Disposable package for liquids

• US 4,871,091 A
• Filed: 09/29/1988
• Issued: 10/03/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mason-Keller
• Original Assignee: Mason-Keller Corporation
• Inventors: Preziosi, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Rolla, Joseph J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bollinger, David H.
• Application Number:
  US07/250,611
• Time in Patent Office: 369 Days
• Field of Search: 222/92, 222/107, 222/541, 222/420, 222/490, 222/206, 222/212, 222/215, 604/295, 604/310, 206/530, 206/532, 206/438, 206/484, 206/631, 206/633, 383/35, 383/59, 383/906, 383/107, D 9/302
• US Class Current: 222/92
• 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: B65D 75/32 one or both sheets or blanks being recessed to accommodate contents
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/5811 and defining, after tearing, a small dispensing spout, a small orifice or the like

Abstract

A package for shipping, storing and controlled dispensing of a unit or single use quantity of liquid comprises a pair of flexible, liquid-impermeable sheets superposed one over the other. Each of the sheets comprises a first substantially rectangular section and a second substantially rectangular section, having different widths, and a transition section interconnecting the other two sections. One of the sheets has a recess formed therein which defines a pocket receivable of a unit or single use quantity of liquid. The other sheet defines a cover extending across and covering the recess. The recess also includes a portion defining an elongated and narrow spout extending outwardly of the pocket. The sheets are hermetically sealed to one another about their periphery completely about the recess. The "seal" may be manually peeled back in the region of the spout to open the package. The portions which peel back and the portions of the package proximate the opening are shaped so as to arcuately taper back from the opening, thereby eliminating any sharp edges in the vicinity of the opening. The package is particularly suitable for use with "eye drops".

Claims

1. A package for shipping, storing and controlled dispensing of a unit or single use quantity of liquid comprising:

a pair of flexible, liquid-impermeable sheets superposed one over the other, each of said sheets having a longitudinal axis and comprising a first substantially rectangular section of a first predetermined width, a second substantially rectangular section of a second predetermined width, said second predetermined width being less than said first predetermined width, and a transition section intermediate said first and second sections having a width tapering from said first predetermined width adjacent said first section to said second predetermined width adjacent said second section, one of said sheets having a recess, co-axial with its longitudinal axis, pre-formed therein defining a pocket substantially disposed within said first section and said transition section of said sheet, said pocket having a volume only slightly larger than the volume of said unit or single use quantity of liquid, the other of said pair of sheets defining a cover extending across and covering said recess enabling compression of said pocket and pressurization of said liquid by squeezing thereof between a user'"'"'s thumb and forefinger without contaminating said liquid, said sheets being of sufficient resilience and flexibility to enable expansion of said pocket and cessation of pressurization of said liquid upon release of such user compression thereof, said recess further comprising a portion defining an elongated and narrow spout portion co-axial with said sheet longitudinal axis, extending generally outwardly of said pocket from said transition section into said second section;

sealing means for hermetically sealing said sheets together peripherally completely around said pocket and spout portion to protect said liquid from contamination and being manually peelable in the region of said spout to enable manual peeling back of the second portions of said sheets in the region of said spout to a controlled extent less than the length of said spout portion to provide a restricted opening near an end of said spout portion and an aseptic annular rim defined by a portion of said peeled sheets so that during expression of pressurized liquid through said restricted opening said liquid only touches material theretofore previously sealed to retain said liquid sterile as it is expressed outwardly through said spout portion and said restricted opening, said sealing means having a stop line which defines a generally straight line edge substantially perpendicularly disposed to said longitudinal axes across said second sections in the region of said spout, said stop line peripherally permanently affixing said sheets one to the other;

means defining an arcuately shouldered notch centered at each end of said stop line in each of said pair of sheets so that when the ends of said second sections are peeled back to said stop line, and folded back upon respective transition sections, the portions of said sheets proximate said aseptic annular rim arcuately taper backwardly from said aseptic annular rim.

2. The package according to claim 1, wherein said flexible, liquid impermeable sheets comprise metal foil.

3. The package according to claim 2, wherein said metal foil is aluminum.

4. The package according to claim 2, wherein said stop line comprises a weld line.

5. The package according to claim 1, wherein said sealing means comprises an adhesive.

6. The package according to claim 5, wherein said adhesive is heat activatable.

7. The package according to claim 1, wherein said arcuate shoulder is a quadrant of a circle.