Fluid dispenser having a rigid vial and flexible inner bladder

• US 20020074362A1
• Filed: 10/23/2001
• Published: 06/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dr Py Institute LLC
• Original Assignee: Medical Instill Technologies Inc.
• Inventors: Py, Daniel, Ting, Joseph M.
• Granted Patent: US 6,761,286 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/388
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0008 Introducing ophthalmic products into the ocular cavity or retaining products therein putting in contact lenses A61F9/0061; introducing or retaining media in cavities of the body in general A61M31/00
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/0072 A valve member forming part of an outlet opening
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/0097 Means for filling or refilling the sprayer through additional openings in the container B05B11/0056
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/026 Membranes separating the content remaining in the container from the atmospheric air to compensate underpressure inside the container
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1004 comprising a movable cylinder and a stationary piston
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1074 located outside pump chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1077 characterised by a particular shape or material B05B11/1076 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1092 automatically released from a loaded state at the end of the loading stroke
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1094 having inlet or outlet valves not being actuated by pressure or having no inlet or outlet valve
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/245 Internal membrane, floating cover or the like isolating the contents from the ambient atmosphere loosely-attached linings B65D25/16; dispensing pistons B65D83/0005; flexible bags for expelling the contents B65D83/0055
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0055 Containers or packages provided with a flexible bag or a deformable membrane or diaphragm for expelling the contents

Abstract

A dispenser for dispensing a fluid includes a rigid vial that has a main fluid chamber containing a fluid, and a pump assembly that is in fluid communication with the main fluid chamber and is configured to dispense a predetermined quantity of fluid from the main fluid chamber. A flexible bladder is provided which is located within the main fluid chamber and is configured to expand to fill the ullage created within the main fluid chamber during dispensing of fluid by the pump assembly. The resilient bladder tends to force itself outwardly toward the rigid vial and, in turn, increases the pressure within the main fluid chamber in comparison to the interior of the bladder to thereby prevent the ingress of air or vapors through the bladder or otherwise into the main fluid chamber.

Claims

1. A dispenser for dispensing a fluid, comprising:

a rigid housing;

a flexible bladder mounted within the housing and defining an interior chamber within the flexible bladder, and a fluid-receiving chamber between the flexible bladder and the rigid housing; and

first means for creating a first pressure within the fluid-receiving chamber greater than a second pressure within the interior chamber of the bladder and thereby preventing the ingress of gases or vapors into the fluid-receiving chamber.

2. A dispenser as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a pump coupled in fluid communication with the fluid-receiving chamber for pumping a fluid received therein from the dispenser; and

a one-way valve coupled in fluid communication with the pump for allowing the passage of the pumped fluid therethrough and preventing the passage of fluids in the opposite direction.

3. A dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein the flexible bladder is movable between a collapsed condition upon filling the fluid-receiving chamber with a fluid and an expanded condition upon dispensing the fluid from the fluid-receiving chamber.

4. A dispenser as defined in claim 3, wherein the first means is formed by a resilient material of the bladder that flexes the bladder outwardly toward the expanded condition and thereby creates the first pressure within the fluid-receiving chamber greater than the second pressure in the interior chamber of the bladder.

5. A dispenser as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a seal formed between the flexible bladder and rigid vial for sealing the fluid-receiving chamber, wherein the seal includes a first protuberance extending radially outwardly on an outer surface of the flexible bladder, and a second protuberance axially spaced relative to the first protuberance and extending radially inwardly on an inner surface of the bladder, and the first and second protuberances are subject to radial compression to seal the interface between the flexible bladder and rigid vial.

6. A dispenser as defined in claim 5, wherein the first protuberance extends about an outer peripheral surface of the bladder and defines an outer annular sealing surface, and the second protuberance extends about an inner peripheral surface of the bladder and defines an inner annular sealing surface.

7. A dispenser as defined in claim 6, wherein the first protuberance defines a tapered surface for directing bladder material in approximately the direction of the second protuberance to thereby facilitate maintaining a fluid-tight seal in the event of bladder material creep.

8. A dispenser as defined in claim 7, wherein the tapered surface is curved.

9. A dispenser as defined in claim 5, wherein the seal further includes a peripheral flange extending about an open end of the bladder and subject to axial compression for further sealing the interface between the bladder and rigid vial.

10. A dispenser as defined in claim 5, further comprising a plug receivable within an open end of the rigid vial and engageable with at least one of the first and second protuberances for radially compressing the at least one protuberance to seal the interface between the flexible bladder and rigid vial.

11. A dispenser as defined in claim 10, wherein the plug defines an annular surface engageable with the second protuberance for radially compressing the second protuberance and thereby sealing the interface of the flexible bladder and rigid vial.

12. A dispenser as defined in claim 1, further comprising a plug receivable within an open end of the rigid vial.

13. A dispenser as defined in claim 12, further comprising a seal formed between the plug and rigid vial, and wherein the plug defines at least one aperture therethrough in fluid communication with the interior chamber of the flexible bladder.

14. A dispenser as defined in claim 13, further comprising a two-way valve coupled in fluid communication between the interior chamber of the flexible bladder and the aperture of the plug for preventing fluid communication between the interior chamber of the bladder and the ambient atmosphere when a pressure differential across the two-way valve is less than a threshold level.

15. A dispenser as defined in claim 14, wherein the two-way valve is formed by a flexible, annular protuberance extending radially inwardly from an inner peripheral surface of the flexible bladder and engageable with an annular surface of the plug to thereby seal the interface between the flexible bladder and plug.

16. A dispenser as defined in claim 15, wherein the annular protuberance defines axially-opposed surfaces that taper inwardly in the radial direction to facilitate flexing of the protuberance in response to a pressure differential across the protuberance exceeding a predetermined threshold level.

17. A dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein the flexible bladder defines at least one radially compressible sealing surface, and at least one axially compressible sealing surface axially spaced relative to the at least one radially compressible sealing surface for effecting both axially and radially directed seals.

18. A dispenser as defined in claim 17, wherein the flexible bladder defines two radially compressible sealing surfaces, and wherein a first radially compressible sealing surface is located on an external peripheral surface of the flexible bladder, and a second radially compressible sealing surface is located on an internal peripheral surface of the bladder, and the first and second radially compressible sealing surfaces are axially offset relative to each other.

19. A dispenser as defined in claim 18, wherein the first radially compressible sealing surface defines a tapered surface portion for directing bladder material in approximately the direction of the second radially compressible sealing surface to facilitate maintaining a fluid-tight seal in the event of bladder material creep.

20. A dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein the flexible bladder defines an open end and a closed end, and is movable between a collapsed condition and an expanded condition, wherein upon expansion of the flexible bladder from the collapsed condition into the expanded condition, the flexible bladder and rigid vial define an annular gap therebetween, and the annular gap defines an increasing width in the axial direction from the open end toward the closed end of the flexible bladder to facilitate the removal of fluid from the fluid-receiving chamber upon expansion of the flexible bladder.

21. A dispenser as defined in claim 20, wherein upon expansion of the flexible bladder from the collapsed condition into the expanded condition, the flexible bladder initially contacts the rigid vial adjacent to the open end of the flexible bladder, and the flexible bladder progressively engages the rigid vial in the axial direction from the open end toward the closed end of the flexible bladder with further expansion thereof.

22. A dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein the flexible bladder defines an external morphology in an expanded condition, the rigid vial defines an internal morphology, and the external and internal morphologies are substantially the same to thereby allow the flexible bladder to conformably contact the rigid vial and substantially eliminate any dead space in the fluid-receiving chamber therebetween.

23. A dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein the flexible bladder is made of a resilient material and defines an outer width in an expanded condition, the rigid vial defines an inner width, and the outer width of the bladder is at least equal to or greater than the inner width of the rigid vial to thereby allow the resilient bladder to exert pressure on the fluid-receiving chamber and rigid vial upon expanding into contact therewith.

24. A dispenser as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a piston; and

a slide for slidably receiving the piston therein, wherein at least one of the piston and the slide is reciprocable relative to the other, and the piston is made of a relatively hard material, the slide is made of a relatively soft material, and the piston flexes at least a portion of the slide outwardly upon moving at least one of the piston and the slide relative to the other.

25. A dispenser as defined in claim 24, wherein the piston and rigid vial are formed integral with each other as a single part.

26. A dispenser as defined in claim 24, further comprising a nozzle coupled in fluid communication with the slide for receiving fluid pumped therethrough by the piston, and wherein the nozzle and slide are formed integral with each other as a single part.

27. A dispenser as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a plug defining at least one peripheral protuberance;

and wherein the flexible bladder defines a peripheral flange, and the rigid vial defines an open end and a recess spaced axially inwardly from the open end, and wherein the peripheral flange of the flexible bladder is receivable within the recess for temporarily sealing the fluid-receiving chamber, and the at least one peripheral protuberance is receivable within the recess upon depressing the plug axially inwardly into the rigid vial to thereby secure the plug and bladder to the vial.

28. A dispenser as defined in claim 27, wherein upon engaging the at least one peripheral protuberance with the recess of the vial, the plug axially compresses the peripheral flange to seal the fluid-receiving chamber formed between the flexible bladder and rigid vial.

29. A dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein the flexible bladder is movable between an expanded condition and a predetermined collapsed condition, and the dispenser further comprises means for controlling the bladder to collapse into the predetermined collapsed condition.

30. A dispenser as defined in claim 29, wherein the means for controlling includes a plurality of legs extending axially inwardly into the interior chamber of the flexible bladder for conformably contacting the flexible bladder upon collapse thereof.

31. A dispenser as defined in claim 29, wherein the means for controlling includes at least one axially elongated surface discontinuity formed in the flexible bladder.

32. A dispenser as defined in claim 31, wherein the means for controlling further includes at least one axially elongated rib formed on the flexible bladder and angularly spaced relative to the at least one surface discontinuity.

33. A dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein the bladder is capable of being penetrated by a needle or like injection member for introducing a predetermined substance into the fluid-receiving chamber, and the bladder includes a first portion substantially infusible in response to the application of thermal energy thereto and compatible with the substance to be received within the fluid-receiving chamber, and a second portion overlying the first portion and fusible in response to the application of thermal energy thereto for forming a substantially fluid-tight seal between the flexible bladder and fluid-receiving chamber in a region thereof penetrable by the needle or like injection member.

34. A dispenser as defined in claim 33, wherein the second portion is formed of at least one of a thermoplastic and an elastomeric material.

35. A dispenser as defined in claim 33, wherein the first portion is formed of vulcanized rubber.

38. A dispenser as defined in claim 37, wherein the first means is defined by a flexible bladder mounted within the enclosure of the housing and defining the second fluid-receiving chamber within the flexible bladder, and the first fluid-receiving chamber between the flexible bladder and the rigid housing.

39. A dispenser as defined in claim 37, wherein the second means is formed by a resilient material of the first means that flexes the first means outwardly toward the expanded condition and thereby creates the first pressure within the first fluid-receiving chamber greater than the second pressure in the second fluid-receiving chamber.

40. A dispenser as defined in claim 37, further comprising means for controlling the first means to collapse into a predetermined collapsed condition.

36. A dispenser for dispensing a fluid, comprising:

a rigid housing;

a flexible bladder mounted within the housing and defining an interior chamber within the flexible bladder, and a fluid-receiving chamber between the flexible bladder and the rigid housing, wherein the flexible bladder is movable between a collapsed condition upon filling the fluid-receiving chamber with a fluid, and an expanded condition upon dispensing the fluid from the fluid-receiving chamber, and is formed of a resilient material that flexes the bladder outwardly toward the expanded condition and, in turn, creates a first pressure within the fluid-receiving chamber greater than a second pressure in the interior chamber of the bladder to thereby prevent the ingress of gases or vapors into the fluid-receiving chamber;

a pump coupled in fluid communication with the fluid-receiving chamber for pumping a fluid received therein from the dispenser; and

a one-way valve coupled in fluid communication with the pump for allowing the passage of the pumped fluid therethrough and preventing the passage of fluids in the opposite direction.

37. A dispenser for dispensing a fluid, comprising:

a rigid housing defining therein an enclosure;

first means mounted within the enclosure of the housing for forming an expandable and collapsible first fluid-receiving chamber on one side thereof, and an expandable and collapsible second fluid-receiving chamber on another side thereof;

second means for creating a first pressure within the first fluid-receiving chamber greater than a second pressure within the second fluid-receiving chamber and thereby preventing the ingress of gases or vapors into the first fluid-receiving chamber; and

third means coupled in fluid communication with the first fluid-receiving chamber for pumping fluid therefrom; and

fourth means coupled in fluid communication with the third means for allowing the fluid to be dispensed therefrom and preventing any fluid from flowing therethrough in the opposite direction.