IP Library Granted Patent US 8,020,554
Granted Patent B2
US 8,020,554 · App. 11/883,020 · Granted Sep 20, 2011

Opening device for fluid product dispensing device

Assignee: Valois SAS
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,020,554
App. No.
11/883,020
Granted
Sep 20, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

An opening device ( 40 ) for opening an individual reservoir ( 21 ) containing a single dose of fluid, such as powder, said reservoir ( 21 ) including a closure wall ( 23 ), said opening device ( 40 ) comprising perforator and/or cutter means ( 41 ) that are adapted to cut said closure wall ( 23 ) of the reservoir ( 21 ) in such a manner that the cut portion(s) ( 24 ) does/do not obstruct the opening(s) ( 25 ) that is/are formed.

Claims (23)

1. An opening device for opening an individual reservoir containing a single dose of fluid said reservoir including a closure wall, said opening device comprising cutter means for cutting said closure wall of the reservoir thereby forming a cut portion, the cut portion formed into a central fold at least in part, in such a manner that the cut portion does not obstruct an opening formed in the reservoir by the cutter means.

2. The device according to claim 1 , in which said cutter means include two opposite perforating ends that are spaced apart by a distance.

3. The device according to claim 1 , in which each perforator end is dish-shaped and is formed by a substantially cylindrical hollow portion that is cut-out in part and that has sharp edges.

4. The device according to claim 1 , in which the flow of incoming air penetrates into the reservoir through the opening and over the outside of said cutter means.

5. The device according to claim 4 , in which said cutter means includes at least one external projection so as to form at least one passage for the incoming air entering into the reservoir.

6. The device according to claim 1 , in which the flow of outgoing air carrying the fluid leaves the reservoir via a hollow inside of said cutter means.

7. The device according to claim 1 , in which the flow of incoming air and the flow of outgoing air carrying the fluid flow through respective hollow channels formed inside said cutter means.

8. The fluid dispenser device including at least one individual reservoir ( 21 ) containing a single dose of fluid, said dispenser device comprising an opening device according to claim 1 .

9. The device according to claim 8 , in which said opening device is activated by inhaling.

10. The device according to claim 8 , in which, during inhalation, a reservoir is displaced against said opening device, such that said reservoir is opened while an inhalation flow is passing through and around or through or around said cutter means, thereby causing the dose of fluid contained in said open reservoir to be expelled.

11. The device according to claim 8 , in which a dispenser chamber is provided for receiving the dose of fluid contained in a reservoir after said reservoir has been opened, said dispenser chamber connected firstly to the opening device, and secondly to a dispenser orifice that is connected to an inhaler endpiece.

12. The device according to claim 11 , in which said dispenser chamber contains at least one movable bead.

13. The device according to claim 1 , in which said opening device does not move while the reservoir is being opened.

14. The device according to claim 1 , in which said opening device moves while the reservoir is being opened.

15. The device according to claim 1 , in which the reservoir is one of a plurality of reservoirs made in the form of an elongate strip comprising each of the plurality of reservoirs disposed one behind another.

16. The device according to claim 1 , including a dose indicator for indicating to the user the number of doses that have been dispensed or that remain to be dispensed.

17. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid is a powder.

18. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the cutter means comprises a perforating end configured to perforate the closure wall.

19. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the cutter means comprises two perforating ends diametrically opposed to each other, the two perforating ends configured to perforate the closure wall.

20. The device according to claim 5 , in which said at least one external projection is a spline.

21. The device according to claim 8 , wherein the dose of fluid is a dose of medication.

22. An opening device for opening an individual reservoir containing a single dose of fluid, the reservoir comprising a closure wall, the opening device comprising a perforating end configured to cut the closure wall of the reservoir, thereby forming a cut portion, the cut portion formed into a central fold at least in part and in such a manner that the cut portion does not obstruct a flow path for fluid to pass through an opening formed in the reservoir by the perforating end.

23. The device according to claim 22 , comprising another perforating end disposed opposite to and at a distance from the other perforating end.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 10, 2012
From: VALOIS
To: APTAR FRANCE SAS
Reel/Frame 028930/0872 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 25, 2007
From: POCOCK, ANDREW; KAY, STUART; GREENHALGH, PAUL; O'HARA, WAYNE; DONNETTE, XAVIER
To: VALOIS S.A.S.
Reel/Frame 019671/0463 →
Priority Claims (1)
FR 05 50213 · Jan 25, 2005 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20080116220A1 · May 22, 2008