Dispensing device particularly useful for dispensing nutritional liquids

• US 5,425,706 A
• Filed: 02/14/1990
• Issued: 06/20/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elan Corporation PLC (Perrigo Company PLC)
• Original Assignee: S.I. Scientific Innovations, Ltd.
• Inventors: Zucker, Shlomo, Gross, Jospeh
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancene, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thomas, L.
• Application Number:
  US07/479,888
• Time in Patent Office: 1,952 Days
• Field of Search: 604/140, 604/141, 604/145, 604/151, 604/246, 604/143, 222/326, 222/386.5, 222/389, 222/61, 222/95
• US Class Current: 604/145
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14204 with gas-producing electrochemical cell
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/155 pressurised by gas introduced into the reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/172 electrical or electronic A61M5/16804, A61M5/16831 take precedence

Abstract

A dispensing device particularly useful for dispensing nutritional liquids includes an electrolytic cell having electrodes and an electrolyte capable of generating a gas upon the energization of the electrodes, which gas causes the dispensing of the liquid according to the rate of generation of the gas. The container for the liquid to be dispensed may be a disposable unit including the electrolytic cell, and a non-disposable electrical control circuit may be provided for controlling the rate of energization of the electrodes. The dispensing unit may also include an outer container adapted to receive a bag containing the liquid to be dispensed, the generated gas being applied between the outer container and the pliable bag.

Claims

1. A dispensing device for dispensing a liquid, comprising:

a disposable container for the liquid to be dispensed, said container having at one end a rigid neck of reduced diameter;

a disposable electrolytic cell removably attachable to said neck of the container, said electrolytic cell having electrodes adapted to be electrically energized, and an electrolyte capable of generating, upon the energization of the electrodes, a gas which passes through said neck into the container and forces liquid out from the container in accordance with the rate of energization of the electrodes;

and an electrical control circuit included in a separate unit removably attached to said electrolytic cell for controlling the rate of energization of the electrodes, and thereby the rate of dispensing of the liquid from the container.

2. The dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein said electrolytic cell is incorporated in a dispensing unit attached to the bottle neck and includes a feed tube extending through the container neck.

3. The dispensing device according to claim 2, wherein said electrolytic cell is included with said feed tube in said dispensing unit attached to the bottle neck, said electrolytic cell being of annular configuration to enclose the bottle neck when the dispensing unit is attached thereto, with said feed tube extending along the central axis of the annular electrolytic cell.

4. The dispensing device according to claim 3, wherein said electrodes in the annular electrolytic cell are also of annular configuration.

5. The dispensing device according to claim 2, further including a drip chamber having an upper end communicating with the outlet side of said feed tube externally of the container, and a lower end connectible to a delivery tube for delivering the dispensed liquid.

6. The dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein said disposable container includes a pliable bag open at one end;

and an outer container enclosing said pliable bag;

said electrolytic cell being attached to said neck so as to pass the generated gas between the pliable bag and outer container to thereby force the liquid out of said pliable bag through its open end.

7. The dispensing device according to claim 6, wherein said electrolytic cell includes a feed tube extending through the upper open end of the pliable bag, and a passageway for directing the generated gas between the pliable bag and the outer container.

8. The dispensing device according to claim 6, wherein said electrolytic cell is located within the outer chamber at the lower end thereof, such that the generated gas is passed between the pliable bag and outer container.

9. The dispensing device according to claim 6, wherein said outer container is a bottle having substantially more rigidity than said pliable bag.

10. The dispensing device according to claim 6, wherein said outer container is another pliable bag.

11. A dispensing device for dispensing a liquid at a predetermined rate, comprising:

a container for containing the liquid to be dispensed, and including a rigid neck of reduced diameter at its upper open end;

a dispensing unit attachable to the neck of the container and including a feed tube to pass through the container neck into the container for immersion in the liquid contents of the container, when the dispensing unit is attached to the container neck;

said dispensing unit including an electrolytic cell having electrodes adapted to be electrically energized, and an electrolyte capable of generating, upon the energization of the electrodes, a gas which passes through said neck into the container and forces liquid from the container through said feed tube in accordance with the rate of energization of said electrodes;

and an electrical control circuit for controlling the rate of energization of the electrodes and thereby the rate of generation of the gas.

12. The dispensing device according to claim 11, wherein said electrolytic cell is of annular configuration to enclose the neck of the container when the dispensing unit is attached thereto, with said feed tube extending along the central axis of said annular electrolytic cell.

13. The dispensing device according to claim 12, wherein said electrodes in the annular electrolytic cell are also of annular configuration.

14. The dispensing device according to claim 11, wherein said dispensing unit further includes a drip chamber having an upper end communicating with said feed tube externally of the container, and a lower end connectible to a delivery tube for delivering the dispensed liquid.

15. The dispensing device according to claim 14, wherein said drip chamber has a transparent outer wall.

16. The dispensing device according to claim 14, wherein said drip chamber includes a vent at its upper end to vent the interior thereof to the atmosphere.

17. The dispensing device according to claim 16, wherein said vent includes a biological filter to filter the air entering the drip chamber via said vent.

18. The dispensing device according to claim 11, wherein said electrical control circuit is in a separate unit attachable to said dispensing unit for controlling the rate of energization of said electrodes, and thereby the rate of dispensing of said liquid.

19. The dispensing device according to claim 11, wherein said container includes a pliable bag and a bottle dimensioned to enclose said bag.

20. The dispensing device according to claim 19, wherein said electrolytic cell is located at the upper end of the bottle and includes a passageway passing the generated gas between the inner face of the bottle and the outer face of the bag.

21. The dispensing device according to claim 19, wherein said electrolytic cell is located at the bottom end of the bottle, and passes the generated gas between the inner face of the bottle and the outer face of the bag.

22. The dispensing device according to claim 21, wherein said electrolytic cell is in a separate unit attachable to the bottom end of the bottle.

23. The dispensing device according to claim 11, wherein said electrical control circuit includes a Prime control member for initially generating the gas at a rapid rate in order to prime the dispensing unit;

and a Rate control member for preselecting the rate of generation of said gas and thereby the rate of dispensing of the liquid after priming the dispensing unit.

24. The dispensing device according to claim 11, wherein said electrodes include a pair of metal screens separated by a plastic screen.

25. The dispensing device according to claim 11, wherein said electrodes are of annular configuration.

26. A dispensing device attachable to the neck of a container containing a liquid to be dispensed via an open end thereof;

said dispensing device comprising;

a feed tube to pass through the open end of the container for immersion in the liquid contents of the container when the dispensing device is attached thereto;

an electrolytic cell including electrodes adapted to be electrically energized, and an electrolyte capable of generating a gas upon the energization of the electrodes, which gas is applied to the container to force liquid therefrom via said feed tube in accordance with the rate of energization of the electrodes;

and an electrical control circuit for controlling the rate of energization of the electrodes, and thereby the rate of dispensing of the liquid.

27. The dispensing device according to claim 26, wherein said electrolytic cell is of annular configuration to enclose the neck of the container when the dispensing device is attached thereto, said feed tube extending along the central axis of the annular electrolytic cell for passage through the open end of the container when the device is attached thereto.

28. The dispensing device according to claim 26, further including a drip chamber having an upper end communicating with the outlet side of said feed tube externally of the container, and a lower end connectible to a delivery tube for delivering the dispensed liquid.

29. The dispensing device according to claim 26, wherein said electrical control circuit is in a separate unit attachable to said electrolytic cell.