DROP-TYPE DRUG TUBE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0064199 filed on May 18, 2023, and all the benefits accruing therefrom under 35 U.S.C. § 119, the contents of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to a drop-type drug tube and a method for manufacturing the same.

Recently, the burden on the eyes has increased due to an increase in various visual media such as computers, tablets, and TVs, an increase in mobile content, and deterioration in ambient air environment. In addition, as external beauty becomes more important, the wearing of lenses that directly stimulate the cornea is increasing rather than wearing glasses that do not directly irritate the cornea of the eye. Thus, use of eye drops such as artificial tears or eye water is increasing.

As the use of the eye drops such as the artificial tears and the eye water increases, research is being actively conducted on containers that are capable of storing the eye drops and allows users to easily use the eye drops. That is, research on eye drop tubes is actively conducted, and the scope of use of eye drop tubes is gradually increasing, as the eye drop tubes are used to store and use not only eye drops but also other reagents.

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a drop-type drug tube according to a related art. Referring to FIG. 1, a drop-type drug tube T′ according to the related art may define an outer appearance thereof and may include a body part 1′ that accommodates drugs and a cover part 3′ coupled to the body part 1′.

The body part 1′ may include a drug accommodation part 11′ having an internal space to accommodate the drugs, and the drug accommodation part 11′ may include a drug discharge part 111′ through which the drugs are discharged when the cover part 3′ is removed.

Particularly, in the drop-type drug tube T′ according to the related art, the body part 1′ may be produced by injection molding, and the cover part 3′ may be produced by injection molding separately form the body part 1′. After each of the body part 1′ and the cover part 3 is injection-molded, the eye drops may be put through the drug discharge part 111′ of the body part 1′.

However, the drug discharge part 111′ may have a narrow discharge cross-sectional area so that a small amount of eye drops is discharged when used by a user in the future, and thus, it is inconvenient to accurately locate a drug injection equipment in the drug discharge part 111′ and inject an accurate amount of eye drops, and as a result, many defective products have been generated in the corresponding process.

Particularly, when the plurality of drop-type drug tubes T′ are placed, and simultaneously, the eye drops are put into the plurality of drop-type drug tubes T′ through the drug injection equipment, difficulty in the process increases, and a limitation in which a plurality of defective products are generated has been occurred.

In addition, a process of bonding the body part 1′ to the cover part 3′ to supply a final product to the user may be performed. That is, after the drugs are injected through the drug discharge part 111′, the drug discharge part 111′ and the cover part 3′ may be engaged with each other to perform the bonding process.

In the process of bonding the drug discharge part 111′ to the cover part 3′, an end of the drug discharge part 111′ and the cover part 3′ may be bonded, and thus, a space X′ of an end of the drug discharge part 111′ may not be used as a space for storing the eye drops to deteriorate space utilization efficiency.

Thus, research is being actively conducted on a structural design and manufacturing method of drop-type drug tubes that simplify the process and reduce the difficulty in the process.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides a drop-type drug tube having a structure with low processing difficulty.

The present disclosure also provide a drop-type drug tube having maximized space utilization efficiency.

The present disclosure also provide a drop-type drug tube having a structure that is conveniently used by a user.

The present disclosure also provide a method for manufacturing a drop-type drug tube, which is capable of manufacturing the drop-type drug tube according to the above-described embodiments.

According to an embodiment, in a drop-type drug tube, a body part and a cover part may be integrated with other, a drug may be put into the body part, and the body part may be bonded.

A drop-type drug tube includes: a body part which defines an outer appearance and in which a drug is accommodated; and a cover part integrated with the body part and provided to be removed when the drug is used, wherein the body part includes: a drug accommodation part having an internal space to accommodate the drug; a body support part provided to extend to the outside of the drug accommodation part; an upper insertion part inclinedly extending upward from the drug accommodation part and the body support part so as to be away from the cover part; and a lower insertion part provided to face the upper insertion part and inclinedly extending downward from the drug accommodation part and the body support part so as to be away from the cover part.

Injection molding may be performed in a state in which a mold is injected between the upper insertion part and the lower insertion part to define the internal space, and after the mold is removed, the drug may be put into the internal space, and the upper insertion part and the lower insertion part may be bonded to each other.

An angle (θ) between the upper insertion part and the lower insertion part may be set to about 10 degrees to about 20 degrees.

An angle (θ) between the upper insertion part and the lower insertion part may be set to about 12.5 degrees to about 17.5 degrees.

The drug accommodation part may include: a drug discharge part which is integrated with the cover part and through which the drug is discharged when the cover part is removed; a drug connection part extending from the drug discharge part so as to be away from the cover part and having an increasing diameter; a drug accommodation body part extending from the drug discharge part so as to be away from the cover part and having a constant diameter; and a drug finish part extending from the drug discharge part so as to be away from the cover part and having an decreasing diameter.

The upper insertion part may be provided to pass through the drug finish part at a first point of the drug accommodation body part, and the lower insertion part may be provided to pass through the drug finish part at the first point of the drug accommodation body part, wherein the first point may be disposed closer to the drug finish part than a center of the drug accommodation body part.

A distance (E1) from the drug finish part to the first point may be about 0.7 times to about 0.9 times a distance (E2) from the drug finish part to the center of the drug accommodation body part.

A distance (E1) from the drug finish part to the first point may be about 0.75 times to about 0.85 times a distance (E2) from the drug finish part to the center of the drug accommodation body part.

A thickness (t1) of the drug connection part may be greater than each of a thickness (t2) of the drug accommodation body part and a thickness (t3) of the drug finish part.

The thickness (t2) of the drug accommodation body part and the thickness (t3) of the drug finish part may be the same, and the thickness (t1) of the drug connection part may be about 2 times to about 4 times the thickness (t2) of the drug accommodation body part.

The body part may further include an insertion support part including a first insertion support part protruding upward from a distal end of the upper insertion part and a second insertion support part protruding downward from a distal end of the lower insertion part.

The cover protrusion may include: a cover protrusion body part having an inner diameter greater than an outer diameter of the drug discharge part; and a cover protrusion central part provided to be recessed in a direction away from the drug discharge part on one surface of the cover protrusion body part, which faces the drug discharge part.

An outer diameter (D1) of the cover protrusion body part may be about 1.1 times to about 1.3 times an outer diameter (D2) of the drug discharge part.

According to another embodiment, a method for manufacturing the above-described drop-type drug tube includes: a placement process of disposing a first mold for integrally forming an outer appearance of the cover part together with the body part and a second mold for forming the internal space of the drug accommodation part; an injection process of inputting a molding material between the first mold and the second mold; a removal process of removing the second mold between the upper insertion part and the lower insertion part; an input process of inputting the drug between the upper insertion part and the lower insertion part; and a bonding process of bonding the upper insertion part to the lower insertion part.

According to further another embodiment, a drop-type drug tube includes: a body part which defines an outer appearance and in which a drug is accommodated; and a cover part integrated with the body part and provided to be removed when the drug is used, wherein the body part includes: a drug accommodation part having an internal space to accommodate the drug; a body support part provided to extend to the outside of the drug accommodation part; and a mold insertion part which is provided in an end of the drug accommodation part and into which a mold is inserted, wherein injection molding is performed in the state in which the mold is inserted into the mold insertion part to define the internal space, and after the mold is removed, the drug is put into the internal space, and the mold insertion part is bonded.

The drop-type drug tube may further include a body finish part connected to connect the drug finish part and the body support part and having a diameter less than that of the drug finish part, wherein the body finish part may be provided by bonding the mold insertion part.

A thickness (t1) of the drug connection part may be greater than each of a thickness (t2) of the drug accommodation body part and a thickness (t3) of the drug finish part, the thickness (t2) of the drug accommodation body part may be greater than the thickness (t3) of the drug finish part, and the thickness (t1) of the drug connection part may be about 2 times to about 4 times the thickness (t2) of the drug accommodation body part.

The cover part may include: a cover body part provided in a plate shape and disposed to be spaced apart from the body support part; a cover protrusion protruding in a shape corresponding to that of the drug discharge part on one surface of the cover body part, which faces the drug discharge part; and a cover removing part extending from the cover body part to both ends of the body support part and provided to have a cross-sectional area that gradually decreases from the cover body part to the body support part, wherein the cover protrusion may include: a cover protrusion body part having an inner diameter greater than an outer diameter of the drug discharge part; and a cover protrusion central part provided to be recessed in a direction away from the drug discharge part on one surface of the cover protrusion body part, which faces the drug discharge part.

Each of the body part and the cover part may be made of a material containing 50% ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiments can be understood in more detail from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a drop-type drug tube according to a related art;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a drop-type drug tube according to an embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a view illustrating manufacturing of the drop-type drug tube according to an embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a view of an upper insertion part and a lower insertion part according to an embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the drop-type drug tube according to an embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a body part according to an embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a view illustrating a connection structure between the body part and a cover part according to an embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a drop-type drug tube according to an embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a drop-type drug tube according to another embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a view illustrating manufacturing the drop-type drug tube according to another embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the drop-type drug tube in a state before a bonding process according to an embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the drop-type drug tube according to another embodiment; and

FIG. 13(a) and FIG. 13(b) are a view illustrating a method for manufacturing a drop-type drug tube according to another embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in such a manner that the technical idea of the present disclosure may easily be carried out by a person with ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains.

The present invention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. In the drawings, anything unnecessary for describing the present invention will be omitted for clarity, and also like reference numerals in the drawings denote like elements.

In this specification, duplicate descriptions of the same components are omitted.

In this specification, it will also be understood that when an element is referred to as being ‘connected to’ or ‘coupled with’ another element, it can be directly connected to the other element, or intervening elements may also be present. On the other hand, in this specification, it will be further understood that when one component is referred to as being ‘directly connected’ or ‘directly linked’ to another component, it means that no intervening component is present.

In addition, the terms used in this specification are merely used to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention.

In this specification, the terms of a singular form may include plural defines unless referred to the contrary.

In this application, the terms “comprises” or “having” are intended to indicate that there is a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification, and one or more other features. It is to be understood that the present invention does not exclude the possibility of the presence or the addition of numbers, steps, operations, components, components, or a combination thereof.

In this specification, the term ‘and/or’ includes a combination of a plurality of listed items or any of the plurality of listed items. In this specification, ‘A or B’ may include ‘A’, ‘B’, or ‘both A and B’.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a drop-type drug tube according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a view illustrating manufacturing of the drop-type drug tube according to an embodiment. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a drop-type drug tube T according to an embodiment may include a body part 1 and a cover part 3.

The body part 1 may define an outer appearance and accommodate a drug, and the cover part 3 may be integrated with the body part 1 and be provided to be removed when the drug is used. That is, the cover part 3 may be integrated with the body part 1 when a product is shipped and be configured to prevent the drug from being discharged to the outside, and a user may remove the cover part when using the product to use the drug in the body part 1.

The above-described drug may generally be eye drops such as artificial tears or eye water or may refer to liquid reagents.

In addition, the cover part 3 may be inserted into and coupled to the body part 1 when the drug remains after the user uses the drug to provide convenience of allowing the user to temporarily store the drug and then use the drug again.

In addition, since the cover part 3 is integrated with the body part 1 during injection molding, no separate bonding may be required to bond the cover part 3 to the body part 1, thereby reducing difficulty of a process.

Particularly, the body part 1 may include a drug accommodation part 11, a body support part 13, an upper insertion part 15, and a lower insertion part 17. The drug accommodation part 11 may have an internal space defined to accommodate the drug.

The body support part 13 may be provided to extend to the outside of the drug accommodation part 11, may improve durability when producing and distributing the product and when the product is used by the user, and may be easily held and used by the user.

The upper insertion part 15 may extend inclinedly upward from the drug accommodation part 11 and the body support part 13 so as to be away from the cover part 3. The lower insertion part 17 may face the upper insertion part 15 to extend inclinedly downward so as to be away from the cover part 3 in the drug accommodation part 11 and the body support part 13.

The upper insertion part 15 and the lower insertion part 17 may be provided symmetrically along a center line of the drug accommodation part 11, and the positions of the upper insertion part 15 and lower insertion part 17 may be changed depending on a viewing direction.

An internal space V may be defined by the injection molding in a state in which a mold Y is inserted between the upper insertion part 15 and the lower insertion part 17. In addition, after the mold Y is removed, the drug may be put into the internal space V, and the upper insertion part 15 and the lower insertion part 17 may be bonded to each other.

That is, unlike the related art, the drop-type drug tube T according to an embodiment may be manufactured by integrally injection-molding the body part 1 and the cover part 3, and thus, the manufacturing process may be more simplified compared to a case in which the body part 1 and the cover part 3 are separately injection-molded to be bonded to each other.

In addition, in the drop-type drug tube T according to an embodiment, the drug may be injected through a gap between the upper insertion part 15 and the lower insertion part 17 to solve a limitation in which it is difficult to put the drug through the drug discharge part, which will be described according to the related art, so as to accurately place a drug injection device in the drug discharge part 111 having a small area and also difficult to inject a fixed amount of the drug.

In addition, when compared to the prior art, a defect rate that occurs when the plurality of drop-type drug tubes T are simultaneously aligned and injected into the drug injection device may be visibly improved to simplify the process and improve process accuracy and economic efficiency.

In addition, the upper insertion part 15 may extend upward, and the lower insertion part 17 may extend downward. Thus, when the injection molding is performed, the mold V for providing the internal space V may efficiently move without an interference, and the drug injection device may efficiently move between the upper insertion part 15 and the lower insertion part 17 without an interference.

Furthermore, when the drug discharge part 111 and the cover part 3 are welded in the related art, there was high possibility of occurrence of defects due to a small welding area. However, in the drop-type drug tube T according to an embodiment, the upper insertion part 15 having a relatively wide area and the lower insertion part 17 may be bonded to each other to minimize defects, and when the bonding is performed, a distance from the drug may be maximized to maximally prevent the drug from being deformed due to heat or ultrasonic waves.

FIG. 4 is a view of the upper insertion part and the lower insertion part according to an embodiment. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the drop-type drug tube according to an embodiment. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the body part according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIGS. 4 to 6, the upper insertion part 15 and the lower insertion part 17 according to an embodiment may be angled at a predetermined angle. That is, the angle θ defined by the upper insertion part 15 and the lower insertion part 17 may be set at about 10 degrees to about 20 degrees.

That is, the mold Y may include a first mold Y1 that defines an overall appearance and a second mold Y2 that defines the internal space V, and the drop-type drug tube T may be manufactured through the injection molding in a state in which the first mold Y1 and the second mold A2 are disposed.

When the second mold Y2 that defines the internal space V is removed after molding the drop-type drug tube T, the upper insertion part 15 and the lower insertion part 17 may be angled at about 10 degrees to about 20 degrees so that the second mold Y2 is easily withdrawn.

In addition, the angle θ defined by the upper insertion part 15 and the lower insertion part 17 may be set at an angle of about 10 degrees to about 20 degrees so that, when the drug is injected into the internal space V, the drug may be prevented from flowing outward as much as possible.

Furthermore, the angle θ defined by the upper insertion part 15 and the lower insertion part 17 may be set at an angle of about 10 degrees to about 20 degrees so that the upper insertion part 15 and the lower insertion part 17 are easily bonded to each other in a state of being in contact with each other after the injection of the drug.

Particularly, the angle θ defined by the upper insertion part 15 and the lower insertion part 17 may be set at an angle of about 12.5 degrees to about 17.5 degrees. Thus, when the second mold Y2 defining the internal space V is removed after molding the drop-type drug tube T, the second mold Y2 may be withdrawn more easily.

In addition, the angle θ defined by the upper insertion part 15 and the lower insertion part 17 may be set at an angle of about 12.5 degrees to about 17.5 degrees so that, when the drug is injected into the internal space V, the drug may be more easily prevented from flowing outward.

More particularly, the angle θ defined by the upper insertion part 15 and the lower insertion part 17 may be set at an angle of about 14.5 degrees to about 15.5 degrees. Thus, when the second mold Y2 defining the internal space V is removed after molding the drop-type drug tube T, the second mold Y2 may be withdrawn more easily.

In addition, the angle θ defined by the upper insertion part 15 and the lower insertion part 17 may be set at an angle of about 14.5 degrees to about 15.5 degrees so that, when the drug is injected into the internal space V, the drug may be more easily prevented from flowing outward.

Referring again to FIGS. 5 and 6, the drug accommodation part 11 according to an embodiment may include a drug discharge part 111, a drug connection part 113, a drug accommodation body part 115, and a drug finish part 117.

The drug discharge part 111 may be integrated with the cover part 3, and the drug may be discharged when the cover part 3 is removed. That is, the drug discharge part 111 may be provided to have a diameter less than that of the drug accommodation body part 115, which will be described later, so that the drug is discharged consistently from the drug accommodation body part 115.

The drug connection part 113 may extend from the drug discharge part 111 so as to be away from the cover part 3 and may be provided to have an increasing diameter. That is, the drug connection part 113 may connect the drug discharge part 111 to the drug accommodation body part 115.

When the drug directly flows from the drug accommodation body part 115 to the drug discharge part 111, the drug connection part 113 may suddenly increase in diameter and also may be provided to gradually increase in diameter toward the drug accommodation body part 115 so as to solve a limitation in which the drug is not properly discharged when the drug is discharged.

The drug accommodation body part 115 may extend from the drug connection part 113 so as to be away from the cover part 3 and may be provided to have a constant diameter. That is, the drug accommodation body part 115 may have the largest diameter and the largest area in the drug accommodation part 11 to effectively store the drug.

The drug finish part 117 may extend from the drug accommodation body part 115 to the cover part 3 and may be provided to decrease in diameter. That is, the drug finish part 117 may be provided to decrease in diameter in the drug accommodation body part 115 so that the upper insertion part 15 and the lower insertion part 17 are easily contacted with and bonded to each other.

That is, the drug accommodation part 11 may efficiently store the drug by varying in diameter of the drug discharge part 111, the drug connection part 113, the drug accommodation body part 115, and the drug finish part 117, may be easily used by the user, and may be configured so that products are easily manufactured.

The upper insertion part 15 may be provided to pass through the drug finish part 117 at a first point U of the drug accommodation body part 115, and the lower insertion part 17 may be provided to pass through the drug finish part 117 at the first point U of the drug accommodation body part 115.

That is, the upper insertion part 15 and the lower insertion part 17 may be provided symmetrically with respect to a center line of the drug accommodation body part 115 and may be provided to pass through the entire drug finish part 117 at one side of the drug accommodation body part 115.

Thus, when the second mold Y2 defining the internal space V is removed after molding the drop-type drug tube T, the second mold Y2 may be withdrawn more easily, and when the drug is injected, the drug may be easily prevented from flow to the outside.

In addition, when the first mold Y1 and the second mold Y2 are removed after molding the drop-type drug tube T, the overall appearance of the drop-type drug tube T may be effectively maintained to minimize a defect rate.

Particularly, a distance E1 from the drug finish part 117 to the first point U may range of about 0.7 and about 0.9 of a distance E2 from the drug finish part 117 to a center of the drug accommodation body part 115.

More particularly, the distance E1 from the drug finish part 117 to the first point U may be about 0.75 times and about 0.85 times the distance E2 from the drug finish part 117 to the center of the drug accommodation body part 115.

A thickness t1 of the drug connection part 113 may be greater than each of a thickness t2 of the drug accommodation body part 115 and a thickness t3 of the drug finish part 117. That is, the drug connection part 113 may connect the drug accommodation body part 115 to the drug discharge part 111 and may be provided with a relatively large thickness as a flow path through which the drug is discharged when the user uses the drug to improve structural safety.

Particularly, the thickness t2 of the drug accommodation body part 115 and the thickness t3 of the drug finish part 117 may be provided to be the same, and the thickness t1 of the drug connecting portion 113 may be provided to be about 2 times to about 4 times the thickness t2 of the drug accommodation body part 115.

Since the drug accommodation body part 115 and the drug finish part 117 are not the path through which the drug is discharged when the user uses the drug, each of the drug accommodation body part 115 and the drug finish part 117 may have a relatively small thickness to maximally store the drug, thereby maximizing storage capacity and securing structural safety above a certain level.

The thickness t1 of the drug connection part 113 may be about 2 times to about 4 times the thickness t2 of the drug accommodation body part 115 to more efficiently secure the structural safety when the drug is used, thereby effectively securing the overall storage capacity and user's feeling of use of the user.

The body part 1 according to an embodiment may include an insertion support part 19. The insertion support part 19 may include a first insertion support part 191 and a second insertion support part 193. The first insertion support part 191 may protrude upward from a distal end of the upper insertion part 15, and the second insertion support part 193 may protrude downward from a distal end of the lower insertion part 17.

In addition, the first insertion support part 191 may be provided at a center of the upper insertion part 15, and the second insertion support part 193 may be provided at a center of the lower insertion part 17, and the first insertion support part 191 and the second insertion support part 193 may be provided to be symmetrical to each other.

When the second mold Y2 moves between the upper insertion part 15 and the lower insertion part 17, structural rigidity of a portion at which the upper insertion part 15 and the lower insertion part 17 are in contact with each other may increase by the first insertion support part 191 and the second insertion support part 193 to maximally prevent tearing and damage from occurring.

In addition, the first insertion support part 191 may be provided at a portion of the center rather than the entire end of the upper insertion part 15, and the second insertion support part 193 may be provided not on the entire end of the lower insertion part 17, but a portion of the center to minimize an increase in weight or volume of the entire drop-type drug tube T while effectively securing the structural safety.

FIG. 7 is a view illustrating a connection structure between the body part and the cover part according to an embodiment. Referring to FIGS. 5 to 7, the cover part 3 according to an embodiment may include a cover body part 31, a cover protrusion 33, and a cover removing part 35.

The cover body part 31 may be provided in a plate shape and may be spaced apart from the body support part 13. That is, the cover body part 31 may be provided in a plate shape so that the user easily holds the cover body part 31 when removing the cover part 3, and the body support part 13 may also be provided in a plate shape so that the user holds the cover body part 31 to easily remove the cover part 3.

In addition, a thickness of the cover body part 31 may be greater than that of the body support part 13. That is, the body support part 13 may be connected to the drug accommodation part 11 in which the drug is accommodated to secure the structural safety above a certain level. However, since the cover body part 31 occupies most of an area of the cover part 3, the user may easily hold the cover body part 31 when removing the cover part 3, and the cover part 31 may be provided to be larger than the body support part 13 to improve the structural safety.

Particularly, the thickness of the cover body part 31 may be about 1.1 times to about 1.3 times the thickness of the body support part 13. That is, the thickness of the cover body part 31 may be about 1.1 times to about 1.3 times the thickness of the body support part 13, and thus, the user may easily hold the cover body part 31 when removing the cover body part 31 to effectively secure the structural safety.

More particularly, the thickness of the cover body part 31 may be about 1.15 times to about 1.25 times the thickness of the body support part 13. That is, the thickness of the cover body part 31 may be about 1.15 times to about 1.35 times the thickness of the body support part 13, and thus, the user may easily hold the cover body part 31 when removing the cover body part 31 to more effectively secure the structural safety.

The cover protrusion 33 may be provided to protrude to a shape corresponding to that of the drug discharge part 111 on one surface of the cover body part 31, which faces the drug discharge part 111. That is, the cover protrusion 33 may have the same shape as the drug discharge part 111 and may have a cross-section greater than that of the drug discharge part 111.

Thus, the user may effectively remove the cover part 3, use the drug, and then close the drug discharge part 111 again through the cover protrusion 33 to enable temporary storage.

The cover removing part 35 may extend from the cover body part 31 to both ends of the body support part 13 and may be provided to increase in cross-sectional area as it moves from the cover body part 31 to the body support part 13. That is, the cover removing part 35 may be a portion that is directly connected to the body part 1, and the cover body part 31 may be provided to a predetermined thickness or more to secure the structural safety so that the user removes the cover part 3 from the body part 1.

Particularly, the cover removing part 35 may extend to decrease in cross-sectional area from each of upper and lower ends of the cover body part 31 toward the center of the body support part 13. Thus, the user may easily remove the cover part 3 from the body part 1.

The cover protrusion 33 may include a cover protrusion body part 331 and a cover protrusion central part 333. The cover protrusion body part 331 may have an inner diameter greater than an outer diameter of the drug discharge part 111. That is, the cover protrusion body part 331 may be provided so that an inner circumference thereof is in contact with only an outer circumference of the drug discharge part 111 and may be easily separated when removed by the user.

In addition, after the user uses the drop-type drug tube T, the cover protrusion body part 331 may be inserted to surround an outer circumferential surface of the drug discharge part 111, thereby effectively temporarily storing the drug.

The cover protrusion central part 333 may be provided to be recessed in a direction that is away from the drug discharge part 111 in one surface of the cover protrusion body part 331, which faces the drug discharge part 111. That is, the cover protrusion central part 333 may store the drug together with the drug discharge part 111 as much as the recessed space to maximize the overall capacity of the drop-type drug tube T.

In addition, when the drug is injected between the upper insertion part 15 and the lower insertion part 17, even though air enters together to occupy a portion the internal space V, the drug stored in the cover protrusion central part 333 may supplement the space.

In addition, when the cover protrusion central part 333 is inserted so that the outer circumferential surface of the drug discharge part 111 is surrounded by the cover protrusion body part 331 after the user uses the drop-type drug tube T, the cover protrusion central part 333 may close the drug discharge part 111 to maximally prevent the drug from leaking to the outside.

That is to say, unlike the related art, in the drip-type drug tube T according to an embodiment, the cover protrusion 33 and the drug discharge part 111 may not be bonded to each other to maximally utilize the space of the drug discharge part 111.

In addition, since there is no bonding between the cover protrusion part 33 and the drug discharge part 111, the cover protrusion central part 333 may be formed to store the drug in the cover protrusion central part 333 together with the drug discharge part 111. That is, the space utilization of the drop-type drug tube T through the cover protrusion central part 333 may be maximized.

An outer diameter D1 of the cover protrusion body part 331 may be about 1.1 times to about 1.3 times an outer diameter D2 of the drug discharge part 111. That is, the cover protrusion body part 331 has an outer diameter D1 that is about 1.1 times to about 1.3 times the outer diameter D2 of the drug discharge part 111 to minimize the volume and weight of the product while maximally securing the structural safety during the injection molding and the product manufacturing process after the injection molding.

In addition, the cover protrusion body part 331 may be provided to have an outer diameter D1 that is about 1.1 times to about 1.3 times the outer diameter D2 of the drug discharge part 111, and thus, the user may easily remove the cover part 3 when using the drug.

Particularly, the outer diameter D1 of the cover protrusion body part 331 may be about 1.15 times to about 1.25 times the outer diameter D2 of the drug discharge part 111. Thus, the structural safety may be further secured as much as possible during the injection molding and the post-injection molding product manufacturing process to further minimize the volume and weight of the product.

In addition, the user may more easily remove the cover part 3 when using the drugs.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a drop-type drug tube according to an embodiment. A method (S) for manufacturing a drop-type drug tube according to an embodiment may include a placement process (S1), an injection process (S2), a removal process (S3), an input process (S4), and a bonding process (S5).

That is, a method (S) for manufacturing the above-described drop-type drug tube T may include a placement process (S1), an injection process (S2), a removal process (S3), an input process (S4), and a bonding process (S5). In the placement process (S1), a first mold Y1 for integrally forming an outer appearance of a body part 1 and a cover part 3 and a second mold Y2 for forming an internal space V of a drug accommodation part 11 may be disposed.

In the injection process (S2), a molding material may be injected between the first mold Y1 and the second mold Y2. That is, the injection process S2 may be a type of injection molding that involves a process of injection molding an existing plastic injection product.

In the removal process (S3), the second mold Y2 may be removed between an upper insertion part 15 and a lower insertion part 17. That is, in the removal process (S3), the second mold Y2 may be easily removed due to the above-described structural features of the upper insertion part 15 and the lower insertion part 17.

In addition, the second mold Y2 may have an inner portion inserted into an internal space V having a cross-sectional area less than that of an outer portion so s to be effectively removed after the injection molding. Thus, the injection molding may be easily performed, the removal after the injection molding may be easily performed, and damage to the drop-type drug tube T may be minimized.

In the input process (S4), the drug may be injected between the upper insertion part 15 and the lower insertion part 17. That is, in the input process (S4), the drug may be easily input due to the above-described structural features of the upper insertion part 15 and the lower insertion part 17.

In the bonding process (S5), the upper insertion part 15 and the lower insertion part 17 may be bonded to each other. That is, the bonding process (S5) may be performed by heat welding or ultrasonic waves along edges of the upper insertion part 15 and the lower insertion part 17.

Thus, unlike the welding between the drug discharge part 111 and the cover part 3 according to the related art, the drug discharge part 111 and the cover part 3 may be integrated with each other to maximally utilize a space between the drug discharge part 111 and the cover part 3, thereby improvising the space utilization.

In addition, unlike the related art, in which the drug is injected through the drug discharge part 111, making it difficult to align a position of the drug injection device and inject a fixed amount, the drug may be injected between the upper insertion part 15 and the lower insertion part 17, each of which has a wide area, so that the alignment and the quantitative input are easy. Particularly, it is more effective when injecting the drug into the plurality of drop-type drug tubes T at once.

The drop-type drug tube T according to an embodiment may be made of a material containing about 50% ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). That is, each of the body part 1 and the cover part 3 may be made of a material containing 50% ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE).

UHMWPE may have excellent moisture resistance, wear resistance, and resistance to various organic solvents, strong acids, and strong alkalis, and may be often used instead of steel (especially wire). Since UHMWPE is much lighter than steel and floated on water, UHMWPE may be widely used in ship cables and fishing lines.

Particularly, steel cables are very dangerous if cut while stretched (a person may be died if hit), but UHMWPE cables may be light, and thus, even if a person is hit by the cut cable, the person may not be seriously injured. In addition, UHMWPE may be advantage that it is much cheaper and easier to be manufactured than carbon fiber.

That is, each of the body part 1 and the cover part 3 may be made of a material containing 50% UHMWPE, and thus, the drug inside the drug tube may be prevented being evaporated as much as possible even when stored for a long period of time.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a drop-type drug tube according to another embodiment. FIG. 10 is a view illustrating manufacturing the drop-type drug tube according to another embodiment. Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, a drop-type drug tube T according to another embodiment may include a body part 1 and a cover part 3.

Hereinafter, descriptions of contents that are duplicated with the contents described above will be omitted, and the explanation will focus on the newly added configuration. However, the contents described above should not be excluded from the scope of rights or interpreted as limited.

The body part 1 may define an outer appearance and accommodate a drug, and the cover part 3 may be integrated with the body part 1 and be provided to be removed when the drug is used. Particularly, the body part 1 may include a drug accommodation part 11, a body support part 13, and a mold insertion part 18.

The drug accommodation part 11 may have an internal space defined to accommodate the drug. The body support part 13 may be provided to extend to the outside of the drug accommodation part 11, may improve durability when producing and distributing the product and when the product is used by the user, and may be easily held and used by the user.

The mold insertion part 18 may be provided at an end of the drug accommodation part 11, and thus, a mold Y may be inserted therein. In addition, injection molding may be performed in the state in which the mold is inserted into the mold insertion part 18 to form an internal space V. After the mold is removed, the drug may be put into the internal space V, and the mold insertion part 18 may be bonded.

That is, the mold Y may be withdrawn through the mold insertion part 18, and the drop-type drug tube T may be manufactured by bonding the end of the mold insertion part 18. Particularly, the mold insertion part 18 may be bonded only in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the drug accommodation part 11 moves away from the cover part 3.

Thus, the mold insertion part 18 may minimize the bonding process when manufacturing the drop-type drug tube T to improve manufacturing efficiency. In addition, since the bonding is performed only at a lower end of the mold insertion part 18, a bonded area may be minimized to minimize leakage of the drug.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the drop-type drug tube in a state before the bonding process (S5) according to an embodiment.

The bonding process (S5) may be a process of bonding top and bottom surfaces of the mold insertion part 18 through thermal or ultrasonic welding, e.g., a process of fusing a lower end of a bonding line L. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the drop-type drug tube according to another embodiment. Referring again to FIG. 12, the drug accommodation part 11 according to another embodiment may include a drug discharge part 111, a drug connection part 113, a drug accommodation body part 115, and a drug finish part 117.

The drug finish part 117 may extend from the drug accommodation body part 115 to the cover part 3 and may be provided to decrease in diameter. In addition, the drug finish part 117 may be provided by bonding the mold insertion part 18. That is, the drug finish part 117 may be provided to decrease in diameter as it moves away from the drug accommodation body part 115 as a pressure is applied while the mold insertion part 18 is bonded.

In addition, a thickness t1 of the drug connection part 113 may be greater than each of a thickness t2 of the drug accommodation body part 115 and a thickness t3 of the drug finish part 117. That is, the drug connection part 113 may connect the drug accommodation body part 115 to the drug discharge part 111 and may be provided with a relatively large thickness as a flow path through which the drug is discharged when the user uses the drug to improve structural safety.

Particularly, the thickness t2 of the drug accommodation body part 115 may be provided to be greater than the thickness t3 of the drug finish part 117, and the thickness t1 of the drug connecting portion 113 may be provided to be about 2 times to about 4 times the thickness t2 of the drug accommodation body part 115.

Since the drug accommodation body part 115 is not the path through which the drug is discharged when the user uses the drug, each of the drug accommodation body part 115 may have a relatively small thickness to maximally store the drug, thereby maximizing storage capacity and securing structural safety above a certain level.

In addition, in the case of the drug finish part 117, the thickness may be relatively less than that of the drug accommodation body part 115 due to compression during manufacturing to secure structural safety above a certain level while maximizing storage capacity.

The drop-type drug tube T according to another embodiment may further include a body finish part 12. The body finish part 12 may be connected to the drug finish part 117 and the body support part 13 and may be provided to have a diameter less than that of the drug finish part 117.

In addition, the body finish part 12 may be provided by bonding the mold insertion part 18. That is, the body finish part 12 may be provided by compression during the process of bonding the mold insertion part 18. Thus, the process of manufacturing the drop-type drug tube T may be simplified, and the bonding area may be minimized to reduce possibility of leakage of the drug. Furthermore, the body finish part 12 may also be formed by compressing an end of the body support part 13 when bonding and compressing the mold insertion part 18.

The cover part 3 according to another embodiment may include a cover body part 31, a cover protrusion 33, and a cover removing part 35.

Thus, the user may effectively remove the cover part 3, use the drug, and then close the drug discharge part 111 again through the cover protrusion 33 to enable temporary storage.

The cover protrusion 33 may include a cover protrusion body part 331 and a cover protrusion closing part 335. The cover protrusion body part 331 may have an inner diameter greater than an outer diameter of the drug discharge part 111. In addition, the cover protrusion closing portion 335 may be provided on one surface of the cover protrusion body part 331 facing the drug discharge part 111 and may extend parallel to the drug discharge part 111.

That is, the cover protrusion closing part 335 may be connected to an end of the drug discharge part 111 from an inner circumferential surface of the cover protrusion body part 331 to close an opening of the drug discharge part 111. Thus, structural safety of the drip-type drug tube T according to another embodiment may be maximized to maximally prevent the drug from leaking between the cover part 3 and the body part 1.

The drop-type drug tube T according to another embodiment may be made of a material containing about 50% ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). That is, each of the body part 1 and the cover part 3 may be made of a material containing 50% ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE).

FIG. 13 is a view illustrating a method for manufacturing a drop-type drug tube according to another embodiment. Particularly, FIG. 13(a) is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a drop-type drug tube according to another embodiment, and FIG. 13(b) is a flowchart illustrating bonding and cutting processes of the drop-type drug tube according to another embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 13, a method (S) for manufacturing a drop-type drug tube according to another embodiment may include a placement process (S1), an injection process (S2), a removal process (S3), an input process (S4), a bonding process (S5), a compression process (S6), and a cutting process (S7).

In the removal process (S3), the second mold Y2 may be removed from the mold insertion part 18. That is, in the removal process (S3), the second mold Y2 may be easily removed due to its structural feature in which only the second mold Y2 needs to be removed from the mold insertion part 18.

In the input process (S4), the drug may be input into the mold insertion part 18. That is, in the input process (S4), the drug may be easily input due to the simple structural features of the mold insertion part 18.

In the bonding process (S5), the mold insertion part 18 may be bonded. That is, in the bonding process (S5), upper and lower portions of the mold insertion part 18 may be bonded through heat welding or ultrasonic welding.

In the compression process (S6), the mold insertion part 18 and the body support part 13, which are bonded in the bonding process (S5), may be compressed to increase bonding force of the mold insertion part 18, and thus, the entire outer appearance of the drop-type drug tube T may be provided aesthetically.

In the cutting process (S7), the body support part 13 may protrude outward through the bonding process (S5) and the compression process (S6), and then, the protruding portion may be cut. Thus, the overall appearance of the drop-type drug tube T may be provided aesthetically.

Embodiments may provide the drop-type drug tube having the structure with the low processing difficulty.

Embodiments may also provide the drop-type drug tube having the maximized space utilization efficiency.

Embodiments may also provide the drop-type drug tube having the structure that is conveniently used by the user.

Embodiments may also provide the drop-type drug tube, which is capable of manufacturing the drop-type drug tube according to the above-described embodiments.

Although the present invention has been described in detail through exemplary embodiments above, those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains will understand that various modifications can be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of this disclosure is defined not by the detailed description of the invention but by the appended claims, and all differences within the scope will be construed as being included in the present invention.

DROP-TYPE DRUG TUBE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME

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