Patent Application
20170340423
This invention relates to a synthetic resin package containing at least one pouch which accommodates a dental liquid and which, when pressed, is unsealed at one end edge and allows the dental liquid to be flowed out through the unsealed one end edge.
A dental liquid, such as a dental adhesive liquid or disinfectant liquid, is generally discharged from a pouch or a bag portion accommodating a small amount of the dental liquid in a sealed state, stuck to the leading end of an applicator, and applied to an affected area (i.e., lesion) of a patient. Patent Document 1 below discloses a package provided with a bag portion (compartment) accommodating a dental liquid, and a pocket portion adjacent to the bag portion via a sealed portion (break zone). The pocket portion houses the leading end of an applicator. To apply the dental liquid to the affect area, the bag portion is pressed to exert pressure on the dental liquid, thereby unsealing the sealed portion. As a result, the dental liquid accommodated in the bag portion is flowed into the pocket portion, and stuck to the leading end of the applicator. Then, the leading end of the applicator is removed from the pocket portion, and applied to the affected area.
Patent Document 1: JP-A-11-146902
However, the package disclosed in Patent Document 1 is not easy to use, and poses the following problems: (1) The flowing direction of the dental liquid when flowed into the pocket portion upon pressing of the bag portion is toward the open end of the pocket portion. Thus, the dental liquid, particularly when having a low viscosity, is liable to pass through the pocket portion and flow to the outside. (2) When the pressing of the bag portion is released, the bag portion is elastically restored to its original state. As a result, the dental liquid flowed into the pocket portion tends to be returned to the bag portion. (3) Since the package is formed from an opaque material, the flow of the dental liquid cannot be confirmed visually.
The present invention has been accomplished in the light of the above facts. A main technical challenge to the invention is to provide a synthetic resin package improved at least partially in the ease of use as compared with the aforementioned package disclosed in Patent Document 1, and containing at least one pouch which accommodates a dental liquid and which, when pressed, is unsealed at one end edge and allows the dental liquid to be flowed out through the unsealed one end edge.
The present inventors diligently conducted studies. As a result, they have found that the above main technical challenge can be overcome by a package in a unique form, namely, a package in a form in which both side edges and a bottom edge thereof are closed throughout; an applicator insertion section and a pouch housing section situated adjacently in a lateral direction are defined; in a top edge thereof, a site corresponding to the pouch housing section is closed at least partially, but a site corresponding to the applicator insertion section is open; and a pouch is positioned within the pouch housing section, with one end edge of the pouch to be unsealed facing downward.
That is, according to the present invention, there is provided, as the above-mentioned synthetic resin package solving the main technical challenge, a synthetic resin package containing at least one pouch which accommodates a dental liquid and which, when pressed, is unsealed at one end edge and allows the dental liquid to be flowed out through the unsealed one end edge, wherein
both side edges and a bottom edge of the package are closed throughout, an applicator insertion section and a pouch housing section situated adjacently in a lateral direction are defined in the package and, in a top edge of the package, a site corresponding to the pouch housing section is closed at least partially, while a site corresponding to the applicator insertion section is open,
the pouch is positioned within the pouch housing section, with the one end edge facing downward, and when the pouch is pressed via the package, the one end edge of the pouch is unsealed, whereby the dental liquid is flowed out from inside the pouch through the one end edge to a lower part of the pouch housing section, and then flowed to a lower part of the applicator insertion section, and
when an applicator is inserted into the applicator insertion section through the top edge which has been opened, the dental liquid can be stuck to a leading end part of the applicator.
Preferably, the pouch is introduced into the pouch housing section, with at least a part of the other end edge portion of the pouch being interposed between predetermined sites of top edge portions of the package. Preferably, the top edge portions are partly joined together, whereby the site of the top edge corresponding to the pouch housing section is closed, and the other end edge portion of the pouch is confined between the top edge portions of the package, while the one end edge of the pouch is located upwardly away from the bottom edge of the pouch housing section. Alternatively, opposing wall surfaces of the package are joined together along the boundary between the pouch housing section and the applicator insertion section, but except for a lower end part of the package, whereby the pouch is restricted to a required position within the pouch housing section, and the one end edge of the pouch is located upwardly away from the bottom edge of the pouch housing section. It is preferred that the package be formed by shaping a belt-shaped synthetic resin film or sheet into a tubular form, joining both end edge portions of the tubular form over the entire lengths thereof, joining bottom edge portions of the tubular form over the entire lengths thereof, and joining top edge portions of the tubular form partially, and that before the top edge portions are partially joined, the pouch be introduced into the pouch housing section. At least one of the lower part of the pouch housing section and the lower part of the applicator insertion section is desirably transparent or translucent. In the top edge portion of the applicator insertion section, it is preferred that a notch extending downward from the top edge be formed in one wall surface of the applicator insertion section. In the top edge portion of the applicator insertion section, it is preferred that the other wall surface of the applicator insertion section be colored in a color different from the color of the one wall surface of the applicator insertion section. It is also preferred that at least apart of the top edge of the applicator insertion section be inclined gradually upwardly in a direction away from the pouch housing section. Advantageously, the bottom edge is closed by joining bottom edge portions of both wall surfaces of the package mutually, and a part in a mutually joined region of the bottom edge portions, which corresponds to the pouch housing section, is inclined gradually upwardly in a direction away from the applicator insertion section. Alternatively, it is advantageous that a part in the mutually joined region of the bottom edge portions, which corresponds to the applicator insertion section, be inclined gradually upwardly in a direction away from the pouch housing section. Preferably, an indication is provided at a predetermined site of pressing on at least one wall surface of the pouch housing section. In a preferred embodiment, at least two of the pouches are located within the pouch housing section, and liquids flowed out of the at least two pouches are mixed.
In the package of the present invention, the dental liquid flowed out from the one end edge of the pouch when pressed is flowed toward the closed bottom edge of the package. Thus, the dental liquid does not flow to the outside accidentally. In the form in which the bottom edge of the pouch is located upwardly away from the bottom edge of the package, the dental liquid flowed out of the pouch when the pouch is pressed is separated from the bottom edge of the pouch. Even if the pouch is elastically restored to the original state after the pressing of the pouch is released, therefore, the dental liquid flowed out of the pouch is not returned into the pouch. In the form in which at least lower parts of the pouch housing section and the applicator insertion section are transparent or translucent, the dental liquid, which is flowed out from the pouch to the lower part of the pouch housing section and flowed into the lower part of the applicator insertion section, can be visually confirmed to be flowing.
The present invention will now be descried in further detail by reference to the accompanying drawings showing embodiments configured according to the present invention.
Both side edges 4a and 4b are preferably structured to avoid a situation in which a dental liquid flowing out to a lower part of a pouch housing section 12 ascends to a top edge portion of the package 2 by a capillary phenomenon. Concretely, both side edges 4a and 4b are preferably of a semicircular shape or a semielliptical nearly semicircular shape in a transverse sectional view of the package 2. Even when not in a nearly semicircular shape, both side edges 4a and 4b may have a structure in which the surfaces constituting both side edges 4a and 4b are separated by a sufficient distance so that the dental liquid does not ascend by a capillary phenomenon (in this case, the package 2 is preferably a resin product processed by injection molding, extrusion or blow molding as will be described in detail later). Owing to the above structure of both side edges 4a and 4b, the dental liquid flowing out to the lower part of the pouch housing section 12 is easy to take using a liquid holding portion 34 of an applicator 30 to be detailed later (see
It is important for a top edge 8 to have a part 8a open, but have a remainder 8b closed at least partly and, in the illustrated embodiment, closed over its entire length. Within the package 2, an applicator insertion section 10 and a pouch housing section 12 located adjacently in a lateral direction are defined, and the open part 8a of the top edge 8 corresponds to the applicator insertion section 10, while the closed remainder 8b of the top edge 8b corresponds to the pouch housing section 12. The package 2 may entirely be opaque, transparent or translucent, but advantageously, at least one of a lower part of the applicator insertion section 10 and a lower part of the pouch housing section 12 is transparent or translucent. Since these lower part s are transparent or translucent, the flowing-out state of the dental liquid can be confirmed. The range in which they are transparent or translucent is such that the dental liquid having flowed out can be confirmed in the lower part of the applicator insertion section 10 and the lower part of the pouch housing section 12. This range may be either the lower part of the applicator insertion section 10, or the lower part of the pouch housing section 12, but in consideration of the confirmation of the flowing-out state of the dental liquid and the ease of shaping of the package 2, it is preferred that the range be both of the lower part of the applicator insertion section 10 and the lower part of the pouch housing section 12.
A pouch 14 is housed in the pouch housing section 12 of the package 2. Such a pouch 14, which is called a pillow or a pillow package as illustrated in
The belt-shaped film for forming the pouch 14 may be a publicly known film of polyethylene, nylon, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, or aluminum, or a laminated film formed by laminating them. Of them, a preferred one includes a film having gas barrier properties such as a film of an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer, polyvinylidene chloride, silica or aluminum, because many dental liquids generally contain volatile components at least as some components. Generally, a dental liquid often contains a polymerizable monomer and/or a photopolymerization initiator, so that the use of a light shielding film is particularly preferred. Thus, it is particularly preferred for the pouch 14 to comprise a resin film having aluminum vapor deposited thereon (aluminum-deposited film) which has both of gas barrier properties and light shielding properties and further has satisfactory formability. The thickness of the belt-shaped film can be selected, as appropriate, depending on the material for the film, but in view of the formability of the film, the preferred thickness is of the order of 25 to 200 μm. The hardness (tensile modulus) of the film is not particularly limited, but 1 MPa to 10 GPa, particularly 1 to 5 GPa, is preferred.
When a pressing force is exerted on the pouch 14, the joint of the bottom edge portion 18 is released, and the dental liquid 21 accommodated in the pouch 14 is discharged through the bottom edge (one end edge) of the pouch 14. For this purpose, the joint strength of the bottom edge portion 18 is advantageously decreased in comparison with the joint strength of the top edge portion 20, for example, by changing the pressure welding strength and temperature during sealing, or changing the seal width or the seal shape. Concretely, when the seal strength is evaluated in compliance with JISZ0238, the seal strength is preferably in the range of 15 to 70 N/15 mm at the top edge portion 20, and is preferably in the range of 1 to 15 N/15 mm at the bottom edge portion 18. With the structure of the synthetic resin package of the present invention, the joined product of both end edge portions 16 of the film is scarcely pressurized and difficultly breakable, and may thus have such joint strength that its joining is not released. If desired, the pouch 14 can be formed, with the joint strengths of the bottom edge portion 18 and the top edge portion 20 of the pouch 14 being rendered substantially the same. Then, as will be further detailed later, the top edge portion 20 of the pouch 14 is positioned between the top edge portions of the package 2, and the top edge portions of the package 2 are heat bonded, whereby the joint strength of the top edge portion 20 can be increased.
The viscosity of the dental liquid accommodated in the pouch 14 is not particularly limited. However, the synthetic resin package of the present invention can be used preferably when a dental liquid having a low viscosity is used. Concretely, the synthetic resin package of the present invention can be used preferably, when a dental liquid having a viscosity at 25° C. of 0.0001 to 0.1 Pa·s, particularly 0.0001 to 0.001 Pa·s, is used.
A preferred example of the mode of production of the package 2 shown in
The number of the pouches 14 to be housed in the pouch housing section 12 can be changed in accordance with the purpose of use of the dental liquid. The number of the pouches 14 to be housed may be one or two or more. In consideration of the ease of production of the synthetic resin package, the purpose of use of the dental liquid, and so on, the number of the pouches 14 is preferably of the order of 1 to 4. If the dental liquid to be used is a two-pack adhesive liquid, for example, a first pouch 14a accommodating a first adhesive liquid and a second pouch 14b accommodating a second adhesive liquid can be superposed, and introduced into the pouch housing section 12 of the package 2, as shown in
The synthetic resin film or sheet for use in the production of the package 2 is not particularly limited, and a publicly known synthetic resin film or sheet can be adopted, but one having satisfactory transparency is preferred. If desired, at least one of a lower part of the applicator insertion section 10 and a lower part of the pouch housing section 12 can be rendered transparent or translucent by post-processing.
For example, the following can be used preferably:
Olefin polymers, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutylene, and copolymers obtained by copolymerizing two or more olefin monomers selected from ethylene, propylene and butene;
(Meth)acrylic monomers, such as poly(meth) acrylic acid typified by polymethyl methacrylate, and copolymers obtained by copolymerizing two or more (meth)acrylic monomers;
Styrene polymers, such as polystyrene, poly(acrylonitrile-styrene), poly(butadiene-styrene), and ABS polymer;
Flexible vinyl polymers, such as polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, chlorinated polyvinyl chloride, and copolymers obtained by copolymerizing two or more vinyl chloride monomers or vinyl acetate monomers;
Amide polymers, such as nylon 6, nylon 66, nylon 610, nylon 612, nylon 11, nylon 12, and nylon 46;
Unsaturated polyester resins, such as polyethylene terephthalate;
Thermoplastic elastomers produced by ester exchange or a polycondensation reaction using dimethyl terephthalic acid, 1,4-butanediol, and poly(oxytetramethylene) glycol as starting materials;
Fluoropolymers, such as polytetrafluoroethylene, polytrifluoroethylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, and copolymers obtained by copolymerizing at least two fluoromonomers selected from tetrafluoroethylene, trifluoroethylene, and vinyl fluoride; and
Other polymers including polycarbonate, polyacetal, polyethersulfone, polyphenylene oxide, polyphenylene sulfide, and polysufone.
Of them, the olefin polymers, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutylene, and copolymers obtained by copolymerizing two or more olefin monomers selected from ethylene, propylene and butene, are particularly preferred, because their properties such as biological safety, transparency of raw materials, and flexibility are optimal for the uses of the present invention.
The thickness of the film or sheet constituting the package 2 is not particularly limited, but is preferably of the order of 20 to 500 μm, particularly 20 to 200 μm. The tensile modulus of the film or sheet is preferably 0.5 to 10 GPa, particularly 1 to 6 GPa, in consideration of the formability and the retention properties of the pouch 14.
Instead of forming the package 2 from the synthetic resin film or sheet, it is possible, if desired, to produce the package 2 by injection molding, extruding, or blow molding the polymer exemplified as the synthetic resin film or sheet. Alternatively, the package 2 can be produced by any of these shaping methods in combination with heat sealing. If such a shaping method is employed, it is preferred, needless to say, that the thickness and the modulus of elasticity of the resin layer constituting the package 2 be the same as those in the ranges illustrated for the synthetic resin film or sheet.
Next, the mode of use of the above-described preferred embodiment of the package 2 configured in accordance with the present invention will be described by reference to
Then, the applicator 30 is grasped by the other hand, and its leading end part is inserted into the applicator insertion section 10 through the unsealed top edge. By reference to
In the embodiment shown in
The some embodiments configured in accordance with the present invention have been described in detail by reference to the drawings. However, there is no need to dwell on the fact that the present invention is in no way limited to these embodiments, but various changes or modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the packages 2 of the illustrated embodiments are thin bags overall, but the thickness of the lower end part, in particular, of each package can be rendered relatively large to impart a self-supporting form to the package.
2: Package
4
a: Side edge of package
4
b: Side edge of package
6: Bottom edge of package
8: Top edge of package
8
a: Open site in top edge of package
8
b: Closed site in top edge of package
10: Applicator insertion section
12: Pouch housing section
14: Pouch
21: Dental liquid
30: Applicator
38: Notch
40: Colored site
42: Indication
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-260051 | Dec 2014 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2015/085642 | 12/21/2015 | WO | 00 |
