Search

EP-4297612-B1 - APPLICATOR HEAD WITH DOSING AID

EP4297612B1EP 4297612 B1EP4297612 B1EP 4297612B1EP-4297612-B1

Inventors

  • SABHERWAL, Amit
  • FRADIN, SYLVAIN PATRICE DOMINIQUE

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20220222

Claims (15)

  1. An applicator head (10) for administration of a topical formulation, comprising a dosing aid for application of a predefined dose of the topical formulation, wherein the applicator head (10) comprises an applicator surface (20) adapted to apply the topical formulation to a user's skin, wherein the applicator surface (20) comprises an outlet opening (40), and wherein the dosing aid comprises a dose marking (60, 60', 60", 62', 62") on the applicator surface (20), wherein the dose marking (60, 60', 60", 62', 62") circumscribes an inner dosing compartment (64) that serves to measure the predefined dose of the topical formulation, and wherein the outlet opening (40) is disposed inside the inner dosing compartment (64), characterized in that the dose marking (60, 60', 60", 62', 62") has a color that is different from the color of a rest of of the applicator surface.
  2. An applicator head (10) according to claim 1, wherein the dose marking (60, 60', 60", 62', 62") has an outline that is at least partially circular, the circular part of the outline having a diameter D.
  3. An applicator head (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the dose marking (60, 60', 60", 62', 62") has a completely circular outline.
  4. An applicator head (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the outlet opening (40) is disposed centrally of the circular part of the outline of the dose marking (60, 60', 60", 62', 62").
  5. An applicator head (10) according to any of claims 2 to 4, wherein the diameter D is selected such that, when the topical formulation is ejected from the outlet opening (40), the amount of topical formulation that spreads from the outlet opening (40) and over the inner dosing compartment (64) until it reaches the dose marking (60, 60', 60", 62', 62"), corresponds to the predefined dose.
  6. An applicator head (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the dose marking is a visual dose marking (60, 60', 60", 62', 62").
  7. An applicator head (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the dose marking (60, 60', 60", 62', 62") is realized on the applicator surface (20) by surface treatment of the applicator surface (20), application of color markings on the applicator surface (20), by producing the applicator surface (20) from several materials, wherein a border between two distinct materials serves as the dose marking, or by moulding-in of the dose marking into the applicator surface (20).
  8. An applicator head (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the dose marking (60, 60', 60", 62', 62") flushes with the applicator surface (20).
  9. An applicator head (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein there is more than one dose marking (60, 60', 60", 62', 62") on the applicator surface (20), and wherein the dose markings (60, 60', 60", 62', 62") are arranged on the applicator surface (20) concentrically around the outlet opening (40).
  10. An applicator head (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein there are a first (60', 60") and a second (62', 62") dose marking on the applicator surface (20), wherein the first dose marking (60', 60") is arranged between the outlet opening (40) and the second dose marking (62', 62"), and wherein the first and second dose marking (60', 60", 62', 62") between them circumscribe a ring dosing compartment (66), and wherein the ring dosing compartment (66) has a ring width W that is the distance between the first (60', 60") and the second (62', 62") dose marking.
  11. An applicator head (10) according to claim 10, wherein the ring width W is selected such that when the topical formulation is ejected from the outlet opening (40), the amount of topical formulation that spreads from the outlet opening (40) and over the inner dosing compartment (64) and further over the ring dosing compartment (66), until it reaches the second dose marking (62', 62"), corresponds to a second predefined dose.
  12. An applicator head (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the applicator surface (20) is manufactured by bi-injection moulding.
  13. An applicator head (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the dose markings (60, 60', 60", 62', 62") further comprise a dose indicator or dose indicators (61, 63).
  14. A packaging for a topical formulation (300) comprising an applicator head (10) according to any of the preceeding claims.
  15. A product comprising a packaging according to claim 14 containing a topical formulation.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This application is directed to improved applicator heads for application of topical formulations such as creams or gels. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Specialized packaging for topical formulations such as creams, gels, ointments or the like can be equipped with applicator heads. Applicator heads comprise an outlet opening for expulsion of product from the packaging, and an applicator surface for applying the expelled product onto the skin. An example of such a packaging is disclosed in WO2014/170841. Applicator surfaces can additionally comprise surface undulations such as massage bumps. Surface undulations provide a massage effect when an applicator head is used to rub product into the skin. These types of packaging with applicator heads however do not comprise any means for dosing of a product. With packaging of the art, the only way to achieve adequate dosing of a topical formulation is by applying a line of product of a prescribed length onto the skin. Users, when applying a line of product, have to estimate a length of this line of product. Instructions for use usually prescribe a length for a predefined dose. Estimation is however not a precise way of dosing. Doses applied can vary significantly. Especially in the field of topical medicines, this is not acceptable in view of patient safety. Therefore, in other cases, users measure a length of a line of product with help of a dosing card. A dosing card usually is a plastic card comprising a printed line of a predefined length. The printed line is used as a reference. For example, a dosing card can comprise a printed line of a length of 6cm, which corresponds to a predefined dose. A user has to position the dosing card on his or her skin, and then apply a line of product, having the same length as the reference line on the dosing card, onto the skin. Alternatively, a user has to dose a line of product having the same length as the reference line onto the dosing card, and then apply the product from the dosing card to the desired skin area. Dosing with a dosing card may be more accurate than dosing based on estimation. However, dosing with a dosing card is more difficult, unhygienic, and inconvenient. This dosing and application procedure can therefore be cumbersome for users and be especially difficult for patients who use a topical formulation for the treatment of pain, such as arthritis, as they have to handle both the container of the product and the dosing card simultaneously to dispense an accurate dose. It can furthermore often be messy when the package, the dosing card, or the hands of the user are spilled with product. The dosing card then has to be cleaned and dried for storage and further use. The dosing card can also be lost by the user. Additionally, users sometimes do not understand how to use the dosing card. Both, dosing with and without a dosing card, have another significant drawback. With both dosing methods, users cannot benefit from using an applicator surface to rub the product directly onto the desired area. US2016/095414 discloses an applicator head for a fluid material having an external applicator surface adapted to apply the fluid material to a user's skin. DE102018204939 discloses a massage applicator for discharging and massaging in cream-like liquids. There is thus a need for a dosing method and dosing aid that can be used in combination with applicator heads for packaging of topical compositions. This is especially crucial for the packaging of topical medicines. The dosing aid should allow precise dosing. It should allow easy handling and intuitive dosing. The dosing procedure should be clean and not messy. It should require a minimal number of parts. SUMMARY This disclosure provides an applicator head for administration of a topical formulation, comprising a dosing aid for application of a predefined dose of the topical formulation, wherein the applicator head comprises an applicator surface adapted to apply the topical formulation to a user's skin, wherein the applicator surface comprises an outlet opening, and wherein the dosing aid comprises a dose marking on the applicator surface, wherein the dose marking has a color that is different from the color of a rest of the applicator surface, wherein the dose marking circumscribes an inner dosing compartment that serves to measure the predefined dose of the topical formulation, and wherein the outlet opening is disposed inside the inner dosing compartment. In one embodiment, the dose marking has an outline that is at least partially circular, the circular part of the outline having a diameter D. In one embodiment, the dose marking has a completely circular outline. In one embodiment, the dose marking is partially circular and partially ellipsoid. In one embodiment, the outlet opening is disposed centrally of the circular part of the outline of the dose marking. In one embodiment, diameter D is selected such that, when the topical formulation is ejected