Dispenser

• US 20070057085A1
• Filed: 09/14/2005
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eli Lilly and Company, Aircom Manufacturing Inc. (Kimball Electronics, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Eli Lilly and Company, Aircom Manufacturing Inc. (Kimball Electronics, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lyon, Gregory, Trompen, Mick, Meyer, Jeffery
• Granted Patent: US 7,954,457 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 239/36
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/001 Ear-tags
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 13/003 Devices for applying insecticides or medication A01K27/007 takes precedence; for veterinary purposes A61D7/00
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 27/007 with insecticide-dispensing means

Abstract

A dispenser that delivers a small but consistent and sustained amount of fluid over an extended period of time, particularly useful but not limited to dispensing pesticides when worn by cattle. The dispenser has a shell having an opening. A reservoir is disposed in the shell and is saturated with a pesticide. A wick is in fluid communication with the reservoir. The wick extends through the opening and has a greater capillary attraction or wicking ability than the reservoir, whereby during use of the dispenser the wick draws fluid from the reservoir and deposits it upon contact.

Claims

1. A dispenser, comprising:

a shell having an opening;

means for attaching the dispenser to an animal;

a reservoir disposed in the shell and containing a liquid substance; and

a wick in fluid communication with the reservoir and positioned adjacent the opening, the wick having a greater capillary attraction than the reservoir, whereby during use of the dispenser the wick draws the liquid substance from the reservoir and deposits the liquid substance on an animal upon contact.

2. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the wick has a greater density than the reservoir.

3. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the wick is comprised of a different material than the reservoir.

4. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the wick has a smaller pore size than the reservoir.

5. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the reservoir is comprised of a material that retains the liquid substance through capillary forces.

6. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the wick and the reservoir are comprised of the same material.

7. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the shell comprises a sleeve that exerts a compressive force on the wick, whereby the compressive force increases the wick'"'"'s capillary attraction.

8. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the wick protrudes from the opening.

9. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the wick is substantially flush with the opening.

10. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the shell comprises a sleeve which defines the opening, the wick being disposed in the sleeve.

11. The dispenser of claim 10, wherein the wick is substantially flush with the opening.

12. The dispenser of claim 10, wherein the wick protrudes from the opening.

13. The dispenser of claim 10, further comprising a skirt extending from the shell, the skirt at least partially surrounding the sleeve.

14. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the wick and reservoir comprise a unitary material.

15. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the liquid substance is selected from the group consisting of medicaments, growth hormones, therapeutic agents, drugs, repellants, pheromones, pesticides, insecticides, scents, and combinations thereof.

16. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the attachment means comprises a flexible grommet.

17. The dispenser of claim 16, wherein the shell is substantially rigid.

18. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the substance is substantially nonvolatile.

19. The dispenser of claim 18, wherein the substance is a pesticide.

20. The dispenser of claim 19, wherein the pesticide is selected from the group consisting of spinosad lambdacyhalothrin, gamma-cyhalothrin, diazinon, coumaphos, cyfluthrin, and combinations thereof.

21. The dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a vent that allows air to enter the dispenser as the liquid substance is dispensed.

22. The dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of ribs extending interiorly from the shell, the ribs supporting the reservoir within the shell.

23. The dispenser of claim 22, further comprising a void between the reservoir and the shell.

24. The dispenser of claim 23, wherein the void comprises a plurality of voids.

25. The dispenser of claim 22, wherein at least one of the ribs of the plurality of ribs comprises a venting channel.

26. The dispenser of claim 22, wherein the plurality of ribs comprises at least two spaced ribs, each of the spaced ribs having a venting channel, the venting channels being aligned.

27. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the shell comprises a substantially cylindrical shape.

28. The dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a cap attached to the shell.

29. The dispenser of claim 28, further comprising a ring that circumscribes the shell and attaches the cap thereto.

30. The dispenser of claim 28, wherein the cap comprises a plurality of ribs extending therefrom, the ribs supporting the reservoir within the shell.

31. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the dispenser when full weighs no more than about 30 g.

32. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the wick comprises polyolefin.

33. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the reservoir comprises an acetal copolymer.

34. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein:

the liquid substance comprises two different liquids, the reservoir comprises two reservoirs, the shell defines a divider that separates the two reservoirs, each reservoir being saturated with a respective one of the substances; and

the wick comprises two wicks, each wick being in fluid communication with a respective one of the reservoirs.

35. The dispenser of claim 34, wherein one of the liquid substances comprises a pesticide.

36. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the rate of dose delivery by the wick is substantially independent of the amount of liquid substance contained in the reservoir.

37. A pesticide dispenser for dispensing pesticide on an animal, comprising:

a shell having an attachment member adapted for attaching the dispenser to the animal, the shell defining an opening;

a reservoir disposed in the shell, the reservoir comprising a porous material that contains the pesticide; and

a wick in fluid communication with the reservoir and positioned adjacent the opening;

wherein the rate of dose delivery from the wick remains substantially constant as the supply of the pesticide within the dispenser is depleted.

38. The pesticide dispenser of claim 37, where the wick has a greater capillary attraction than the reservoir, whereby during use of the dispenser the wick is adapted to draw pesticide from the reservoir and deposits the pesticide on the animal upon contact.

39. The pesticide dispenser of claim 37, further comprising a sleeve extending therefrom and terminating in the opening.

40. The pesticide dispenser of claim 39, further comprising a skit extending from the shell, the skirt at least partially surrounding the sleeve.

41. The pesticide dispenser of claim 37, wherein the wick and reservoir comprise a unitary material.

42. The pesticide dispenser of claim 37, wherein the wick is in abutting relationship with the reservoir.

43. The pesticide dispenser of claim 37, wherein the pesticide is substantially nonvolatile.

44. The pesticide dispenser of claim 37, further comprising a vent that allows air to enter the dispenser as pesticide is dispensed.

45. The pesticide dispenser of claim 37, further comprising a plurality of ribs extending interiorly of the shell, the ribs supporting the reservoir within the shell.

46. The pesticide dispenser of claim 37, further comprising a void between the reservoir and the shell.

47. The pesticide dispenser of claim 46, wherein the void comprises a plurality of voids.

48. The pesticide dispenser of claim 37, further comprising a plurality of ribs extending inwardly from the shell and supporting the reservoir, at least two ribs of the plurality of ribs having aligned venting channels.

49. The pesticide dispenser of claim 37, wherein the shell comprises a substantially cylindrical shape.

50. The pesticide dispenser of claim 37, further comprising a cap attached to the shell.

51. The pesticide dispenser of claim 50, further comprising a ring that circumscribes the shell and attaches the cap thereto.

52. The pesticide dispenser of claim 50, wherein the cap comprises a plurality of ribs extending therefrom, the ribs abutting the reservoir.

53. The pesticide dispenser of claim 37, wherein the wick comprises polyolefin.

54. The pesticide dispenser of claim 37, wherein the reservoir comprises an acetal copolymer.

55. A method of dispensing a substance on an animal, comprising:

(a) providing a dispenser having a shell that defines an opening and a reservoir disposed in the shell, the reservoir containing the substance, and a wick in fluid communication with the reservoir;

(b) attaching the dispenser to the animal such that the wick of the dispenser can contact the animal as the animal moves; and

(c) allowing the animal to go about its normal activities, wherein the substance is dispensed from the dispenser onto the animal as the wick contacts the animal, and further wherein the rate of dose delivery by the wick is substantially independent of the amount of substance contained in the reservoir.

56. The method of claim 55, further comprising providing the wick with a greater capillary attraction than the reservoir.

57. The method of claim 56, further comprising exerting a compressive force on the wick to increase its capillary attraction.

58. The method of claim 55, wherein the wick continues to draw the substance from the reservoir and dispenses the substance until the dispenser is essentially depleted of the substance.

59. The method of claim 55, wherein the dispensing step continues for at least 30 days.

60. The method of claim 55, wherein the dispensing step continues for at least 120 days.

61. The method of claim 55, wherein the dispensing step continues for at least 180 days.

62. The method of claim 55, wherein the animal is a cow.

63. The method of claim 62, further comprising attaching the dispenser to the ear of the cow.

64. The method of claim 63, further comprising using a post and a grommet for the attachment.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein the substance comprises a pesticide.

66. The method of claim 55, wherein the substance comprises two different substances, the reservoir comprises two reservoirs separated from one another and each containing a respective one of the substances, and the wick comprises two wicks, each wick being in fluid communication with a respective one of the reservoirs and configured to allow contact with the animal.

67. The method of claim 66, wherein one of the substances comprises a pesticide.

68. The method of claim 55, wherein the reservoir comprises a porous material.

69. The method of claim 55, wherein the reservoir comprises a fibrous material.

70. The method of claim 55, wherein the reservoir and the wick both comprise porous materials capable of retaining the substance, further wherein the wick has a higher capillary attraction than the reservoir.