Fluid dispenser apparatus

• US 6,364,170 B1
• Filed: 10/29/1999
• Issued: 04/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mark L. Anderson
• Original Assignee: Mark L. Anderson
• Inventors: Wellstein, Wayne, Harmon, John C., Wait, James E., Anderson, Mark L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver, Kevin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cartagena, Melvin A.
• Application Number:
  US09/430,711
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 222/321.6, 222/321.7, 222/183, 222/131, 222/192, 222/83, 222/309, 222/324, 222/383.3, 222/43, 222/389, 604/183
• US Class Current: 222/321.7
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/0038 Inner container disposed in an outer shell or outer casing
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/0044 compensating underpressure by ingress of atmospheric air into the container, i.e. with venting means venting means for deformable containers B05B11/047
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/00442 the means being actuated by the difference between the atmospheric pressure and the pressure inside the container
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/0054 Cartridges, i.e. containers specially designed for easy attachment to or easy removal from the rest of the sprayer attachment arrangements between pump and container B05B11/1043
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/0097 Means for filling or refilling the sprayer through additional openings in the container B05B11/0056
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/028 Pistons separating the content remaining in the container from the atmospheric air to compensate underpressure inside the container
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1002 the direction of the pressure stroke being substantially perpendicular to the major axis of the container B05B11/1009, B05B11/1015 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1007 by adjusting or modifying the pump end-of-sucking-stroke position
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1008 by adjusting or modifying the pump end-of-dispensing-stroke position
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1045 the pump being preassembled as an independent unit before being mounted on the container B05B11/1047, B05B11/1049 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B67B 7/28 and associated with receptacle hodlers
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 11/027 of the syringe type

Abstract

A fluid dispenser used to administer fixed or adjustable doses of fluids in oral, intranasal, or injectable applications. The dispenser may be used to draw off fluid from a flexible or rigid bulk container or to draw fluid from a mounted flexible or rigid container such as a sealed-end bag or bottle, or a threaded bag or bottle. The fluid dispenser generally comprises: a connection member communicatively connected to a fluid source container; a body member having a dose cylinder communicatively connected to the connection member; a piston member operationally related to the dose cylinder and spring biased in an extended position; and a trigger member attached to the piston member and communicatively connected to the dose cylinder through the piston member. The dispenser may include a guide positioned on the connection member. The guide includes a platform portion and a guide portion, both of which being adapted to form a container passage. The dispenser may also include a sealed chamber mounted on the connection member. The sealed chamber has a first tip, a second tip, and a movable seal positioned within the sealed chamber. The movable seal forms a first reservoir proximate to and in fluid communication with the first tip and a second reservoir proximate to and in fluid communication with the second tip. Both of the tips are adapted to be selectively connected in fluid communication with the fluid communication channel and with an external fluid source.

Claims

1. A fluid dispenser, comprising:

(a) a body member having a fluid communication channel and a dose cylinder of a predetermined volume, said fluid communication channel being communicatively connected with said dose cylinder;

(b) a fluid egress conduit communicatively connected to said dose cylinder;

(c) a dose valve positioned and arranged to govern fluid flow from said fluid communication channel to said dose cylinder;

(d) a piston valve positioned and arranged to govern fluid flow out of said fluid egress conduit;

(e) a piston member having a piston head, a distal end and a piston rod connecting said piston head to said distal end, said piston head being sealingly disposed within said dose cylinder;

(f) a trigger member attached to said distal end of said piston member; and

(g) a connection member connected to said body member and adapted to receive a fluid container, and comprising means for stabilizing said fluid container on said connection member, said fluid container being in fluid communication with said fluid communication channel, and wherein said fluid container is a bottle with base, said dispenser further including a protective cap sized to fit on said connection member and cover said bottle, said protective cap having an inner surface that contacts said base of said bottle, said means for stabilizing said fluid container on said connection member being formed by said inner surface of said protective cap.

2. The fluid dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a sealed chamber mounted on said connection member, said sealed chamber having a first tip, a second tip, and a movable seal positioned within said sealed chamber, said movable seal forming a first reservoir proximate to and in fluid communication with said first tip and a second reservoir proximate to and in fluid communication with said second tip.

3. The fluid dispenser of claim 2, wherein one of said tips is in fluid communication with said fluid communication channel and the other of said tips is in fluid communication with an external fluid source.

4. The fluid dispenser of claim 3, wherein said tips have an identical shape and both of said tips are adapted to be selectively connected in fluid communication with said fluid communication channel and with said external fluid source.

5. The fluid dispenser of claim 4, wherein said tips are formed by Luer-Slip connectors.

6. The fluid dispenser of claim 4, wherein when said sealed chamber is in a first orientation, said dispenser drawing fluid out of said first reservoir and moving said movable seal from a first initial position to a first final position thus drawing fluid into said second reservoir, said sealed chamber being removed, inverted and replaced, said dispenser drawing fluid out of said second reservoir and moving said movable seal from a second initial position to a second final position thus drawing fluid into said first reservoir.

7. The dispenser of claim 4, wherein said sealed chamber being formed by a barrel reservoir and a cap, said barrel reservoir having an open end and a second end forming one of said tips, said cap being adapted for sealingly engaging said open end of said barrel reservoir, said cap further forming the other of said tips.

8. The dispenser of claim 7, further comprising a removable guide positioned on said connection member, said removable guide being adapted for stabilizing said sealed chamber on said connection member.

9. The dispenser of claim 7, wherein said cap is a cylindrical cap having a top surface of a predetermined perimeter, a continuous side wall disposed at said top surface perimeter and extending at a right angle therefrom, said top surface and said wall defining an interior cavity, said cap further having a fluid tip passage disposed in said cap top surface, said barrel reservoir being a cylindrical barrel reservoir having an open proximal end, said proximal end adapted for connection to said cap in said interior cavity thereof and comprising an outer surface and an inner surface, said inner surface having a sealing beveled top edge, and said barrel reservoir further having a closed distal end, said distal end having a fluid tip passage.

10. A fluid dispenser, comprising:

(a) a body member having a fluid communication channel and a dose cylinder of a predetermined volume, said fluid communication channel being communicatively connected with said dose cylinder;

(b) a fluid egress conduit communicatively connected to said dose cylinder;

(c) a dose valve positioned and arranged to govern fluid flow from said fluid communication channel to said dose cylinder;

(d) a piston valve positioned and arranged to govern fluid flow out of said fluid egress conduit;

(e) a piston member having a piston head, a distal end and a piston rod connecting said piston head to said distal end, said piston head being sealingly disposed within said dose cylinder;

(f) a trigger member attached to said distal end of said piston member;

(g) a connection member connected to said body member and adapted to receive a fluid container, said fluid container being in fluid communication with said fluid communication channel; and

(h) a guide positioned on said connection member, said guide having a container passage operably aligned with an input to said fluid communication channel, said guide including a platform portion and a guide portion, both of said portions being adapted to form said container passage, said guide portion being formed with extension fingers spaced to form voids adapted to enable an operator to view fluid in said container, said platform portion including a platform surface and a continuous side wall formed beneath said platform surface to form a lip, said lip of said bottle guide resting on said connection member, said continuous side wall having keyways adapted for receiving and engaging internal projections within said connection member.

11. A fluid dispenser, comprising:

(a) a body member having a fluid communication channel and a dose cylinder of a predetermined volume, said fluid communication channel being communicatively connected with said dose cylinder;

(b) a fluid egress conduit communicatively connected to said dose cylinder;

(c) a dose valve positioned and arranged to govern fluid flow from said fluid communication channel to said dose cylinder;

(d) a piston valve positioned and arranged to govern fluid flow out of said fluid egress conduit;

(e) a piston member having a piston head, a distal end and a piston rod connecting said piston head to said distal end, said piston head being sealingly disposed within said dose cylinder;

(f) a trigger member attached to said distal end of said piston member; and

(g) a connection member connected to said body member and adapted to receive a fluid container, and comprising means for stabilizing said fluid container on said connection member, said fluid container being in fluid communication with said fluid communication channel, and further including a protective cap sized to fit on said connection member and cover said bottle, wherein said means for stabilizing said fluid container on said connection member is a sleeve insert positioned within said protective cap.

12. A fluid dispenser, comprising:

(a) a body member having a fluid communication channel and a dose cylinder of a predetermined volume, said fluid communication channel being communicatively connected with said dose cylinder;

(b) a fluid egress conduit communicatively connected to said dose cylinder;

(c) a dose valve positioned and arranged to govern fluid flow from said fluid communication channel to said dose cylinder;

(d) a piston valve positioned and arranged to govern fluid flow out of said fluid egress conduit;

(e) a piston member having a piston head, a distal end and a piston rod connecting said piston head to said distal end, said piston head being sealingly disposed within said dose cylinder;

(f) a trigger member attached to said distal end of said piston member; and

(g) a connection member connected to said body member and adapted to receive a fluid container, and comprising means for stabilizing said fluid container on said connection member, said fluid container being in fluid communication with said fluid communication channel, and wherein said means for stabilizing said fluid container on said connection member is a guide positioned on said connection member, said guide having a container passage operably aligned with an input to said fluid communication channel.

13. A fluid dispenser, comprising:

(a) a body member having a fluid communication channel and a dose cylinder of a predetermined volume, said fluid communication channel being communicatively connected with said dose cylinder;

(b) a fluid egress conduit communicatively connected to said dose cylinder;

(c) a dose valve positioned and arranged to govern fluid flow from said fluid communication channel to said dose cylinder;

(d) a piston valve positioned and arranged to govern fluid flow out of said fluid egress conduit;

(e) a piston member having a piston head, a distal end and a piston rod connecting said piston head to said distal end, said piston head being sealingly disposed within said dose cylinder;

(f) a trigger member attached to said distal end of said piston member; and

(g) a connection member connected to said body member and a sealed chamber mounted on said connection member, said sealed chamber having a first tip, a second tip, and a movable seal positioned within said sealed chamber, said movable seal forming a first reservoir proximate to and in fluid communication with said first tip and a second reservoir proximate to and in fluid communication with said second tip, wherein one of said tips is in fluid communication with said fluid communication channel and the other of said tips is in fluid communication with an external fluid source, wherein said tips have an identical shape and both of said tips are adapted to be selectively connected in fluid communication with said fluid communication channel and with said external fluid source, wherein said sealed chamber is formed by a barrel reservoir and a cap, said barrel reservoir having an open end and a second end forming one of said tips, said cap being adapted for sealingly engaging said open end of said barrel reservoir, said cap further forming the other of said tips, and further comprising a removable guide positioned on said connection member, said removable guide being adapted for stabilizing said sealed chamber on said connection member.