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WO1999005046A1 - Dual compartment dispensing apparatus - Google Patents

Dual compartment dispensing apparatus Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO1999005046A1
WO1999005046A1 PCT/GB1998/002180 GB9802180W WO9905046A1 WO 1999005046 A1 WO1999005046 A1 WO 1999005046A1 GB 9802180 W GB9802180 W GB 9802180W WO 9905046 A1 WO9905046 A1 WO 9905046A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
container
attachment
remainder
rotatable
rotatable member
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/GB1998/002180
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Geoff Brace
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Consort Medical Ltd
Original Assignee
Bespak PLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Bespak PLC filed Critical Bespak PLC
Publication of WO1999005046A1 publication Critical patent/WO1999005046A1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D81/00—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents
    • B65D81/32—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents for packaging two or more different materials which must be maintained separate prior to use in admixture
    • B65D81/3216—Rigid containers disposed one within the other
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D51/00—Closures not otherwise provided for
    • B65D51/24—Closures not otherwise provided for combined or co-operating with auxiliary devices for non-closing purposes
    • B65D51/28—Closures not otherwise provided for combined or co-operating with auxiliary devices for non-closing purposes with auxiliary containers for additional articles or materials
    • B65D51/2807—Closures not otherwise provided for combined or co-operating with auxiliary devices for non-closing purposes with auxiliary containers for additional articles or materials the closure presenting means for placing the additional articles or materials in contact with the main contents by acting on a part of the closure without removing the closure, e.g. by pushing down, pulling up, rotating or turning a part of the closure, or upon initial opening of the container
    • B65D51/2857—Closures not otherwise provided for combined or co-operating with auxiliary devices for non-closing purposes with auxiliary containers for additional articles or materials the closure presenting means for placing the additional articles or materials in contact with the main contents by acting on a part of the closure without removing the closure, e.g. by pushing down, pulling up, rotating or turning a part of the closure, or upon initial opening of the container the additional article or materials being released by displacing or removing an element enclosing it
    • B65D51/2885—Closures not otherwise provided for combined or co-operating with auxiliary devices for non-closing purposes with auxiliary containers for additional articles or materials the closure presenting means for placing the additional articles or materials in contact with the main contents by acting on a part of the closure without removing the closure, e.g. by pushing down, pulling up, rotating or turning a part of the closure, or upon initial opening of the container the additional article or materials being released by displacing or removing an element enclosing it the element being the auxiliary container falling into the main container; the additional article or materials in solid block form falling into the main container

Definitions

  • This invention relates to an apparatus for separately storing and subsequently mixing two components of a substance to be dispensed.
  • Dual compartment dispensers for pharmaceutical, cosmetic and other fluid preparations typically comprise a chamber receiving a liquid and a separate compartment for a powder or liquid which is required to be separately stored until immediately prior to use of the mixture, this being particularly necessary where the mixture degrades rapidly with age.
  • apparatus for separately storing and subsequently mixing first and second components of a substance to be dispensed, the apparatus comprising :-
  • first container a first container
  • second container located within the first container
  • first outlet means allowing dispensing of the substance from the first container
  • attachment means attaching the second container to the first container
  • the first container stores the first component prior to mixing;
  • the second container stores the second component separated from the first component prior to mixing;
  • the attachment means releasably secures the second container within the first container, the second container being releasable from attachment to the first container by a user of the apparatus and release of the second container from attachment to the first container allowing the second component stored in the second container to mix with the first component stored in the first container to form the substance in the first container, which substance is then dispensed via the first outlet means.
  • the user releases the second container from attachment to the first container by manipulation of an externally accessible part of the first container.
  • the first container has a rotatable part which is rotatable relative to the remainder of the first container and the second container is released from attachment to the first container by rotating the rotatable part.
  • the rotatable part is rotatable about a first axis relative to the remainder of the first container; the attachment means releasably attaches the second container to the rotatable member at a point off-set from the first axis of the container; and an obstruction is provided in the first container such that as the rotatable member is rotated relative to the remainder of the first container, the second container is engaged by the obstruction and the engagement of the second container is thereby released from attachment to the second container.
  • the rotatable member is rotatably mounted to the remainder of the first container by co-operating screw-thread formations, the screw-thread formations being operable to urge the rotatable member into sealing engagement with the remainder of the first container in response to rotation of the rotatable member relative to the remainder of the first container.
  • the rotatable member is mounted to the remainder of the first container by means of a push-fit, the rotatable member being retained by the interference between a circumferential rib on the first container with a circumferential groove on the rotatable member, the rotatable member being free to rotate relative to the remainder of the first container .
  • At least a part of the first container is flexible whereby the first container can be flexed sufficiently to bring an internal part of the first container into engagement with the second container and thereby release the second container from attachment to the first container.
  • the attachment means secures the second container in a location covering the first outlet means so that the second container both prevents egress from the first container and is fillable with the second component via the first outlet means.
  • Figure 1 is a sectioned elevation of an apparatus in accordance with the present invention.
  • An apparatus 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention as shown in Figure 1 consists of a first container 2 defining a chamber 3, in which a liquid first component 4 is stored and an outlet 5 at an upper end.
  • the first container 2 comprises a rotatable closure member 6 which closes the upper end.
  • the apparatus 1 further comprises a second container 7, within the first container 2, of which a first portion 8 is formed unitarily with the closure member 6 and is off -set from a first, central longitudinal axis of the first container 2, and of which a second portion 9 is cylindrically walled and cup-shaped with a mouth 10 sealed by the first portion 8.
  • the second portion 9 is not limited to being cylindrical and may be any shape capable of being contained within the first container 2.
  • the first portion 8 comprises a cylindrical portion 20 engagable with the second portion 9 of the second container 7 and a nozzle 21 protruding from the upper surface of the closure member 6.
  • the nozzle 21 has a nozzle opening 22 communicating with the inside of the second container 7 via a first outlet 27 which may be sealed by a closure cap 23.
  • the closure cap 23 may consist of a push-fit stopper which sealingly engages the nozzle opening 22 or may alternatively comprise a screw-threaded or push- fit cap engagable with the external surface of the nozzle 21.
  • the first outlet 27 may alternatively be sealed by a snap-off tip such as is commonly found on glue dispensing tubes, wherein snapping off of a portion of the nozzle 21 exposes the first outlet 27.
  • the second container 7 thereby defines a closed compartment 11 in which a liquid second component 12 is stored separately from the first component 4 prior to mixing.
  • the first container 2 is bottle shaped and may be formed of a flexible or semi-rigid plastics material.
  • the closure member 6 of the first container 2 may be formed so that the closure member 6 is a push-fit onto a remainder of the first container 2.
  • a circumferential rib on an external surface of the first container 2 and a circumferential groove on an internal surface of the closure member 6 provide a means of resiliently retaining the closure member 6 on the remainder of the first container 2 during use of the apparatus 1.
  • the rib and groove restrict axial movement of the closure member 6 relative to the first container 2 but allows the closure member 6 to freely rotate about the first longitudinal axis of the first container 2.
  • the circumferential groove could be on an external surface of the remainder of the first container 2 and the circumferential rib on an internal surface of the closure member 6.
  • the remainder of the first container 2 is provided with external screw-threads 14 engaging with co-operating internal screw-threads 15 on the closure member 6.
  • the screw-threads 14 and 15 are ramped to allow the closure member 6 to be assembled by axial movement onto the remainder of the first container 2, the ramped shape of the screw- threads allowing the diameter of the closure member 6 to be momentarily increased by resilient deformation during assembly.
  • rotatable closure member 6 forms a rotatable part of the first container 2, rotatable relative to the remainder of the first container 2.
  • the first and second portions 8 and 9 of the second container 7 may be separate components sealingly engaging with one another by means of a push- fit.
  • the integrity of the seal between the first and second portions 8 and 9 may be improved by incorporating an 0-ring 24 between the first and second portions 8 and 9.
  • the push-fit between the first and second portions 8 and 9 forms a means of attaching the second container 7 within the first container 2.
  • the second container 7 may consist of a single component having an area of weakness at the junction between the first and second portions 8 and 9. This area of weakness may consist of a scored circumferential line around the second container 7 or a portion of the second container 7 where the thickness of the wall is thinner than in the remainder of the second container 7.
  • the second container 7 may be manufactured from a plastics material, glass, or other suitable material.
  • the apparatus 1 is sold having the first and second liquid components 4 and 12 already contained within the first and second chambers 3 and 11.
  • the first chamber 3 is filled through the outlet 5 before the remainder of the first container 2 is sealed by the rotatable closure member 6.
  • the second chamber 11 may be filled through the mouth 10 of the second portion 9 before it is sealingly engaged with the first portion 8.
  • the second container 7 is a single component
  • the second chamber 11 is filled through the first outlet 27.
  • the single component second chamber 7 can be filled through a base portion of the second container and then the base portion can be sealed, for example by heat sealing the material.
  • a user of the apparatus 1 rotates the closure member 6 relative to the remainder of the first container 2 about the longitudinal axis of the first container 2.
  • the closure member 6 may be rotated either in the clock-wise or anticlockwise sense without altering the operation of the apparatus 1.
  • the closure member 6 is a screw fit, the closure member 6 would be operable by rotating in a single sense.
  • the screw-threads 14, 15 are such that adequate rotation of the closure member 6 in order to disengage the second portion 9 is possible without detaching the closure member 6 from the remainder of the first container 2. Since the first portion 8 of the second container 7 is formed with the closure member 6 offset from the first, central axis of the first container 2 rotation of the closure member 6 causes the second container 7 to move within the first container 2, as seen in plan view of the apparatus 1.
  • An inwardly extending flange 26 joined to the internal surface of the first container 2 forms an obstruction blocking the movement of the second container 7. Preferably, the flange 26 is positioned towards the base of the first container 2.
  • the second portion 9 strikes the flange 26 and is thus disengaged, as the closure member 6 and first portion 8 are further rotated, from the second portion 8 either by means of the first and second portions 8 and 9 disconnecting or the single component second container 7 breaking at the area of weakness.
  • the second portion 9 of the second container 7 falls into the first container 2 and the first and second - il ⁇
  • the obstruction need not be a flange but can equally be any obstruction wherein movement of the second container 7 laterally brings the second container 7 into contact with the obstruction, for example, the second portion 9 may be positioned in and surrounded by a bowl -shaped depression.
  • Mixing of the two components 4 and 12 may be aided by shaking the apparatus 1.
  • the closure cap 23 is then removed from the nozzle opening 22 and the liquid is dispensed back through the first portion 8 of the second container 7 and the nozzle 21 and nozzle opening 22.
  • the first container 2 is semi-rigid and squeezable and dispensation of the liquid is aided by squeezing the first container 2 to dispel the liquid through the nozzle opening 22.
  • the apparatus 1 comprises a closure member 6 which is not rotatable but is operated by squeezing the first container 2, made from a semi-rigid material, so that an internal part of the first container 2 comes into contact with the second portion 9 of the second container 7 causing the second portion 9 to disengage from the first portion 8, either by the disconnection of the first and second portions 8 and 9 or the breaking of the area of weakness of the second container 7.
  • the two components 4 and 12 are then free to mix and be dispensed as described above.
  • the material of the first container 2 must be sufficiently flexible to allow an internal part of the first container 2 to contact the second container 7.
  • the apparatus is not limited to the mixing of two liquids and may alternatively be used to mix a powdered component and a liquid component together.
  • the powdered component may be in the first chamber 3 and the liquid component in the second chamber 11.
  • the powdered component could be in the second chamber 11 and the liquid component in the first chamber 3.
  • the second container 7 is made of a rigid material, whether glass or plastic. This is advantageous in that external manipulation of the first container 2 will not apply increased pressure to the second liquid component 12 in the second chamber 11 before the two liquid components 4 and 12 have been mixed. This helps to prevent the second liquid component 12 being dispensed on its own through the nozzle opening 22, either accidentally or through deliberate misuse of the apparatus 1.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Package Specialized In Special Use (AREA)

Abstract

This invention relates to an apparatus for separately storing and subsequently mixing two components of a substance to be dispensed. The apparatus (1) comprises a first container (2) and a second container (7) located within the first container (2). First outlet means (5) are provided allowing dispensing of the substance from the first container (2) and attachment means attaching the second container (7) to the first container (2). Wherein the first container (2) stores the first component (4) prior to mixing and the second container (7) stores the second component (12) separated from the first component (4) prior to mixing. The attachment means releasably secures the second container (7) within the first container (2). The second container (7) being releasable from attachment of the first container (2) by use of the apparatus (1). Release of the second container (7) from attachment to the first container (2) allowing the second component (12) stored in the second container (7) to mix with the first component (4) stored in the first container (2) to form the substance in the first container (2). The substance is then dispensed via the first outlet means (5).

Description

DUAL COMPARTMENT DISPENSING APPARATUS
This invention relates to an apparatus for separately storing and subsequently mixing two components of a substance to be dispensed.
Dual compartment dispensers for pharmaceutical, cosmetic and other fluid preparations typically comprise a chamber receiving a liquid and a separate compartment for a powder or liquid which is required to be separately stored until immediately prior to use of the mixture, this being particularly necessary where the mixture degrades rapidly with age.
Some known arrangements rely upon a seal being penetrated by a needle to initiate mixing, such arrangements being complex and requiring assembly from numerous components.
It is also known from US 4614267 to provide a vial which can be manually opened by manipulation through the sides of a flexible container within which it extends. Such an arrangement is, however, unsuitable to most applications where rigid or semirigid containers are required.
According to the present invention, there is disclosed apparatus for separately storing and subsequently mixing first and second components of a substance to be dispensed, the apparatus comprising :-
a first container; a second container located within the first container; first outlet means allowing dispensing of the substance from the first container; and attachment means attaching the second container to the first container; wherein
the first container stores the first component prior to mixing; the second container stores the second component separated from the first component prior to mixing; the attachment means releasably secures the second container within the first container, the second container being releasable from attachment to the first container by a user of the apparatus and release of the second container from attachment to the first container allowing the second component stored in the second container to mix with the first component stored in the first container to form the substance in the first container, which substance is then dispensed via the first outlet means.
Preferably the user releases the second container from attachment to the first container by manipulation of an externally accessible part of the first container.
In a first embodiment of the present invention the first container has a rotatable part which is rotatable relative to the remainder of the first container and the second container is released from attachment to the first container by rotating the rotatable part.
It is desired that the rotatable part is rotatable about a first axis relative to the remainder of the first container; the attachment means releasably attaches the second container to the rotatable member at a point off-set from the first axis of the container; and an obstruction is provided in the first container such that as the rotatable member is rotated relative to the remainder of the first container, the second container is engaged by the obstruction and the engagement of the second container is thereby released from attachment to the second container.
The rotatable member is rotatably mounted to the remainder of the first container by co-operating screw-thread formations, the screw-thread formations being operable to urge the rotatable member into sealing engagement with the remainder of the first container in response to rotation of the rotatable member relative to the remainder of the first container.
Alternatively the rotatable member is mounted to the remainder of the first container by means of a push-fit, the rotatable member being retained by the interference between a circumferential rib on the first container with a circumferential groove on the rotatable member, the rotatable member being free to rotate relative to the remainder of the first container .
In a second embodiment of the present invention at least a part of the first container is flexible whereby the first container can be flexed sufficiently to bring an internal part of the first container into engagement with the second container and thereby release the second container from attachment to the first container.
Advantageously the attachment means secures the second container in a location covering the first outlet means so that the second container both prevents egress from the first container and is fillable with the second component via the first outlet means.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:
Figure 1 is a sectioned elevation of an apparatus in accordance with the present invention.
An apparatus 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention as shown in Figure 1 consists of a first container 2 defining a chamber 3, in which a liquid first component 4 is stored and an outlet 5 at an upper end. The first container 2 comprises a rotatable closure member 6 which closes the upper end.
The apparatus 1 further comprises a second container 7, within the first container 2, of which a first portion 8 is formed unitarily with the closure member 6 and is off -set from a first, central longitudinal axis of the first container 2, and of which a second portion 9 is cylindrically walled and cup-shaped with a mouth 10 sealed by the first portion 8. The second portion 9 is not limited to being cylindrical and may be any shape capable of being contained within the first container 2. The first portion 8 comprises a cylindrical portion 20 engagable with the second portion 9 of the second container 7 and a nozzle 21 protruding from the upper surface of the closure member 6. The nozzle 21 has a nozzle opening 22 communicating with the inside of the second container 7 via a first outlet 27 which may be sealed by a closure cap 23. The closure cap 23 may consist of a push-fit stopper which sealingly engages the nozzle opening 22 or may alternatively comprise a screw-threaded or push- fit cap engagable with the external surface of the nozzle 21. The first outlet 27 may alternatively be sealed by a snap-off tip such as is commonly found on glue dispensing tubes, wherein snapping off of a portion of the nozzle 21 exposes the first outlet 27.
The second container 7 thereby defines a closed compartment 11 in which a liquid second component 12 is stored separately from the first component 4 prior to mixing.
The first container 2 is bottle shaped and may be formed of a flexible or semi-rigid plastics material.
The closure member 6 of the first container 2 may be formed so that the closure member 6 is a push-fit onto a remainder of the first container 2. A circumferential rib on an external surface of the first container 2 and a circumferential groove on an internal surface of the closure member 6 provide a means of resiliently retaining the closure member 6 on the remainder of the first container 2 during use of the apparatus 1. The rib and groove restrict axial movement of the closure member 6 relative to the first container 2 but allows the closure member 6 to freely rotate about the first longitudinal axis of the first container 2. Equally, the circumferential groove could be on an external surface of the remainder of the first container 2 and the circumferential rib on an internal surface of the closure member 6.
Alternatively the remainder of the first container 2 is provided with external screw-threads 14 engaging with co-operating internal screw-threads 15 on the closure member 6. The screw-threads 14 and 15 are ramped to allow the closure member 6 to be assembled by axial movement onto the remainder of the first container 2, the ramped shape of the screw- threads allowing the diameter of the closure member 6 to be momentarily increased by resilient deformation during assembly.
Thus the rotatable closure member 6 forms a rotatable part of the first container 2, rotatable relative to the remainder of the first container 2.
The first and second portions 8 and 9 of the second container 7 may be separate components sealingly engaging with one another by means of a push- fit. The integrity of the seal between the first and second portions 8 and 9 may be improved by incorporating an 0-ring 24 between the first and second portions 8 and 9. Thus the push-fit between the first and second portions 8 and 9 forms a means of attaching the second container 7 within the first container 2. Alternatively, the second container 7 may consist of a single component having an area of weakness at the junction between the first and second portions 8 and 9. This area of weakness may consist of a scored circumferential line around the second container 7 or a portion of the second container 7 where the thickness of the wall is thinner than in the remainder of the second container 7. Thus the manufacture of the second container 7 as a single component connected to the closure member 6 forms an alternative means of attaching the second container 7 within the first container 2. The second container 7 may be manufactured from a plastics material, glass, or other suitable material.
The operation of the apparatus 1 will now be described.
Preferably, the apparatus 1 is sold having the first and second liquid components 4 and 12 already contained within the first and second chambers 3 and 11. The first chamber 3 is filled through the outlet 5 before the remainder of the first container 2 is sealed by the rotatable closure member 6. In the case where the first and second portions 8 and 9 are separate components the second chamber 11 may be filled through the mouth 10 of the second portion 9 before it is sealingly engaged with the first portion 8. Alternatively, where the second container 7 is a single component, the second chamber 11 is filled through the first outlet 27. Alternatively the single component second chamber 7 can be filled through a base portion of the second container and then the base portion can be sealed, for example by heat sealing the material. The closure cap 23, if used, is then sealingly engaged with the nozzle opening 22 and the rotatable closure member 6 is sealingly engaged with the first container 2. In order to dispense the two components 4 and 12, a user of the apparatus 1 rotates the closure member 6 relative to the remainder of the first container 2 about the longitudinal axis of the first container 2. Where the closure member 6 is a push-fit onto the remainder of the first container 2 the closure member 6 may be rotated either in the clock-wise or anticlockwise sense without altering the operation of the apparatus 1. Where the closure member 6 is a screw fit, the closure member 6 would be operable by rotating in a single sense. It should be noted that the screw-threads 14, 15 are such that adequate rotation of the closure member 6 in order to disengage the second portion 9 is possible without detaching the closure member 6 from the remainder of the first container 2. Since the first portion 8 of the second container 7 is formed with the closure member 6 offset from the first, central axis of the first container 2 rotation of the closure member 6 causes the second container 7 to move within the first container 2, as seen in plan view of the apparatus 1. An inwardly extending flange 26 joined to the internal surface of the first container 2 forms an obstruction blocking the movement of the second container 7. Preferably, the flange 26 is positioned towards the base of the first container 2. As the second container 7 is moved within the first container 2, the second portion 9 strikes the flange 26 and is thus disengaged, as the closure member 6 and first portion 8 are further rotated, from the second portion 8 either by means of the first and second portions 8 and 9 disconnecting or the single component second container 7 breaking at the area of weakness. Thus the second portion 9 of the second container 7 falls into the first container 2 and the first and second - il ¬
liquid components 4 and 12 are free to mix. The obstruction need not be a flange but can equally be any obstruction wherein movement of the second container 7 laterally brings the second container 7 into contact with the obstruction, for example, the second portion 9 may be positioned in and surrounded by a bowl -shaped depression.
Mixing of the two components 4 and 12 may be aided by shaking the apparatus 1.
The closure cap 23 is then removed from the nozzle opening 22 and the liquid is dispensed back through the first portion 8 of the second container 7 and the nozzle 21 and nozzle opening 22. Preferably, the first container 2 is semi-rigid and squeezable and dispensation of the liquid is aided by squeezing the first container 2 to dispel the liquid through the nozzle opening 22.
Alternatively the apparatus 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention comprises a closure member 6 which is not rotatable but is operated by squeezing the first container 2, made from a semi-rigid material, so that an internal part of the first container 2 comes into contact with the second portion 9 of the second container 7 causing the second portion 9 to disengage from the first portion 8, either by the disconnection of the first and second portions 8 and 9 or the breaking of the area of weakness of the second container 7. The two components 4 and 12 are then free to mix and be dispensed as described above. The material of the first container 2 must be sufficiently flexible to allow an internal part of the first container 2 to contact the second container 7.
The apparatus is not limited to the mixing of two liquids and may alternatively be used to mix a powdered component and a liquid component together. The powdered component may be in the first chamber 3 and the liquid component in the second chamber 11. Alternatively, the powdered component could be in the second chamber 11 and the liquid component in the first chamber 3.
It is to be desired that the second container 7 is made of a rigid material, whether glass or plastic. This is advantageous in that external manipulation of the first container 2 will not apply increased pressure to the second liquid component 12 in the second chamber 11 before the two liquid components 4 and 12 have been mixed. This helps to prevent the second liquid component 12 being dispensed on its own through the nozzle opening 22, either accidentally or through deliberate misuse of the apparatus 1.
It should be appreciated that modifications may be made to the apparatus as described above without departing from the scope of the invention as set out in the attached claims.

Claims

CLAIMS:
1. Apparatus for separately storing and subsequently mixing first and second components of a substance to be dispensed, the apparatus comprising :-
a first container; a second container located within the first container; first outlet means allowing dispensing of the substance from the first container; and attachment means attaching the second container to the first container; wherein
the first container stores the first component prior to mixing; the second container stores the second component separated from the first component prior to mixing; the attachment means releasably secures the second container within the first container, the second container being releasable from attachment to the first container by a user of the apparatus and release of the second container from attachment to the first container allowing the second component stored in the second container to mix with the first component stored in the first container to form the substance in the first container, which substance is then dispensed via the first outlet means.
2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the user releases the second container from attachment to the first container by manipulation of an externally accessible part of the first container.
3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the first container has a rotatable part which is rotatable relative to the remainder of the first container and the second container is released from attachment to the first container by rotating the rotatable part.
4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein: -
the rotatable part is rotatable about a first axis relative to the remainder of the first container; the attachment means releasably attaches the second container to the rotatable member at a point off-set from the first axis of the container; and an obstruction is provided in the first container such that as the rotatable member is rotated relative to the remainder of the first container, the second container is engaged by the obstruction and the engagement of the second container is thereby released from attachment to the second container.
5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the rotatable member is rotatably mounted to the remainder of the first container by co-operating screw-thread formations, the screw-thread formations being operable to urge the rotatable member into sealing engagement with the remainder of the first container in response to rotation of the rotatable member relative to the remainder of the first container.
6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the rotatable member is mounted to the remainder of the first container by means of a push-fit, the rotatable member being retained by the interference between a circumferential rib on the first container with a circumferential groove on the rotatable member, the rotatable member being free to rotate relative to the remainder of the first container.
7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein at least a part of the first container is flexible whereby the first container can be flexed sufficiently to bring an internal part of the first container into engagement with the second container and thereby release the second container from attachment to the first container.
8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the attachment means secures the second container in a location covering the first outlet means so that the second container both prevents egress from the first container and is fillable with the second component via the first outlet means.
9. Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.
PCT/GB1998/002180 1997-07-22 1998-07-22 Dual compartment dispensing apparatus Ceased WO1999005046A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9715475A GB2327408A (en) 1997-07-22 1997-07-22 Dual compartment dispensing apparatus
GB9715475.1 1997-07-22

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1999005046A1 true WO1999005046A1 (en) 1999-02-04

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB1998/002180 Ceased WO1999005046A1 (en) 1997-07-22 1998-07-22 Dual compartment dispensing apparatus

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GB (1) GB2327408A (en)
WO (1) WO1999005046A1 (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2022183279A1 (en) * 2021-03-01 2022-09-09 Atg Pharma Inc. Fluid depositing device

Families Citing this family (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB0201677D0 (en) 2002-01-25 2002-03-13 Glaxo Group Ltd Medicament dispenser
US7210575B2 (en) 2002-09-26 2007-05-01 Boehringer Ingelheim International Gmbh Two-component packaging unit
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GB2327408A (en) 1999-01-27
GB9715475D0 (en) 1997-10-01

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