IP Library Granted Patent US 7,503,355
Granted Patent B2
US 7,503,355 · App. 10/470,377 · Granted Mar 17, 2009

Assembly and method for making, mounting and filling a fluid product dispensing device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,503,355
App. No.
10/470,377
Granted
Mar 17, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

A facility for manufacturing, assembling, and filling a fluid dispenser device comprising a fluid reservoir ( 10 ) and a dispensing member ( 20 ), such as a pump or a valve, said facility being characterized in that it comprises a manufacturing unit for manufacturing a reservoir, a filling unit for filling said reservoir, and a fixing unit for fixing said dispensing member to said reservoir, said units operating continuously in a controlled atmosphere.

Claims (47)

1. A facility for manufacturing, assembling, and filling a fluid dispenser device comprising a fluid reservoir ( 10 ) and a dispensing member ( 20 ), said facility comprising a manufacturing unit for manufacturing a reservoir, a filling unit for filling said reservoir with a fluid, and a fixing unit for fixing said dispensing member to said reservoir, said units operating continuously in sterile conditions;

wherein the dispensing member comprises at least one of a pump and a valve;

wherein the fluid is in direct contact with the reservoir following filling of the reservoir; and

wherein the reservoir containing the fluid is a rigid shell.

2. A facility according to claim 1 , in which the manufacturing unit is a unit for molding, overmolding, blowing, folding, sealing, and/or thermoforming.

3. A facility according to claim 1 , in which facility the filling unit co-operates with the reservoir ( 10 ), with the dispensing member or with a filling element ( 30 ) secured to said reservoir ( 10 ), and/or with said dispensing member ( 20 ).

4. A facility according to claim 1 , in which the fixing unit for fixing the dispensing member ( 20 ) is a snap-fastening, crimping, screw-fastening, sealing, or overmolding unit.

5. A facility according to claim 1 , further comprising a dispensing member assembly unit operating continuously in said controlled atmosphere with the other units.

6. A facility according to claim 1 , wherein the filling unit fills said reservoir with a medication.

7. A method of making a fluid dispenser device comprising a reservoir ( 10 ) and a dispensing member ( 20 ), said method being characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

a) providing a manufacturing unit for manufacturing a reservoir, a filling unit for filling said reservoir with a fluid, and a fixing unit for fixing said dispensing member to said reservoir;

b) organizing said units and causing them to co-operate in a manner such that they operate continuously in sterile conditions;

wherein the dispensing member comprises at least one of a pump and a valve;

wherein the fluid is in direct contact with the reservoir following filling of the reservoir; and

wherein the reservoir containing the fluid is a rigid shell.

8. A method according to claim 7 , in which the units are organized in a manner such that the manufacturing unit makes the reservoir ( 10 ), then the filling unit fills it, and then the fixing unit fixes the dispensing member ( 20 ) to the filled reservoir, all of this being performed in a controlled atmosphere.

9. A method according to claim 7 , in which the units are organized in a manner such that the manufacturing unit makes the reservoir ( 10 ), then the fixing unit fixes the dispensing member ( 20 ) to the empty reservoir, then the filling unit fills the reservoir ( 10 ).

10. A method according to claim 7 , in which the units are organized such that the manufacturing unit makes the reservoir ( 10 ), then the fixing unit pre-assembles the dispensing member ( 20 ) to the reservoir ( 10 ), then the filling unit fills the reservoir ( 10 ), and then the fixing unit definitively fixes the dispensing member ( 20 ) to the reservoir ( 10 ).

11. A method according to claim 9 , in which the filling unit co-operates with the dispensing member ( 20 ) to fill the reservoir ( 10 ) through said dispensing member ( 20 ).

12. A method according to claim 9 , in which the filing unit co-operates directly with the reservoir ( 10 ) in order to fill it.

13. A method according to claim 9 , in which the filing unit co-operates with an intermediate element ( 30 ) secured to the reservoir ( 10 ) and/or to the dispensing member ( 20 ).

14. A method according to claim 13 , in which said intermediate element ( 30 ) is a flexible sleeve fixed in leaktight manner firstly to the reservoir ( 10 ) and secondly to the dispensing member ( 20 ), and provided with a filling opening ( 31 ), said conical sleeve ( 30 ) being manufactured and fixed to the reservoir ( 10 ) by the manufacturing unit for manufacturing the reservoir, being fixed to the fixing member ( 20 ) by the fixing unit while the dispensing member ( 20 ) is being pre-assembled to the reservoir ( 10 ), and being deformed towards the inside of the reservoir ( 10 ) by the fixing unit while the dispensing member ( 20 ) is being definitively fixed to said reservoir ( 10 ).

15. A method according to claim 7 , further comprising a step of providing a dispensing member assembly unit that operates continuously in said controlled atmosphere with the other units.

16. A method according to claim 15 , in which the units are organized in a manner such that the dispensing member assembly unit makes the dispensing member ( 20 ), then the reservoir manufacturing unit makes a reservoir ( 10 ), then the fixing unit fixes said reservoir to said dispensing member ( 20 ), and then the filling unit fills said reservoir ( 10 ).

17. A method according to claim 16 , in which the reservoir manufacturing unit and the fixing unit co-operate to manufacture the reservoir ( 10 ) on the assembled dispensing member ( 20 ).

18. A method according to claim 7 , wherein the filling unit fills said reservoir with a medication.

19. A method according to claim 18 , in which the reservoir manufacturing unit and the fixing unit co-operate to manufacture the reservoir on the assembled dispensing member by overmolding.

20. A method of making a fluid dispenser comprising:

manufacturing a fluid dispenser reservoir;

filling the fluid dispenser reservoir with a fluid; and

fixing a dispensing member to the fluid dispenser reservoir;

wherein the steps of manufacturing, filling and fixing are performed continuously in a controlled atmosphere;

wherein the controlled atmosphere comprises sterile conditions;

wherein the dispensing member comprises at least one of a pump and a valve;

wherein the fluid is in direct contact with the reservoir following filling of the reservoir; and

wherein the reservoir containing the fluid is a rigid shell.

21. A method of making a fluid dispenser according to claim 20 , wherein the fluid dispenser reservoir is filled with a medication.

22. A facility for making a fluid dispenser device comprising:

a manufacturing unit which manufactures a fluid dispenser reservoir;

a filling unit which fills the fluid dispenser reservoir with a fluid; and

a fixing unit which fixes a dispensing member to the fluid dispenser reservoir;

wherein manufacturing, filling and fixing units operate continuously in a controlled atmosphere;

wherein the controlled atmosphere comprises sterile conditions;

where in the dispensing member comprises at least one of a pump and a valve;

wherein the fluid is in direct contact with the reservoir following filling of the reservoir; and

wherein the reservoir containing the fluid is a rigid shell.

23. A facility according to claim 22 , wherein the filling unit fills the fluid dispenser reservoir with a medication.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 10, 2012
From: VALOIS
To: APTAR FRANCE SAS
Reel/Frame 028930/0835 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 16, 2003
From: BRUNA, PASCAL; HIBON, DOMINIQUE; PACAUD, HERVE
To: VALOIS S.A.S.
Reel/Frame 014882/0128 →