US2837128A - Dropper assembly - Google Patents

Description

June 3, 1958 P. A. MARCHANT DROPPER ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 1, 1956 INVENTOR.

iu/ A. Mara/7am BY C jr/om/ United States Patent DROPPER ASSEMBLY This invention relates to droppers for liquid containers ind refers more particularly to a dropper engaged with he cap of the container which is sealed when the cap is :crewed on the container or otherwise fixed thereon.

. Anobject of theinvention is to provide a container cap lropper assembly comprising a pipette, a resilient bulb 1nd thecontainer cap wherein the bulb and container are Joth sealed when the cap is fixed on the. top of the con- :amer. i

Another object of the invention is to provide such a liquid container cap dropper assembly having an exceedlngly simple construction which permits the molding, of all the parts from suitable materials and which is easily and swiftly assembleable.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a liquid container cap dropper assembly having an extremely durable constructionwhich makes possible a .long life therefor despite heavy andcontinued use;

Another object of the invention is to provide such a liquid container cap dropper assembly which will permit the construction of all parts of the assembly of materials which will not deteriorate under chemical action of varied container contents, the use of these materials not sacrificing the functional'advantages provided by the unique dropper assembly construction. 1

Another object of the invention is to provide aliquid,

container cap dropper assembly which can be employed in combination with 'apipette and cap to hold a sealed charge within the assembly relative to the container liquids indefinitely for mixture withthe container contents 2 heavier, less resilient interengaging section of the pipette above the flange. Such thickening causes an increase in the outer diameter of the pipette above flange 14 to avoid any decrease of the diameter of the pipette bore. Circumferential bead 17, preferably substantially triangular in cross section, is formed on the thickenedportion 16 above the flange. The pipette is preferably made of a somewhat resilient, yet dimensionally stable material, such as polyethylene, as it is necessarythat the thickened engaging portion 16 of the pipette be slightly compressed in the interengagement of the parts one with the other yet be resilient enough to attempt to return or spring back to its original outside diameter.

Referring now to the central member of Fig. 1, the cap of the dropperassembly, the cap is generally designated at 18 andcomprises a top wall 19 having depending side walls 20. The side walls 20 are preferably interiorly threaded as at 21. Cap top wall 19 has hole, opening or orifice 22 therein having tapered upper edge 23 to facilitate the insertion of the bulb lower edge and the lower edge thereof formed inwardly so at 24 to provide a ledge of greater inner diameter than the inner diameter of the opening 22 in the cap top. The inner surface of the'cap top is also recessed as at 25 to form a well to receive the pipette flange 14 when the pipette thickened upper end 16 extends through the opening 22 and thus the ledge 24 lies within the recess 25. The internal diameter of the well 25 is preferably substantially equal to the outer diameter of the flange 14 and is preferably also of a depth substantially equal to the thickness of the flange 14 whereby when the flange 14 is positioned within the well, the thickened portion 16 of the pipette extends centrally through the 'opening 22. The diameter of the hole 22 in the cap is greater than the outer diameter of any part of 7 tends outwardly circumferentially from the side wall when the container is opened for use, this feature is provided by the unique inter-engaging sealing structure of the pipette, bulb and container cap comprising the assembly.

Other and further. objects of the invention will appear in the course of the following description thereof.

In the drawings, which form a part of the instant specification and, are ,to be read in conjunction therewith, an embodiment of the invention is shown and, in the various views, like numerals are employed toindicate like parts. I a

Fig. "1 is an explodedcross-sectional view showing the three parts of the dropper assembly disassembled and spaced relative one another prior to, assembly, all of the parts being shown sectionally.

Fig. 2 is a side view'with parts cut away and in section to illustrate the interengagement of the three parts of the assembly shown separate in Fig. 1 when assembled.

Referring to Fig. l, and especially to the lower element therein, at 10 is generally designated the wall of the drop- Pipette 10 has a lower discharge per assembly pipette.

end 11 having discharge orifice 12 extending therethrough pipette extends above the flange 14 and preferably .Ei's' thickened above the flange as shown at 16 to provide a 14 extends circumferentially outwardly' thereof. The lower edge of the flange is preferably of greater outer diameter than that ofthe upper edge to minimize the necessary total size of the bulb flange.- The outer diameter of the lower edge of the bulb flange is greater than the diameter of the opening 22 in the cap top 18 whereby the undersurface of flange 29 abuts the top surface of cap 18. The engaging portion of the bulb below the flange 29 is designated at 30 and is preferably slightly thickened to afford greater rigidity than the bulb wall above the flange which is to be squeezed to expel liquid from the dropper assembly. The outer diameter of bulb portion, 30 is slightly greater than the diameter of the cap top opening 22 wherebyit will beput under corncent thelower end thereof and preferably opposite flange 29. "The inside surface of'the bottom edge of the bulb 30 is preferably" slightly tapered to receive theu'pper engaging end 16 of the pipette. The bulb may be formed of like material as the pipette to-deforrn under applied force yet tend to return-to its original'shape. I

The length of the lower end 30 of-the bulb below the bottom surface of the flange 29 ispreferably slightly I greater than the thickness-of the cap-top from its upper" surface to. the. inner surface of the well 25. 1 The distance from .the lowe'r' edge 'of the groove .31 in the inside surface of thelbulb 26 tojthe lower edgeofxtheybulbis also preferably slightly greater than the distance from the underside of the bead 17 on the pipette 1t) Patented June 3, 1958 thereabove, the outer diameter of the flange being h.n...thc.-.b.ulb andpipette .are. forced. together. so. that..-

the bead 17 engages the groove 31, the bottornmost edge of the bulb 26 is forced laterally into the groove 24:.onrthe;.underiedge;.of,.the capperforation 22; This aids; ainathe rzsealing fit oft. the 1parts .-in addition to the engagement-..,of the flange l l with. the bottomsurface A of .the.we1l:-25. and the lowensurface of.- the bulb, flange 29-withthe,.top .surface. of.the.cap 18.' The distance betweentheupper surface of the pipette flange 14 and thenlowersurfaee.of the.v bulb flange. 29, when the partsxare.interengaged, .is. preferably. essentially equal to :the distance frcmythe surface. of .thewell 25. in the: captop. to .the;top,.surface.. of the cap top. itself. As.-

previouslynnoted; sincethe bulb-.26oitself-inits lowermostportionfioisof a greater outerdiameter than the inner diameter of the opening 22,. when'the bulb portion 30.is for ced withinthe openingZZ the-lower end of; the bulb..is;-placed-under, compression. The inner diameter of the bulb.,portion 3!).is also formed to be of a. lesser inner diameter, even when not engaged by the cap top, than the outer. diameter of the thickened pipette portion 16, both in the-bead portion 17 and the portion thereof below: the bead above the flange 14. The upper end.

161 of the, pipette is not only putinto compression when: the pipette andthe bulb are interengaged by the bulb itself, but also additionally by the compression exerted :on the. bulb lower end 30 by the cap. Thus,

a completersealingfit; is afforded. by the abutmentiof thebulb flange. .29 withthe top surface of the topofthe cap, the abutmentof the pipette flange14 withthe surface of the well 25, thelateral forcing of the lower end ofthe bulb 30 intoqthegroove 24 and the compression.

of the cap on the outer surface of the bulb and the inner surface of; the. bulb upon the outer surface. of the pipette.

The cap itself preferably isnof a greater rigidity than the upper portion of the pipette and the lower portion.

of the bulb whereby the bulb and pipette will be compressed and any distortion of form will take place in these .two members rather than the cap.

From the foregoing itwill be seen that this invention. is one well adapted, to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set. forth; together with other advantages which are obvious and -I which. arev inherent to. the

structure;

It willbeunderstood that certainfeatures and sub,- combinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to otherfeatures and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is withinthe scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof,..it

is to be understoodthat all matter hereinabove set forthv or shown in the accompanying drawings isto be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having .thusdescribedmy invention. .1 claim;

A 1. A; cap dropper assembly comprisinga pipette having, a. lower discharge; endand, an upper engaging end, a flange extending circumferentially outwardly;

from theouter surfaceof: the pipette adjacent but below the upper end thereof, engaging means adjacent the upperend of the pipette on theoutside surface thereof i above the flange, a: cap" comprising at top: having a depending circumferential container engaging rim,. a hole in. the, top. of the cap. said hole engageablehby the upper. end of the pipette above the flange, the internal diameter of the holegreater than the outerdiameter of the pipette above the flange, the flange onthe'pipette 1 having ;a greater diameter than the internal diameter; of the; hole.-in .the top, a squeeze bulb havinga closed upper end andan open-lower end,.-.the.bulb ,lower end; of ang-ninternal; diameter sufficient vrelativetythe pipette to perm-it engagement; of. :the .top of the pipette above-.1 the flange;..by--the...bulb, a radial flange onathe-outeesurface ::Of "the bulb adjacent the lower end'thereof but greater than -the--inner diameter-of the --caphole; and-- engaging means on the inner surface of the bulb coperable with the pipette engaging means to couple one with the other whereby the bulb flange. and the pipete flange will be positioned;.on opposite surfaces of the cap.

2. A dropper assembly as in claim 1 wherein the thickness of thetcap top is .less, than, the extension of; the pipetterabovetthe ,pipette flange...

3. A dropper as in claim 1 including a recesst'in the inside surfaceofthetop ofthe. cap circumferential to the hole therein whereby to receive the pipette flange.

4. A dropper as 1-.in-claim.3'wherein .the.recess is substantially the same diameter as the pipette flange.

5. A dropper as in'clairn 3 wherein the recess is substantially the depth ofithethickness of the pipette flange.

6. A dropper as. in. claim 1 including a recess in-theinside surface of the top 1 of the cap' circumferential to the hole therein, the thickness of the recessed portion of the top-being: less than the extensionof-the pipette above the pipette-flange.

7. Adropper assembly as inclaim 1 including'a recess-- in the inside surface of the-cap top circumferential to the hole therein on the inside surface thereof, the extension of the lower edge-ofthe bulb-below the bulb flangebeing greater than the thickness of the cap top in" thezrecessed area and also greater-than the distance be. tween the bulb flange and pipetteflan'ges when the. bulb and pipette are engaged whereby the bulbedge willbe forced laterally into the recesswhen'thebulbrand pipette are .engaged relative the cap.

8 Ajdropper assemblyas in claim 1 including a recess in the inside surface of the top-cap circumferential to the hole thereinwhereby to receive the flange, a -recessin the recessed area'circurnferentialto the hole inthe top cap, the lower edge of'the bulb-below the bulb fiangebeingofi greates -length than the thickness ofthe cap in i the area including the two recesses and longer than the distance between the'bulb flange and the pipette flange when the bulb and pipette are engaged whereby the lower edgeofthe-bulb is forced laterally-into the recess when thebulb and pipette are engaged. 9. Adropper as in claim 1 wherein the engaging means comprises a raised bead extending circumferentially aroundthe pipette adjacent the upper end thereof and above-the-flange andia-circumferential groove on the interior surface ofv the bulb adjacent the lower end thereof.

10. A dropperas in-claim 9 "wherein the'groovein the bulb is opposite the flange-therein.

11. A dropper as in claim 9 wherein the thickness of the-cap top is less than the height of the pipette above theflange thereof 12. Afdropperas inclaim 9 wherein the height of the pipette above the flange thereof is greater than the thick-.

15. A dropper as in claim 13 including aflange in the inside surface of the top cap adjacentthehole therein.

to receive ,.a portion v.of the bulb lower edge therein and a recess fcircumferentialto. this;first. named recess to i receive the pipette :flanger References Cit d in the file 'ofthis patent UNITED STATES-:JATENFFS- 1988;852 Miller tamzz. 1935

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