Eye spray mist dispenser

• US 5,588,564 A
• Filed: 08/21/1995
• Issued: 12/31/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Clifford L. Hutson, Robert Demangus
• Original Assignee: Clifford L. Hutson, Robert Demangus
• Inventors: Hutson, Clifford L., Demangus, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): KAUFMAN, JOSEPH A
• Application Number:
  US08/518,143
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 222/383.1, 222/523, 222/525, 222/526, 222/527, 604/289, 604/294, 604/295, 604/298, 604/300, 604/301, 604/302
• US Class Current: 222/383.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0026 Ophthalmic product dispenser attachments to facilitate positioning near the eye

Abstract

A device including an eye cup portion affixed to one end of an extendible tube portion, the other end of the tube portion is adapted for releasably attaching the tube portion to the nozzle of a spray-mist fluid dispenser. In combination, the device and mist dispenser are operable for controlling the delivery of a fluid to the eye. The device functions both as mask to confine the distribution of the spray mist ejected from the nozzle upon the eye and as a jig operable for adjusting the distance between the mist dispenser nozzle and the eye cup portion of the device. In operation, with the device affixed to a spray mist dispenser nozzle and the tube portion unextended (nozzle closest to the eye), a dense mist is delivered to the cornea and surrounding eye tissues when mist is dispensed. When the tube portion is extended, the spray mist dispenser nozzle is further from the eye cup thereby reducing the density of the spray mist impinging on the eye. The tube portion of the device includes inner and outer concentric tubes and a conical containment chamber affixed to the outer tube and disposed within the eye cup portion of the device. The distance between the wide end of the eye cup and the nozzle engaging end of the tube portion is telescopically adjustable. The containment chamber may be removed from the device to permit the spray nozzle to be positioned nearer the eye. When the tube portion is unextended, the fluid spray mist impinges on the anterior surface of the eye with the greatest force and concentration. For a gentler, finer delivery of spray mist, the containment chamber is preferrably employed and the distance between the dispenser'"'"'s nozzle delivery orifice and the eye cup portion adjusted and set for comfort and accurate dosimetry.

Claims

1. A device operable for controlling the delivery of a fluid mist discharged from the ejection nozzle of a spray mist dispenser to a person'"'"'s eye comprising:

(a) a hollow hemi-ellipsoidal eye cup having a substantially elliptical proximal open end dimensioned to encircle a person'"'"'s eye and having a skin-contacting rim on said open end contoured to anatomically conform to infra-orbital tissue adjacent to the person'"'"'s eye and a distal circular open end;

(b) an axially adjustable tube portion comprising a cylindrical outer tube concentrically overlying a cylindrical inner tube, and having an axial mist-conducting lumen coextensive therewith, said outer tube having a proximal end attached to said eye cup to provide fluid communication between said mist-conducting lumen and said distal circular open end of said eye cup and a distal end, said inner tube being slideably disposed within said outer tube and having a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end of said inner tube including attachment means adapted to releasably attach to the nozzle of the spray mist dispenser, said mist-conducting lumen providing a conduit having an adjustable axial length operable for conducting a fluid mist from said distal end of said inner tube to said proximal end of said outer tube.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said proximal end of said outer tube of said tube portion is rigidly affixed to said circular open end of said eye cup.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said tube portion further comprises locking means operable for releasably locking said telescopically adjustable tube portion at a preferred length.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said eye cup further includes a flow channel operable for conducting gas therethrough releasing excessive pressure within the eye cup when said proximal end and said distal end of said eye cup are occluded.

5. The device of claim 2 wherein said eye cup further includes means operable for maintaining ambient pressure within the eye cup when said proximal end and said distal end of said eye cup are occluded.