SQUEEZE BOTTLE FOR SINUS CAVITY RINSE

• US 20110139826A1
• Filed: 12/16/2010
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Water Pik Incorporated (Church & Dwight Company Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Water Pik Incorporated (Church & Dwight Company Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hair, Kenneth A., Taylor, Kurt M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,991,660 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/214
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/32 Containers adapted to be temporarily deformed by external pressure to expel contents B65D47/2018, B65D83/0055 take precedence ; containers for pharmaceutical purposes A61J1/20, A61M5/19; containers with disinfecting linings A61L2/00; liquid sprayers B05B; oil cans F16N3/00

Abstract

A vessel for use in rinsing a user'"'"'s nasal cavity provides a resiliently collapsible main body, a self-sealing nozzle that increases in internal pressure when the vessel is squeezed, and a check valve in the nozzle to reduce back-wash into the vessel. A collar connects the nozzle and check valve to the main body. The check valve includes a first opening that provides fluid communication between the main body and a void formed in an interior of the nozzle and may allow pressure within the nozzle to increase upon deforming the main body. A second opening may provide fluid communication between an exterior of the main body and a fluid reservoir formed in the main body. The second opening may cooperate with a valve that allows selective fluid communication between the exterior of the main body and the reservoir formed in the main body.

Claims

1. An article for rinsing a user'"'"'s nasal cavity comprising

a main body defining a reservoir for receiving a liquid, the main body having resiliently deformable walls, the main body having an upper opening defined by a rim;

a nozzle having an outer wall forming a tip and defining an aperture formed therein, an inner wall forming a fluid passageway in communication with the aperture and extending inside the outer wall, a void space being formed between the outer wall and the inner wall;

a check valve housing in fluid communication with the nozzle and a liquid delivery tube extending into the reservoir;

a collar removably connectable with the upper opening of the main body, the collar coupling the nozzle and the check valve to the upper opening of the main body when the collar is connected with the upper opening;

a first opening formed through the check valve housing to allow communication between the reservoir of the main body and the void space in the nozzle;

a second opening formed through the check valve housing to allow fluid communication between the exterior of the main body with the reservoir of the main body; and

a valve associated with the second opening to allow fluid to flow from an area exterior to the main body into the reservoir.

2. The article of claim 1, wherein the outer wall of the nozzle is faceted.

3. The article of claim 1, wherein

deformation of the resiliently deformable walls of the main body causes fluid in the cavity to flow through the first opening and into the void space to increase the pressure in the void space;

and

reformation of the resiliently deformable walls of the main body after deformation causes the fluid in the void space to return to the cavity in the main body, and allows fluid to flow from the exterior, past the valve into the cavity.

4. The article of claim 3, wherein as the main body is reformed, the valve allows fluid to flow from an area exterior to the main body through the second opening and into the reservoir.

5. The article of claim 3, wherein

the check valve housing defines a fluid passageway having an upper opening and a lower opening;

the upper opening is in communication with the bottom edge of the inner wall of the nozzle, the fluid passageway in the check valve housing having a ball member seated therein, the lower opening in fluid communication with the liquid delivery tube.

6. The article of claim 5, wherein deformation of the resiliently deformable walls of the main body causes fluid in the cavity to flow through the liquid delivery tube and the fluid pushes the ball member out of a seated position and up against a retention structure, thereby allowing fluid to flow out the aperture of the nozzle.

7. The article of claim 6, wherein when the main body is not being deformed, a pressure of the fluid on the ball member is relieved an allows the ball member to move back down into the seated position thereby preventing fluids from flowing from the upper opening into the lower opening.

8. The article of claim 5, wherein the collar connects with the upper opening of the main body and causes a bottom edge of the outer wall of the nozzle and the check valve housing to form a seal with the rim of the upper opening.

9. The article of claim 8, wherein the outer wall of the nozzle forms a recessed groove proximate the bottom edge, the recessed groove receiving a radially inwardly extending shoulder of the collar.

10. The article of claim 1, wherein

the valve is in a closed position as the resiliently deformable walls are moved into a deformed position;

and

during reformation of the resiliently deformable walls from the deformed position, the valve is open to allow fluid flow from the void space into the main body.

11. The article of claim 10, wherein the valve is in a closed position after the resiliently deformable walls have moved to a reformed position from the deformed position.

12. The article of claim 1, wherein the first opening is discrete from the second opening.

13. The article of claim 12, wherein the first opening extends axially through the check valve housing.

14. The article of claim 12, wherein the second opening formed through the check valve housing includes an opening radially extending into the check valve housing and an axially extending inflation port forming a continuous passageway with the radially extending opening.

15. The article of claim 14, wherein the valve seals the inflation port during fluid flow out of the nozzle aperture.

16. The article of claim 1, wherein the collar is in a threaded engagement with the main body and a void space is formed between the threads at the exterior of the main body such that the second opening allows fluid communication between the void space and the reservoir of the main body.

17. An article for rinsing a user'"'"'s nasal cavity comprising

a main body defining a reservoir for receiving a liquid, the main body having resiliently deformable walls and an upper opening defined by a rim;

a nozzle having an outer wall forming a tip and defining an aperture formed therein, an inner wall forming a fluid passageway in communication with the aperture and extending inside the outer wall, and a void space being formed between the outer wall and the inner wall;

a check valve housing in fluid communication with the nozzle and a liquid delivery tube extending into the reservoir;

a first opening formed through the check valve housing to allow communication between the reservoir of the main body and the void space in the nozzle;

wherein deformation of the resiliently deformable walls of the main body causes fluid in the cavity to flow through the first opening and into the void space to increase the pressure in the void space.

18. The article of claim 17, wherein reformation of the resiliently deformable walls of the main body after deformation causes the fluid in the void space to return to the cavity in the main body.

19. The article of claim 17, further comprising

a second opening formed through the check valve housing to allow fluid communication between the exterior of the main body with the reservoir of the main body;

and

a valve associated with the second opening to allow fluid to flow from an area exterior to the main body into the reservoir;

wherein reformation of the resiliently deformable walls of the main body after deformation allows fluid to flow from the exterior, past the second opening and the valve into the cavity.

20. The article of claim 17, wherein the outer wall of the nozzle is faceted.