Multiple flow volume dispensing cap

• US 5,730,322 A
• Filed: 12/26/1995
• Issued: 03/24/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advanced Medical Optics Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Allergan SPA (Abbvie Incorporated)
• Inventors: Iba, Wayne S., Grau, Laurie C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bomberg, Kenneth
• Application Number:
  US08/578,506
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: 239/394, 239/436, 222/42, 222/142.9, 222/480, 222/481, 222/548, 222/212
• US Class Current: 222/42
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/265 between planar parts B65D47/24 takes precedence

Abstract

A multiple flow volume dispensing cap is provided which generally includes a bottom portion for attachment to a squeezable container for holding a sterile solution, such as a contact lens solution, an orifice in the bottom portion for enabling fluid flow therethrough, and a top portion having multiple conical members projecting therefrom. The top portion is rotatably mounted to the bottom portion by means of a centrally disposed pin protruding from the bottom portion. Each conical member includes a flow passage for enabling solution to be dispensed in a direct stream or in droplets. By rotating the top portion about the pin, such that a selected conical member is aligned with the orifice, a user of the device can select the fluid flow rate and flow direction that is needed to accomplish a particular task. A lid may be provided which includes annular members configured to engage the conical members in order to prevent contamination of the sterile solution. The annular members provide an air tight seal without contact between dispensing ends of the conical members and the lid.

Claims

1. A multiflow dispensing cap comprising:

a bottom portion having means for attaching said bottom portion to a squeezable container and means, defining an orifice in said bottom portion, for enabling fluid flow therethrough upon squeezing of the container;

a top portion;

means for rotatably mounting said top portion to said bottom portion;

nozzle means, including a plurality of conical members, for both determining fluid flow rate from the dispensing cap and for forming a directed stream of fluid from the dispensing cap upon squeezing of the container, said nozzle means being disposed on said top portion for alignment of each conical member with the bottom portion orifice upon rotation of the top portion; and

lid means, removably engaged to said top portion, for preventing contamination of the conical members, said lid means including shoulder means, depending therefrom, for preventing leakage of fluid between the conical members and the lid means without contact with dispensing ends of the conical members.

2. The multiflow dispensing cap according to claim 1 wherein the means for rotatably mounting includes a pin member disposed in said bottom portion and protruding therefrom.

3. The multiflow dispensing cap according to claim 2 wherein the means for rotatably mounting further includes a ring member encircling the bottom portion, and means, defining a complementary groove in the top portion, for engaging the ring member.

4. The multiflow dispensing cap according to claim 3 further comprising means, comprising a sealing collar in the bottom portion, for facilitating alignment and engagement between a selected conical member and the bottom portion orifice.

5. The multiflow dispensing cap according to claim 4 wherein the means for facilitating alignment and engagement further comprises a peripheral seat depending from each of said conical members.

6. The multiflow dispensing cap according to claim 5 further comprising indicia means, disposed on said top portion and said bottom portion, for indicating alignment of each one of said plurality of conical members with the bottom portion orifice.

7. The multiflow dispensing cap according to claim 1 wherein the shoulder means comprises a plurality of annular members each configured to engage any one of the conical members in order to facilitate manual engagement of the lid means with the top portion.

8. A multiflow dispensing device comprising:

a fluid;

container means for storing the fluid;

a bottom portion having means for attaching said bottom portion to the container means and means, defining an orifice in said bottom portion, for enabling fluid flow therethrough upon squeezing of the container means;

a top portion;

means for rotatably mounting said top portion to said bottom portion;

nozzle means, including a plurality of conical members, for both determining fluid flow rate from the dispensing cap and for forming a directed stream of fluid from the dispensing cap upon squeezing of the container, said nozzle means being disposed on said top portion for alignment of each conical member with the bottom portion orifice upon rotation of the top portion; and

lid means, removably engaged to said top portion, for preventing contamination of the conical members, said lid means including shoulder means, depending therefrom, for preventing leakage of the fluid between the conical members and the lid means without contact with dispensing ends of the conical members.

9. The multiflow dispensing cap according to claim 8 wherein the means for rotatably mounting includes a pin member disposed in said bottom portion and protruding therefrom.

10. The multiflow dispensing cap according to claim 9 wherein the means for rotatably mounting further includes a ring member encircling the bottom portion, and means, defining a complementary groove in the top portion, for engaging the ring member.

11. The multiflow dispensing cap according to claim 10 further comprising means, comprising a sealing collar in the bottom portion, for facilitating alignment and engagement between a selected conical member and the bottom portion orifice.

12. The multiflow dispensing cap according to claim 11 wherein the means for facilitating alignment and engagement further comprises a peripheral seat depending from each of said conical members.

13. The multiflow dispensing device according to claim 8 wherein the shoulder means comprises a plurality of annular members each configured to engage any one of the conical members in order to facilitate manual engagement of the lid means with the top portion.

14. The multiflow dispensing device according to claim 13 wherein the fluid is a sterile contact lens cleaning solution.

15. The multiflow dispensing device according to claim 14 wherein at least one of said conical members includes a tip having a size permitting the contact lens cleaning solution to be dispensed in singular drops.

16. The multiflow dispensing device according to claim 8 further comprising indicia means, disposed on said top portion and said bottom portion, for indicating alignment of each one of said plurality of conical members with the bottom portion orifice.

17. A multiflow dispensing device comprising:

container means for storing a contact lens cleaning solution;

a bottom portion having means for attaching said bottom portion to the container means and means, defining an orifice in said bottom portion, for enabling fluid flow therethrough upon squeezing of the container means;

a top portion;

means for rotatably mounting said top portion to said bottom portion, said means for rotatably mounting including a pin member disposed in said bottom portion and protruding therefrom, a ring member encircling the bottom portion, and means, defining a complementary groove in the top portion for engaging the ring member;

nozzle means, including a plurality of conical members, for both determining fluid flow rate from the dispensing cap and for forming a directed stream of fluid from the dispensing cap upon squeezing of the container means, said nozzle means being disposed on said top portion for alignment of each conical member with the bottom portion orifice upon rotation of the top portion about the pin means, and at least one of said conical members including a tip having a size permitting the solution to be dispensed in singular drops;

means, for facilitating alignment and engagement between a selected conical member and the bottom portion orifice, said means for facilitating alignment and engagement comprising a sealing collar in the bottom portion and a peripheral seat depending from each of said conical members; and

lid means, removably engaged to said top portion, for preventing contamination of the conical members, said lid means including shoulder means, depending therefrom, for preventing leakage of the contact lens cleaning solution between the conical members and the lid means without contact with dispensing ends of the conical members, wherein the shoulder means comprises a plurality of annular members each configured to engage any one of the conical members in order to facilitate manual engagement of the lid means with the top portion.