1. A device for dispensing a product (3), said device comprising:
an elongated package (1) made of yieldable material and containing the product (3),
a discharge device (2) for discharging the product (3) from the package (I) when the package (1) is located in a container (12),
the package (1) having an end portion (11) and a coupling member (4) with a coupling portion (5),
the coupling member (4) being provided on the end portion (11) and being located within an unbroken portion (6) of a wall (7) of the package (1),
the discharge device (2) having a conduit (13) for dispensing the product (3) from the package (1),
the conduit (13) having a coupling member (8) with a coupling portion (9),
the package (1) and the discharge device (2), before being located in the container (12), being connected to each other by placing the coupling member (8) on the conduit (13), the coupling member (8) penetrating the unbroken portion (6) of the wall (7) of the package (1) as the coupling member (8) cooperates with the coupling member (4) within the wall (7),
the package (1) with the discharge device (2) connected to the package (1) being located in the container (12) such that the discharge device (2) is located in an upper part of the container (12),
the end portion (11) of the package (1) with the coupling member (4) defining a lower portion of the package (1) when the package (1) is located within the container (12),
the coupling portions (5, 9) of the coupling members (4, 8) having non-circular openings (19) such that the conduit (13) is placed in a predetermined position relative to the package (1), the conduit (13) being directed upwards in the container (12) from the end portion (11) of the package (1) to the discharge device (2) when the package (1) is located in the container (12),
the non-circular opening of the coupling portion (9) of the coupling member (8) defining a non-circular exterior surface of the coupling portion (9), the non-circular exterior surface being complimentary to, and received by, the non-circular opening (19) of the coupling member (4),
the non-circular opening (19) of the coupling portion (5) of the coupling member (4) defining a non-circular interior surface complimentary to the non-circular exterior surface of the coupling portion (9) of the coupling member (8), the non-circular interior surface receiving the coupling portion (9) of the coupling member (8),
the non-circular exterior surface of the coupling portion (9) being shaped identically to the non-circular interior surface of the coupling portion (5).
2. The device according to claim 1 wherein the coupling portions (5, 9) are interconnected such that the conduit (13) is set in a position substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction of the package (1).
3. The device according to claim 1 wherein the opening of the coupling member (4) of the package (1) has a non-circular shape such that, if a coupling portion (9) of a coupling member (8) with a circular opening is connected to the coupling portion (5) on the coupling member (4) of the package (1), it is not possible to interconnect the coupling portions (5, 9) of the coupling members (4, 8).
4. The device according to claim 1 wherein the coupling portion (5) of the coupling member (4) of the package (1) has such a non-circular opening such that visual inspection may determine that the coupling portion (9) having a circular opening does not fit with the coupling portion (5) on the coupling member (4) of the package (1).
5. The device according to claim 1 wherein the coupling portion (9) of the coupling member (8) of the discharge device (2) has a tube member (20) with a non-circular opening for fitting into the opening (19).
6. The device according to claim 5 wherein the opening (19) of the coupling member (4) has an oval opening (19) and the tube member (20) has a corresponding oval opening.
7. The device according to claim 5 wherein the opening (19) has a partly circular, partly non-circular shape and the tube member (20) has a corresponding partly circular, partly non-circular opening.
8. The device according to claim 5 wherein the opening (19) has a polygonal shape and the tube member (20) has a corresponding polygonal opening.
9. The device according to claim 8 wherein the opening (19) has a heptagonal shape and the tube member (20) has a corresponding heptagonal opening.
10. The device according to claim 1 wherein the coupling member (4) of the package (1) has an outer part (26) provided on the unbroken portion (6) of the wall (7) of the package (1), the outer part (26) defining the coupling portion (5) on the coupling member (4) of the package (1), the coupling member (4) of the package (1) further having an inner annular part (27) located within the outer part (26), the outer part (26) and the inner annular part (27) being interconnected two connecting parts (28) defining openings (29) for through-flow of the product (3).
11. The device according to claim 10 wherein the outer part (26) has a substantially circular outer edge, the inner annular part (27) having an opening (30) for the product (3) and a substantially circular outer edge, the diameter of the outer edge of the outer part (26) being less than the diameter of the outer edge of the inner annular part (27), the connecting parts (28) being located opposite each other, the connecting parts (28) being connected to the outer edge of the outer part (26) and to the inner annular part (27) at the opening (30).
12. The device according to claim 10 wherein the outer part (26) has a collar (31) directed towards the inner annular part (27) and the connecting parts (28) are connected to an inner edge of the collar (31).
13. The device according to claim 1 wherein the discharge device (2) has pump device (14).
14. Device according to claim 13 wherein the pump device (14) has a suction (15) operated by a manual pump member (16) for pumping product (3) from the package (1).
15. A coupling assembly comprising:
an elongated package (1) made of synthetic material,
a discharge device (2) for discharging a product (3) from the package (1) when the package (1) is located in a container (12),
the package (1) having an end portion (11) and a coupling member (4) with a coupling portion (5),
the coupling member (4) being provided on the end portion (11) and being located within an unbroken portion (6) of a wall (7) of the package (1),
the discharge device (2) having a conduit (13) for dispensing the product (3) from the package (1),
the conduit (13) having a coupling member (8) with a coupling portion (9),
the package (1) and the discharge device (2), before being located in the container (12), being connected to each other by placing the coupling member (8) on the conduit (13), the coupling member (8) penetrating the unbroken portion (6) of the wall (7) of the package (1) as the coupling member (8) cooperates with the coupling member (4) within the wall (7),
the package (1) with the discharge device (2) connected to the package (1) being located in the container (12) such that the discharge device (2) is located in an upper part of the container (12),
the end portion (11) of the package (1) with the coupling member (4) defining a lower portion of the package (1) when the package (1) is located within the container (12),
the coupling portions (5, 9) of the coupling members (4, 8) having non-circular openings (19) such that the conduit (13) is placed in a predetermined position relative to the package (1), the conduit (13) being directed upwards in the container (12) from the end portion (11) of the package (1) to the discharge device (2) when the package (1) is located in the container (12),
the non-circular opening of the coupling portion (9) of the coupling member (8) defining a non-circular exterior surface of the coupling portion (9), the non-circular exterior surface being complimentary to, and received by, the non-circular opening (19) of the coupling member (4),
the non-circular opening (19) of the coupling portion (5) of the coupling member (4) defining a non-circular interior surface complimentary to the non-circular exterior surface of the coupling portion (9) of the coupling member (8), the non-circular interior surface receiving the coupling portion (9) of the coupling member (8),
the non-circular exterior surface of the coupling portion (9) being shaped identically to the non-circular interior surface of the coupling portion (5).
16. A method for dispensing product (3) from an elongated package (1), said method comprising the steps of:
making the package (1) from synthetic material,
providing a discharge device (2) for discharging the product (3) from the package (1) when the package (1) is located in a container (12), the package (1) having a coupling member (4) with a coupling portion (5), the discharge device (2) having a conduit (13) for feeding the product (3) from the package (1), the conduit (13) having a coupling member (8) with a coupling portion (9),
locating the coupling member (4) in the package (1) such that the coupling member is situated at a bottom of the container (12) when the package (1) is located in the container (12),
locating the coupling member (4) of the package (1) within an unbroken portion (6) of a wall (7) of the package (1),
connecting the coupling members (4, 8) of the package (1) and the discharge device (2) by penetrating the unbroken portion (6) of the wall (7) of the package (1), the coupling member (4) of the package (1) having an outer part (26), an inner annular part (27) and two connecting parts (28) connecting the outer part (26) and the inner annular part (27) such that the outer part (26), the inner annular part (27) and the connecting parts (28) define two outwardly open U-shaped grooves (47, 48) on opposite sides of the connecting parts (28), and
guiding the coupling member (4) of the package (1) by two guide means (45, 46) forming part of a control device (44), the guide means (45, 46) engaging the two U-shaped grooves (47, 48) defined by the coupling member (4) such that the coupling member (4) may slide on the two U-shaped grooves.
17. The method according to claim 16 further including the step of guiding the coupling member (4) of the package (1) with a control device (44) such that the coupling member (4) is located on an inner side of the wall (7) of the package (1).
18. The method according to claim 17 further including the step of guiding the coupling member (4) of the package (1) by sliding the coupling member (4) along the guide means (45, 46) thereby forming part of the control device (44).
19. The method according to claim 16 further including the step of holding the coupling member (4) of the package (1) with the guide means (45, 46) prior to attachment of to the unbroken portion (6) of the wall (7) of the package (1).
20. The method according to claim 16 wherein the coupling members (4, 8) are connected only if the coupling portions (5, 9) each have non-circular openings (19).
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A star polymer which comprises a central core and three or more branches bonded to the central core, and has a weight average molecular weight of from 1,000 to 100,000,
wherein at least one of the branches containing at least one repeating unit selected from the group consisting of the following repeating units of the formulae (1), (2), (3), (4) and (9);
the formula (1)
wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or a fluoroalkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms,
R21 and R22 each independently represents an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 6 carbon atoms, a haloalkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a halocycloalkyl group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms, or a phenyl group wherein at least one hydrogen atom in the phenyl group may be substituted by an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atom or a halogen atom, or R21 and R22 bond to form a divalent saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon group having from 5 to 10 carbon atoms,
R23 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms, a haloalkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, a halocycloalkyl group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms, or an aralkyl group having 7 to 12 carbon atoms, with the proviso that R22 is methyl, or the carbon atom in R22 linked to the carbon atom adjacent to R22 is a secondary or primary carbon atom when R23 is a hydrogen atom or the carbon atom in R23 linked to the carbon atom adjacent to R22 is a tertiary carbon atom,
m is an integer of 1 to 3 and when m is 2 or 3, each of the group of the formula \u2014(OC(OR21)R22R23) may be the same or different;
the formula (2)
R31 represents a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms or a group of the formula \u2014CH(R33)\u2014OR34, u is an integer of 0 to 2, \u2014CH2\u2014 in R31 not linked to the oxygen adjacent to R31 may be substituted by \u2014COO\u2014 or \u2014O\u2014, and at least one hydrogen atom in R31 may be substituted by a hydroxyl group, a cyano group, a halogen atom or an alkoxy group,
R33 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms or an alicyclic hydrocarbon group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms,
R34 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, an alicyclic hydrocarbon group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms, a group of the formula \u2014R40\u2014O\u2014R41, or a group of the formula \u2014R42\u2014O(C\u2550O)\u2014R43, or R33 and R34 bond to form an divalent saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon group having from 3 to 10 carbon atoms,
in the divalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group, \u2014CH2\u2014 not linked to the oxygen adjacent to R31 may optionally be substituted by \u2014COO\u2014 or \u2014O\u2014,
R40 represents a divalent saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms or a divalent alicyclic hydrocarbon group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms,
R41 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms or an alicyclic hydrocarbon group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms,
R42 represents a divalent saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms or a divalent alicyclic hydrocarbon group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms,
R43 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms or an alicyclic hydrocarbon group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms;
P1 represents a single bond, or an alkylene group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, or an alicyclic hydrocarbon group having 3 to 7 carbon atoms;
the formula (3)
wherein R31 has the same meaning as defined above,
the formula (4)
wherein R31 has the same meaning as defined above,
the formula (9)
wherein Y represents an oxygen atom or \u2014NH\u2014, and
the central core is a structural unit of the formula (I)
wherein (W) represents a polyvalent aromatic hydrocarbon group, a polyvalent saturated cyclic hydrocarbon group, a polyvalent saturated acyclic hydrocarbon group or a group combined by at least two of the polyvalent aromatic hydrocarbon group, the polyvalent saturated cyclic hydrocarbon group and the polyvalent saturated acyclic hydrocarbon group, wherein at least one \u2014CH2\u2014 in the polyvalent saturated cyclic hydrocarbon group and the polyvalent saturated acyclic hydrocarbon group not linked to Q may optionally be substituted by \u2014O\u2014, \u2014S\u2014, \u2014NR52\u2014 or \u2014SiR532\u2014 and at least one hydrogen atom in the polyvalent aromatic hydrocarbon group and the polyvalent saturated cyclic hydrocarbon group may optionally be substituted by an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, R52 and R53 each independently represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, Q represents \u2014O\u2014, \u2014S\u2014 or \u2014NR54\u2014, wherein R54 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, R50 and R51 each independently represents an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an alkylalkoxy group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms or a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 12 carbon atoms, or R50 and R51 link together and represent a divalent saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon group which bonds to form a divalent cyclic hydrocarbon group together with a carbon atom adjacent to R50 and R51, and
1 represents an integer of 3 to 12.
2. The star polymer according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the branches contains at least one repeating unit selected from the group consisting of the repeating units (1), (2), (3) and (4).
3. The star polymer according to claim 1, wherein the polymer is insoluble or poorly soluble in an alkali aqueous solution but becomes soluble in an alkali aqueous solution by the action of an acid.
4. The star polymer according to claim 1, wherein (W) is neopentan-tetrayl group, 2,2\u2032,2\u2033-nitrilotriethyl group, 2-methyltetrahydropyran-\u03b1, 3,4,5,6-pentayl group, 2-methyltetrahydrothiopyran-\u03b1, 3,4,5,6-pentayl group, 2,5-dimethyltetrahydrofuran-\u03b1, \u03b1\u2032, 2,3,4-pentayl group, or a group combined by at least two of them.
5. The star polymer according to claim 1, wherein central core is a structural unit selected from the following formulae:
6. The star polymer according to claim 1, which is obtainable by reacting a radical polymerization initiator of the following formula (10) with a monomer leading to a repeating unit of at least one of the formulae (1), (2), (3), (4) and (9):
Z\u2014Tp\u2003\u2003(10)
wherein Z is a structural unit of the formula (I), T represents a radically transferable atom or group, and p represents an integer of 3 to 12.
7. The star polymer according to claim 6, wherein the radical polymerization initiator is a compound obtained by acylating a compound of 3 to 100 carbon atoms having three or more groups in total selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl group, thiol group, and N-alkylamino group with an acylating agent having a radically transferable atom or group, and \u2014CH2\u2014 in said compound may optionally be substituted by \u2014O\u2014, \u2014S\u2014, \u2014NR52\u2014, or \u2014SiR532\u2014, wherein R52 and R53 have the same meanings as defined above.
8. The star polymer according to claim 6, wherein the radical polymerization initiator is a compound selected from the group consisting of a compound obtained by acylating a polyhydric alcohol of 3 to 100 carbon atoms having three or more hydroxyl groups with an acylating agent having a radically transferable atom or group, a compound obtained by acylating a polythioalcohol of 3 to 100 carbon atoms having three or more thiol groups with an acylating agent having a radically transferable atom or group, and a compound obtained by acylating a polyamine of 3 to 100 carbon atoms having three or more N-alkylamino groups with an acylating agent having a radically transferable atom or group, and \u2014CH2\u2014 in the compounds may optionally be substituted by \u2014O\u2014, \u2014S\u2014, \u2014NR52\u2014, or \u2014SiR532\u2014, wherein R52 and R53 have the same meaning as defined above.
9. The star polymer according to claim 6, wherein the radical polymerization initiator is a compound selected from the group consisting of a compound in which hydroxyl groups of a polysaccharide or monosaccharide are acylated with an acylating agent having a radically transferable atom or group, a compound in which hydroxyl groups of a cycloalkylpolyol or alkylpolyol are acylated with an acylating agent having a radically transferable atom or group, a compound in which hydroxyl groups of a polyhydric amine are acylated with an acylating agent having a radically transferable atom or group, a compound in which hydroxyl groups of an aromatic ring are acylated with an acylating agent having a radically transferable atom or group, a compound in which hydroxyl groups of an alkylpolythiol are acylated with an acylating agent having a radically transferable atom or group and a compound in which amino groups of an alkylamine are acylated with an acylating agent having a radically transferable atom or group.
10. The star polymer according to claim 6, wherein the radical polymerization initiator is a compound selected from the group consisting of per(2-bromoisobutyryl)cyclodextrin, per(2-bromoisobutyryl)maltotriose, tetrakis(2-bromoisobutyryl)arabinose, tris(2-bromoisobutyryl)cyclohexanetriol, tetrakis(2-bromoisobutyryl)pentaerythritol, hexa(2-bromoisobutyryl)mannitol, tris(2-bromoisobutyryl)triethanolamine, tris(2-bromoisobutyryl)benzenetriol, tris(2-bromoisobutyryl)trihydroxypyrimidine, tetrakis(2-bromoisobutyryl)pentaerythrithiol, tetrakis(2-bromoisobutyryl)2,2-bis(mercaptomethyl)-1,4,butanedithiol, tetrakis(2-bromoisobutyryl)spermine and tris(2-bromoisobutyryl)spermidine, tetrakis(2-chloroisobutyryl)pentaerythritol, tetrakis(2-iodoisobutyryl)pentaerythritol, hexakis(2-bromoisobutyryl)dipentaerythritol, and octakis(2-bromoisobutyryl)sucrose.
11. The star polymer according to claim 6, wherein the radical polymerization initiator is a compound selected from the group consisting of at least one of compounds represented by the following formulae: