Liquid dispenser nozzle assembly

• US 5,255,826 A
• Filed: 11/05/1992
• Issued: 10/26/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Atrion (Atrion Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ryder International Corporation (Atrion Corporation)
• Inventors: Kanner, Rowland W., Ranalletta, Joseph V., Williams, Fred E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAVER, KEVIN P
• Application Number:
  US07/972,411
• Time in Patent Office: 355 Days
• Field of Search: 22/95, 22/105, 22/183, 22/209, 22/212, 22/213, 22/490-494
• US Class Current: 222/209
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/145 using air filters
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/1468 Containers characterised by specific material properties
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2201/302 having inlet or outlet ports
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/00444 with provision for filtering or cleaning the air flow drawn into the container
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/007 being opened by deformation of a sealing element made of resiliently deformable material, e.g. flaps, skirts, duck-bill valves
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/047 characterised by the outlet or venting means B05B11/041 and B05B11/042 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/048 characterised by the container, e.g. this latter being surrounded by an enclosure, or the means for deforming it B05B11/041, B05B11/046 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/147 for snap-on caps
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/2056 lift valve type lift valves not opened by deformation B65D47/24
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/2081 in which the deformation raises or lowers the valve port

Abstract

A liquid dispensing nozzle assembly is provided for mounting on a liquid container and dispenser having a flexible wall and liquid storage cavity for manually squeezed dispensing of a liquid from the cavity through the nozzle assembly. The nozzle assembly maintains the liquid, such as contact lens saline solution, in sterile condition during storage and repeated dispensing of the liquid from the container cavity. The nozzle assembly includes a liquid conduit for communication from the container cavity to a liquid discharge port from the nozzle assembly to enable dispensing of the liquid displaced by manually squeezing the flexible wall of the container. The nozzle assembly also includes an air aspiration conduit separate from the liquid conduit for aspirating air into the container cavity to replace the dispensed liquid. The nozzle assembly includes a partitioned diaphragm including separate portions respectively included in the liquid conduit and the air aspiration conduit. The air conduit portion of the diaphragm can include a filter which is hydrophobic and air permeable but impermeable to bacteria to prevent entrainment of bacteria with the aspirating flow of air into the liquid storage cavity of the container.

Claims

1. A liquid dispensing nozzle assembly for mounting on a liquid container and dispenser having a flexible wall and liquid storage cavity enclosed within an inner flexible envelope within said flexible wall for manually squeezed dispensing of liquid from the cavity through the nozzle assembly and for maintaining the liquid, such as contact lens saline solution, in sterile condition during storage and repeated dispensing of the liquid from said inner envelope, said nozzle assembly comprising:

a liquid discharge port;

liquid conduit means for communication from the storage cavity within said inner envelope to said liquid discharge port to enable dispensing of said liquid through said port during said manually squeezed liquid dispensing; and

an air aspiration conduit means separate from said liquid conduit means for aspirating air within said flexible wall of said container; and

a diaphragm structure arranged to control liquid flow through said liquid conduit means and including a tubular discharge portion and a valve portion which is deflectable to permit said liquid flow past said valve portion into said tubular discharge portion.

2. The nozzle assembly according to claim 1, in combination with said inner envelope and wherein said air aspiration mean is in communication with an air chamber at least partially surrounding said inner envelope.

3. The nozzle assembly according to claim 1 wherein said diaphragm structure comprises an integrally molded elastomeric diaphragm.

4. The nozzle assembly according to claim 1 wherein said diphragm structure further comprises a portion of said air aspiration coduit means.

5. A liquid dispensing nozzle assembly for mounting on a liquid container and dispenser having a flexible wall and liquid storage cavity enclosed within an inner flexible envelope within said flexible wall for manually squeezed dispensing of liquid from the cavity through the nozzle assembly and for maintaining the liquid, such as contact lens saline solution, in sterile condition during storage and repeated dispensing of the liquid from said inner envelope, said nozzle assemble comprising:

a liquid discharge port;

liquid conduit means for communication from the storage cavity within said inner envelope to said liquid discharge port to enable dispensing of said liquid through said port during said manually squeezed liquid dispensing; and

an air aspiration conduit means separate from said liquid conduit means for aspirating air within said flexible wall of said container;

diaphragm means for controlling liquid flow through said liquid conduit means and comprising a first portion defining a portion of said liquid conduit means and a second portion defining a portion of said air aspiration conduit means;

said first portion of said diaphragm means including a deflectable valve element arranged within said liquid conduit means wherein said diaphragm means further comprises a tubular portion and wherein said valve element is deflectable to permit said liquid flow past said valve element into said tubular portion.

6. The nozzle assembly according to claim 5, wherein said diaphragm means comprises an integrally molded elastomeric diaphragm.

7. The nozzle assembly according to claim 5, in combination with said envelope and wherein said air aspiration conduit means is in communication with an air chamber at least partially surrounding said inner envelope.