CN116744819A

CN116744819A - glass syringe dropper

Info

Publication number: CN116744819A
Application number: CN202180091459.5A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 金鎭钖; T·奥康纳; V·S·舍利加
Original assignee: LOreal SA
Current assignee: LOreal SA
Priority date: 2021-01-20
Filing date: 2021-01-20
Publication date: 2023-09-12
Also published as: KR20230154810A; JP2024503735A; FR3118883A1; WO2022155812A1

Abstract

A glass syringe drop tube, comprising: a top plunger (1); a body (2) made of glass; an inner cap (4); and an outer cap (3) which houses the inner cap (4), wherein the body (2) has a top end (21), a middle portion (22) and a bottom end (23), the top plunger (1) is removably connected to the top end (21), and the inner cap (4) and the outer cap (3) are removably connected to the bottom end (23), and wherein the top end (21) and the bottom end (23) can be opened and closed with air and liquid tight features for dispensing control without breaking open glass syringe droppers to access the interior of the glass syringe dropper.

Description

Glass syringe dropper

Technical Field

The invention relates to a glass syringe dropper.

Background

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.

Prior art patent document WO2011/114344A1 discloses a multi-dose glass cartridge for a homogeneous liquid drug solution for use with a needle/medical needle injector or medical drug delivery system for medical purposes. The top end of the multi-dose glass cartridge is closed and sealed with a rubber seal/aluminum cup. The bottom end is closed with a rubber stopper/piston. The homogeneous liquid drug is filled inside a hollow interior glass cylinder of the cartridge body. Such multi-dose glass cartridges must be used with needles that can pierce seals. Such a multi-dose glass cartridge of WO2011/114344A1 cannot be used for direct skin application. Furthermore, multi-dose glass cartridges cannot be used as a dropper for controlled flow. In document WO2011/114344A1, dose selection can only be achieved by a pierced medical needle syringe or by aspiration by a drug delivery system with a needle. Furthermore, such a closed system cannot be opened and reused for multiple uses.

Another conventional glass container generally includes a cylindrical glass body. Once the liquid has been introduced into the glass container, it is hermetically sealed by melting the material at some point. When a user wants to use the content in the glass container, he/she has to break the frangible points to break the glass container in order to allow the content to flow out of the container. Such "ampoule-type" containers cannot stand alone in an upright position and are difficult to access when removed from their box.

For example, prior art patent document WO2008/065221A1 discloses a glass receptacle comprising a cylindrical glass body. The cylindrical glass body has a long narrow neck on a first wall of the cylindrical glass body. The cylindrical glass body has a circular ring on a second wall opposite the first wall. The ring defines an opening and supports a seal of the opening. The long narrow neck is sealed by means of melting of the actual material. The glass reservoir is a two-piece tube system that is closed and completed by sealing with glass. The bottom end of the glass reservoir was closed with a rubber stopper/piston. Such glass reservoirs must be used with needles (e.g., medical needle-type injectors) that can pierce seals on the back side. Such a container made of glass in document WO2008/065221A1 is a storage container for medical drugs, which cannot be used for direct skin application. Its container does not have the function of a nozzle design and its glass end must be broken if it has to be used without a needle or medical injector. The glass reservoir cannot be used as a drop tube for controlled flow. Furthermore, the closure system cannot be opened and reused for multiple uses, and it is only sealed for use with a needle.

Generally, prior art glass ampoules have sealed ends. The user needs to break the glass end of the glass ampoule to access the product. When using ampoules containing drugs or the like, a shallow lesion is created on the necked down portion of the ampoule and then the ampoule's stem is separated from its body by the applied force and the stem cannot be bonded back to the body. Therefore, such prior art glass ampoules cannot be used multiple times.

Another conventional glass container allows a user to break a single neck of the glass container by breaking the laminate seal with a wedge element. Alternatively, the seal of the second base may be of a type that can be ruptured using a syringe needle, which allows the container to be used to store liquid for injection and transfer the liquid to the syringe without having to cut a glass neck. Such a container may be disposed in an upright position on the second base.

For example, prior art patent document US5948366a discloses a glass ampoule for containing a drug, a calibration liquid or a quality control liquid. The bottom of the glass ampoule is flat or concave towards the interior of the ampoule, the bottom area being shaped and/or coated so as to provide a predefined breaking site that can be mechanically broken with little effort. The glass ampoule of US5948366a must be broken at the time of use. Glass ampoules cannot be used as a drop tube for controlled flow. Furthermore, glass ampoules cannot be opened and reused for multiple uses.

Furthermore, US4826025a discloses an ampoule package, wherein the stem of the ampoule is wrapped with a heat-shrinkable film. At least the necked down portion of the ampoule is covered by a lower portion of the heat shrinkable film. In particular, the ampoule package of US4826025a comprises: an ampoule having a body, a stem attached to the body, and a necked-down portion between the stem and the body where the stem is detachably but integrally attached to the body; at and near the constriction, the ampoule narrows in cross-section; a heat-shrinkable film shrink-wrapped around the necked portion and around at least a portion of the stem and around the body and the region of the stem adjacent the necked portion to substantially conform the film to the ampoule when the film is shrink-wrapped around the ampoule. In use, the ampoule package may be cut. Thus, the ampoule package of US4826025a must be broken at the time of use. Ampoule packages cannot be used as droppers for controlled flow. And the ampoule package cannot be opened and reused for multiple uses.

The glass containers of the prior art cannot be used for direct skin application. Moreover, they cannot be used as a drop tube for controlled flow. Conventional closure systems cannot be opened and reused for multiple uses. Conventional glass containers must be pierced or broken by a needle.

In view of the deficiencies in the prior art, there is a need for a new glass syringe drop tube with controlled flow having a closure and dispensing system for multiple uses without breaking the container.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention provides a glass syringe dropper for skin care and scalp care applications that is beneficial for glass protection of formulations, such as ampoules or vials.

The body of the glass syringe dropper may be a glass tube. Both ends of the glass tube are open so that the glass tip does not need to be broken to access the interior of the glass syringe drop tube. One end may be a screw cap neck to mate with the dispensing actuator system and the other side a snap fit neck to facilitate removal and application of the press fit cap. There is no need to insert a medical needle injector to remove the product. The product is dispensed in a controlled manner by an actuator designed using a plunger.

The applicator head may be provided in one end. Two caps may be provided at both ends of the glass syringe dropper. The applicator head has a tip which may preferably be made of glass. The tip may have very small orifices and very long stroke orifices for controlled flow in very low viscosity serum, oil or cosmetic fluids by modifying custom tools using tube glass technology and nozzles.

In an embodiment, a bi-injected (bi-injected) inner cap, which may be a snap cap, has a flexible arm, which may be made of a thermoplastic resin, preferably PP (polypropylene), and a soft tip, which may be made of TPE/TPR (thermoplastic elastomer/thermoplastic rubber), to aid in the closure of the glass syringe. A snap bead ring may be provided on the glass tube. The small aperture is provided so as to have an airtight closure while having the possibility of multiple openings and closings. The snap bead ring on the glass may alternatively be designed as a threaded design for cooperation with the cap closure system. In embodiments, the top end of the glass syringe may have a screw cap closure for exchange closure, or a plunger system to facilitate drip-by-drip control.

With the structure of the present invention, which has a wide opening at the top end and a narrow outlet at the bottom end, there is no need to insert a medical needle syringe to remove the product. The product is dispensed in a controlled manner by an actuator designed using a plunger. In contrast to conventional glass ampules having a broken end which will have a sharp glass edge after breaking, the glass syringe dropper according to the invention can be manufactured with a rounded portion at the end, so that it can be used directly for skin contact.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a glass syringe drop tube having a one-piece body design with a controlled flow orifice.

It is another object of the present invention to allow a drip tube with a closed and dispensing system through a two-end open design.

These objects are achieved by means of a glass syringe dropper according to the present invention.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a glass syringe dropper includes: a top plunger; a main body made of glass; an inner cap; and an outer cap housing the inner cap, wherein the body has a top end, a middle portion, and a bottom end, the top plunger is removably connected to the top end, and the inner cap and the outer cap are removably connected to the bottom end, and wherein the top end and the bottom end can be opened and closed with gas and liquid tight features for dispensing control without breaking open the glass syringe drop tube to access the interior of the glass syringe drop tube.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the inner cap comprises an upper part and a lower part, wherein the lower part comprises a plurality of ribs for enhancing friction between the inner cap and the outer cap and holes for releasing air pressure during locking.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the upper part comprises a plurality of flexing arms and a plurality of fixing arms, and the flexing arms and the fixing arms are staggered with respect to each other, wherein the flexing arms are flexible and designed to snap the inner cap onto the bottom end of the main body, and wherein the fixing arms cooperate to hold the inner cap and the outer cap together such that they do not separate.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the bottom end has an orifice with a small diameter and a large length.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the ratio of the length of the orifice to the diameter of the orifice is greater than or equal to 4.3.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the diameter of the orifice is in the range of 1mm to 1.6mm and the length of the orifice is in the range of 7mm to 20 mm.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, inside the inner cap, there is an orifice sealing pin and a tube guiding sealing ring, wherein the tube guiding sealing ring extends around the orifice sealing pin and guides the bottom end of the body into place during assembly, wherein the orifice sealing pin is used to seal the orifice and the tube guiding sealing ring provides a secondary seal on the outside of the bottom end, and wherein the orifice sealing pin and the tube guiding sealing ring are made in one piece.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the bottom end comprises an upper section, a middle section and a lower section, wherein the upper section is a cylinder, the middle section is a snap bead ring with an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the upper section, and the flexing arm snaps the inner cap onto the middle section, and the lower section is a frustum with an outer diameter decreasing in a top-to-bottom direction.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is a funnel shape inside the upper and middle sections and its inner diameter decreases downwards along the inner surface, wherein the inner surface has an upper part with a constant inner diameter, a middle part with an arc shape and concave with respect to the axis of the funnel shape, and a lower part with an arc shape and convex with respect to the axis.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the inner diameter of the inner surface is in the range of 6mm to 8mm and at the intersection of the middle and lower part the inner diameter of the inner surface is in the range of 4mm to 6mm.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the tip is a threaded neck with an external thread that mates with an internal thread of the top plunger, and the tip and the body are made in one piece from glass.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the top plunger comprises a plunger button, a collar and a top cap, wherein the collar has a disc portion and a neck portion, and the disc portion has an outer diameter that is larger than the outer diameter of the top cap, the collar and the top cap being secured together as a retaining portion of the top plunger, the collar having an opening and the plunger button being inserted through the opening, the top cap having a hollow cavity communicating with the opening, the cavity for receiving the rubber bulb, and an O-ring being provided for sealing.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the plunger button is made of a thermoplastic resin material, the collar is made of a thermoplastic resin material, the top cap is made of a thermoplastic resin material, and the O-ring is made of a thermoplastic resin material.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the distance between the lower edge of the plunger button and the upper edge of the collar defines the stroke length, the inner volume of the rubber bulb defines the stroke volume, and the edge of the end of the bottom end is rounded so that it can be used directly for skin contact.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the inner cap is made of a thermoplastic resin material, and the outer cap is made of a thermoplastic resin material or made of a metal or alloy material.

Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

Drawings

The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary glass syringe drop tube according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary glass syringe drop tube according to the present invention, wherein the body is coupled to a top plunger and an outer cap.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an exemplary glass syringe drop tube according to the present invention with the outer cap removed.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an exemplary glass syringe drop tube according to the present invention with the top plunger removed.

Fig. 5 is a front view of the body of an exemplary glass syringe drop tube according to the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a partial view of the bottom end of the body of an exemplary glass syringe drop tube according to the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the bottom end of the body of an exemplary glass syringe drop tube according to the present invention.

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the bottom end of the body of an exemplary glass syringe drop tube according to the present invention.

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view of a body of an exemplary glass syringe drop tube in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view of a body of an exemplary glass syringe drop tube in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a body of an exemplary glass syringe drop tube according to the present invention.

Fig. 12 is an exploded view of an exemplary glass syringe drop tube according to the present invention.

Fig. 13 is an exploded view of an exemplary glass syringe drop tube according to the present invention.

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a top plunger of an exemplary glass syringe drop tube according to the present invention.

Fig. 15 shows the stroke of an exemplary glass syringe dropper according to the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of a nozzle and cap of an exemplary glass syringe drop tube according to the present invention.

Fig. 17 is a perspective view of an inner cap of an exemplary glass syringe drop tube according to the present invention.

Fig. 18 shows an inner cap of an exemplary glass syringe drop tube according to the present invention.

Fig. 19 shows the inner and outer caps of an exemplary glass syringe drop tube according to the present invention.

Detailed Description

The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses.

An all-glass body syringe dropper for skin care and scalp care applications is shown in fig. 1-3. The glass syringe dropper has a body that may be made of glass. The body of the glass syringe dropper is hollow for containing fluids such as water, serum, oil, and cosmetic fluids. The body of the glass syringe drop tube may be of one-piece glass body design. For example, the body may be a glass tube. Both ends of the glass tube are open so that the user does not need to break the glass ends.

In a preferred embodiment, the glass syringe dropper includes a top plunger 1, a body 2, an inner cap (as shown in fig. 12 and 19), and an outer cap 3. For example, the main body 2 is made of glass. Fig. 1 to 3 show several states of the glass syringe dropper. The left part of fig. 1 and fig. 2 show that the body 2 is connected to the top plunger 1 and covered by an outer cap 3 (the inner cap is contained within the outer cap 3). The middle part of fig. 1 and fig. 3 show that the body 2 is connected with the top plunger 1 and the outer cap 3 is removed, wherein the inner cap is contained within the outer cap 3 such that the inner cap is removed together with the outer cap 3. The right part of fig. 1 shows that after removal of the outer cap the button of the top plunger is pressed and the droplet is expelled.

As shown in fig. 1, when the glass syringe dropper is used after the outer cap is removed, the button of the top plunger of the glass syringe dropper is pressed and a dose is dispensed, which can be directly applied to the skin of a person. When the glass syringe dropper is not in use, the button is not depressed and the glass syringe dropper is covered and sealed by an outer cap containing an inner cap for sale, storage, transportation, etc.

Fig. 4 shows another state of the glass syringe dropper, in which the top plunger 1 is removed by, for example, unscrewing the top plunger 1, while the body 2 is still covered by the outer cap 3. In this state, the glass syringe dropper may be opened at one end and then refilled or refilled for multiple uses. The top plunger 1 can be screwed again onto the glass syringe dropper for the next use.

Fig. 5 shows the body of an exemplary glass syringe drop tube according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the body 2 is typically made of glass and comprises a top end 21, a middle portion 22 and a bottom end 23. The top end 21 of the body 2 may be a neck, preferably a threaded neck, the external threads of which are for a threaded closure fit, which fits the dispensing actuator system. The dispensing actuator system may be a top plunger, for example a top plunger 1 as shown in fig. 1 to 2 and 4. The top plunger has internal threads to match the external threads of the threaded neck. The dispensing actuator system may be coupled to the body in other suitable manners, such as mechanical fit, snap fit, and adhesive. In a preferred embodiment, the tip 21 may be part of the body 2 and integral with the body 2. For example, the tip 21 and the body 2 are made of glass as one piece. In a preferred embodiment, the bottom end 23 and the body 2 are made in one piece from glass. In a preferred embodiment, the top end 21, the body 2 and the bottom end 23 are made in one piece from glass.

Figure 6 shows the bottom end of the body in detail. The bottom end 23 of the body may act as a nozzle. In a preferred embodiment, bottom end 23 includes an upper section 231, a middle section 232, and a lower section 233. In this embodiment, the upper section 231 is a cylinder. The middle section 232 is a snap bead ring having an outer diameter that is greater than the outer diameter of the upper section 231. The lower section 233 is a frustum whose outer diameter gradually decreases in the top-to-bottom direction. With this design, the middle section 232 has an external function as a snap bead to externally mate with the press fit cap. The cap may be fixedly connected to the bottom end 23 by, for example, a press fit, an interference fit, or a mechanical fit. As an alternative closure system, the middle section of the bottom end of the main body may be designed with a threaded design for cooperation with the threads of the cap closure system, wherein the middle section has a threaded neck design for the capping function.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the bottom end of the body of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the bottom end in detail. The interior of the bottom end is hollow. Inside the upper section 231 and the middle section 232 as shown in this embodiment is a hollow funnel design, as shown in the circle of fig. 7. That is, there is a funnel shape inside the upper section 231 and the middle section 232, and its inner diameter decreases downward along the inner surface. As shown in the cross-sectional view of fig. 7, the inner surface has an upper portion 234, and the upper portion 234 has a constant inner diameter. The inner surface has a generally arcuate middle portion 235 that is concave relative to axis a and a generally arcuate lower portion 236 that is convex relative to axis a. The concave and convex arcuate inner surfaces form an "S". An aperture 237 extends from a terminal end of the lower portion 236.

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the bottom end of the body of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, indicating the dimensions of the corresponding parts. As shown in the embodiment of FIG. 8, the inner diameter D of the upper portion 234 ₂₃₄ In the range 6mm to 8mm or preferably 6.45mm to 7.51mm or preferably 6.98mm. At the intersection I of the middle and lower portions 235, 236 (i.e., the midpoint of the "S"), the horizontal cross-section is a circle, and the diameter D of the circle ₂₃₅ In the range of 4 to 6mm or preferably 4.61mm to 5.63mm or preferably 5.12mm. As shown in fig. 8, the orifice 237 has a very small diameter. Diameter D of orifice 237 ₂₃₇ Preferably in the range 1mm to 1.60mm or preferably 1.20mm to 1.55mm or preferably 1.40mm with a tolerance range of +/-0.30mm. And the orifice has a large length. Length L of orifice 237 ₂₃₇ Preferably in the range 7mm to 20mm or preferably 9.05mm to 14.95mm or preferably 11.45mm. Very small diameter D of orifice 237 ₂₃₇ And a large length L of orifice 237 ₂₃₇ Establishing flow of fluid viscosity liquids such as oil, water and other cosmetic fluids. In a preferred embodiment, this funnel design achieves a flow restriction, e.g. from 6.98mm to 5.12mm down to an orifice of e.g. 1.40mm diameter, which creates a restricted flow. Length L of orifice 237 ₂₃₇ Diameter D of orifice 237 ₂₃₇ Is defined as LD ratio, i.e. L ₂₃₇ /D ₂₃₇ . In a preferred embodiment, the LD ratio of orifice 237 is greater than or equal to 4.3, or preferably greater than or equal to 4.375. A large LD ratio will result in good drip control and good air tightness. With such LD ratios, the present invention can achieve a hermetic fit with the cap system to prevent any leakage under extreme conditions of vacuum pressure and temperature variation. For example, a glass syringe dropper according to the present invention can stabilize the drip control of a fluid product (e.g., water) for more than 1 minute once the cap is opened.

In a preferred embodiment, the intermediate section 232 (i.e., snap bead ring) has a maximum outer diameter De ₂₃₂ In the range 11mm to 14mm or preferably 11.90mm to 12.85mm or preferably 12.60mm with a tolerance range of +/-0.30mm. In the cross-sectional view of fig. 8, the edge of the intermediate section 232 (i.e., the snap bead ring) is preferably arcuate and has a radius R ₂₃₂ In the range of 1.5mm to 1.8mm or preferably 1.57mm to 1.69mm or preferably 1.63mm with a tolerance range of +/-0.30mm.

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view of a body of an exemplary glass syringe drop tube in accordance with the present invention. In a preferred embodiment, the total height H of the body 2 ₂ In the range of 100mm to 120mm or preferably 107.40mm to 116.20mm or preferably 113.20mm with a tolerance of +/-1.50mm. The outer diameter De of the intermediate portion 22 of the body 2 ₂₂ In the range 16mm to 18mm or preferably 16.60mm to 17.40mm or preferably 17mm with a tolerance range of +/-0.50mm. As described above, the intermediate section 232 (i.e., snap bead ring) has a maximum outer diameter De in the maximum cross-section ₂₃₂ . Height H from the maximum cross-section of the intermediate section 232 (e.g., the central cross-section of the intermediate section 232) to the terminal end of the bottom end 23 (e.g., the terminal end of the nozzle) ₂₃ In the range 11mm to 14mm or preferably 12.30mm to 13.66mm or preferably 12.98mm. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention,the size of the packaging of the glass syringe dropper may vary up to 35% of the overall size for different cosmetic products. That is, the size of the entire glass syringe dropper may vary from product to product, and the size may increase to at most 135% of the original size of the glass syringe dropper, and may also decrease to at most 65% of the original size of the glass syringe dropper.

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view of a body of an exemplary glass syringe drop tube in accordance with the present invention. In a preferred embodiment, the height H of the top end 21 of the body 2 ₂₁ In the range of 7mm to 9.50mm or preferably 7.96mm to 9.10mm or preferably 8.53mm with a tolerance range of +/-0.35mm. The distance S between the topmost part 211 of the tip 21 and the topmost edge 212 of the thread is in the range of 0.50mm to 1.50mm or preferably 0.75mm to 1.25mm or preferably 1mm. The edge of the topmost portion 211 of the apex 21 is rounded with a radius R ₂₁₁ In the range of 0.10mm to 0.45mm or preferably 0.20mm to 0.35mm or preferably 0.30mm. The lowermost portion 213 of the tip 21 is rounded with a radius R ₂₁₃ In the range of 0.50mm to 1.50mm or preferably 0.75mm to 1.25mm or preferably 1mm.

In a preferred embodiment, the upper edge 221 of the intermediate portion 22 of the body 2 is rounded with a radius R ₂₂₁ In the range 0.2 to 0.7mm or preferably 0.35mm to 0.60mm or preferably 0.50mm. The lower edge 222 of the intermediate portion 22 of the body 2 is rounded with a radius R ₂₂₂ In the range of 1mm to 2mm or preferably 1.25mm to 1.75mm or preferably 1.50mm.

In a preferred embodiment, the height H of the bottom end 23 of the body 2 ₂₃ In the range 16mm to 19mm or preferably 17mm to 18mm or preferably 17.50mm. The outer diameter De of the upper section 231 of the bottom end 23 ₂₃₁ In the range 9mm to 12mm or preferably 10mm to 11.20mm or preferably 10.60mm. The distance between the lower edge 222 of the intermediate portion 22 and the upper edge 238 of the intermediate section 232 is in the range 2.5mm to 3.5mm or preferably 2.75mm to 3.25mm or preferably 3mm. In other words, the height H of the upper section 231 of the bottom end 23 ₂₃₁ In the range of 2.5mm to 3.5mm or preferablyIn the range of 2.75mm to 3.25mm, or preferably 3mm. The bottommost portion 239 of the bottom end 23 (e.g., the tip of the nozzle) is rounded with a radius R ₂₃₉ In the range 0.5mm to 1.5mm or preferably 0.75mm to 1.25mm or preferably 1mm. Because the bottommost portion 239 of the bottom end 23 (e.g., the tip of the nozzle) is rounded and does not have sharp edges, the glass syringe dropper can be used directly for skin contact as compared to prior art glass ampules.

Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a body of an exemplary glass syringe drop tube according to the present invention. In a preferred embodiment, the height H of the intermediate portion 22 of the body 2 ₂₂ In the range 70mm to 90mm or preferably 79mm to 87mm or preferably 84.26mm. Wall thickness T of the intermediate portion 22 of the body 2 ₂₂ In the range of 1.00mm to 1.20mm or preferably 1.05mm to 1.15mm or preferably 1.10mm with a tolerance range of +/-0.10mm.

In a preferred embodiment, the maximum outer diameter Des of the tip 21 (i.e. the outer diameter Des of the thread on the tip 21) is in the range 13mm to 16mm or preferably 14mm to 15mm or preferably 14.50mm with a tolerance range of +/-0.30mm. The outer diameter Deb of the body of the tip 21 is in the range of 11mm to 14mm or preferably 12mm to 13mm or preferably 12.50mm with a tolerance range of +/-0.30mm. The inner diameter Db (e.g., diameter of the opening) of the body of the tip 21 is in the range of 9mm to 10mm or preferably 9.25mm to 9.75mm or preferably 9.50mm with a tolerance range of +/-0.40mm. The pitch P of the thread is in the range 3mm to 4mm or preferably 3.20mm to 3.62mm or preferably 3.41mm.

Fig. 12 is an exploded view of an exemplary glass syringe drop tube according to the present invention. The glass syringe dropper may include, from top to bottom: plunger button 11, collar 12, top cap 13, rubber ball 14, O-ring 15, body 2, inner cap 4 and outer cap 3. In a preferred embodiment, collar 12 and top cap 13 may be secured together as a retaining portion 16 of top plunger 1 by means such as welding, adhesive, threaded connection, interference fit, or the like. The resulting holding portion 16 of the top plunger 1 is shown in fig. 13. In a preferred embodiment, collar 12 has a disk portion 121 and a neck portion 122, and neck portion 122 of collar 12 is inserted and secured at one top thereof within an opening of top cap 13 to form retaining portion 16. The outer diameter of the disc portion 121 of the collar 12 is larger than the outer diameter of the top cap 13 so that the user can easily hold the holding portion 16 while pressing the plunger button 11 due to the larger disc portion. Collar 12 has an opening in disc portion 121 and a passageway extending from the opening and through disc portion 121 and neck portion 122. The plunger button 11 may be inserted through the opening and the passageway. As shown in fig. 14, the plunger button 11, collar 12 and top cap 13 together form the top plunger 1. The top cap 13 is preferably cylindrical and has a hollow cavity communicating with the passageway and the opening. The cavity is adapted to receive the rubber ball 14 and the rubber ball 14 is connected to the top end 21 of the body 2 at the open end of the rubber ball 14 by suitable means. In a preferred embodiment, an O-ring is used to seal the connection between rubber bulb 14 and top end 21 of body 2. Rubber bulb 14 may also be removed for refilling.

In a preferred embodiment, the plunger button 11 is made of a thermoplastic resin material, preferably PP (polypropylene) material; collar 12 is made of a thermoplastic resin material, preferably PP (polypropylene) material; the top cap 13 is made of a thermoplastic resin material, preferably PP (polypropylene) material; the rubber ball 14 is made of an NBR (nitrile rubber) material or a silicone rubber material; the O-ring 15 is made as an O-ring gasket made of a thermoplastic resin material, preferably a PE (polyethylene) material. In alternative embodiments, rubber spheres, preferably NBR spheres, may be configured with thicker or larger lower sections to act as O-rings. Thus, the O-ring may be eliminated. That is, the existing O-ring may be replaced with an NBR bulb having a lower section that acts as an O-ring. The rubber bulb 14 is elastic and airtight on the body. In use, the plunger button 11 is pressed and then the rubber ball 14 is pressed or compressed by the plunger button 11, so that the air within the rubber ball 14 is discharged and the fluid contained in the body 2 is pushed downward. In a preferred embodiment, rubber bulb 14 may be designed small enough to allow air to be expelled or released in a small volume, allowing for controlled dosing.Preferably, a maximum volume of 0.37ml (full stroke volume) can be deduced, which is very strong. A typical pressure stroke dispenses product droplets of about 0.2 to 0.25 ml. As shown in fig. 15, the distance between the lower edge of the plunger button 11 and the upper edge of the collar 12 defines a stroke length S _L . The internal volume of the rubber bulb 14 defines a stroke volume S _V . As shown in the embodiment of fig. 15, the full length between the lower edge of the plunger button 11 and the upper edge of the collar 12 may be the maximum stroke length, i.e. the extent to which the plunger button 11 is pressed to the point where the lower edge of the plunger button 11 contacts the upper edge of the collar 12, which corresponds to the maximum stroke volume. In use, the plunger button 11 may be depressed over the full length, or it may be depressed over a portion of the full length. When the plunger button 11 is pressed, the rubber ball 14 is pressed or compressed, and the fluid in the body 2 is discharged in the form of one or more drops. In alternative embodiments, the rubber balls may be replaced with balls made of an elastic material.

Returning to fig. 12, an o-ring is used to seal the body 2 of the glass syringe dropper, which may be in the form of a glass syringe tube. An inner cap 4 is provided inside the outer cap 3 for covering the bottom end (e.g., nozzle tip) of the main body 2.

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the bottom end and cap of an exemplary glass syringe drop tube according to the present invention. Fig. 16 shows the outline of the body (e.g., nozzle tip) and the hollow cavity and orifice 237 (e.g., thin diameter orifice) of the body 2. An intermediate section 232 (e.g., a snap bead ring) of the bottom end 23 of the body 2 is snap-fit with the flex arms 41 of the inner cap 4 for snap-fit closure. The inner cap 4 is contained within the outer cap 3.

In a preferred embodiment, the inner cap 4 has an orifice sealing pin 43 made of soft material for blocking the orifice to prevent fluid in the drip tube from leaking or flowing out. The inner cap 4 may be made of a double injection molded material (e.g., injection molded hard and soft materials). The double injection molding material may be two plastic materials that are sequentially molded together. The flexing arms 41 of the inner cap 4 snap fit with the intermediate section 232 and the rigid arms of the inner cap 4 are secured with the outer cap 3. In a preferred embodiment, the soft material is TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) or TPR (thermoplastic rubber).

Fig. 17 shows a perspective view of the inner cap of an exemplary glass syringe drop tube according to the present invention. The inner cap 4 includes an upper portion 40 and a lower portion 50. The lower portion 50 includes a plurality of ribs for enhancing friction between the inner cap 4 and the outer cap 3. The upper portion 40 includes a plurality of flexible arms 41 and a plurality of fixed arms 42. In a preferred embodiment, the flexing arms 41 and the securing arms 42 are interleaved with each other, i.e., flexing arms, securing arms. In other words, one flexure arm is positioned between two fixed arms, and one fixed arm is positioned between two flexure arms. The flexing arms 41 are flexible and are designed to bend slightly towards the central axis (not shown) in order to snap the inner cap 4 onto the middle section 232 of the body 2. Such flexible flexure arms may be used on high tolerance materials such as glass. In a preferred embodiment, the flexible arms are made of an elastic material such as TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) material and rubber. In another embodiment, the flexible arms are made of a flexible material. In another embodiment, the flexible arms are made of a thermoplastic resin material. These flexing arms 41 can work even when the glass tolerance is within +/-0.50mm. The flexing arms 41 allow for lower removal forces and lower applied forces, and at the same time the flexing arms 41 prevent unintended and unintentional disengagement.

Fig. 17 shows a preferred embodiment of the inner cap, wherein at smaller diameters 4 flex arms are found to be sufficient. In other embodiments, the number of flex arms may be in the range of 4 to 6 flex arms to work smoothly on a circular surface. The securing arms 42 (rigid arms) cooperate and hold the inner cap 4 and the outer cap 3 so that they do not separate when pulled to be removed from the body. Such a design may be realized with a material such as PP (polypropylene). The flexing arms help to remain securely on the middle section of the bottom end during unexpected angular forces on the cap, which helps to achieve higher removal forces in the event of unexpected and unintentional disengagement. In an embodiment, the fixed arm 42 may be higher than the flexure arm 41.

Fig. 18 shows a preferred embodiment of the inner cap. There is a hole 51 on the surface of the lower part 50 of the inner cap 4. The holes 51 help to release air pressure during locking of the inner and outer caps. Inside the inner cap 4 there is an orifice sealing pin 43 and a tube guiding sealing ring 44. A tube guide seal ring 44 extends around the orifice seal pin 43. Preferably, the orifice sealing pin 43 is located at the center of the circle of the tube guiding sealing ring 44.

The orifice sealing pin 43 is used to seal the orifice. The tube guide seal ring 44 guides the glass object (e.g., the bottom end of the body) into place during assembly or snapping of the glass object, and it also provides a secondary seal on the outer surface of the tip of the bottom end (e.g., the nozzle). The orifice sealing pin 43 and the tube guiding sealing ring 44 may be made in one piece. As shown in the embodiment of fig. 19, there is a base portion 45 provided on the inner surface of the bottom of the lower portion 50, and the orifice sealing pin 43 and the tube guiding sealing ring 44 extend upward from the base portion 45, and they are made in one piece, which may be made of a soft material of double injection molding, such as TPE (thermoplastic elastomer), TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) and rubber. The high tolerance of the glass orifice locking is achieved by a soft sealing material such as TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) which is double molded, wherein the soft pins achieve a tight seal on the glass. Soft materials are easily pressed to help seal even glass with high tolerances.

Fig. 19 shows the inner and outer caps of an exemplary glass syringe drop tube according to the present invention. The securing arms 42 of the inner cap 4 cooperate to lock with the outer cap 3. The inner cap 4 may be made of a thermoplastic resin material such as PP (polypropylene) material, PVC (polyvinyl chloride) material, and PS (polystyrene) material. The outer cap 3 may be made of a thermoplastic resin material such as PP (polypropylene) material, PVC (polyvinyl chloride) material, and PS (polystyrene) material. The outer cap 3 may also be made of a metal or alloy material. The flexure arm design is particularly done to achieve easy capping of the snap beads on the glass ends. Such a flex arm design helps to hold the cap very tightly when closed, but at the same time it also helps the user to open the cap easily and well.

Together, these components of the glass syringe dropper according to the present invention create a very restricted flow for very low viscosity and rheologically free flowing liquids. This design in the nozzle is also created to have an external function for the snap bead to externally fit the press fit cap. This design helps to create a good drop cut during dispensing. In contrast to glass ampoules with broken ends that eventually have sharp edges of glass after breaking, glass syringe droppers are manufactured with rounded portions so that it can be used directly for skin contact. Custom processing can be performed on the glass necking machine to achieve this design on materials such as glass, which achieves both this fine hole diameter and snap bead design. With the present invention it is possible to achieve an airtight fit with the cap system to prevent any leakage under extreme conditions of vacuum pressure and temperature variations. Once the cap is opened, it also stabilizes the drip control of the fluid product, such as water, for more than 1 minute.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein. This description is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the disclosure. The figures are not necessarily drawn to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention. As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, the various features illustrated and described with reference to any one drawing may be combined with features illustrated in one or more other drawings to produce embodiments that are not explicitly illustrated or described. The combination of the illustrated features provides representative embodiments for various applications. However, various combinations and modifications of the features consistent with the teachings of the present disclosure may be desired for particular applications or implementations.

Claims

1. A glass syringe dropper, comprising:

a top plunger;

a main body made of glass;

an inner cap; and

an outer cap which accommodates the inner cap,

wherein the body has a top end, a middle portion, and a bottom end, the top plunger is removably connected to the top end, and the inner cap and the outer cap are removably connected to the bottom end,

and wherein the top end and the bottom end are openable and closable with gas and liquid tight features for dispensing control without breaking open the glass syringe dropper to access the interior of the glass syringe dropper.

2. The glass syringe drop tube of claim 1, wherein the inner cap comprises an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the lower portion comprises a plurality of ribs for enhancing friction between the inner cap and the outer cap and holes for releasing air pressure during locking.

3. The glass syringe drop tube of claim 2, wherein the upper portion comprises a plurality of flex arms and a plurality of securing arms, and the flex arms and securing arms are staggered with respect to one another, wherein the flex arms are flexible and are designed to snap the inner cap onto the bottom end of the body, and wherein the securing arms cooperate to hold the inner cap and outer cap together such that they do not separate.

4. The glass syringe drop tube of claim 1, wherein the bottom end has an orifice having a small diameter and a large length.

5. The glass syringe drop tube of claim 4, wherein a ratio of a length of the orifice to a diameter of the orifice is greater than or equal to 4.3.

6. The glass syringe drop tube of claim 4, wherein the aperture has a diameter in the range of 1mm to 1.6mm and a length in the range of 7mm to 20 mm.

7. The glass syringe drop tube of claim 4, wherein inside the inner cap there is an orifice sealing pin and a tube guiding sealing ring, wherein the tube guiding sealing ring extends around the orifice sealing pin and guides the bottom end of the body into place during assembly, wherein the orifice sealing pin is used to seal the orifice and the tube guiding sealing ring provides a secondary seal on the outside of the bottom end, and wherein the orifice sealing pin and the tube guiding sealing ring are made in one piece.

8. The glass syringe drop tube of claim 3, wherein the bottom end comprises an upper section, a middle section, and a lower section, wherein the upper section is a cylinder, the middle section is a snap bead ring having an outer diameter that is greater than an outer diameter of the upper section, and the flex arms snap the inner cap onto the middle section, and the lower section is a frustum having an outer diameter that gradually decreases in a top-to-bottom direction.

9. The glass syringe drop tube of claim 8, wherein there is a funnel shape inside the upper section and the middle section and its inner diameter decreases downward along an inner surface, wherein the inner surface has an upper portion with a constant inner diameter, a middle portion with an arc shape and concave shape relative to an axis of the funnel shape, and a lower portion with an arc shape and convex shape relative to the axis.

10. The glass syringe drop tube of claim 9, wherein the constant inner diameter of the upper portion is in the range of 6mm to 8mm and the inner diameter of the inner surface is in the range of 4mm to 6mm at the intersection of the middle portion and the lower portion.

11. The glass syringe drop tube of claim 1, wherein the tip is a threaded neck having external threads that mate with internal threads of the top plunger, and the tip and the body are made of glass as one piece.

12. The glass syringe drop tube of claim 1, wherein the top plunger comprises a plunger button, a collar and a top cap, wherein the collar has a disk portion and a neck portion, and the disk portion has an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of the top cap, the collar and top cap being secured together as a retaining portion of the top plunger, the collar having an opening and the plunger button being inserted through the opening, the top cap having a hollow cavity in communication with the opening, the cavity for receiving a rubber bulb, and an O-ring being provided for sealing.

13. The glass syringe drop tube of claim 12, wherein the plunger button is made of a thermoplastic resin material, the collar is made of a thermoplastic resin material, the overcap is made of a thermoplastic resin material, and the O-ring is made of a thermoplastic resin material.

14. The glass syringe drop tube of claim 12, wherein a distance between a lower edge of the plunger button and an upper edge of the collar defines a stroke length, an interior volume of the rubber bulb defines a stroke volume, and an edge of a distal end of the bottom end is rounded so that it can be used directly for skin contact.

15. The glass syringe dropper of claim 1, wherein the inner cap is made of a thermoplastic resin material and the outer cap is made of a thermoplastic resin material or a metal or alloy material.