Unitary tubular storage receptacle with restricted fluid dispensing control passage

• US 4,572,224 A
• Filed: 10/24/1984
• Issued: 02/25/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: W Braun Company 300 N Canal St
• Original Assignee: W Braun Company
• Inventors: Rosenwinkel, Karen W., Jinks, Jerry R.
• Primary Examiner(s): McNeill, Gregory E.
• Application Number:
  US06/664,161
• Time in Patent Office: 489 Days
• Field of Search: 132/88.5, 132/88.7, 132/85, 401/122, 15/257.05
• US Class Current: 132/218
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 34/046 comprising a wiper

Abstract

A unitary, integrally-formed, tubular receptacle serving as a storage receptacle from which fluid or fluid-like material is retrieved and applied by means of an insertable rod-like wand. The receptacle includes a container body of an elongated tubular configuration and integrally connected at its upper open end by means of an annular washer-like flange to a neck of substantially reduced diameter and defining a restricted internal passage having a radially inwardly directed annular wiping ring. The neck opens upwardly into a dish-like open-end throat having a curved lower sector defining a downwardly and inwardly directed wall surface serving as a guideway for entry of a wand downwardly through the restricted passage and also as a drain for facilitating return of excess wand-carried fluid material to the storage reservoir of the receptacle.

Claims

1. A receptacle for the storage of fluid and fluid-like preparations to be dispensed therefrom by means of a rod-like dispensing and applicator wand adapted to be protectively and sealingly retained within said receptacle during periods of non-use,

said receptacle being of a unitary configuration defining integrally-formed, lineally-arrayed, coaxial components including a base consisting of an elongated, open top reservoir of a lineal depth to receive and to house therewithin substantially the full length of a wand for dispensing materials stored in said reservoir,

a neck portion of said receptacle and means supporting said neck portion to surrmount said reservoir,

said neck portion defining a substantially reduced access opening into said reservoir,

said means supporting said neck portion comprising flange means surmounting and integrally formed with said reservoir and said neck portion of said receptacle and interposed therebetween for coupling said neck portion of said receptacle to said reservoir,

said flange means including an annular shoulder portion extending generally normally of a principal bounding vertical, upstanding wall of said receptacle for providing a seal for sealing engagement with an abutting, downwardly-presented lower end face of closure means for capping said receptacle,

said neck portion having an outer diameter of an expanse significantly reduced as compared with a transverse dimension of said reservoir,

a generally cylindrical, open-ended mouth and throat assembly constituting a tubular section integrally formed with and surmounting said neck portion and defining an entry port for access into said reservoir,

said tubular section having an internal diameter greater than that of said neck portion and an outer diameter less than that of a transverse dimension of said reservoir,

said tubular section being integrally formed on an outer annular circumscribing wall thereof with thread means for coupling engagement with cooperating thread means carried by the closure means for said receptacle.

2. The structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said neck portion is integrally formed interiorly thereof with a radially inwardly projecting annular bead-like ring defining a restricted entry port into said reservoir for limiting the quantity of material retrievable from said container upon each successive withdrawal of a material-carrying wand therefrom.

3. The structure as set forth in claim 2 wherein said ring means is positioned in a zone of said neck portion intermediate vertically spaced upper and lower limits of said neck portion.

4. The structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein a lower portion of said tubular section defines interiorly thereof an inwardly curved, dish-like sector integrally joined at a narrowed base thereof to an upper edge of said neck portion of said receptacle,

said sector constituting lead-in guide means for directively guiding a wand through said neck portion and into said reservoir, and serving as drain-back conduit means for directing the turn of excess material to said reservoir upon accumulation of material in said sector.

5. The structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein the length dimension of said receptacle exceeds by a factor greater than ten the internal diameter of said restrictive entry portion into said reservoir.

6. The structure as set forth in claim 5 wherein said reservoir of said receptacle is about 21/2 inches long and has a diameter of about 5/8-inch, and wherein the internal diameter of said neck portion of said receptacle is about 0.17 inch.

7. A plastic receptacle molded as an integral, unitary structure devoid of fusedly joined and cemented components and devoid of structural inserts,

said receptacle comprising an elongated, vial-like, generally tubular reservoir,

a restricted neck section integrally joined to and surmounting said reservoir, and

a throat and mouth assembly integrally joined to said neck section at an upper end thereof,

said reservoir of said receptacle being of a length which exceeds by more than a factor of ten an internal diameter dimension of said neck section.

8. The structure as set forth in claim 7 and further comprising a radially inwardly directed annular bead integrally formed interiorly of said neck section on an inside wall thereof,

said bead comprising a limiting device for controlling the removal of material contained in said reservoir.

9. The structure as set forth in claim 8 wherein said bead is positioned lineally in a zone intermediate upper and lower limits of said neck section.

10. The structure as set forth in claim 9 wherein said bead is in a zone essentially midway between upper and lower limits of said neck section.