liquid injection port 25 to the lower surface of the circular plate part 21 is formed. ing. The diameter of the injection port 25 may be set as appropriate according to the properties of the ophthalmic solution to be extruded, and is not particularly limited, but is usually designed in the range of 1 to 4 mm. Further, the hole diameter of the liquid passing portion 26 may be appropriately set according to the properties of the liquid to be extruded, and is not particularly limited, but is usually designed in the range of 0.1 to 1 mm. In addition, although the material which comprises the inner plug 2 is not specifically limited, For example, the thermoplastic resin which can be injection-molded, such as polyethylene, a polypropylene, or a polyethylene terephthalate, can be mentioned.

  The cap 3 is obtained by injection molding of a thermoplastic resin. The cap 3 has a substantially cylindrical body portion 31, a top plate 32 that closes one end opening of the body portion 31, and a bulge from the top surface of the top plate 32. It consists of a frustoconical tip tube portion 33 that protrudes. On the inner peripheral surface of the body portion 31, a female screw (not shown) that is screwed with the male screw 11 a formed on the screw cylinder portion 11 of the container body 1 is formed, and the lower surface of the top surface 33 a of the distal end cylinder portion 33. At the center, a closing projection (not shown) is formed to insert and close the liquid injection port 25 when the cap 3 is attached. Although the material which comprises the cap 3 is not specifically limited, For example, the thermoplastic resin which can be injection-molded, such as polyethylene, a polypropylene, or a polyethylene terephthalate, can be mentioned.

  Then, the usage method of the container mentioned above is demonstrated. In use, with the cap 3 removed from the container body 1 and the inner plug 2 facing downward, the two portions of the body 13 are picked with the fingertips and pressed inward in the radial direction. Then, the interval between the pressed portions of the body portion 13 is slightly narrowed, and at this time, the internal volume of the container body 1 is reduced, and the ophthalmic solution is dripped through the liquid passing portion 26 and the liquid injection port 25 accordingly. And when pressing operation is cancelled | released, it elastically deforms so that the space | interval of the pressed part of the said trunk | drum 13 may return to the state before pressing operation. According to such a container, since the thin portion 13c is provided, the interval between the two body portions can be narrowed even with a weak pressing force, so that the squeeze property is excellent. That is, by providing the thin wall portion 13 c that circulates around the inner wall surface on the inner wall surface of the barrel portion 13, the barrel portion 13 is easily bent even with a weak pressing force, whereby the internal volume of the container body 1 is more likely to be reduced. It is said that.

  In the present invention, the squeeze property is quantitatively evaluated by using a squeeze force measured using a digital force gauge as an index. The squeeze force is a test body in which an inner stopper is attached to a container body filled with 30-60% by volume of a phosphate buffer, pH 7.0 (14th revised Japanese Pharmacopoeia). The test specimen is fixed vertically with the measuring tip placed horizontally in the vicinity of the center of the body of the pressing part, the tip is moved radially inward of the body and pressed, and from the injection port The peak value of the pressing operation force required for dropping one drop of the phosphate buffer solution is referred to, and the smaller the squeeze force, the better the squeeze property. As will be described later, when measuring the squeeze force of a container in which the container main body and the inner stopper are integrally molded, if a sample filled with a predetermined amount of phosphate buffer is used for the measurement, Good.

  The squeeze force of the container of this invention is 3-6N normally, Preferably it is 4.0-5.5N, Most preferably, it is 4.0-5.0N. When the resin type is the same, the squeeze force of the container can be easily controlled by changing the resin weight of the container body and / or the thickness of the thin part. That is, the squeeze force can be reduced as the resin weight of the container body is reduced or the minimum thickness of the thin portion is reduced.

  In addition, the container of the present invention is superior in squeeze property as compared with a container in which the thin wall portion is not provided on the inner wall surface of the body of the container body, and the water vapor barrier property is secured to the same extent. That is, as described above, even if a thin wall portion that circulates around the inner wall surface of the body portion of the container body is provided, the water vapor barrier property is not impaired. In the present invention, the water vapor barrier property is quantitatively evaluated using the water vapor transmission rate as an index. The water vapor transmission rate is a temperature of 40% after measuring the initial weight of the test body using a container formed by attaching a stopper and a cap to a container body filled with 30 to 60% by volume of purified water. Store in a constant temperature / humidity room with a temperature of ± 2 ° C and a relative humidity of 20% ± 5%. After 4 weeks, the weight of the test specimen is measured. Initial filling weight of water] × 100 means a value calculated, and the smaller the water vapor transmission rate, the better the water vapor barrier property. As will be described later, when measuring the water vapor transmission rate of a container in which the container body and the inner stopper are integrally molded, a test body is prepared by attaching a cap to a container body filled with a predetermined amount of purified water at the time of molding. What is necessary is just to use for a measurement.

  The water vapor transmission rate of the container of the present invention is, for example, usually 1.4% or less, preferably 1.2% or less, and particularly preferably 1.1% or less. The water vapor transmission rate of the container can be easily controlled by changing the resin weight of the container main body and / or the thickness of the thin portion when the resin type is the same. That is, the water vapor transmission rate can be reduced as the resin weight of the container body is increased or the minimum thickness of the thin portion is increased.

  As described above, in the present invention, the thin-walled portion needs to be formed at least near the central portion in the height direction of the trunk portion or near the central portion. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, the thin portion may be formed near the center in the height direction of the trunk portion, and as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the thin portion is in the height direction of the trunk portion. It may be formed from the upper side to the lower side in the vicinity of the central part.

  Moreover, a thin part is not limited to embodiment of FIGS. 3-5, When the thin part is formed in the height direction center part vicinity of the trunk | drum, 1 thru | or several thin part is provided in the lower side. Alternatively, a thin portion that is continuous from the lower end to the lower end of the barrel portion may be provided continuously with the thin portion formed in the vicinity of the central portion in the height direction of the trunk portion. As the former embodiment, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, the first thin portion 13d formed in the vicinity of the central portion in the height direction of the body portion 13 and the lower portion of the first thin portion 13d are continuously provided. The form provided with the 2nd thin part 13e continuously formed toward the lower end of the trunk | drum via a normal thickness part can be mentioned. As the latter embodiment, for example, as shown in FIG. 8, the first thin portion 13d formed in the vicinity of the central portion in the height direction of the trunk portion 13 is continuous from the lower end to the lower end of the trunk portion. The form provided with the formed 2nd thin part 13e can be mentioned. By adopting the embodiment as described above, it is possible to provide an eye drop container with superior squeeze properties.

  In addition to the effect that the eye drop container described above is excellent in squeeze property while ensuring water vapor barrier properties, the body of the container body is formed in a cylindrical shape, so when covering the container with a film or winding a label, There is also an advantage that the line speed can be increased, such that positioning can be easily performed without consideration, and the container orientation need not be considered when packaging the container.

  Although various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not applied only to a container in which a container main body, an inner stopper, and a cap are separate members, and WO 2004/006826 pamphlet and patent No. The present invention can also be applied to an eye drop container in which a container main body and an inner stopper are integrally formed as described in the specification of Japanese Patent No. 3694446.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the examples.

(Test Example 1)
1. Manufacture of containers (container body)
The container main body in which the thin-walled portion shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is formed on the inner wall surface of the trunk, an eye drop container (invention product) provided with an inner plug and a cap, and the inner wall of the trunk without providing the thin-walled portion. An eye drop container (comparative product) having a container body of the same size and shape as the product of the present invention was manufactured except that the thickness was substantially uniform. It manufactured so that the resin weight of the container main body of this invention product and a comparison product might be 1.8 g or 2.0 g.

The container body constituting the product of the present invention was manufactured by blow molding using polyethylene (density: 0.927 g / cm ³ , trade name “Novatech LD LM360”, manufactured by Nippon Polyethylene Co., Ltd.) as a raw material. As for the size of the container main body, the height of the container main body is 37 mm, the height of the trunk part is 25 mm, the diameter of the trunk part is 21 mm, and the diameter of the opening cylinder part is 14 mm (full capacity 7 mL).

(Inner plug)
The inner plug constituting the product of the present invention was manufactured by injection molding using polyethylene (density: 0.919 g / cm ³ , trade name “Sumikasen G202”, manufactured by Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.) as a raw material. As for the size of the inner plug, the outer diameter of the inner cylinder portion is 12 mm, the height of the liquid injection portion is 8 mm, the diameter of the liquid injection port is 2 mm, and the hole diameter of the liquid passage portion is 0.5 mm.

(cap)
The cap constituting the product of the present invention was manufactured by injection molding using polypropylene (trade name “Novatech PP MG03RT”, manufactured by Nippon Polypro Co., Ltd.) as a raw material. As for the size of the cap, the top plate has a diameter of 9 mm, the trunk portion has a height of 13.5 mm, and the tip tube portion has a height of 6.2 mm.

2. Test method
2.1 Squeeze force The container body according to the present invention and the comparative product manufactured in “1. Manufacture of container” is filled with 2.5 mL of phosphate buffer solution, pH 7.0 (14th revised Japanese Pharmacopoeia). A test piece was prepared by attaching an inner plug to the open cylindrical part. The test specimen is fixed vertically with the inner plug facing down, and set on a digital force gauge (trade name “DPS-5R”, manufactured by Imada Co., Ltd.). The tip is moved to the inside of the barrel in the radial direction and pressed, and one drop of phosphate buffer is injected from the inlet. The force (peak value) required for dropping the liquid was measured as squeeze force.

2.2 Water vapor transmission rate The container body according to the present invention and the comparative product manufactured in “1. Manufacture of container” is accurately filled with 2.5 mL of purified water, and an inner plug is attached to each open tube part. A test piece was obtained by screwing a cap onto the screw cylinder. The value obtained by measuring the weight of the test specimen was taken as the initial weight, and the test specimen was immediately stored in a constant temperature and humidity room at 40 ° C. ± 2 ° C. and a relative humidity of 20% ± 5%. The water vapor permeability ([(initial weight—weight after storage for 4 weeks) /2.5] × 100) was calculated.

2.3 Thickness of the body of the container The container of the present invention and the comparative product manufactured in “1. Manufacture of the container” using a magnetic thickness meter (trade name “Magnamic”, manufactured by Panametrix) The thickness of the trunk of the main body was measured. In measuring the wall thickness, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, at the height positions of 8 mm, 13 mm (thin wall portion), and 18 mm from the bottom, respectively, six points a to f are measured in the circumferential direction, and the average value is calculated. The thickness at the height was taken as the thickness.

3. Test results From Table 1, it was found that the squeeze force of the product of the present invention was significantly lower than that of the comparative product when comparing the squeeze force when the resin weight of the container body was the same for the product of the present invention and the comparative product. Moreover, about water vapor transmission rate, it turned out that the product of this invention and a comparative product are substantially the same, and there is substantially no difference. From these results, it can be said that the product of the present invention is a container excellent in squeeze property while ensuring substantially the same water vapor barrier property as a conventional container (comparative product).

(Test Example 2)
1. Manufacture of container The resin weight of the container body is set to 1.5 g, 1.7 g, or 2.0 g. A container provided on the inner wall surface of the trunk was manufactured. The same plug and cap as those used in Test Example 1 were used.
2. Test Method In the same manner as in Test Example 1, the thickness and water vapor transmission rate of the thin portion (height position 13 mm) of the body portion of the container body were determined.

3. Test results As shown in Table 2, when the resin weight of the container body is 2.0 g and the minimum thickness of the thin portion is changed within the range of 0.44 to 0.58 mm, the water vapor permeability is reduced to the minimum thickness of the thin portion. It showed almost a constant value without depending. In addition, the container with the resin weight of the container body of 1.7 g and the minimum thickness of the thin part of 0.30 mm is good although the water vapor transmission rate is slightly lower than the container with the resin weight of 2.0 g. Water vapor barrier property. However, it was found that a container having a resin weight of 1.5 g and a thin wall portion having a minimum thickness of 0.20 mm has a significantly reduced water vapor permeability and is extremely inferior in water vapor barrier properties. From this result, it was considered that the minimum thickness of the thin portion should be at least 0.30 mm or more in order to maintain an appropriate water vapor barrier property.

It is an external appearance perspective view which shows an example of the eye drop container which concerns on this invention. It is a front view which shows the state which removed the cap among the containers of FIG. FIG. 3 is a half vertical cross-sectional view showing the vertical cross-sectional shape of the inner wall surface of the container main body with the inner stopper removed from the container of FIG. 2. It is reference sectional drawing which shows the use condition of the container of FIG. It is a half longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the inner wall face of the container main body which concerns on other embodiment. It is a half longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the inner wall face of the container main body which concerns on other embodiment. It is a half longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the inner wall face of the container main body which concerns on other embodiment. It is a half longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the inner wall face of the container main body which shows other embodiment. It is a reference front view which shows the height position when measuring the thickness of the trunk | drum of a container main body. It is a reference plane sectional view which shows the measurement location in the same height position when measuring the thickness of the trunk | drum of a container main body.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Container main body 12 Bottom part 13 trunk | drum 13b trunk inner wall surface 13c thin part X axis

Claims (6)

An ophthalmic container formed of a thermoplastic resin, having an outer cylindrical shape and a bottom continuous with the barrel,
The inner wall surface of the body portion is formed with a thin portion that circulates in the circumferential direction of the inner wall surface,
An ophthalmic container characterized in that a longitudinal cross-sectional shape cut along an arbitrary plane passing through the axis of the trunk is formed substantially symmetrically with respect to the axis of the trunk.   The ophthalmic container according to claim 1, wherein the thin portion is formed near a central portion in the height direction of the trunk portion.   The ophthalmic container according to claim 1, wherein one or a plurality of thin-walled portions are formed near and below the central portion in the height direction of the trunk portion.   The ophthalmic container according to claim 1, wherein the thin-walled portion is continuously formed from a vicinity of a central portion in the height direction of the trunk portion to a lower end of the trunk portion.   The ophthalmic container according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic resin is polyethylene.   The ophthalmic container according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the body portion has a diameter of 16 to 26 mm, a height of 20 to 30 mm, and a minimum thickness of the thin portion of 0.3 to 0.6 mm.

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