Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
  • G01F11/00—Apparatus requiring external operation adapted at each repeated and identical operation to measure and separate a predetermined volume of fluid or fluent solid material from a supply or container, without regard to weight, and to deliver it
  • G01F11/02—Apparatus requiring external operation adapted at each repeated and identical operation to measure and separate a predetermined volume of fluid or fluent solid material from a supply or container, without regard to weight, and to deliver it with measuring chambers which expand or contract during measurement
  • G01F11/021—Apparatus requiring external operation adapted at each repeated and identical operation to measure and separate a predetermined volume of fluid or fluent solid material from a supply or container, without regard to weight, and to deliver it with measuring chambers which expand or contract during measurement of the piston type
  • G01F11/025—Apparatus requiring external operation adapted at each repeated and identical operation to measure and separate a predetermined volume of fluid or fluent solid material from a supply or container, without regard to weight, and to deliver it with measuring chambers which expand or contract during measurement of the piston type with manually operated pistons
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
  • G01F11/00—Apparatus requiring external operation adapted at each repeated and identical operation to measure and separate a predetermined volume of fluid or fluent solid material from a supply or container, without regard to weight, and to deliver it
  • G01F11/02—Apparatus requiring external operation adapted at each repeated and identical operation to measure and separate a predetermined volume of fluid or fluent solid material from a supply or container, without regard to weight, and to deliver it with measuring chambers which expand or contract during measurement
  • G01F11/021—Apparatus requiring external operation adapted at each repeated and identical operation to measure and separate a predetermined volume of fluid or fluent solid material from a supply or container, without regard to weight, and to deliver it with measuring chambers which expand or contract during measurement of the piston type
  • G01F11/025—Apparatus requiring external operation adapted at each repeated and identical operation to measure and separate a predetermined volume of fluid or fluent solid material from a supply or container, without regard to weight, and to deliver it with measuring chambers which expand or contract during measurement of the piston type with manually operated pistons
  • G01F11/028—Apparatus requiring external operation adapted at each repeated and identical operation to measure and separate a predetermined volume of fluid or fluent solid material from a supply or container, without regard to weight, and to deliver it with measuring chambers which expand or contract during measurement of the piston type with manually operated pistons the dosing device being provided with a dip tube and fitted to a container, e.g. to a bottleneck

Definitions

• the present invention relates to the field of fluid dispensers, in particular to means for dispensing a defined volume of fluid from a container
• the present invention provides a means to solve some or all of these problems
• a fluid dispensing container comprising a reservoir for holding fluid in fluid connection with a chamber through a first valve means, the first valve means acting substantially to prevent fluid flow from the chamber to the reservoir but permitting fluid flow in the opposite direction, the chamber being divided into a first portion comprising the valve means and a second portion by a means of fluid seal, movable within the chamber from a first position to a second position, the positions defining a dispensing volume, the movable seal comprising a second valve means which acts substantially to prevent fluid flow from the first portion to the second portion but which will permit fluid flow in the opposite direction and a conduit fluidly connected from the second portion of the chamber to a fluid outlet from the device, the minimum volume of the second portion together with the conduit being greater than or equal to the dispensing volume.
• the chamber comprises a tube and the movable means comprises a piston slidable within the tube.
• the conduit may be attached to the piston such that movement of the conduit moves the piston between the first and second positions.
• the conduit is a second tube slidably mounted within a supporting structure.
• the supporting structure is constructed to fit in close frictional fit within the outlet of the fluid dispensing device.
• a dispensing device suitable for insertion into containers for fluid, the dispenser comprising a chamber comprising a first valve means mounted through an external wall of the device, the valve means acting substantially to prevent fluid flow to the inside of the chamber, but permitting flow in the opposite direction, the chamber being divided into a first portion comprising the valve means and a second portion by a means of a fluid seal, movable within the chamber from a first position to a second position the positions defining a dispensing volume, the movable seal comprising a second valve means which acts substantially to prevent fluid flow from the first portion to the second portion but which will permit fluid flow in the opposite direction, and a conduit in fluid connection with the second portion of the chamber the minimum volume of the second portion plus conduit being greater than or equal to the dispensing volume.
• the dispensing device for insertion into a conventional container for fluid are analogous to those for the fluid dispensing container given above.
• the maximum diameter of the device is small enough to fit through the neck of the container into which it is to be inserted.
• the length of the conduit should be sufficient that it protrudes from the container neck even when retracted into its first position.
• the supporting structure may be of a size to fit within the neck of the container and be held in place there by friction.
• the supporting structure has substantially the same diameter as (but just fractional less than) the inner diameter of the neck so that the supporting structure may be held in place by frictional contact alone.
• the container and device of the present invention can be used to dispense any suitable fluid not just liquids, for example powders or non-viscous liquids.
• the fluid is not too viscous.
• Preferred fluids to be dispensed include medicaments, (where dose is important) and oral hygiene products (e.g. mouthwashes).
• the invention is particularly advantageous for use by patients or users (e.g. the elderly or children) with difficulty accurately using prior art measuring devices such as measuring caps.
• the dispensing volume is greater than 5 ml as volumes larger than this can be dispensed most accurately with the device described herein.
• the maximum volume that can be dispensed by devices according to the invention is limited by the volume of the dispensing conduit (which in practise is limited by the height of the container) and the width of neck of the container if the device is to be inserted into a standard container. If the liquid dispensed is to be taken orally then a further limit on the width of the conduit is the average size of a human mouth.
• Typical volumes which can be dispensed according to the invention are from about 5 ml to about 100 ml, preferably about 10 ml to about 50 ml, more preferably about 30 ml.
• Figure 1 shows the dispensing insert of the invention in the first position
• Figure 2 shows the insert of the insert of the invention in the second position from which fluid can be dispensed
• Figures 3 and 4 show the components of the inserts shown in Figures 1 and 2;
• Figure 5 shows a sectional view of the valve shown in Figure 4;
• Figure 6 shows a sectional view of a bottle comprising the insert shown in Figures
• Example 2 describes two aspects of the present invention; a dispensing insert suitable for insertion into a bottle; and the bottle containing this insert.
• the bottle is only shown in Figure 6, but Figures 1 to 5 show features of the insert (without the bottle shown) which also apply to operation of bottle.
• FIGs 3 and 4 show separately an inner assembly (1) designed to slide within an outer assembly (11).
• Suitable materials for this embodiment comprises plastics such as polypropylene or PVC.
• Figure 3 shows the inner assembly (1) which comprises an inner tube (3) one end of which forms a protruding saucer shaped piston (5) with a rim (7) made from an elastically deformable, flexible resilient material (e.g. a suitable plastic).
• the circumferential wall of the inner tube (3) has a hole (9) positioned just above the saucer piston (5).
• Figure 4 shows the outer assembly (11) which comprises an outer tube (13) leading to a cylindrical chamber (15) defined by two transverse walls (17,19) and a cylindrical wall (21).
• the internal bore of the chamber (15) is substantially the same diameter as the saucer piston (5).
• the top transverse wall (17) that is adjacent the outer tube (13) is of substantially the same saucer shape as piston (5).
• the valve (23) is shown in more detail in Figure 5. It is constructed of a flexible material, such as a suitable plastic or rubber, forming a curved region with a slit opening (25). Liquid is allowed in through the slit (25) in the direction of the arrow A, but pressure against the slit (25) in the other direction forces the two halves of the slit (25) together, which prevents any liquid escaping from the chamber (23)
• the outer assembly (11) can be dimensioned to just fit within the neck of any suitable bottle.
• a region (29) of the internal bore of the outer tube (13) at the end near the chamber (15) is roughened to increase frictional contact between the inner (3) and outer tubes (13) in that region
• the region of roughness (29) provides an improved fluid resistant seal between the two tubes to reduce leakage of fluid from the insert during dispensing whilst still allowing relative sliding motion between the tubes
• a dispensing insert (31) is assembled by inserting the inner assembly (1) within the outer assembly (11) so inner tube (3) slides within outer tube (13). This can be achieved by constructing the outer assembly (11) without bottom transverse wall (19), inserting the inner assembly through the chamber (15) and then attaching the bottom wall (19) (for example by heat welding) to form a fluid retaining seal with the rest of chamber (15)
• the assembled insert (31 ) is shown in Figures 1 and 2.
• Figure 6 shows a dispensing bottle (33) in which the insert (33) is positioned with the bottle (33) and its narrow neck (35).
• the insert (31) is held in place by the frictional fit between web (27) and the neck (35)
• a removable cap (37) seals both the bottle neck (35) and the inner tube (3) when the bottle is not being used to prevent leakage of fluid.
• the dispensing insert (31 ) To operate the bottle dispenser, first the dispensing insert (31 ) must be primed from the storage / dispensing position shown in Figures 1 and 6 To prime the insert (31 ), the inner assembly (1 ) is pulled upwards by grasping the section of inner tube (3) that protrudes from the outer assembly (13) This slides inner tube
• the cap (37) is removed if necessary to reveal the open top of the inner tube (3)
• the user grips the section of the inner tube (3) that protrudes from the outer tube (13) and pulls the inner assembly (1) up slowly This action pushes the remaining liquid in the chamber (15) through the hole (9) and into the inner tube (3) It also acts to prime the chamber (15) as described above
• both the piston (5) and the top wall (17) of the chamber (15) form a seal preventing liquid entering the tube (3) from the bottle (33)
• the user places the protruding part of the tube (3) in the mouth or other receptacle and tilts the bottle (33) steadily until all the dose of liquid is removed from the inner tube (3). Should only one dose be required the user then returns the bottle (33) to vertical, pushes the inner tube (3) back to its storage position (see Figure 1) and replaces the cap (37). This produces an airtight seal to prevent any liquid leaving or foreign particles entering the liquid or the dispenser.

Landscapes

• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Containers And Packaging Bodies Having A Special Means To Remove Contents (AREA)
• Closures For Containers (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=10797556

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Family Cites Families (6)

• 1996
  • 1996-07-26 GB GBGB9615748.2A patent/GB9615748D0/en active Pending
• 1997
  • 1997-07-25 EP EP97940029A patent/EP0928282A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1997-07-25 AU AU42024/97A patent/AU4202497A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1997-07-25 WO PCT/EP1997/004056 patent/WO1998004494A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1997-07-28 ZA ZA9706693A patent/ZA976693B/xx unknown

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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