Container for constituting a formulation in liquid form

Abstract

A container ( 70 ) for constituting a formulation in liquid form, comprises an elongate outer body ( 71 ) split into a first section ( 72 ) and a second section ( 73 ), along the longitudinal axis thereof, The container ( 70 ) has an inner chamber ( 77 ) divided into a first compartment ( 78 ) and a second compartment ( 79 ) by a seal ( 80 ). Seal ( 80 ) is movable in use between a closed position, wherein the first compartment 78 and the second compartment are sealed thereby, to an open position, wherein the first compartment ( 78 ) and the second compartment ( 79 ) are unsealed and any contents therein are free to mix together in the inner chamber ( 77 ) to form the formulation. The seal ( 80 ) is movable from the closed position to the open position by rotation of the first section ( 72 ) relative to the second section ( 73 ), and the volume of the inner chamber ( 77 ) remains unchanged following unsealing. Once the seal ( 80 ) has been moved to the open position it is retained in that position. Reversal of the rotational movement causes an outer cover ( 74 ) to become detached from a tear strip ( 75 ), permitting the outer cover ( 74 ) to be removed and the formulation to be capable of being delivered from the container ( 70 ). A formulation administered from the container ( 70 ) can ensure, for example, that a precise dose of an active ingredient is delivered to a patient, where the formulation is a pharmaceutical product.

1 . A container for constituting a formulation in liquid form, which container comprises an elongate outer body split into sections along the longitudinal axis thereof, an inner chamber divided into a first compartment and one or more further compartments, a seal movable, in use, from a closed position, wherein all the compartments are sealed thereby, to an open position, wherein all the compartments are unsealed and any contents therein are free to mix together in the inner chamber to form the formulation, the seal being movable from the closed position to the open position by rotation, about the longitudinal axis of the elongate outer body, of one section thereof relative to another section thereof, such that the volume of the inner chamber remains unchanged following unsealing of the compartments, means for retaining the seal in the open position, an annular tear strip, which holds one section of the outer body in position over the first compartment, the outer body section, overlying the first compartment, and the annular tear strip being rotatable in one direction, which rotation causes displacement of the seal, and such that an attempt to rotate the outer body section, overlying the first compartment, in the opposite direction, in use, will cause the outer body section to tear away from the tear strip, allowing removal of the outer body section from the container.  
   
   
       2 . A container according to  claim 2 , wherein the outer body is generally cylindrical in shape and is split into two generally cylindrical sections, the sections being butt-joined together to permit relative movement therebetween.  
   
   
       3 . A container according to  claim 2 , wherein the two sections are joined together by a snap-fit.  
   
   
       4 . A container according to  claim 2 , wherein the seal is a circular partition and is attached by a threaded section at the periphery thereof, in the closed position, to an inner threaded surface of one of the sections, such that the rotation of the one section relative to the other section unscrews the seal off the threaded surface from the closed position to the open position.  
   
   
       5 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the seal is mounted at one end of an elongate connecting member, which elongate connecting member is locatable within the first compartment of the inner chamber, the end of the elongate member remote from the seal having formations thereon, which are engageable with complementary formations on an internal surface of the an outer body section overlying the compartment.  
   
   
       6 . A container according to  claim 5 , wherein the outer body is generally cylindrical in shape and is split into two generally cylindrical sections, the first section having an opening at one end thereof, the opening being sealed, in storage, by the second section, which is in the form of a threaded closure, and wherein the seal is moved to the open position, in use, by an unsealing movement of the closure.  
   
   
       7 . A container according to  claim 6 , wherein the opening is in a neck-shaped portion of the first section, the neck-shaped portion having a thread on the external surface thereof for engaging the closure and a thread on the inner surface thereof, the inner thread cooperating with a threaded section at the other end of the elongate connecting member, such that the unsealing movement of the closure results in the unscrewing of the elongate member from the neck-shaped portion and consequent movement of the seal to the open position.  
   
   
       8 . A container according to  claim 5 , wherein the first compartment of the inner chamber in which the inner elongate connecting member is locatable is generally cylindrical in shape with an opening at each end thereof, with one opening being adapted to seat the seal in the closed position and the other end accommodating the end of the elongate member remote from the seal together with the complementary formations on the internal surface of the outer body section overlying the first compartment.  
   
   
       9 . A container according to  claim 8 , wherein the first compartment is connected, at the end in which the seal is locatable, to a further outer body section, which further outer body section has one or more further internal compartments located therein.  
   
   
       10 . A container according to  claim 9 , wherein, when the further outer body section has only one compartment located therein, the seal is movable into that compartment to the open position.  
   
   
       11 . A container according to  claim 10 , wherein, in use, rotation of the outer body section, overlying the first compartment, results in a corresponding rotation of the first compartment relative to the further outer body section, and wherein sloping edges on the end of the elongate body remote from the seal move along corresponding sloping extensions on the inner surface of the first compartment causing the elongate body to be displaced along the longitudinal axis of the container to move the seal to the open position.  
   
   
       12 . A container according to  claim 10 , wherein the formations on the elongate member are irreversibly disengaged from the complementary formations on the outer body section, overlying the first compartment, in the open position.  
   
   
       13 . A container according to  claim 9 , wherein, when the further outer body section has more than one compartment located therein, the seal is movable away from those compartments to the open position.  
   
   
       14 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein one compartment is suitable for holding a quantity of liquid and the or each other compartment is suitable for holding a quantity of active ingredient.  
   
   
       15 . A container according to  claim 14 , wherein the liquid is an aqueous medium.  
   
   
       16 . A container according to  claim 14 , wherein the active ingredient is soluble in water.  
   
   
       17 . A container according to  claim 14 , wherein the active ingredient is insoluble in water.  
   
   
       18 . A container according to  claim 14 , wherein the active ingredient is in powder form.  
   
   
       19 . A container according to  claim 18 , wherein the powder particles are micronised.  
   
   
       20 . A container according to  claim 18 , wherein the particles are nanonised.  
   
   
       21 . A container according to  claim 14 , wherein the one compartment can also hold an active ingredient prior to mixing.  
   
   
       22 . A container according to  claim 14 , wherein the formulation is for delivery to a human or non-human animal.  
   
   
       23 . A container according to  claim 22 , wherein the formulation is suitable for oral delivery.  
   
   
       24 . A container according to  claim 14 , wherein the active ingredient is selected from an aquaceutical, nutriceutical, pharmaceutical, alcoholic beverage, non-alcoholic beverage, foodstuff, homeopathic agent, prebiotic, probiotic, or a mixture thereof.  
   
   
       25 . A container according to  claim 24 , wherein the active ingredient is a probiotic which can provide up to 100% active probiotic agent after storage in dry form for up to 3 years.  
   
   
       26 . A container according to  claim 24 , wherein the probiotic is a strain of probiotic bacterium selected from  Lactobacillus Bifidobacterium, Streptococcus faecium  and  thermophilus, Entercoccus  and  Bacillus coagulans.    
   
   
       27 . A container according to  claim 24 , which includes a prebiotic.  
   
   
       28 . A container according  claim 26 , wherein the prebiotic is selected from saccharide materials including monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides and/or polysaccharides wherein the monomeric units are selected from fructose, galactose, glucose and maltose, inulin-based prebiotic materials, garlic and extracts thereof, honey and extracts thereof and dietary fibre.  
   
   
       29 . A container according to  claim 24 , wherein the formulation is free of lipid material.  
   
   
       30 . A container according to  claim 18 , wherein the powder particles are in the form of particles which permit controlled release of the active ingredient therefrom in the gastrointestinal tract.  
   
   
       31 . A container according to  claim 30 , wherein the particles have different release profiles.  
   
   
       32 . A container according to  claim 30 , wherein the particles are coated with one or more polymeric materials so as to achieve said release.  
   
   
       33 . A container according to  claim 30 , wherein the particles include a proportion of particles which allow for rapid release of the active ingredient on imbibtion of the formulation.  
   
   
       34 . A container according to  claim 24 , wherein the formulation contains one or more excipients selected from absorption enhancers, acidity regulators, anti-oxidants, effervescing agents, flavourings, melt inhibiting agents, pH controlling agents, preservatives, solubility enhancers, sweeteners and taste-masking agents.  
   
   
       35 . A container according to  claim 24 , wherein the active ingredient is a pharmaceutical selected from adrenergic agonists, adrenergic blockers, adrenocorticoids, agents for smoking cessation, anabolics, analgesics, androgens, antacids, antiallergy agents, anti-asthma agents, antibiotics, anti-cancer agents, anti-depressants, antidiabetic agents, anti-diarrheal agents, antiemetics, anti-epileptic agents, anti-gout agents, anti-hypertensives, antiinfectants, antimigraine agents, anti-obesity agents, anxiolytics, bronchodilators, contraceptives, cytokines, dietary supplements, gastrointestinal agents, hormones, laxatives, local anaesthetics, lymphokines, mucolytic agents, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, steroids, vaccines and vitamins.  
   
   
       36 . A container according to  claim 24 , wherein the formulation is adapted for topical delivery.  
   
   
       37 . A container according to  claim 36 , which is used to deliver a hair dye.  
   
   
       38 . A container according to  claim 36 , which is used to deliver a formulation to the vagina.  
   
   
       39 . A container according to  claim 38 , wherein the formulation is in the form of a douche.  
   
   
       40 . A container according to  claim 38 , wherein the active ingredient is a probiotic.  
   
   
       41 . A container according to  claim 40 , which includes a prebiotic.  
   
   
       42 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the volume of the liquid formulation is up to 5000 ml.  
   
   
       43 . A container according to  claim 1 , wherein the container is used to constitute an air freshener.  
   
   
       44 . A container according to  claim 1 , which is used to constitute a fuel.  
   
   
       45 . A container according to  claim 44 , wherein the respective constituents are petrol and an oil.  
   
   
       46 . A container according to  claim 45 , wherein the petrol and the oil are in the ratio of 40:1 for use in a two-stroke engine.  
   
   
       47 . A container according to  claim 14 , wherein the liquid and the or each active ingredient are constituents used to form an adhesive or glue.  
   
   
       48 . A container according to  claim 1  for constituting a formulation in liquid form, substantially as hereinbefore described with particular reference to and as illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 ,  FIGS. 4-6 ,  FIGS. 7-10 , and  FIGS. 11-13  of the accompanying drawings.  
   
   
       49 - 50 . (canceled)