Dispensing – With material treatment or conditioning means
Reexamination Certificate
1997-10-10
2001-05-08
Shaver, Kevin (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
With material treatment or conditioning means
C222S321200, C222S321700, C523S122000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06227413
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to a discharge apparatus for media having a medium reservoir and a discharge opening for the medium.
Numerous designs of such discharge apparatuses for numerous applications are known. They are able to discharge, e.g. dose, feed or dispense gaseous, liquid, creamy, gelatinous, pulverulent and/or solid media. The medium can optionally additionally be discharged in atomized form. A generally known application of such discharge apparatuses is e.g. in the cosmetic or pharmaceutical sector, but they are also widely used in other fields of technology.
Independently thereof, when using the most varied products and goods, a control of microorganisms is necessary or desired. This is normally achieved by the use of disinfectants, preservatives or chemotherapeuticals. It is also possible in this connection to maintain sterile correspondingly endangered surfaces by the addition of germicidal agents to the base material.
In the case of the aforementioned discharge apparatuses with a frequently complicated construction the described problem arises in complex form, because the microorganisms or germs can advance via the outlet opening and the associated guides or tubes into the apparatus, optionally to the reservoir. The same applies with regards to an optionally provided additional tube for a fluid, e.g. air, used for pressure compensation purposes in the reservoir. It has therefore been proposed to use so-called germ barriers, which are either provided for the outlet of the medium or optionally and additionally for the fluid guide used for pressure compensation purposes. Such germ barriers can e.g. be germ filters, which are introduced into corresponding guide lines. Special closures or closing systems for the outlet opening and the tubes or lines connected thereto have already been provided. However, all this requires the use of additional components, which further complicate and render expensive the overall construction. In addition, with the discharge apparatuses of the aforementioned type, to the medium is still added a preservative, which stops or impairs the propagation of microorganisms.
The problem of the invention is to make available a discharge apparatus having the aforementioned features, in which with comparatively simple means a reliable antimicrobial action is obtained. The aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art are to be avoided and in particular it is to be possible to largely avoid the addition of preservatives to the medium to be discharged. In addition, the use of additional components and the constructional expenditure associated therewith is to be avoided.
This problem is solved by a discharge apparatus having the features of claim
1
. Preferred embodiments of the discharge apparatus are described in subclaims
2
to
19
. The wording of all the claims is made by reference into part of the content of the present description.
The discharge apparatus according to the invention is characterized in that it is at least partly made from a plastic, which as an additive contains a substance active against microorganisms, i.e. an antimicrobial substance. Such active substances are used as disinfectants, preservatives, chemotherapeuticals and antibiotics. To the extent that a “compatibility” exists with the corresponding plastic, it is possible to use all these agents. As a function of the control spectrum and action mechanism the antimicrobial substances are active e.g. against bacteria (bacteriostatics, bactericides) or as antimycotics against fungi (fungistatics, fungicides).
As a result of the important fields of use of the inventive discharge apparatuses antibiotics are preferred as the additive. In known manner these are low molecular weight metabolites of microorganisms, which in small concentrations inhibit the growth of other microorganisms or kill the latter. These antibiotics can either be prepared chemically or biochemically or can be extracted from plants and animals. The corresponding representatives of compounds covered by the definition of antibiotics are known to the expert.
Another preferred group of substances which can be used as an additive are bactericides, i.e antimicrobial agents with a bacteria-killing action. In this case, unlike in the case of bacteriostatics, growth and propagation of bacteria does not resume. Here again the corresponding representatives are known to the expert.
Preference is also given to so-called penicillins as a collective term for bactericidal antibiotics from the culture liquids of various mould fungus species. Here again the corresponding representatives are known to the expert, the action mechanism essentially being based on a blocking of the cell wall synthesis in growing bacteria.
Other representatives referred to here in exemplified manner are halogenated aromatic nitrites or phenol derivatives, particularly brominated and/or chlorinated phenols. A preferred compound is 2,4,4′-trichloro-2′-hydroxydiphenyl ether (Triclosan).
The antimicrobial agent concentration in the plastic can be chosen as a function of the intended use of the discharge apparatus, but is preferably between 0.01 and 1 wt. %, based on the plastic quantity. Within this range quanties of 0.01 to 0.5 wt. % and in particular 0.1 to 0.25 wt. % of active substance are advantageous. The specifically indicated ranges are normally sufficient in order to ensure the necessary action against the appearance and growth of microorganisms. Due to the comparatively high cost of specific microbial agents, the quantity of additive to the plastic is frequently to be chosen as low as possible.
As plastics can fundamentally be used all the corresponding materials which are employed for the manufacture of conventional discharge apparatuses. These can be thermosetting resins. Normally they are thermoplastics, which are processed in a comparatively simple manner, i.e. are e.g. extruded or injection moulded. Known thermoplastics are e.g. polyethylene, polypropylene, polyesters and polyvinyl chloride. It is obviously also possible to use corresponding copolymers for the production of the discharge apparatuses. Preferred plastics in the case of the invention are inter alia polyethylene-polypropylene copolymers, polytetrafluoroethylene PTFE, POM such as acetal copolymers based on trioxan, low and high density polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) and in general ethylene copolymers.
The desired additive concentration in the plastic can e.g. be obtained by directly mixing in the corresponding active substance quantity into said plastic. This generally takes place in the melt, the plastic being subsequently granulatable. In this case directly the plastic is obtained with the desired additive quantity. In another procedure a plastic containing a clearly defined, larger additive quantity, e.g. 10 wt. % is subsequently mixed with a plastic, normally the same plastic, without any additive. This leads to a “dilution”, to the actually desired concentration of active agent. The plastics are usually in granulate form. Subsequently the mixture is melted together and either regranulated or directly processed. This second possibility offers the advantage that only a few and optionally only one plastic type with additive must be kept in stock and the actual additive quantity in the plastic can then be varied freely.
As has already been indicated, according to the invention the discharge apparatus is at least partly made from plastic with an active agent addition. It is advantageous and appropriate if the parts of the discharge apparatus which come or can come into contact with the medium, are at least partly made from the plastic with additive. The desired action of the additive then takes place precisely at the decisive points of the discharge apparatus. The parts of the discharge apparatus involved in this connection will be described hereinafter. For example, in the already described apparatuses, at least the medium reservoir and the part carrying the discharge opening can be made from plastic with additive. Preferably only one line for the medium leadi
Cartagena Melvin A.
Ing. Erich Pfeiffer GmbH
Quarles & Brady LLP
Shaver Kevin
LandOfFree
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