GB2110541A - A container and applicator for sterile liquid - Google Patents

Abstract

A container has a container body made of flexible material and at its outlet is equipped with a tubular outlet device (14) provided with a weakened zone (15). A contact member (19, 23, 22) with one or more strip-shaped contact surfaces (17) is arranged around the outlet device (14). The weakened zone (15) is located closer to the container body than the contact surfaces (17). Drainage openings (33) are defined in the contact member. To apply sterile liquid to an area to be treated (e.g. eyes), the outlet device (14) is broken at the weakened zone (15) to form an opening (34). The outlet device is directed towards the area to be treated and the container body is squeezed to eject the liquid. The contact member prevents direct contact between any part of the area being treated and the outlet device, and simultaneously the applied liquid is drained from the area through the drainage openings (33). This minimizes the risk of mechanical injury to the area being treated and minimizes the risk of contamination of the sterile liquid. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A container for sterile liquid The present invention relates to a container for sterile liquid.

In many situations, particularly medical situations, it is necessary to apply clean or sterile liquid to an area or part of the body. Particularly at work places where there is risk that an unsuitable substance will come into contact with the area around the eye, the need to apply a clean or sterile liquid to such an area is well-known. When, as an example, an eye has become contaminated, it can often be difficult for the person in question to see, and it is thus especially important to have equipment which will ensure that the person will not risk of damaging himself even more as a result of the steps he takes, even if he is temporarily unable to see.

The present invention seeks to provide a container for sterile liquid which can be used for applying that liquid, for example, to an eye or a sore.

According to the present invention there is provided a container for sterile liquid comprising a container body made of flexible material for receiving the liquid and an outlet device in which an emptying opening is formed when the container is opened, said container further comprising a contact member having one or more strip-shaped contact surfaces arranged so as to at least partially surround the outlet device, wherein the emptying opening is located closer to the container body than to the contact surface or surfaces, and the contact member is provided with drainage openings for the liquid.

The location of the emptying opening ensures that the container can be opened without the operator coming into contact with the emptying opening and thus prevents the operator from contaminating the emptying opening. This, in turn ensures that the liquid that leaves the emptying opening will be satisfactorily sterile. The drainage openings enable the liquid dispensed to leave the area being treated immediately and this reduces the risk that the liquid will accumulate on and thus be contaminated by the area adjacent to the sore.

In an embodiment the outlet of the container body is equipped with a tubular outlet device having a weakened zone that is used to open the sealed and filled container. The contact member is located adjacent to the outlet device, and preferably surrounds the outlet device throughout an area adjacent to the container body and provided with one or more strip-shaped and preferably circular contact surfaces. The contact surfaces are located further from the container body than the weakened zone. The drainage openings are located between the point at which the contact member is attached to the container body and the contact surface or surfaces and, whenever applicable, between them.

In one embodiment, the container is provided with a separate filling device, whilst in an alternative embodiment the outlet device also acts as the filling device for the container.

When the container is being manufactured, the filling device or outlet device is sealed during the manufacturing process. The container is presented to a filling station, which is generally at a site separate from the manufacturing site, and here the filling device is opened, preferably either cut off or broken at a weakened zone or score line.

The container is then filled with liquid after which the filling device is re-sealed, preferably by means of a welding procedure. In the embodiment in which the outlet device also acts as the filling device, the length of the outlet device is selected such that even after the container has been filled and re-sealed, the outlet device still projects beyond the contact surface or surfaces.

When liquid is to be dispensed from the container, the outlet device is broken at the weakened zone or score line and the container is positioned adjacent to the area to which the liquid is to be applied. It is advisable for the contact surface or surfaces to be brought adjacent to or to surround the area. The container body is then squeezed and the liquid applied to the area. The contact member makes certain that neither the operator nor the area to which the liquid is being applied comes into contact with the emptying opening in the outlet device, and additionally the liquid drains from the area through the drainage openings in the contact member. This makes certain that liquid located in the area being treated is contaminated as little as possible.

In one embodiment of the invention, a construction or nipple is arranged in the tubular outlet device between the weakened zone and the container body. This nipple reduces the flowthrough area of the outlet device and thus prevents the outgoing liquid jet from becoming too powerful.

In a preferred embodiment, the contact member incorporates a ring on which the contact surface is defined. Moreover, the contact member contains connection means securing the contact member to the tubular outlet device in an area adjacent to the transition between the outlet device and the container body. A number of separate elements are used to join the ring to the connection means.

The connection means may have a projection protruding towards the central axis thereof and snapping into an external groove in the outlet device.

The walls of the outlet device may form an inwardly extending projection engaging in a groove in the nipple to thereby secure the nipple in the outlet device.

Embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:~ Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a container, Figure 2 shows a section of an outlet device of the container, and Figure 3 shows a front elevation of the container.

The drawings show a container 10 which has a container body 11 made of flexible material, preferably a thermoplastic material, a bottom part 12 and an outlet 13. At the outlet a tubular outlet device 14 is arranged which is provided with a weakened zone or score line 1 5. In Figure 2, a dotted line 34 indicates the opening that is formed after the outlet device 14 has been broken at the weakened zone 15. A contact member 16 is mounted around the outlet device adjacent to the container body 11. The contact member 16 comprises a strip-shaped contact surface 17 located such that the weakened zone 15 is closer to the container body than to the contact surface 17.

The contact member 16 includes a ring 19 on which the contact surface 17 is defined and connection means 22 for securing the contact member 1 6 relative to the tubular outlet device 14 adjacent to the transition between the outlet device and the container body 11. The member 16 also includes strips 23 and join the ring 19 to the connection means 22. Drainage openings 33 are defined between the strips 23, and these drainage openings permit liquid to pass therethrough.

In the illustrated embodiment, the tubular outlet device 14 includes a nipple 27 which is located between the weakened zone 15 and the transition between the outlet device 14 and the container body 11. The nipple 27 has a nozzle 28 whose area and shape is chosen to prevent the liquid jet from becoming too powerful and to prevent too great a flow therethrough. The wall of the outlet device which surrounds the nipple 27 forms an inwardly extending projection 26 which engages in a groove 29 formed in the nipple. This secured the nipple 27 in the outlet device.

The walls of the outlet device which form the projection 26 also define an external groove 25.

This groove receives a projection 24 of the connection means 22, the projection 24 extending towards the central axis of the connection means and snapping into the groove 25. This secures the contact member 16 to the outlet device 14.

In the embodiment illustrated, the outlet device 14 can be used as both a filling and an emptying device for the container. The dash-dot lines show the outlet device on an unfilled container.

Reference numeral 18 indicates an initial opening of the outlet device formed by cutting or breaking the device 14 at an outermost part thereof. The continuous lines delimit the outlet device on a filled container.

It will be seen from Figure 2 that the outlet device 14 which is to form a filling device is longer than the outlet device of a container. Thus, if the outlet device is to be used as a filling device the container is made with a sufficiently long outlet device and the container, which is empty is sealed.

Such a sealed container is internally sterile.

The sealed container is then moved to a filling station where the outermost part of the outlet device is opened to form the opening 18. The container can then be charged with liquid through the outlet device 14. The nipple 27 is then inserted into the outlet device 14, being secured when the projection 26 snaps into the groove 29 in the nipple.

The outlet device 14 is sealed such that the filled container has the overall shape that is shown by the continuous lines in the drawings. It is also clear from the drawings that the outlet device 14 extends beyond the contact surface 17.

When the filled container is to be used, it is opened by breaking the outlet device 14 at the weakened zone 15 to form the emptying opening 34. This opening 34 is located closer to the container body than the contact surface 17. The container is then moved to the area on which the liquid is to be applied, and is preferably arranged such that the contact surface 17 is in contact with an area adjacent to the area it is required to wet by the liquid. The container body 11 is squeezed, whereupon the liquid sprays out through the nozzle 28 of the nipple 27 and then through the emptying opening 34 onto the area that is to be wetted. The contact member 16 prevents any part of the outlet device from coming into contact with the area that is to be wetted.The drainage openings 33 permit the liquid to immediately leave the area being wetted, thus minimizing risk that the liquid will be contaminated by contact with, for example, skin areas adjacent to the area that is to be wetted.

In the embodiment described, the container is initially filled through the outlet device 14. Of course, the container may be filled in other ways, for example, by way of a separate filling device. In this case the nipple 27 should be secured in place as early as possible in the manufacturing process, and the container should be delivered to the filler with a sealed outlet device as shown by the continuous lines in Figures 1 and 2. Preferably, the filling device is sealed by the manufacturer and arranged to be opened and resealed by the manufacturer and arranged to be opened and resealed during the filling process for the container. For example, the filling device may be arranged to be opened and resealed in a similar manner to that described above in connection with the outlet device which is arranged to form the filling device.

Experiments that have been conducted indicate that this invention will enable a container filled with sterile liquid to be stored for a very long time, of an order of magnitude of two years, without it being necessary to add preservatives to the liquid.

The container is easy to use, in the event of accidents for example, and simultaneously eliminates the risk of making an already-sustained injury worse as a result of mechanical actions.

Moreover, the container itself does not require any external aids for its use. Of course, the container's design and construction make it suitable for use with, for example, specially designed suspension brackets or other devices arranged so that when the container is removed from the bracket or device, the outlet device is broken at the weakened zone whereby the container is automatically opened. Such a combination of a container and a suspension bracket therefor is particularly suitable if the container is to be mounted at a work place where it will be of service in the event of injuries caused by, for example, the entry of foreign liquids or foreign particles into the eye.

As the contact member has one or more stripshaped contact surfaces which surround the outlet device, and as the weakened zone of the outlet device is nearer to the container body than to the contact surfaces, the internal parts of the outlet device are very effectively protected against contamination whilst the container is being handled before and during opening. In this respect, the weakened zone may be provided adjacent to the container body. After opening, the contact surface prevents the internal parts of the outlet device from coming into contact with the sore or any other treatment area which could jeopardize the sterility of the liquid that is being ejected.

Before the container is opened, the outlet device projects beyond the contact surface, which serves as a steady rest for the outlet device or, alternatively, provides a firm grip on the outlet device during the opening operation without entailing risk of contamination of the emptying opening formed during opening or contamination of the remaining internal part of the outlet device.

The openings provided in the contact member permit liquid to leave the treatment area immediately, thus eliminating risk of contamination of the liquid by contact with the skin area adjacent to the treatment area insofar as possible.

The size of the area surrounded by the contact surfaces 1 7 is adapted to the type of treatment for which the container is primarily intended. For example, where the contact surface is circular and the container is intended to be used for cleaning the eye, the diameter of the contact surface is of an order of rnagnitude of 40 to 60 mm. For other applications where the contact member 16 is intended primarily to serve as a device that prevents direct contact and thus contamination of the outlet device 14 in the vicinity of its emptying opening 34, contact surfaces having a considerably smaller circumference are provided.

Claims (12)

1. A container for sterile liquid comprising a container body made of flexible material for receiving the liquid and an outlet device in which an emptying opening is formed when the container is opened, said container further comprising a contact member having one or more strip-shaped contact surfaces arranged so as to at least partially surround the outlet device, wherein the emptying opening is located closer to the container body than to the contact surface or surfaces, and the contact member is provided with drainage openings for the liquid.

2. A container as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the outlet device is tubular and when used on a sealed, filled container is of such a length that it extends beyond the contact surface or surfaces, and wherein the outlet device is provided with a weakened zone for opening the container, the weakened zone being closer to the container body than the contact surface or surfaces.

3. A container as claimed in Claim 2, wherein a nipple is provided in the outlet device in an area between the weakened zone and the container body to limit the flow area of the outlet device.

4. A container as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the wall of the outlet device has an inwardly extending projection arranged to engage in a groove in the nipple to thereby secure the nipple in the outlet device.

5. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the outlet device on a sealed, filled container is long enough to extend beyond the contact surface or surfaces.

6. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the outlet device is arranged to be used both for filling and emptying the container, the outlet device provided on an unfilled container being long enough to permit the device to be opened by being broken or cut outside the contact surfaces on the contact member and to permit the outlet device after the container has been filled with liquid to be sealed and still extend beyond the contact surfaces.

7. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the contact surface or surfaces are supported by separate elements between which the drainage openings are defined.

8. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the contact member has connection means which secure the contact member to the outlet device adjacent to its transition to the container body.

9. A container as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the connection means has a projection protruding towards the central axis of the connection means for snapping into an external groove in the outlet device.

10. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the contact member comprises a ring on which a contact surface is defined.

11. A container as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the ring's diameter is of the order of 40 to 60 mm.

12. A container for sterile liquid substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.