Ophthalmic dispensing pump

• US 5,152,435 A
• Filed: 06/13/1991
• Issued: 10/06/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ben Zane, M.D.. Cohen
• Original Assignee: Ben Zane Cohen
• Inventors: Cohen, Ben Z., Stand, Mille
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kaufman, Joseph A.
• Application Number:
  US07/714,641
• Time in Patent Office: 481 Days
• Field of Search: 222/321, 222/322, 222/341, 222/383, 222/385, 239/333, 239/590, 239/590.5, 604/289, 604/290, 604/296, 606/107
• US Class Current: 222/309
• 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 11/0027 Means for neutralising the actuation of the sprayer pump locking means B05B11/1059; Means for preventing access to the sprayer actuation means
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1001 Piston pumps B05B11/1087, B05B11/1088, B05B11/109 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1008 by adjusting or modifying the pump end-of-dispensing-stroke position
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1054 the valve being located upstream of an outlet valve
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 11/028 the dosing device being provided with a dip tube and fitted to a container, e.g. to a bottleneck

Abstract

A manually operated dispensing pump is provided for delivering a precise quantity of ophthalmic solution to the surface of the eye in a desired spray pattern with an impact pressure on the eye that is comfortably tolerable by an individual. The dispensing pump basically comprises a push button actuator having a nozzle member disposed therein, a cap member for receiving the push button actuator and having a control ring for selectively limiting the downward travel of the actuator, and a pump chamber engaged in the cap member and in communication with the push-button actuator for pressurizing a metered quantity of ophthalmic solution.

Claims

1. A manually operated dispensing pump for delivering a precise quantity of ophthalmic solution to the surface of the eye in a desired spray pattern with an impact pressure on the eye that is comfortably tolerated by an individual, said dispensing pump comprising;

a container having a closed bottom for accommodating ophthalmic solution and an opened top defining a neck;

an elongated hollow pump body having an upper end mounted to the neck of said container and a lower end disposed in said container;

a cap mounted to the upper end of the pump body, the cap having opposed top and bottom ends and an aperture extending axially therebetween substantially in alignment with the pump body, said top end of said cap extending upwardly beyond the neck of the container and being formed with an axially aligned actuator recess therein;

a tube slidably movable in said pump body and having opposed upper and lower ends, the upper end projecting through the aperture in said cap;

valving means mounted to the tube and the pump body for urging ophthalmic solution upwardly through the tube in response to a downward movement of the tube in the pump body, the quantity of the ophthalmic solution urged through the tube being a function of the distance of travel of the tube in the pump body;

an actuator with a bottom end slidably disposed in the actuator recess of the cap, an elongated axial bore extending into the bottom end of the actuator, the top end of the tube being engaged in the axial bore of the actuator such that the actuator and the tube are moveable substantially in unison, an elongated recess extending into the actuator transverse to the axial bore, an ovoid chamber defined in the actuator and providing communication between the axial bore and the recess, the ovoid chamber being at least partly defined by a generally parabolic wall disposed generally opposite the recess, the actuator being dimensioned to permit a downward movement in the actuator recess of the cap for urging the precise quantity of the ophthalmic solution through the tube; and

a nozzle fixed in said recess of said actuator and including a concave generally ovoid inlet port in communication with the ovoid chamber of the actuator, a concave generally conical outlet port external of said actuator and a venturi shaped passageway extending therebetween, with said parabolic wall of said ovoid chamber being aligned with the longitudinal axis of said venturi shaped passageway, and wherein said concave ovoid inlet port has an angle of convergence that is greater than the angle of divergence of said conical wall of said outlet port whereby said ovoid chamber, said venturi shaped passageway, and said outlet port are dimensioned and configured to generate a narrow stream of the ophthalmic solution in response to a downward movement of the actuator in the actuator recess of the cap.

2. A manually operated dispensing pump as in claim 1 wherein said conical wall of said outlet port diverges at an angle in the range of between 8°

and 11°

from the longitudinal axis thereof.

3. A manually operated spray pump as in claim 1 wherein a dust cover is hingedly connected to said cap for covering the actuator body.

4. A manually operated spray pump as in claim 1, wherein the precise quantity of ophthalmic solution defines a maximum dosage, and wherein said pump further comprises a limiting means disposed in the actuator recess of said cap for limiting the downward movement of said actuator in said actuator recess, the limiting means being dimensioned to define a specified dosage less than the maximum dosage in response to the downward movement of the actuator in the actuator recess.

5. A manually operated dispensing pump as in claim 4, wherein said limiting means comprises an annular ring disposed in said actuator recess and surrounding an upper end of the tube.

6. A manually operated spray pump as in claim 1, wherein the passageway in the nozzle has a diameter of approximately 0.4 mm.

7. A manually operated dispensing pump as in claim 1, wherein the passageway in the nozzle and the outlet port thereof are configured to generate a fluid stream approximately 7 mm-14 mm in diameter and an impact pressure of between 2.75-6.8 mmHg at a distance of between 1.0-1.5 inches for avoiding damage and discomfort to an eye of a patient.

8. A manually operated dispensing pump for delivering a precise quantity of ophthalmic solution to the surface of the eye in a desired spray pattern with an impact pressure on the eye that is comfortably tolerated by an individual, said dispensing pump comprising:

a container having a closed bottom for accommodating ophthalmic solution and an opened top defining a neck;

an elongated hollow pump body having an upper end mounted to the neck of said container and a lower end disposed in said container;

a cap mounted to the upper end of the pump body, the cap having opposed top and bottom ends and an aperture extending axially therebetween substantially in alignment with the pump body, said top end of said cap extending upwardly beyond the neck of the container and being formed with an axially aligned actuator recess therein;

a tube slidably movable in said pump body and having opposed upper and lower ends, the upper end projecting through the aperture in said cap;

valving means mounted to the tube and the pump body for urging ophthalmic solution upwardly through the tube in response to a downward movement of the tube in the pump body, the quantity of the ophthalmic solution urged through the tube being a function of the distance of travel of the tube in the pump body;

an actuator with a bottom end slidably disposed in the actuator recess of the cap, an elongated axial bore extending into the bottom end of the actuator, the top end of the tube being engaged in the axial bore of the actuator such that the actuator and the tube are moveable substantially in unison, an elongated recess extending into the actuator transverse to the axial bore, an ovoid chamber defined in the actuator and providing communication between the axial bore and the recess;

removable limiting means disposed in the actuator recess intermediate the cap and the actuator, said limiting means being dimensioned for defining a range of movement of the actuator in the actuator recess for urging the precise quantity of the ophthalmic solution through the tube; and

a nozzle fixed in said recess of said actuator and including a concave inlet port in communication with the ovoid chamber of the actuator, a concave generally conical outlet port external of said actuator and a venturi shaped passageway therebetween, said ovoid chamber having a generally parabolic wall disposed generally opposite said concave inlet port and generally aligned with the longitudinal axis of said venturi shaped passageway, and with the angle of convergence of said inlet port being greater than the angle of divergence of said outlet port, whereby said ovoid chamber, said venturi shaped passageway and sad outlet port are dimensioned and configured to generate a laminar flow of a narrow stream of the ophthalmic solution in response to a downward movement of the actuator in the actuator recess of the cap.

9. A manually operated dispensing pump as in claim 8 wherein the conical wall of the outlet port diverges at an angle of between approximately 8°

-11°

from the longitudinal axis of the conical wall.

10. A manually operated dispensing pump as in claim 8 wherein a dust cover is hingedly connected to said cap for covering the actuator body.