WO2001008993A1

WO2001008993A1 - Dropper bottle

Info

Publication number: WO2001008993A1
Application number: PCT/US2000/009118
Authority: WO
Inventors: William E. Mccune; Don A. Clements
Original assignee: Alcon Laboratories, Inc.
Priority date: 1999-07-28
Filing date: 2000-04-06
Publication date: 2001-02-08
Also published as: AU4075300A

Abstract

A dropper bottle having a molded, one-piece, hollow body (12) that is open on one end and contains an integrally molded dispensing button (20) in the bottom of the body opposite the open end. A dropper (14), or any other desired dispensing tip, is inserted into the open end of the body to seal shut the hollow body. The dispensing button is sized and shaped so as to dispense a controlled amount of a medicament or other fluid from the dispensing tip when the button is depressed.

Description

DROPPER BOTTLE

Background of the Invention

This invention relates generally to bottles for pharmaceutical products and more particularly to a dropper bottle for dispensing ophthalmic and otic pharmaceutical preparations. Small dropper or spray bottles have been used for many years to dispense small, controlled amounts of a medicament to the eyes, ears and nose. For example, Spanish Patent No. 120,763 discloses a small bottle having a dropper tip and flexible sides. Individual drops of the contents of the bottle may be dispensed by squeezing the sides of the bottle. This bottle, however, is easy to over-squeeze, and dispensing exactly one drop can be difficult. Another dropper bottle is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and is sold in Japan by Seiko.

While the Seiko bottle is easier to use, it is manufactured from several different parts, making it difficult and expensive to manufacture.

Therefore, a need continues to exist for an inexpensive dropper bottle that is easy to manufacture and use.

Brief Summary of the Invention

The present invention improves upon the prior art by providing a dropper bottle having a molded, one-piece, hollow body that is open on one end and contains an integrally molded dispensing button in the bottom of the body opposite the open end. A dropper, or any other desired dispensing tip, is inserted into the open end of the body to seal shut the hollow body. The dispensing button is sized and shaped so as to dispense a controlled amount of a medicament or other fluid from the dispensing tip when the button is depressed.

Accordingly, one objective of the present invention is to provide a dropper bottle having an integral dispensing button.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a dropper bottle that easily dispenses a controlled amount of a medicament.

These and other advantages and objectives of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description and claims that follow.

Brief Description of the Drawings

FIG. 1 is an expanded perspective view of a prior art dropper bottle.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the prior art dropper bottle illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an expanded perspective view of the dropper bottle of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the assembled dropper bottle of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the dropper bottle of the present invention, taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 4.

Detailed Description of the Invention

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, prior art bottle 110 generally includes body 112 having an integral dropper tip 114, cap 116, dispensing button 118 and dispensing button retainer 120. Button 118 is made from polypropylene or blended elastomers and 118 must be assembled with retainer 120 onto body 112, increasing the complexity and cost of manufacture.

As best seen in FIGS. 3-5, bottle 10 of the present invention generally includes hollow body 12, dispenser plug 14 and cap 16, that can all be molded from any suitable material, but plastics such as high density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polypropylene (PP) are preferred. Body 12 may be of any suitable size and shape, but has open end 18, into which plug 14 fits and a closed bottom opposite open end 18 by integrally molded button dispenser 20 opposite end 18. Plug 14 and dispenser 20 create closed interior 22 in body 12.

Body 12 may contain ridge 28 that provides a seat for cap 16 as well as a finger grip for the user of bottle 10. Plug 14 may contain seal 30 and seating flange 32 to help seal open end 18 of body 12 water-tight.

Cap 16 is generally sized and shaped to fit over plug 14 and contains internal thread 24 that engages external thread 26 on body 12 in the manner described below. Cap 16 may also contain a tamper-evident seal (not shown).

Dispenser 20 is sized and shaped to be easily depressed (for example, 350 grams/millimeter of force) and to dispense a controlled amount of a medicament or other liquid out of plug 14 (for example, 35 microliters). Body 12 contains skirt 23 that extends around and past dispenser 20 so that bottle 10 will sit upright on skirt 23 and dispenser 20 does not contact the surface on which bottle 10 is sitting.

This description is given for purposes of illustration and explanation. It will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art that changes and modifications may be made to the invention described above without departing from its scope or spirit.

Claims

We claim:

1. A bottle, comprising: a) a hollow body having an open end; b) a button dispenser integrally formed on the body opposite the open end, the button dispenser forming a closed bottom on the body; c) a dispensing plug sized and shaped to fit in the open end of the body; and d) a cap sized and shaped to be received over the dispensing plug.

2. The bottle of claim 1 wherein the body further comprises a skirt that extends around and past the button dispenser.