Multidose dispenser for sterile liquid preparations

Abstract

A bottle or container suitable for the sterile storage of liquid products therein and the administration therefrom of said products dropwise, the sterility being maintained even after first opening the bottle, without the need to include preservatives in the liquid product. The dispenser comprises a container body ( 1 ), a capsule ( 3 ) and a dropper assembly ( 2 ), ending with a rigid dropper nozzle ( 5 ) provided with one or more transversal ports communicating with the interior of the container body ( 1 ), covered by a resiliency deformable tubular sleeve ( 9 ). The dropper nozzle comprises a first portion having a smaller conicity ( 6 ) making out the distal end of the dropper and a second portion having grater conicity ( 7 ) on which three of such ports are preferably provided. The closure capsule ( 3 ) comprises an internal projection ( 21 ) which comes into contact, when the capsule is closed, with the tubular sleeve ( 9 ) at the position where the second portion having grater conicity ( 7 ) of the dropper nozzle is located.

1 . A dispenser for liquid preparations without preservatives, comprising a container body ( 1 ), a dropper assembly ( 2 ), and a closure capsule ( 3 ) suitable to be coupled with said dropper assembly ( 2 ), wherein the dropper assembly ( 2 ), in turn, comprises a closure element ( 4 ) for the container body ( 1 ) ending with a rigid dropper nozzle ( 5 ) provided with one or more transversal passage ports ( 8 ), communicating with the interior of said container body covered with a resiliently deformable tubular sleeve ( 9 ), cooperating with said ports ( 8 ) for intercepting a liquid preparation contained in said dispenser, characterized in that the said dropper nozzle ( 5 ) comprises at least two portions to axially subsequent portions having different conicity: a first portion with smaller conicity ( 6 ) making out the distal end of said dropper nozzle ( 5 ) and a second portion with grater conicity ( 7 ) on which said two or more ports ( 8 ) are provided, and in that said closure capsule comprises an internal projection ( 21 ) that comes into contact, when the capsule is closed, with said resiliently deformable tubular sleeve ( 9 ) at a position corresponding to the second portion of the dropper nozzle ( 5 ) with grater conicity ( 7 ), thereby blocking the possible passage of the liquid preparation through the said two or more ports ( 8 ). 
   
   
       2 . A dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein said said dropper assembly ( 2 ) further comprises a tubular protective element ( 14 ) coaxial with the said dropper nozzle ( 5 ), which extending outside said tubular sleeve ( 9 ) in such a way as to surround it for most of its length. 
   
   
       3 . A dispenser according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein said resiliently deformable tubular sleeve ( 9 ) comprises a first portion ( 10 ) and a second axially subsequent portion ( 11 ) and corresponding to said first and second portions of the said dispensing nozzle. 
   
   
       4 . A dispenser according to  claim 3 , wherein said resiliently deformable tubular sleeve ( 9 ) comprises, at its end facing to the container body ( 1 ), a third portion ( 12 ), having a greater thickness than the previous ones, ending in an annular projection ( 13 ). 
   
   
       5 . A dispenser according to  claim 4 , wherein said annular projection ( 13 ) is coupled with the end of the cited tubular protective element ( 14 ) facing towards the container body ( 1 ). 
   
   
       6 . A dispenser according to  claim 5 , wherein said tubular protective element ( 14 ) is provided with an intermediate flange ( 15 ) which is fixedly blocked on said closure element ( 4 ) of the container body ( 1 ). 
   
   
       7 . A dispenser according to anyone of  claims 1 - 6 , wherein the said two or more ports ( 8 ) provided on the said first portion with the greater conicity ( 7 ) of said dispensing nozzle ( 5 ) are three in number, placed at 120° one from the other around the periphery of the nozzle. 
   
   
       8 . A dispenser according to anyone of  claims 1 - 7 , wherein the said container body ( 1 ), is a single-walled bottle type made of flexible resilient material or is of the double-walled type with a collapsible internal container and an air gap place there between, or it is of the single-walled collapsible tube type. 
   
   
       9 . A dispenser according to  claim 8 , of the single-walled type made of flexible resilient material, wherein said dropper assembly ( 2 ) also comprises a venting valve ( 16 ) with a hydrophobic membrane for the passage of the gases only from and into the bottle. 
   
   
       10 . A dispenser according to  claim 9 , wherein the said hydrophobic membrane has a porosity of 0.2 μm. 
   
   
       11 . A dispenser according to  claim 9  or  10 , wherein said venting valve ( 16 ) with hydrophobic membrane is housed in a suitable seat within said closure element ( 4 ) in said container body ( 1 ). 
   
   
       12 . A dispenser according to any one of  claims 1 - 11 , wherein said closure capsule ( 3 ) comprises a screw cap ( 17 ) suitable to protect said dropper assembly ( 2 ) and a knurled overcap ( 20 ) external to said screw cap ( 17 ) and connected thereto. 
   
   
       13 . A dispenser according to  claim 12 , wherein the coupling between the said cap ( 17 ) and said overcap ( 20 ) creates a safety closure system preventing children from opening the bottle (child-proof device).