Eyedrop delivery system
First Claim
1. An eyedrop delivery system for administering eyedrops to at least one eye of a user, said system comprising:
- a fluid reservoir for holding a supply of eyedrop fluid;
tubing means for conducting eyedrop fluid from said fluid reservoir to at least one eye of the user, said tubing means comprising at least one distal end portion adapted to terminate adjacent the at least one eye of the user;
fluid driving means for continuously urging eyedrop fluid from said fluid reservoir through said tubing means toward said at least one distal end portion of said tubing means; and
fluid control means for successively;
(1) permitting eyedrop fluid to flow freely through said tubing means so that eyedrop fluid can begin to exit said at least one distal end portion of said tubing means,(2) interfering with the flow of eyedrop fluid through said tubing means so as to prohibit any further eyedrop fluid from exiting said at least one distal end portion of said tubing means, and so as to cause the eyedrop fluid beginning to exit said at least one distal end portion of said tubing means to exit said at least one distal end portion of said tubing means as a discrete eyedrop, and(3) withdrawing the eyedrop fluid remaining in said tubing means away from said at least one distal end portion of said tubing means so that the distal-most portion of the eyedrop fluid is disposed within, and is substantially engulfed by, said tubing means so the distal-most portion of the eyedrop fluid may create a super-saturated vapor condition at that point in said tubing means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An eyedrop delivery system for administering eyedrops to at least one eye of a user, wherein the system comprises a fluid reservoir for holding a supply of eyedrop fluid, a tube for conducting eyedrop fluid from the fluid reservoir to at least one eye of the user, the tube comprising at least one distal end portion terminating adjacent the at least one eye of the user, fluid driving apparatus for continuously urging eyedrop fluid from the fluid reservoir through the tube toward the at least one distal end portion of the tube, and fluid control apparatus for successively (1) permitting eyedrop fluid to flow freely through the tube so that the eyedrop fluid can begin to exit the at least one distal end portion of the tube, (2) interfering with the flow of eyedrop fluid through the tube so as to prohibit any further eyedrop fluid from exiting the at least one distal end portion of the tube, and so as to cause the eyedrop fluid leaving the at least one distal end portion of the tube to exit the at least one distal end portion of the tube as a discrete eyedrop, and (3) withdrawing the fluid remaining in the tube away from the at least one distal end portion of the tube so that the distal-most portion of the fluid is disposed within, and is substantially engulfed by, the tube, whereby the distal-most portion of the fluid can create a super-saturated vapor condition at that point in the tube.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An eyedrop delivery system for administering eyedrops to at least one eye of a user, said system comprising:
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a fluid reservoir for holding a supply of eyedrop fluid; tubing means for conducting eyedrop fluid from said fluid reservoir to at least one eye of the user, said tubing means comprising at least one distal end portion adapted to terminate adjacent the at least one eye of the user; fluid driving means for continuously urging eyedrop fluid from said fluid reservoir through said tubing means toward said at least one distal end portion of said tubing means; and fluid control means for successively; (1) permitting eyedrop fluid to flow freely through said tubing means so that eyedrop fluid can begin to exit said at least one distal end portion of said tubing means, (2) interfering with the flow of eyedrop fluid through said tubing means so as to prohibit any further eyedrop fluid from exiting said at least one distal end portion of said tubing means, and so as to cause the eyedrop fluid beginning to exit said at least one distal end portion of said tubing means to exit said at least one distal end portion of said tubing means as a discrete eyedrop, and (3) withdrawing the eyedrop fluid remaining in said tubing means away from said at least one distal end portion of said tubing means so that the distal-most portion of the eyedrop fluid is disposed within, and is substantially engulfed by, said tubing means so the distal-most portion of the eyedrop fluid may create a super-saturated vapor condition at that point in said tubing means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for delivering eyedrops to at least one eye of a user, said method comprising the steps of:
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(1) providing an eyedrop delivery system comprising; a fluid reservoir for holding a supply of eyedrop fluid; tubing means for conducting eyedrop fluid from said fluid reservoir to at least one eye of the user, said tubing means comprising at least one distal end portion adapted to terminate adjacent the at least one eye of the user; fluid driving means for continuously urging eyedrop fluid from said fluid reservoir through said tubing means toward said at least one distal end portion of said tubing means; and fluid control means for successively; (i) permitting eyedrop fluid to flow freely through said tubing means so that eyedrop fluid can begin to exit said at least one distal end portion of said tubing means, (ii) interfering with the flow of said eyedrop fluid through said tubing means so as to prohibit any further eyedrop fluid from exiting said at least one distal end portion of said tubing means, and so as to cause the eyedrop fluid beginning to exit said at least one distal end portion of said tubing means to exit said at least one distal end portion of said tubing means as a discrete eyedrop, and (iii) withdrawing the eyedrop fluid remaining in said tubing means away from said at least one distal end portion of said tubing means so that the distal-most portion of the eyedrop fluid is disposed within, and is substantially engulfed by, said tubing means so that distal-most portion of the eyedrop fluid may create a super-saturated vapor condition at that point in said tubing means; (2) continuously urging eyedrop fluid from said fluid reservoir through said tubing means toward said at least one distal end portion of said tubing means with said fluid driving means; (3) causing said fluid control means to permit eyedrop fluid to flow freely through said tubing means so that eyedrop fluid can begin to exit said at least one distal end portion of said tubing means; (4) causing said fluid control means to interfere with the flow of said eyedrop fluid through said tubing means so as to prohibit any further eyedrop fluid from exiting said at least one distal end portion of said tubing means, and so as to cause the eyedrop fluid beginning to exit said at least one distal end portion of said tubing means to exit said at least one distal end portion of said tubing means as a discrete eyedrop; (5) causing said fluid control means to withdraw the eyedrop fluid remaining in said tubing means away from said at least one distal end portion of said tubing means so that the distal-most portion of the eyedrop fluid is disposed within, and is substantially engulfed by, said tubing means so the distal-most portion of the eyedrop fluid may create a super-saturated vapor condition at that point in said tubing means; and (6) thereafter repeating Steps (3), (4) and (5) in sequence whenever it is desired to administer another eyedrop to the at least one eye of the user.
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17. An eyedrop delivery system for administering eyedrops to at least one eye of a user, said system comprising:
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a fluid reservoir for holding a supply of eyedrop fluid; tubing means for conducting eyedrop fluid from said fluid reservoir to at least one eye of the user, said tubing means comprising at least one distal end portion adapted to terminate adjacent the at least one eye of the user; and fluid control means for selectively (1) driving eyedrop fluid from said fluid reservoir through said tubing means so that discrete eyedrops exit said at least one distal end portion of said tubing means and are administered to the at least one eye of the user, and (2) withdrawing the fluid remaining in said tubing means away from said at least one distal end portion of said tubing means so that the distal-most portion of the fluid is disposed within, and is substantially engulfed by, said tubing means so the distal-most portion of the fluid may create a super-saturated vapor condition at that point in said tubing means; wherein said tubing means comprises a resilient hollow tube portion, and further wherein said fluid control means comprises driving means for continuously driving eyedrop fluid from said fluid reservoir toward said at least one distal end portion of said tubing means, and rotating wiper means for selectively engaging said resilient hollow tube portion so as to press against it and close it off at the point of engagement. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification