Liquid dispenser nozzle assembly

• US 5,320,254 A
• Filed: 06/02/1993
• Issued: 06/14/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Atrion (Atrion Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ryder International Corporation (Atrion Corporation), PK Scientific Incorporated
• Inventors: Kanner, Rowland W., Ranalletta, Joseph V., Williams, Fred E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAVER, KEVIN P
• Application Number:
  US08/071,510
• Time in Patent Office: 377 Days
• Field of Search: 222/189, 222/212, 222/490-494
• US Class Current: 222/189.08
• 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 11/0072 A valve member forming part of an outlet opening
• 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 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, said nozzle assembly comprising:

a liquid discharge port liquid conduit means for communication from the storage cavity 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 to replace said dispensed liquid; and

a diaphragm structure integrally including a tubular discharge portion from said liquid conduit means, a first valve portion arranged to control liquid flow into said tubular discharge portion and a second portion arranged in said air aspiration conduit means to control aspiration of air.

2. A nozzle assembly according to claim 1, wherein said air aspiration conduit means includes air filter means.

3. The nozzle assembly according to claim 1, and further including means for holding said second portion of said diaphragm means stationary during air flow through said air aspiration conduit.

4. The nozzle assembly according to claim 1, further comprising an air permeable and bacteria impermeable filter member and wherein said air aspiration conduit means comprises at least two passageways covered by separate portions of said filter member and wherein the configuration of said air aspiration conduit means is such as to direct air flow through said two portions of said filter member in a sequential manner whereby said aspirating air is filtered at least twice prior to entering said liquid container cavity to prevent entrainment of bacteria with the aspirating air flow into said liquid container cavity.

5. The nozzle assembly according to claim 4, wherein said filter member is hydrophobic in order to prevent permeation of the filter member by the liquid and thereby facilitate aspirating air flow therethrough.

6. The nozzle assembly according to claim 1, wherein said second portion comprises at least one aperture formed in said diaphragm means for air flow therethrough.

7. The nozzle assembly according to claim 6, further comprising an air permeable and bacteria impermeable filter member covering said at least one aperture for preventing entrainment of bacteria with said aspirating air flow into said liquid container cavity.

8. The nozzle assembly according to claim 7, wherein said filter member and diaphragm are carried between an adapter element and nozzle housing comprised within said nozzle assembly.

9. The nozzle assembly according to claim 8, wherein said adapter element includes separate passageways for communication between said liquid container cavity and said respective liquid and air aspiration conduit means.

10. A liquid dispensing nozzle assembly for mounting on a liquid container and dispenser having a flexible wall and liquid storage cavity 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 the container cavity, said nozzle assembly comprising:

a liquid discharge port;

liquid first conduit means for communication from the container cavity to said liquid discharge port to enable dispensing of said liquid through said port during said manually squeezed liquid dispensing; and

air aspiration second conduit means for aspirating air into said cavity to replace the liquid dispensed therefrom;

an nozzle member including separate portions of said first and second conduit means; and

adapter member securable to a neck portion of said container, and a nozzle housing which secures said nozzle member to said adapter member.

11. A liquid dispensing nozzle assembly for mounting on a liquid container and dispenser having a flexible wall and liquid storage cavity 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, said nozzle assembly comprising:

a liquid discharge port liquid conduit means for communication from the storage cavity 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 to replace said dispensed liquid including an internal port; and

a rubber valve structure integrally including, a first valve portion arranged to control liquid flow from said liquid conduit means and a second portion arranged in said air aspiration conduit means to control aspiration of air, said second portion being in the form of a flapper valve that will seat against said internal port in said air aspiration conduit means to seal said port when said container is squeezed to dispense liquid, but will flex away from said port upon the entry of aspirating air to replace dispensed liquid.

12. A nozzle assembly according to claim 11, wherein said first valve portion is assembled in a pre-stressed condition conductive to attain sealing prevention of flow through said liquid conduit means such that said pre-stressed condition must be overcome to open said first valve portion to flow.

13. A liquid dispensing nozzle assembly for mounting on a liquid container and dispenser having a flexible wall and liquid storage cavity 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 the container cavity, said nozzle assembly comprising:

a liquid discharge port;

liquid conduit means for communication from the container cavity 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 into said cavity to replace the liquid dispensed therefrom;

diaphragm means comprising a first portion defining a portion of said liquid conduit means, and a plurality of apertures formed in said diaphragm means for air flow therethrough;

an air permeable and bacterial impermeable filter member covering said plurality of apertures for preventing entrainment of bacteria with said aspirating air flow into said liquid container cavity, and wherein said air aspiration conduit means is configures so as to direct said aspirating air through at least two of said apertures and corresponding filter portions in a sequential manner whereby said aspirating air is filtered at least twice prior to entering said liquid container cavity.