Discharging device for liquids

Abstract

A discharging device for pharmaceutical liquids having an actuator for carrying out a discharging operation of a pharmaceutical liquid. A first subordinate unit of the actuator has a discharge orifice, and a second subordinate unit is displaceable relative to the first subordinate unit for carrying out the discharging operation. The two subordinate units together delimit a buffer chamber from which a liquid passageway leads to the discharge orifice. A liquid-containing bag is accommodated in the buffer chamber and has film-like walls. The actuator and the bag are coordinated such that displacement of the subordinate units of the actuator relative to each other causes opening of the bag and reduction in the volume of the buffer chamber with consequent volume reduction of the liquid-containing bag and discharge of liquid through the discharge orifice.

Description

FIELD OF APPLICATION AND PRIOR ART

This application claims the priority of the German patent application No. 10 2010 013 543.7. The whole disclosure of this prior application is herewith incorporated by reference into this application.

The invention relates to a discharging device for pharmaceutical liquids, which discharging device comprises an actuator for manually carrying out a discharging operation and a liquid storage receptical, in which the pharmaceutical liquid is stored prior to the discharging operation. A first subordinate unit of the actuator is provided with a discharge orifice, and a second subordinate unit of the actuator is displaceable relatively to the first subordinate unit for carrying out the discharging operation.

Such a discharging device is disclosed, for example, in DE 44 12 041 A1. This generic discharging device is intended for one-time use. It comprises two subunits which can be displaced relatively to each other and each of which comprises finger supports. By pressing the subunits together, a discharging operation can take place, in the course of which a glass cylinder sealed by a rubber stopper is opened after the rubber stopper has been pierced, and the rubber stopper is then pushed into the glass cylinder so that the liquid can then be discharged from the glass cylinder through the needle in the manner of a thrust piston pump.

The discharging devices of the generic kind disclosed in the prior art have proved useful particularly for inoculation purposes. However, their disadvantage resides in the comparatively high outlay required, this being mainly due to the use of the glass cylinder and the rubber stopper. As a result of this comparatively high cost factor, generic discharging devices of the type described above have primarily been used hitherto only for comparatively high-priced medicines.

OBJECT AND ITS ACHIEVEMENT

It is an object of the invention to develop a generic discharging device that can be produced cheaply with a high degree of reliability.

According to the invention, this object is achieved in that the two subordinate units of the actuator jointly delimit a buffer chamber, from which a liquid passageway leads to the discharge orifice. This buffer chamber serves to accommodate a liquid storage receptical that is in the form of a liquid-containing bag. The walls of this liquid-containing bag are in the form of film walls and they delimit the interior space thereof filled with the liquid. The actuator and the liquid-containing bag are coordinated to each other in such a way that displacement of the subordinate units of the actuator relatively to each other causes the liquid-containing bag to open and the volume of the buffer chamber to decrease and consequently the volume of the liquid-containing bag to be reduced, as a result of which the liquid is discharged through the discharge orifice.

The two subordinate units of the actuator are coordinated to each other such that they can be displaced relatively to each other in a defined direction or along a defined path in order to reduce the internal volume of the buffer chamber. Preferably, the two subordinate units are guided so as to effect translative movement relatively to each other by means of a guiding element. The two subordinate units are advantageously provided with finger supports for the application of force thereto, the first subordinate unit preferably comprising two finger supports for the index and middle fingers, and the second subordinate unit comprising one finger support for the thumb.

Preferably, the region of the discharge orifice has an nebulizing geometry that serves to nebulize the liquid. It is regarded as being very advantageous when the discharging device is used as a nasal spray and comprises a conical nasal tube for this purpose that is adapted to be introduced into a nostril.

The two subordinate units of the actuator are preferably separate from each other in the delivered state and can be connected to each other without the use of tools, for which purpose particularly one subordinate unit, preferably the second can be inserted into the other subordinate unit, preferably the first. The ability of the subordinate units to be connected without the use of tools and therefore in a practical manner for the user enables the liquid storage receptical to be inserted into the buffer chamber immediately prior to the discharge of liquid. This makes it possible to store the liquid-containing bags, which may require refrigeration, separately from the actuator, which does not require refrigeration.

The liquid storage receptical itself is in the form of a liquid-containing bag and therefore comparatively economical to produce. It is placed in the buffer chamber before the subordinate units of the actuator are connected to each other. When the subordinate units of the actuator are displaced relatively to each other, this relative displacement causes the liquid storage receptical to open in the manner explained below so that the outflowing medium can pass through the liquid passageway to the discharge orifice. When the subordinate units are progressively displaced relatively to each other, the open liquid-containing bag is compressed. It is thus virtually squeezed, and the liquid is pressed into the liquid passageway that leads to the discharge orifice. Preferably, the buffer chamber is cylindrical in shape and delimited on one side by the surface of a piston head, the inner surface of the cylinder being preferably attached to the first subordinate unit while the piston head surface is attached to the second subordinate unit. In order to prevent the medium from passing in some other way into the environment surrounding the discharging device, there is provided preferably a liquid-tight contact area in which the two subordinate units bear against each other.

The buffer chamber, depending on its design, can be adapted to accommodate the liquid-containing bag in any desired orientation to make it possible to insert the liquid-containing bag in a particularly uncomplicated manner.

However, it is preferred that the liquid-containing bag and the buffer chamber be adapted to each other such that one or more possible orientations of the liquid-containing bag in the buffer chamber are possible. It is of particular advantage when the liquid-containing bag has an elongated shape and is oriented parallel to the direction of displacement of the subordinate units in its inserted state. This provides substantially complete discharge of the liquid in a highly reproducible manner, since the liquid-containing bag is compressed in the direction of its longer dimension. Because the elongated shape of the liquid-containing bag makes insertion thereof into the buffer chamber in two possible directions, one of which may be regarded as being preferred, a mark may be provided on the liquid-containing bag to denote the preferred orientation thereof.

For a circular cross-sectional area of the liquid-containing bag, the average diameter of the interior space of the liquid-containing bag preferably ranges from 3 mm to 10 mm and more preferably from 4 mm to 6 mm. The length of the interior space of the liquid-containing bag preferably ranges from 10 mm to 30 mm and more preferably from 15 mm to 25 mm. In the case of pharmaceutical liquids intended for being discharged by means of the discharging device of the invention it is regarded as being preferable when the interior space of the liquid-containing bag has a volume that is below 1000 μl and is preferably one that ranges from 100 μl to 500 μl, in the unopened state.

The film wall surrounding the interior space of the liquid-containing bag is preferably of a homogeneous nature. There are thus advantageously no portions of the film wall that differ from each other. This makes it possible to produce the film walls of the liquid-containing bag from only one type of film material, which is optionally multilayered, and is preferably produced from a single piece of film that is folded over to give two layers, which are then joined together, more particularly welded, at the edges thereof. In particular, the bag designated to contain the liquid can be produced in the form of a tubular bag in a continuous process. The design of such a bag as a tubular bag makes it possible to produce a plurality of liquid-containing bags in a simple and very rapid manner. This is of significant advantage, particularly when inoculants are involved, which are frequently required at short notice and in large quantities.

In the manufacture of the bags for the liquid as a continuously produced tubular bag, the film walls are preferably formed by a web of film that is folded over once, with their side-edges being joined together by means of a longitudinal seam so that a tubular form is achieved. The interior space of the resulting tube is subdivided by transverse seams so as form individual chambers, which will subsequently form the liquid-containing bags. These contiguous liquid-containing bags are then separated from each other or are provided with a predetermined tear line such as a row of perforations in the region of the transverse seams for the purpose of subsequent separation of the bags.

The film wall is preferably of such a nature that the compression of the liquid-containing bag does not result in any significant restoring forces (<5 Newton) when there is deformation of the film wall. This can be ensured by a plastic deformability of the film wall, as is the case with a metal foil or a film comprising a metal layer. A readily deformable flexible film is also suitable. By contrast, the use of a self-supporting rigid film that is converted to a three-dimensional object by means of a thermoforming/deep-drawing process may be regarded as being unfavorable. The thickness of the film is preferably less than 150 μm and more preferably less than 100 μm.

It is particularly advantageous when the film wall of the liquid-containing bag is diffusion-resistant. Since the quantity of liquid in the liquid-containing bag is very small and the storage time can sometimes be comparatively long, such a diffusion-resistant property is desirable in order to ensure that the required quantity of liquid is discharged even after a long storage period. One way of configuring the film wall is to provide it with a coating, for example of ceramics or a metal, particularly aluminum. This coating can be vapor-deposited, for example, onto a carrier film of plastics material. Alternatively, the film wall itself or a layer of the film wall can be composed of metal, particularly aluminum, or of a very diffusion-resistant plastics material, such as an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH).

Two types of embodiment are advantageous for opening the liquid-containing bag when the discharging device is actuated.

Provision can be made for the actuator and the liquid-containing bag to be coordinated to each other in such a way that a relative displacement of the two subordinate units of the actuator can cause the pressure prevailing in the liquid-containing bag to rise, as a result of which the liquid-containing bag breaks open, particularly in the region of a film wall or a weld seam, when sufficient force is applied to the subordinate units relatively to each other. In such an embodiment, opening of the liquid-containing bag is caused only indirectly due to the reduction in size of the buffer chamber but directly on account of the pressure increase in the liquid. The liquid-containing bag can be provided with predetermined weak areas for the purpose of achieving a reproducible opening characteristic. It is thus possible, in particular, to provide the liquid-containing bag with a weld seam that is weaker than the other weld seams and that will open in the direction of the liquid passageway.

Alternatively, the actuator can comprise sharp-edged opening means for opening the liquid-containing bag. In such an embodiment, provision is thus made for the liquid-containing bag to open, not primarily as a result of the pressure prevailing in the liquid, but instead as a result of coming into contact with the sharp-edged opening means, by means of which the liquid-containing bag is punctured or pierced. As a result, it is possible to determine precisely the location at which the liquid-containing bag will be opened.

In the simplest case, a preferably metallic opening means can be used in the form of a simple blade or a needle that projects into the buffer chamber.

However, it is of particular advantage when the opening means is formed by a hollow needle that is open at its distal end and is connected to the liquid passageway. This hollow needle thus serves not only for opening the liquid-containing bag but it also forms the passageway through which the liquid can pass from the liquid-containing bag to the liquid passageway of the first subordinate unit. As a result, at least a major portion of the liquid does not pass into the region of the buffer chamber that surrounds the liquid-containing bag.

It is particularly advantageous when the hollow needle tapers toward its distal end, since this tapered shape reduces the risk of significant amounts of liquid flowing from the liquid-containing bag past the hollow needle into the buffer chamber. Furthermore, it is advantageous when the hollow needle comprises at least one additional lateral opening, that is, an opening in the region of its peripheral surface, which opening is preferably in the form of a longitudinal slot. When provided with a slot-like shape, the additional opening can also be configured to communicate with the main distal opening of the hollow needle. Firstly, the additional opening enables liquid that has traveled past the hollow needle and into the buffer chamber to flow back into the hollow needle and thus to the discharge orifice. Furthermore, such an embodiment is advantageous when the distal end of the hollow needle again pierces the film wall located opposite the initially pierced wall hole during the discharging operation in accordance with its designated use, since, in such a case also, the liquid in the liquid-containing bag can pass into the hollow needle and to the discharge orifice after the film wall has been pierced for a second time.

The tapered portion of the hollow needle and/or the additional opening preferably extend over a region of at least 3 mm and more preferably at least 5 mm.

Preferably, a protective element is assigned to the opening means, which protective element can be displaced relatively to the opening means and prevents the opening means from coming into contact with the liquid-containing bag in a safety position and releases the opening means in a functional position. This protective element, which is preferably in the form of a displaceable wall of the buffer chamber, can thus prevent the liquid-containing bag from being opened during the first phase of actuation of the discharging device so that only a pressure increase is achieved in the liquid-containing bag in this first phase. Only when the protective element is displaced relatively to the opening means, preferably as a result of the relative displacement of the subordinate units, does the opening means come into contact with the liquid-containing bag to pierce it open.

Preferably, the protective element is disposed and/or configured in such a way that it is displaced from its safety position to its functional position by the application of force to the subordinate units of the actuator. Advantageously, provision is made for this applied force to be absorbed by the protective element via the liquid-containing bag. The protective element is thus displaced by the liquid-containing bag itself so that it is possible to determine the pressure in the liquid-containing bag at which the opening process will take place depending on the stability of the installation of the protective element in its safety position. As a result, a high level of pressure is ensured in the liquid-containing bag when the latter is pierced. This high level of pressure prevents any residual liquid from remaining in the folds of the liquid-containing bag, which would otherwise not be discharged, and further ensures that the desired discharge characteristic is achieved.

Preferably, the actuator and/or the liquid-containing bag are coordinated to each other and configured in such a way that the liquid-containing bag opens when the subordinate units are pressed toward each other by applying an actuating force of at least 10 Newton and more preferably an actuating force ranging from 10 Newton to 30 Newton. Thus a pressure point is produced that can be felt b_y the user and that also prevents the discharging operation from taking place accidentally. Preferably, the actuating force mentioned above is sufficient to almost inevitably cause the liquid to be discharged completely from the liquid-containing bag after the pressure point has been overcome by the user. The actuating force is preferably such that a discharge pressure ranging from 5 to 6 bar is achieved.

In the case of an embodiment comprising a protective element, it is regarded as being particularly advantageous when the protective element is held in its safety position by means of at least one safety element acting as the predetermined breaking point until the said actuating force has been reached. This safety element breaks down when the actuating force mentioned above is reached, and it then allows the protective element to move to its functional position and thus open the liquid-containing bag.

The invention further relates to a liquid-containing bag for a discharging device of the type described above. This liquid-containing bag comprises walls that are in the form of film walls and that delimit an interior space filled with liquid. This interior space filled with a pharmaceutical liquid has a maximum volume of 1000 μl. More particularly, it has a volume ranging from 100 μl to 500 μl.

The pharmaceutical liquid stored in the liquid-containing bag is, in particular, an inoculant or an analgesic. The use of the discharging device of the invention is regarded as being particularly advantageous for such pharmaceutical liquids.

Very preferably, the liquid-containing bag is provided with the dimensions mentioned above. It is preferably in the form of a tubular bag of the type described above.

The invention also relates to a plurality of such liquid-containing bags forming a contiguous strip, and rows of perforations that can be separated without the use of tools are preferably provided ranges from the individual liquid-containing bags. When provided in the form of such a strip that can preferably be stored in the form of a coil, the liquid-containing bags can be stored and refrigerated with low storage space requirements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Additional aspects and advantages of the invention are revealed in the claims and in the following description of two preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention, which are explained below with reference to the figures, in which:

FIGS. 1a and 1b show a liquid storage receptical for use with a discharging device of the invention,

FIGS. 2a to 2d show a first embodiment of a discharging device of the invention in various states of the discharging operation, and

FIGS. 3a to 3d show a second embodiment of a discharging device of the invention in various states of the discharging operation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1a shows a plurality of liquid-containing bags 20 for a discharging device of the invention. These liquid-containing bags 20 are produced in the form of tubular bags by a continuous process. They therefore form a strip 10 of contiguous bags that is preferably rolled up as a coil in the delivered state. A single liquid-containing bag 20 is shown in FIG. 1b as a side view and in cross section.

The walls 30 of the liquid-containing bag 20 are produced from a web of film that is first folded over once so that its originally opposite edges can be joined by means of a longitudinal weld seam 22. The interior spaces of the individual liquid-containing bags 20 are separately delimited during production by means of transverse weld seams 24. A row of perforations 26 that makes it possible to separate the liquid-containing bags 20 from each other without the use of tools is also provided in the region of the transverse seams 24 during production.

As shown in FIG. 1b, the liquid-containing bags 20 have an elongated shape and are filled with a pharmaceutical liquid 38 such as an inoculant, for example. The wall 30 of the liquid-containing bag 20 comprises a front side 32 and a rear side 34, which are directly joined to each other in the region of a folding edge 28. The front side 32 and rear side 34 are joined to each other by means of transverse seams in the longitudinal direction of the liquid-containing bag 20. The front side 32 and the rear side 34 are joined to each other by means of the longitudinal seam 22 on the side located opposite the folding edge 28.

The film wall 30 has a layer architecture comprising an outer base layer 30a of plastics material and an inner layer 30b of aluminum. The aluminum layer 30b imparts a high degree of leak tightness such that the quantity of liquid 38 is not reduced due to diffusion, not even during long-term storage. Additional wall layers, particularly an additional layer of plastics material, can be optionally provided on the inner surface of the aluminum layer 30b.

The interior space of the liquid-containing bag in which the pharmaceutical liquid 38 is disposed has a length of 20 mm and a diameter of approximately 4 mm. The interior space has a volume of approximately 220 μl.

The use of a liquid-containing bag shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b is explained below with reference to FIGS. 2a to 2d and 3a to 3d.

FIGS. 2a to 2d show a first embodiment of a discharging device for the discharge of liquid 38 from a liquid-containing bag 20. Apart from the liquid-containing bag 20, this discharging device comprises an actuator 40. This actuator 40 in turn comprises a first subordinate unit 50 and a second subordinate unit 60 that is manually displaceable relatively to the first subordinate unit 50 in accordance with the designated use of the discharging device.

The first subordinate unit 50 consists of a sleeve-like component 52, at the top end of which a nasal tube 52a is provided. The end of the nasal tube 52a is in the form of a discharge orifice 52b. At its opposite end, the component 52 comprises a cylindrically hollow portion 52c for the accommodation of the second subordinate unit 60. Inside the sleeve-shaped component 52, the first subordinate unit 50 comprises an insert 54, which, for production reasons, is a separate component but is permanently connected to the component 52. In this insert there is provided a passageway 54a, which leads to the discharge orifice 52b and in which a hollow needle 56 is permanently fitted. A protective element 58 that downwardly overlaps the hollow needle 56 in the safety position shown in FIG. 2a is movably mounted on the hollow needle 56 and the insert 54. A safety ring 54b molded on the insert 54 prevents the protective element 58 from being displaced upwardly relatively to the components 52, 54.

The hollow needle 56, which is press-fitted in the insert 54, comprises at its downwardly oriented end a sharp-edged point 56a and an access orifice 56b. Furthermore, the hollow needle 56 is provided with a lateral longitudinal slot 56c, which extends from the access orifice 56b to the insert 54 and through which liquid can likewise pass into the hollow needle 56.

The second subordinate unit 60 is in the form of a comparatively simple cylindrically hollow component, at the top end of which a piston head surface 62 is provided. A recess 62a is provided at the center of this piston head surface 62 for the accommodation of the hollow needle 56 during operation of the discharging device.

In the state shown in FIG. 2a, the second subordinate unit 60 has already been pushed into the cylindrically hollow portion 52c of the first subordinate unit 50. The subordinate units 50, 60 jointly delimit a buffer chamber 70 by means of the internal walls of the cylindrically hollow portion 52c, the end face of the protective element 58, and the piston head surface 62, into which buffer chamber a liquid-containing bag 20 of the type described above has been inserted. This liquid-containing bag is inserted in such a way that its folding edge 28 is oriented upwardly so as to face the hollow needle 56. The inside diameter of the portion 52c is such that the liquid-containing bag 20 is supported in its orientation shown in the figure without any possibility of buckling.

For the purpose of discharging the liquid 38 from the liquid-containing bag 20, the second subordinate unit 60 is moved deeper into the first subordinate unit 50 by the application of force to the finger supports 50a, 60a of the actuator 40 so that the internal volume of the buffer chamber 70 is reduced. As shown in FIG. 2b, this causes compression of the liquid-containing bag 20 ranges from the protective element 58 and the piston head surface 62 and an increase in the pressure prevailing in the liquid-containing bag 20. When the unopened liquid-containing bag 20 can no longer be compressed, the subordinate units 50, 60 can continue to be pressed together only when a sufficiently high actuating force—approximately 20 Newton—is applied in order to break the safety ring 54b away from the insert 54. When this takes place, the protective element 58 is displaced upwardly relatively to the components 52, 54, 56 by the continued relative displacement of the subordinate units 50, 60.

As a result of the upward displacement of the protective element 58 in the manner shown in FIG. 2c, the point 56a of the hollow needle 56 pierces the folding edge 28 of the upwardly moving liquid-containing bag 20. The continued relative movement of the subordinate units 50, 60 results in a reduction in the volume of the buffer chamber 70 and thus in the interior space of the liquid-containing bag 20. The liquid 38 is delivered through the hollow needle 56 and the liquid passageway 54a to the discharge orifice 52b, where it forms a spray jet 36. The hollow needle 56, as a result of its conical shape, effectively seals the pierced hole on the folding edge 28 of the liquid-containing bag 20. Liquid passing from the liquid-containing bag 20 into the buffer chamber 70 can still flow into the hollow needle 56 by way of the slot 56c and can likewise be discharged.

During the continued actuation of the discharging device, the liquid-containing bag 20 is compressed to such an extent that the hollow needle 56 emerges from the liquid-containing bag 20 in the region of the longitudinal weld seam 22 thereof, as shown in FIG. 2d. The needle point then enters the duct-like recess 62a of the second subordinate unit 60 so that it does not hinder the continuation of the discharging operation. Even though the liquid from the liquid-containing bag 20 cannot directly enter the hollow needle 56 by way of the orifice 56b in this last phase, the longitudinal slot 56c ensures that the liquid can travel from the liquid-containing bag 20 into the hollow needle 56 therethrough and can thus reach the discharge orifice 52b.

FIGS. 3a to 3d show a second embodiment of a discharging device of the invention. In this second embodiment, the actuator 140, which is again intended for the discharge of liquid from a liquid-containing bag 20, has a simpler form than in the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 2a to 2d. The first subordinate unit 150 again comprises a sleeve-shaped component 152, in which an insert 154 has been provided. However, this second embodiment comprises neither a hollow needle 56 nor a displaceable protective element 58. The liquid passageway 154a extends directly from the buffer chamber 170 to the discharge orifice 152b.

The second subordinate unit 160 is designed similarly to the first embodiment, but it does not have a recess 62a.

In the second embodiment illustrated, the liquid-containing bag 20 is not opened by opening means such as a hollow needle 56 as described above, but exclusively by the internal pressure therein. However, provision can be made for the liquid-containing bag 20 to have deliberately provided weak portions in order to achieve a reproducible opening behavior. In this embodiment, the side of the liquid-containing bag 20 that is oriented in the direction of the liquid passageway 154a is provided with a weak longitudinal seam 22, the breakdown of which may be expected to occur prior to the breakdown of the transverse seams 24.

Starting from the state shown in FIG. 3a, a pressure increase will again be achieved in the liquid-containing bag 20 of the second embodiment by the application of force to the finger supports 150a, 160a. When the actuating force is sufficiently high (approximately 20 Newton) and the internal pressure in the liquid-containing bag has consequently reached a sufficiently high level (approximately 4 bar), the longitudinal seam 22 breaks apart so that the liquid-containing bag 20 is ripped open at the top end thereof, as indicated by the reference numeral 22′ in FIG. 3c. This makes way for the flow of medium toward the discharge orifice 152b. The continued displacement of the subordinate units 150, 160 to achieve the state shown in FIG. 3d will thus cause the liquid to be discharged through the discharge orifice 152b.

In terms of production, this second embodiment is clearly more advantageous than the first, while the first embodiment ensures that all of the liquid 38 is discharged from the liquid-containing bag 20 to a fuller extent. One or other of the two embodiments can be selected depending on the respective application.

Claims

1. A discharging device for pharmaceutical liquids, comprising

an actuator (40, 140) to manually carrying out a discharging operation and

a liquid storage receptacle (20), in which said pharmaceutical liquid (38) is stored prior to said discharging operation,

wherein

said actuator (40, 140) comprises a first subordinate unit (50, 150) and a second subordinate unit (60, 160), said first subordinate unit (50, 150) of said actuator (40, 140) being provided with a discharge orifice (52b, 152b) and said second subordinate unit (60, 160) of said actuator (40, 140) being displaceable relatively to said first subordinate unit (50, 150) for the purpose of carrying out the discharging operation,

the two subordinate units (50, 60, 150, 160) of said actuator (40, 140) together delimit a buffer chamber (70, 170), from which a liquid passageway (54a, 154a) leads to said discharge orifice (52b, 152b),

said liquid storage receptacle (20) is adapted for accommodation in said buffer chamber (70, 170) and is in the form of a liquid-containing bag (20), whose walls (30, 32, 34) are in the form of film walls (30, 32, 34) that delimit an interior space filled with said liquid (38), and

said actuator (40, 140) and said liquid-containing bag (20) are coordinated in such a manner that a relative displacement of said subordinate units (50, 60, 150, 160) of said actuator (40, 140) in relation to each other causes

said liquid-containing bag (20) to be opened and

the volume of said buffer chamber (70) to be reduced with consequent volume reduction of said liquid-containing bag (20) and discharge of liquid (38) through said discharge orifice (52b, 152).

2. The discharging device as defined in claim 1, wherein a contact area, in which said two subordinate units (50, 60, 150, 160) bear against each other, is liquid-tight such that liquid can only pass from said buffer chamber (70, 170) to the environment of said discharging device via said discharge orifice (52b, 152b).

3. The discharging device as defined in claim 1, wherein

said liquid-containing bag (20) has an elongated shape,

the diameter of said liquid-containing bag (20) ranges from 3 mm to 10 mm and preferably from 4 mm to 6 mm,

the length of said liquid-containing bag (20) ranges from 10 mm to 30 mm and preferably from 15 mm to 25 mm, and/or

the internal volume of said liquid-containing bag (20) is below 1000 μl and preferably ranges from 100 μl to 500 μl.

4. The discharging device as defined in claim 1, characterized in that

said film wall (30, 32, 34) surrounding the interior space of said liquid-containing bag is of a homegenous nature and the liquid-containing bag (20) is preferably in the form of a continuously produced tubular bag.

5. The discharging device as defined in claim 1, wherein said film wall (30, 32, 34) is in the form of a diffusion-proof liquid-containing bag, particularly by means of

a coating (30b) on said film wall (30a), more particularly of metal, ceramics, and/or

a film wall (30, 32, 34) or a layer of said film wall (32, 34, 36) in the form of a film (30b) of metal, more particularly aluminum, or of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH).

6. The discharging device as defined in claim 1, wherein said actuator (140) and said liquid-containing bag (20) are matched in such a manner, that a relative displacement of said two subordinate units (150, 160) of said actuator (140) can cause a pressure increase in said liquid-containing bag (20), which, on application of an adequate force to press said two subordinate units (150, 160) against each other causes said liquid-containing bag (20) to burst, particularly in the region of a film wall or a seam (22).

7. The discharging device as defined in claim 1, wherein a sharp-edged opening means (56a) for opening said liquid-containing bag (20).

8. The discharging device as defined in claim 7, wherein said opening means (56a) is in the form of a hollow-needle (56) that is open at its distal end and communicates with said liquid passageway (54a), and preferably said hollow-needle (56)

has at least over a portion thereof a laterally disposed opening (56c) and/or

is tapered toward the distal end thereof over at least a portion thereof.

9. The discharging device as defined in claim 7, wherein a protective element (58) is associated with said opening means (56a) and is displaceable relatively to said opening means (56a) such that, in its safety position, it prevents said opening means (56a) from coming into contact with said liquid-containing bag (20), and which, in its functional position, gives said opening means (56a) freedom of movement.

10. The discharging device as defined in claim 9, wherein said protective element (58) is disposed and/or configured in such a manner that it can be moved from its safety position to its functional position by the application of force on said subordinate units (50, 60) of said actuator (40), provision being preferably made for this applied force to be transferred to said protective element (58) via said liquid-containing bag (20).

11. The discharging device as defined in claim 1, wherein said actuator (40, 140) and/or said liquid-containing bag (20) is configured in such a manner that said liquid-containing bag (20) is caused when said subordinate units (50, 60, 150, 160) are pressed together by an actuation force of at least 10 Newton and preferably by an actuation force ranging from 20 Newton to 30 Newton, provision being preferably made for said protective element (58) to be held in its safety position until said actuation force has been reached by means of at least one safety element (54b) exhibiting a predetermined break point.

12. A liquid-containing bag (20) for a discharging device for pharmaceutical liquids, the liquid-containing bag having walls (30, 32, 34) in the form of film walls (30, 32, 34) which delimit an interior space filled with a pharmaceutical liquid (38), said interior space having a volume of not more than 1000 μl and being filled with pharmaceutical liquid (38).

13. The liquid-containing bag as defined in claim 12, wherein the pharmaceutical liquid (38) is an inoculant or an analgesic.

14. The liquid-containing bag as defined in claim 12, wherein

said liquid-containing bag (20) has an elongated shape,

the diameter of said liquid-containing bag (20) is from 3 mm to 10 mm, and/or

the length of said liquid-containing bag (20) ranges from 10 mm to 30 mm.

15. The liquid-containing bag as defined in claim 12, wherein said liquid-containing bag (20) is in the form of a tubular bag.

16. A plurality of liquid-containing bags as defined in claim 12, wherein said liquid-containing bags (20) form a strip (10) of contiguous bags, and between each of said liquid-containing bags (20) there are provided perforations (26) that can be torn without the use of tools.

17. A liquid-containing bag (20) for a discharging device as defined in claim 1, wherein said walls (30, 32, 34) of said liquid-containing bag (20) are in the form of film walls (30, 32, 34), which delimit an interior space filled with a pharmaceutical liquid (38) and said interior space has a volume of not more than 1000 μl and, more particularly, a volume ranging from 100 μl to 500 μl, and said interior space is filled with said pharmaceutical liquid (38).

18. The liquid-containing bag as defined in claim 14, wherein the diameter of the liquid-containing bag is from 4 mm to 6 mm.

19. The liquid-containing bag as defined in claim 14, wherein the length of the liquid-containing bag ranges from 15 mm to 25 mm.

20. The liquid-containing bag as defined in claim 12, wherein said interior space has a volume ranging from 100 μl to 500 μl.