EP3452229B1 - Fluid dispenser - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a dispenser for dispensing pharmaceutical liquids according to the preamble of claim 1.

Generic and inventive dispensers comprise an elongated housing aligned along a central axis. At the distal end of the housing there is provided a discharge opening which is axially aligned in the direction of the central axis and through which liquid can be discharged into the environment, for example as a droplet and spray jet. Such a dispenser further comprises a liquid reservoir and a control device with a pump or a switching valve, which is connected to the liquid reservoir by a first line and to the discharge opening by a second line and by means of which liquid can be conducted from the liquid reservoir to the discharge opening. For the purpose of actuation, the dispenser comprises an actuating pusher which is provided laterally in a recess in a lateral surface of the housing and which is connected to the control device in such a way that a radial depression of the actuating pusher in the direction of the central axis actuates the control device so that liquid is directed to the discharge opening will.

Such generic dispensers, which represent the starting point of the invention, are also referred to as side actuation dispensers.

The special characteristic of these generic and inventive dispensers is that they are operated from the side. For this purpose, the housing, which is essentially rotationally symmetrical or cylindrical at least in the area of the lateral surface, has the aforementioned actuating lever, which can be pressed in the radial direction or with a predominantly radial component in the direction of the central axis in order to direct liquid in the direction of the discharge opening. This can happen because the actuating pusher shifts the piston of a piston pump or compresses the bellows of a bellows pump or opens a valve so that previously pressurized liquid can flow in the direction of the discharge opening.

From the area of other pharmaceutical dispensers, the direction of actuation of which corresponds to the direction of discharge, designs are already known which are used to secure the dispenser against use by children. This prevents children, especially small children, from delivering and ingesting the pharmaceutical liquid.

From the WO 2008/061041 A2 dispensers are known in various designs. These dispensers are designed as side actuation dispensers and some are provided with protective caps.

TASK AND SOLUTION

The object of the invention is to provide a generic side actuation dispenser with an effective and structurally simple child safety device.

According to the invention, the following is proposed: The dispenser comprises a removable cap which, when fitted, covers the discharge opening and can be pulled off the housing in the direction of the central axis towards the distal end and the discharge opening. The cap and the housing have interacting fixing elements that prevent the cap from being pulled off the housing in a relative engagement position and by deforming the cap and / or rotating the cap about the central axis and / or relative movement of a housing section of the housing on which the fixing element is provided , opposite the outer surface of the housing, can be brought into a relative release position in which they do not counteract the removal of the cap.

According to the invention, it is accordingly provided that the discharge opening and preferably also the lateral surface with the actuating pushbutton are covered by a removable cap which prevents the discharge of liquid and preferably also the actuation of the actuating pushbutton. This cap is intended to be pulled off in the axial direction in the direction of the distal end of the housing, but cannot be pulled off without prior unlocking.

The cap and the housing can be provided with positively interacting fixing elements in the form of translation blocking surfaces which prevent the cap from being pulled off axially from the housing when the cap is in place.

In at least one rotational position of the cap with respect to the housing, in this embodiment, in a deformation region of the cap, there can be a sufficient distance between the inside of the cap and the housing so that the cap can be deformed in this way by the application of radial force is that the translation blocking surfaces can be disengaged so that the cap can then be pulled off.

This first sub-variant of the invention provides that the cap is deformed in a deformation area, in particular is acted upon by force on both sides, in order to change the cross section of the cap in this deformation area, thereby disengaging the translation blocking surfaces, which previously counteract a pull-off will. For this purpose, the cap and the housing must be matched to one another in such a way that sufficient deformation of the cap, in particular offset by 90 ° with respect to the translational blocking surface on the cap side, is possible in this rotational position.

It is preferred if there is insufficient distance to the housing in at least one rotational position of the cap relative to the housing in the deformation region of the cap, so that the cap cannot be deformed sufficiently by radial force to disengage the translation blocking surfaces.

This development provides that the cap cannot be deformed so far in the deformation area in every rotational position that the translation blocking surfaces can be disengaged. This is not possible in at least one rotational position, so that it is more difficult for a child to remove the cap. Starting from a relative position between the cap and the housing in this second rotational position, the cap must first be rotated about the central axis with respect to the housing, in order to allow sufficient deformation only afterwards.

In particular, based on this, it can be provided that the cap and the housing are provided with interacting rotational blocking surfaces that prevent the cap from rotating when the cap is in place Rotational locking surfaces can be brought out of engagement with each other.

With such a design, the cap is not only prevented from being pulled off in a certain rotational position, with the cap not being able to be pulled off directly, in particular, preferably also by strong deformation of the cap, but free rotation of the cap is also not possible, if not beforehand the rotation locking surfaces have been disengaged from one another by deformation of the cap.

The rotational position limiting in this way is preferably defined by two rotation blocking surfaces on the cap side which are offset from one another in the circumferential direction. In this case, a receiving area is provided in the intermediate area between these cap-side rotation blocking surfaces, which is provided for receiving a cam on the housing side. The cam on the housing side can only be moved out of this receiving space by a rotary movement, which requires the aforementioned deformation of the cap. However, the cap is preferably not sufficiently deformed by the application of radial force to allow the housing-side cam to be pulled axially directly out of the receiving space, since this is opposed by the translation-blocking surfaces, which are preferably larger in the radial direction than the rotation-blocking surfaces.

Instead of the mentioned design with a cam on the housing side and two cap-side rotation locking surfaces enclosing this cam, a reversal is also possible in which the cam is provided on the cap side and is rotationally fixed on the housing by two spaced-apart rotation locking surfaces on the housing until the deformation of the cap causes the rotation -Blocked areas are surmountable.

Preferably at least one rotation blocking surface is assigned an inclined surface that is inclined with respect to the tangential direction, by means of which the cap can unidirectionally overcome the rotation blocking surface on the housing side without the application of radial force. This incline thus allows the cap to be rotated relative to the housing in one direction without having to specifically deform it for this purpose. This facilitates the displacement of the above-mentioned cam in the area of the recess between the rotation blocking surfaces. A design is conceivable in which only one of the two rotational locking surfaces delimiting the recess is assigned such a slope so that the cam can only easily engage in the recess in one direction of rotation, as well as a design with such a slope for each of the Both rotation locking surfaces, so that the cam can be inserted into the recess in both directions of rotation. At least one locking lug can be provided on the cap as a cap-side fixing element, which interacts with a housing-side locking edge as a housing-side fixing element in the relative engagement position. In this embodiment, the locking lug on the cap side can be deflected radially outward in order to be disengaged from the locking edge and thus brought into the relative release position.

In this sub-variant, a locking lug is provided as a fixing element on the cap side, which interacts with a locking edge on the housing side and thereby initially prevents the cap from being pulled off. The detent can be disengaged from the detent edge by deflecting it outward in this second sub-variant, it is preferred that the cap-side locking lug is deflected in an isolated manner without the entire cap cross-section being deformed.

A retaining lug can be provided as a fixing element on the cap. In this embodiment, the housing can have a bayonet ring with a slot extending in the circumferential direction, the slot being sufficiently large in an insertion area to allow the retaining lug on the cap to be inserted, and being provided in a retaining portion with a tapered section provided as a fixing element, so that the retaining lug cannot be axially withdrawn from the link when it is arranged in this retaining section. When the cap is in place, the bayonet ring and the cap can be rotated relative to one another about the central axis.

In this further sub-variant of the invention, the cap cooperates with the cap-side retaining lugs with a bayonet ring, whereby it is not the shape of the ring that matters, but rather the coulisse provided on it and extending in the circumferential direction, into which the retaining lugs can be axially inserted. The retaining lugs can be pushed in in the push-in area of the coulisse, if necessary in a shape that is slightly bent towards the central axis. However, if the cap and the bayonet ring are rotated against each other around the central axis with the retaining lugs inserted, the retaining lugs are located in the retaining section of the link, in which they are secured against axial pulling out by a bayonet ring-side web or the like which forms the tapered section.

It has been shown that such a bayonet connection is difficult to open by children. This is particularly true when both the bayonet ring and the cap are rotatable with respect to the outer surface of the housing. In this case, both hands are required for relative rotation and the possibility of being able to apply torque to the bayonet ring or the cap with both hands. This does not work with small children's hands.

The bayonet ring can also have a recess into which the retaining lug of the cap can engage radially when the retaining lug is located in the retaining section of the link, so that a relative rotation of the cap with respect to the bayonet ring is only possible after the opposite radial displacement of the retaining lug out of the recess The additional recesses mentioned have the effect that the retaining lugs in the holding section of the backdrop are secured against relative rotation with respect to the backdrop. In particular, these recesses can extend radially outward from the link. With such a design, the retaining lugs are pushed into the scenes in a slightly pretensioned state. When turning the bayonet ring against the Cap they get into the holding section and there jump again slightly radially outwards when these recesses are reached.

In order to release such a connection, the retaining lugs of the cap must first be pressed radially inward in order to only then allow the cap to be rotated and then axially withdrawn relative to the bayonet ring or from the housing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

• Fig. 1 zeigt einen gattungsgemäßen Spender mit seitlichem Betätigungsdrücker, der in ähnlicher Gestaltung bei allen Ausführungsbeispielen Verwendung findet.
• Fig. 2 bis 5 zeigen ein nicht von der Erfindung umfasstes Ausführungsbeispiel eines Spenders mit einer Drehhülse, die über eine auslenkbare Sperrklinke gesichert ist.
• Fig. 6 bis 7 zeigen ein nicht von der Erfindung umfasstes Ausführungsbeispiel eines Spenders mit einer Drehhülse, die über Rotations-Sperrflächen gesichert ist.
• Fig.8 bis 11 zeigen ein Ausführungsbeispiel eines erfindungsgemäßen Spenders gemäß der Erfindung mit einer Kappe, die in Abhängigkeit ihrer Drehstellung durch Verformung lösbar ist.
• Fig. 12 bis 16 zeigen ein Ausführungsbeispiel eines erfindungsgemäßen Spenders gemäß der Erfindung mit einer Kappe, die über eine Bajonettkopplung am Gehäuse sicherbar ist.
• Fig. 17 bis 18 zeigen ein nicht von der Erfindung umfasstes Ausführungsbeispiel eines Spenders mit einem in Radialrichtung fixierbaren Betätigungsdrücker.
• Fig. 19 bis 20 zeigen ein nicht von der Erfindung umfasstes Ausführungsbeispiel eines Spenders, die einem Betätigungsdrücker der bei Betätigung Fortsätze an einer Gegenfläche ausfährt.
• Fig. 21 bis 23 zeigen ein nicht von der Erfindung umfasstes Ausführungsbeispiel eines Spenders, der über Sicherungsschale verfügt, die im angebrachten Zustand die Betätigung verhindert.
• Fig. 24 bis 25 zeigen ein nicht von der Erfindung umfasstes Ausführungsbeispiel eines Spenders mit einer Aufnahmehülse.
• Fig. 26 bis 27 zeigen ein nicht von der Erfindung umfasstes Ausführungsbeispiel eines erfindungsgemäßen Spenders mit einer Schiebehülse, die über eine auslenkbare Sperrklinke gesichert ist.
• Fig. 28 bis 33 zeigen ein weiteres Ausführungsbeispiel gemäß der Erfindung mit einer durch Verformung abnehmbaren Kappe sowie eine Variante hierzu.
• Fig. 34 bis 36B zeigen ein weiteres nicht von der Erfindung umfasstes Ausführungsbeispiel mit einem arretierbaren Betätigungsdrücker.

Further advantages and aspects of the invention emerge from the claims and from the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention, which are explained below with reference to the figures.

• Fig. 1 shows a generic dispenser with a lateral actuating lever, which is used in a similar design in all exemplary embodiments.
• Figures 2 to 5 show an embodiment of a dispenser not included in the invention with a rotating sleeve which is secured via a deflectable pawl.
• Figures 6 to 7 show an exemplary embodiment of a dispenser, which is not included in the invention, with a rotary sleeve which is secured by means of rotation blocking surfaces.
• Fig. 8 to 11 show an embodiment of a dispenser according to the invention according to the invention with a cap which can be detached by deformation depending on its rotational position.
• Figures 12 to 16 show an embodiment of a dispenser according to the invention according to the invention with a cap which can be secured to the housing via a bayonet coupling.
• Figures 17 to 18 show an exemplary embodiment of a dispenser, which is not included in the invention, with an actuating lever that can be fixed in the radial direction.
• Figures 19 to 20 show an exemplary embodiment of a dispenser not included in the invention, which extends an actuating lever which, when actuated, extends extensions on an opposing surface.
• Figures 21 to 23 show an exemplary embodiment of a dispenser which is not covered by the invention and which has a securing shell which prevents actuation in the attached state.
• Figs. 24-25 show an embodiment of a dispenser with a receiving sleeve that is not included in the invention.
• Figures 26 to 27 show an exemplary embodiment of a dispenser according to the invention, which is not covered by the invention, with a sliding sleeve which is secured via a deflectable pawl.
• Figures 28 to 33 show a further embodiment according to the invention with a cap that can be removed by deformation and a variant thereof.
• Figures 34 to 36B show a further exemplary embodiment not covered by the invention with a lockable actuating lever.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Fig. 1 shows a so-called side actuation dispenser 10. This has a housing 20 with a discharge assembly 22 and a reservoir 30, which is coupled to the discharge assembly 22 in the area of a coupling ring 28 and includes a liquid reservoir 32.

The discharge assembly 22 has at the distal end a discharge opening 24 at the end of an applicator tip 25 designed as a nasal olive and an approximately cylindrical and largely rotationally symmetrical jacket surface 23 between the nasal olive and the coupling ring 28 Dispenser 10 is gripped by the user, a recess 26 is provided in which an actuating lever 50 is arranged. This actuating pusher 50 can be pressed in the direction of the arrow 4, this direction enclosing approximately a right angle with the central axis 2 of the dispenser, which corresponds to the discharge direction at the discharge opening 24.

The object of the invention is to provide a child safety device for a dispenser of the type Fig. 1 to provide.

The inner components in the area of the discharge assembly 22 are exemplified by means of FIG Fig. 2 explained, but are identical for all exemplary embodiments. The liquid storage 32 is via a Line 51 is connected to a pump 54. This pump 54 has a movable cylinder 55 which can be pressed in together with the actuating lever 50. Furthermore, the pump 54 has a valve arrangement 57, which is not described in more detail, which draws liquid through the line 51 when there is negative pressure in the pump cylinder 55 and which presses liquid in the direction of a second line 52 when there is overpressure in the pump cylinder 55, which in turn, with the interposition of an outlet valve 25a, leads to the discharge opening 24 leads.

The embodiment not encompassed by the invention Figures 2 to 5 To produce a child safety device, it has a rotary sleeve 60 which is attached on the outside of the jacket surface 23 of the housing 20. A latching mechanism 61 ensures that this rotary sleeve 60 can only be rotated, but cannot easily be pulled off the housing 20. The rotary sleeve 60 has an actuation recess 62 which is approximately the size of the outside of the actuation lever 50. In the locked position of the Fig. 2 and the Fig. 3 this actuation recess 62 is offset by 180 ° with respect to the actuation lever 50, so that the actuation lever 50 is covered by the rotary sleeve 60 and is not accessible. Rotating the rotary sleeve 60 is not immediately possible, since the lateral surface 23 of the housing 20 is in particular from Fig. 2 is clearly provided with a bulge acting as a locking pawl 23a, which protrudes into the actuation recess 62. If the dispenser 10 is to be actuated from this state, it must first be in the direction indicated by arrow 3 in Fig. 4 illustrated way the pawl 23a are pressed radially inward. Only then can the rotary sleeve 60 be rotated through 180 °, so that the state of the Fig. 5 sets, in which the actuating recess 62 of the rotating sleeve 60 grants access to the actuating lever 50. Based on this state, the dispenser can now be used as intended. The actuating sleeve 60 is then rotated again through 180 °, so that the pawl 23a, which is kept under tension during actuation, jumps back into the actuating recess 62.

In the embodiment according to Figures 6 and 7 a rotatable rotary sleeve 60 is also provided, which is rotatable about the central axis 2 with respect to a lateral surface 23 and an actuating lever 50. This can also be brought into a rotary position in which the actuation recess 62 is not arranged above the actuation lever 50 and therefore prevents actuation.

Deviating from the design of the Figures 2 to 5 however, the rotation lock is implemented differently here. On the inside of the rotary sleeve 60, blocking webs 62 are provided offset from one another by 180 °.

Corresponding to this, recesses 33 are provided in the jacket surface 23 of the housing 20. Both the blocking webs 63 and the recesses 33 are laterally limited in the circumferential direction by rotation blocking surfaces 34, 64 Fig. 7 rotation of the rotating sleeve 60 is therefore not possible. However, the rotary sleeve 60 is made here of a sufficiently deformable plastic, so that a force application in the direction of the arrows 5 is suitable in order to lift the blocking webs 62 offset by 90 ° from the respective depressions 33. The desired rotation of the rotary sleeve 60 with respect to the lateral surface 23 can then take place and thus the actuation recess 62 can be brought into a rotary position in which it allows the actuation lever 50 to be actuated.

In the illustrated embodiment, the locking webs 63 and the depressions 33 are secured against rotation both in the position of the rotary sleeve in which it covers the actuation lever 50 and in that rotary position in which actuation through the actuation recess 62 is possible.

In a simplified alternative design, however, only one recess 33 and only one blocking web 63 are provided, so that only that rotary position is blocked by these elements in which the actuating lever 50 is not accessible.

When designing the Figures 8-11 the dispenser 10 has a cap 80 which can be pushed on in the direction of the central axis 2 from the distal end and thus covers the discharge opening 24 as well as the actuating lever 50. The child safety feature in this case is created by the cap, as in Fig. 10 can be seen, engages with translation blocking surfaces 82 behind corresponding translation blocking surfaces 36 on the housing 20 of the dispenser. In order to release the connection created in this way, the cap 80 must be compressed in the direction of the arrows 5. In the alignment of the Figures 8 and 9 However, the available space 37b between the inside of the cap 80 and the latching web of the housing on which the translation blocking surfaces 36 are provided is not sufficiently large to bring the translation blocking surfaces 36, 82 out of engagement from one another. The cap must be rotated 90 ° so that it reflects the state of the Figures 10 and 11 occupies. In this state, by applying force along the arrows 5, sufficient deformation can be achieved so that the cap can then be pulled off.

Starting from the secured state of the cap, it must first be rotated and then compressed in order to be able to pull it off. This sequence of movements cannot be implemented, at least for small children.

In the embodiment of Figures 12 to 16 a cap 80 is again used. This cap 80 has opposing projections 87, at the ends of which locking lugs 88 are provided. Furthermore, a bayonet ring 40 is provided on the housing 20 of the dispenser. How out Fig. 13 As can be seen, this bayonet ring has a slot 42 on both sides, these slots each having an insertion area 42a and a holding area 42b. In the holding area 42b, the connecting links are tapered by a web 44 with respect to the insertion section 42a. The cap 80 is put on by slightly pressing the extensions 87 towards one another so that the latching lugs 88 can dip into the insertion regions 42a. The cap is then rotated relative to the bayonet ring 40, so that the state of the Figures 14 and 15 adjusts. In this state, the cap can no longer be pulled off directly, since the latching lugs 88 cannot exit through the tapered holding area 42b of the link 42. The cap 80 must therefore first be turned back relative to the bayonet ring 40.

A particular degree of security results when the holding area 42b according to FIG Fig. 16 is trained. Here, an outwardly directed recess 46 is also provided in the holding area, into which latching lugs 88 radially immerse. A cap secured in this way can only be released when the extensions 87 are first pressed towards one another in the direction of the arrows 5, then the cap 80 is rotated relative to the bayonet ring 40 and only finally pulled off the housing 20.

The bayonet ring 40 can be designed to be non-rotatable with respect to the remaining housing sections, in particular the lateral surface 23. However, instead of the cap 80 or in addition to the cap 80, it can also be designed to be rotatable about the central axis 2, so that it is particularly difficult for a child to keep the extensions 87 pressed while the bayonet ring 40 and the cap 80 are rotated against each other.

In the embodiment not covered by the invention Figures 17 and 18 the child safety device is formed by the push button 50 itself. The actuating pusher 50 has a tilting element 59 which is an integral part of the actuating pusher 50, but can be pivoted about a pivot axis 7 with respect to it. A fixing element 58 is provided on this tilting element 59, which in the pressed-in state of the actuating lever 50 is behind a corresponding one The fixing edge 27 of the housing snaps and thus secures the actuating lever when pressed. Starting from this secured state, a release can only be achieved by applying force in the direction of arrow 8 to a release surface 59a of the tilting element 59, which means that the actuating lever 50 automatically jumps into its radially outer end position, from where it is actuated again can be. Of course, this design of a child safety device can be combined with other child safety features, as described in this application with regard to a rotating sleeve or a cap, via the design of the actuating lever 50. It is also possible to use several of the tilting elements 58 described on different sides of the actuating lever.

In the case of the design not covered by the invention Figures 19 and 20 an opening 21 is provided on the side of the lateral surface 23 opposite the recess 26 for the actuating lever 50. How the sectional view of the Fig. 20 As can be seen, the actuating pusher is provided with at least one extension 53 which protrudes into this opening 21 and is pushed out here in the event that the actuating pusher is actuated. This makes handling very difficult for a child, since it can only apply the required actuating force by holding it opposite to the actuating lever 50. However, it requires a skill, which is often not available in children, to hold onto it in such a way that the extensions 53 can nevertheless exit through the openings 21 to the outside.

A related design not covered by the invention is shown in FIGS Figures 21 to 23 pictured. Here, too, openings 21 are provided on the side opposite the recess 26. In addition, however, a securing shell 90 is provided, which is shown in FIG Fig. 23 is shown separately. This securing shell 90 has extensions 91 on the inside, which are adapted in terms of shape to the openings 21 in the housing 20. When the shell 90 is in the in Fig. 22 illustrated manner is clipped on the housing, prevent these projections 91 that the actuating lever 50 can be depressed. For a child who naturally held the dispenser in the area of the securing shell 90, it is difficult to understand why this prevents the actuation lever 50 from being pressed down.

In the case of the design not covered by the invention Figures 24 and 25 a receiving sleeve 94 adapted to the housing 20 of the dispenser is provided. As can be seen from the figures, this receiving sleeve 94 is designed to be sufficiently large so that the housing 20 can be completely received therein when it is pushed in through an open side 94a. The case 20 is held non-positively in the receiving sleeve, this being made possible in the present case by a clamping ring 98 which rests on the outside of the reservoir 30. In order to use the dispenser, the housing is pressed through lateral recesses 96 in the direction of the open end 94a and thus pulled out of it. Such a sequence of movements, in which a sliding out of the housing 20 is provided, has proven to be difficult for children to implement.

the Figures 26 and 27 show a variant of the dispenser of FIG Figures 2 to 5 . This dispenser also has a sleeve 60 pushed onto the housing 22, which is movable to a limited extent with respect to the housing 60, but cannot be removed. However, the sleeve 60 of this embodiment is not rotatable, but between the two end positions of the Figures 26 and 27 translationally displaceable.

In the position of Fig. 26 the actuating lever 50 of the dispenser is not accessible because it is covered by the sliding sleeve 60. The sliding sleeve 60 cannot be moved directly, since it is locked by the pawl 23 a, which protrudes into the recess 62 of the sliding sleeve 60.

In order to be able to use the dispenser, the pawl 23a must first be pressed in. Only then is it possible to move the sleeve 60 so that it changes the position of the Fig. 34 occupies. In this position, the actuating pusher 50 can now be pushed in radially through the recess 62 and a discharge can thus be effected.

Figures 28 to 33 show a further embodiment according to the invention with a substantially rotationally symmetrical and thus rotatable cap 80 which can be removed by deformation Figures 28 and 29 the housing 20 with integrated liquid reservoir 32 and distal discharge opening 24 on the one hand and the named cap 80 for repeated removal and placement on the housing 20 on the other hand are shown. As in the previous exemplary embodiments, the dispenser can be actuated by means of a lateral actuating pusher 50. By pressing in, liquid is pumped from the liquid reservoir 32 to the discharge opening 24.

To achieve child safety, the housing has two outwardly pointing cams 29 on opposite sides, which are covered by the cap 80 when the cap 80 is in place. Corresponding to this, a coupling structure is provided on the inside of the cap 80, which comprises two axially extending ribs 38 and a holding element 39 which, together with the ribs 38, delimits a receiving area 48.

The ribs 38 each have rotation blocking surfaces 38B in the direction of the receiving area 48. On the opposite sides, the ribs 38 are each provided with an outwardly pointing bevel 38A, that is to say a surface that is set against the circumferential surface and against the radial direction.

The holding element 39 has a translation blocking surface 39B facing upwards. Pointing downwards, it also has a slope 39A, which, however, is to be regarded as optional.

The receiving area 48 is provided for receiving the named cam 29 of the housing 20. The cam 29 is inserted into this receiving area 48 as intended, in that the cap 80 is pushed on in a relative rotational position in which the cam 29 is not aligned with the coupling structure. The cap 80 is then rotated with respect to the housing 20 so that it reaches the receiving area 48 via one of the bevels 38A.

In this state, the cap 80 is secured. The rotation blocking surfaces 38B together with the cam-side rotation blocking surfaces counteract a rotational movement and thus prevent the cam 29 from leaving the receiving space 48 as a result of a rotational movement. The holding element 39 prevents the cap 80 from being pulled off directly by means of its translation blocking surface 36.

The described secured state is in the Figures 30A and 30B made clear. It can be seen here in particular that the cams 29, together with the translation blocking surface 39B, prevent the cap 80 from being pulled off directly.

In order to be able to remove the cap 80 starting from this secured state, a force is required, as indicated by the arrows 5 in FIG Figures 31A and 31B is made clear. This manual application of force causes an oval deformation of the cap 80 also in the area of the coupling structure on the inside of the cap 80, which is arranged offset by 90 ° with respect to the application of force. This is pressed outward so that the rotation blocking surfaces 38B lose their effect. The cap 80 can now be rotated and then pulled off.

However, the deformation of the cap 80 is not sufficient to also bring the translation blocking surface 39A out of engagement with the cam 29, so that direct removal is hardly possible even in the event of deformation. Figure 31A illustrates this. At most, a direct pull-off is possible with the application of force and a skill that is hardly possible for a child.

The abovementioned bevel 39A, however, together with a corresponding bevel 29A on the cam 29, nevertheless allow the cap to be placed directly on, that is to say in an aligned alignment of the cam and recess. In the course of this, a deformation is achieved indirectly, which can hardly be achieved by manual radial application of force to the cap.

the Figures 32 and 33 illustrate a possible variation. The cap of the Fig. 32 corresponds to the cap described above with two ribs 38, each of which has a slope 38A. The coupling structure on the cap 80 can therefore be introduced into the receiving space 48 in both directions of rotation.

When designing the Fig. 33 on the other hand, the right rib 38 is designed differently. It has no bevel and is preferably also higher than the left rib 38 in the radial direction. Thus, the insertion and possibly also the removal of the cam 29 from the receiving space 48 is only possible in one direction of rotation.

In the present example, the housing 20 has two cams 29 and the cap 80 accordingly has two coupling structures which are each provided opposite one another. However, other numbers can also be provided in each case and it is not absolutely necessary that the same number of coupling structures on the one hand and cams on the other hand be provided.

The donor according to the Figures 34 and 35 as well as 36A and 36B is a dispenser not covered by the invention with a child safety device which is not implemented via a cap, but could also be in addition. Primarily, however, it is provided in the present case that the child safety device is similar to the design of the Figures 17 and 18 is brought about by a lockability of the actuating lever 50. For this purpose, a second recess 66 is provided in the housing 20 in addition to the recess 26 for the actuating lever 50, through which a blocking element 68 that can be displaced orthogonally to the actuating lever can be subjected to force by means of a force application surface 68A. This blocking element 68 has a distal end 68B, corresponding to which a recess 50A is provided in a side wall of the actuating lever 50. The blocking element 68 can engage in this.

the Figures 36A and 36B show the released and locked state of the blocking element 68.

Based on the released status of the Figure 36A the blocking element is displaced upwards in relation to the figures, with it being displaced slightly radially against the force of a spring element 69 in the area of a housing edge by means of a bevel 68C. As soon as the distal end 68B is engaged in the recess 50A of the actuating pusher 50, this spring element has the effect that the hook-like distal end 68B is snapped into this recess 50A in such a way that a child-proof state is then achieved. In this state, the actuating pusher 50 cannot be pressed in and therefore no liquid can be discharged.

In order to return to the released state from this state, the blocking element must be pressed in against the force of the spring element 69, so that the aforementioned snap-in connection is released. Only then can the blocking element 68 be withdrawn so that it releases the actuating lever 50.

Various modifications are possible to increase child safety. Thus, the distal end 68B can have a hook-like shape which, unlike the above, is oriented to the right, so that a movement of the blocking element into the released position is only possible as soon as the actuating lever has been depressed a little. Furthermore, the relative mobility of the blocking element 68 with respect to the housing can also be configured differently. For example, a rotatable or swiveling blocking element is suitable to make it more difficult for small children to release.

Claims (12)

1. Dispenser (10) for the discharge of pharmaceutical fluids with the following features:

   a. the dispenser comprises an elongate housing (20) which is oriented along a centre axis (2), and

   b. a discharge opening (24) which is oriented axially in the direction of the centre axis (2) is provided at the distal end of the housing (20), and

   c. the dispenser comprises a fluid reservoir (32), and

   d. the dispenser comprises a control device with a pump (54) or a switching valve, which control device is connected by way of a first line (51) to the fluid reservoir (32) and by way of a second line (52) to the discharge opening (24), and by means of which control device fluid can be conducted from the fluid reservoir to the discharge opening (24), and

   e. the dispenser comprises an actuating pushbutton (50) which is provided laterally in a recess (26) of a shell face (23) of the housing (20) and which is connected to the control device in such a way that radial pressing in of the actuating pushbutton in the direction of the centre axis actuates the control device, with the result that fluid is conducted to the discharge opening (24),

   characterized by the following features:

   f. the dispenser comprises a detachable cap (80) which, in the placed-on state, covers the discharge opening (24) and can be detached from the housing (20) in the direction of the centre axis (2) towards the distal end, and

   g. the cap (80) and the housing (20) have interacting fixing elements (36, 82; 44, 88) which, in a relative engagement position, prevent the detaching of the cap (80) from the housing (20), and, by way of

   - rotating of the cap (80) about the centre axis (2) and subsequent deformation of the cap (80), or

   - deforming of the cap (8) and subsequent rotating of the cap(80) about the centre axis (2), or

   - deforming of the cap (80) and subsequent relative moving of a housing section of the housing (20), on which the fixing element (44) is provided, with respect to the shell face of the housing (20),

   can be moved into a relative release position, in which they do not counteract the detaching of the cap (80).
2. Dispenser (10) according to Claim 1 with the additional features:

   a. the cap (80) and the housing (20) are provided with fixing elements (36, 82) which interact in a positively locking manner in the form of translation locking faces (36, 82) which, in the case of a placed-on cap, prevent axial detaching of the cap (80) from the housing (20), and,

   b. in at least one rotational position of the cap (80) with respect to the housing (20), there is a sufficient spacing (37a) from the housing in a deformation region of the cap (80), with the result that the cap (80) can be deformed by way of radial force loading in such a way that the translation locking faces (36, 82) can be moved out of engagement, with the result that detaching of the cap (80) is subsequently possible.
3. Dispenser (10) according to Claim 2 with the additional feature:

   a. in at least one rotational position of the cap (80) with respect to the housing (20), there is not a sufficient spacing (37b) from the housing (20) in a deformation region of the cap, with the result that the cap (80) cannot be deformed sufficiently by way of radial force loading, in order to move the translation locking faces (36, 82) out of engagement.
4. Dispenser (10) according to Claim 2 or 3 with the additional feature:

   a. the cap (80) and the housing (20) are provided with interacting rotation locking faces (38B) which, in the case of a placed-on cap (80), prevent a rotation of the cap (80) by the housing (20), the cap (80) and the housing (20) being configured in such a way that the rotation locking faces (38B) can be moved out of engagement with one another by way of radial force loading of the cap (80).
5. Dispenser (10) according to Claim 4 with the additional feature:

   a. at least one rotation locking face (39B) is assigned an oblique face (39A) which is set opposite the tangential direction and by means of which the cap (80) can unidirectionally overcome a housing-side rotation locking face without manual radial force loading of the cap (80).
6. Dispenser (10) according to Claim 4 or 5 with the additional feature:

   a. a second cap-side rotation locking face (39B) is provided offset in the circumferential direction opposite a cap-side rotation locking face (39B), with the result that a receiving region (48) for a housing-side cam (29) remains between the cap-side rotation locking faces (39B), on which housing-side cam (29) the corresponding housing-side rotation locking faces are provided.
7. Dispenser (10) according to Claim 4, 5 or 6 with the additional feature:

   a. a second housing-side rotation locking face is provided offset in the circumferential direction opposite a housing-side rotation locking face, with the result that a receiving region for a cap-side cam remains between the housing-side rotation locking faces, on which cap-side cam the corresponding cap-side rotation locking faces are provided.
8. Dispenser according to Claim 1 with the following additional features:

   a. a holding lug (88) is provided as fixing element (88) on the cap, and

   b. the housing has a bayonet ring (40) with a slotted guide (42) which extends in the circumferential direction, the slotted guide (42) being sufficiently large in a push-in region (42a), in order to permit pushing in of the cap-side holding lug (88), and being provided in a holding section (42b) with a tapering section (44) which is provided as fixing element (44), with the result that, in the case of arrangement in this holding section (42b), the holding lug (88) cannot be pulled axially out of the slotted guide, and,

   c. in the case of a placed-on cap (80), the bayonet ring (40) and the cap (80) can be rotated with respect to one another about the centre axis (2).
9. Dispenser according to Claim 8 with the additional feature:

   a. the bayonet ring (40) has a recess (46), into which the holding lug (86) of the cap can engage radially when the holding lug (88) is situated in the holding section (42b) of the slotted guide (42), with the result that a relative rotation of the cap (80) with respect to the bayonet ring (40) is possible only after radial movement of the holding lug (88) out of the recess.
10. Dispenser according to one of the preceding claims with the following feature:

    a. the dispenser comprises an outlet valve (25a) which opens in a pressure-dependent manner and is connected upstream of the discharge opening.
11. Dispenser according to one of the preceding claims with the following feature:

    a. an applicator tip (25) of the housing is designed as a slim nasal applicator.
12. Dispenser according to one of the preceding claims with the following feature:

    a. a medicinal product in fluid form is situated in the fluid reservoir (32).

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