Metered drop push button dispenser system

• US 7,874,467 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2008
• Issued: 01/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Reseal International Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Reseal International Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Swiss, Stewart, Pardes, Greg, Treacy, Lyndon T., Mulhauser, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Nicolas; Frederick C.
• Application Number:
  US12/274,137
• Publication Number:
  US 20090236374A1
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• Field of Search: 222490-491, 222494-497, 222/321.7, 222/380, 222420-422, 222206-207, 222212-215, 222/105, 222/107, 222630-631, 222/183, 222/326, 222/386, 222 94- 95, 222/325, 222/327, 222/321.8, 222/321.9, 137852-853, 604/298, 604/213
• US Class Current: 222/494
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0008 Introducing ophthalmic products into the ocular cavity or retaining products therein putting in contact lenses A61F9/0061; introducing or retaining media in cavities of the body in general A61M31/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/007 Syringe-type or piston-type sprayers or atomisers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0016 located downstream of the dispenser, i.e. traversed by the product
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/08 Inhaling devices inserted into the nose
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/00444 with provision for filtering or cleaning the air flow drawn into the container
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/02 Membranes or pistons acting on the contents inside the container, e.g. follower pistons
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/026 Membranes 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 11/1004 comprising a movable cylinder and a stationary piston
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1005 with means for adjusting or modifying pump stroke
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1015 actuated without substantial movement of the nozzle in the direction of the pressure stroke B05B11/1011 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1032 actuated without substantial movement of the nozzle in the direction of the pressure stroke B05B11/103 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1052 Actuation means locking means therefor B05B11/1059; the dispensing stroke being affected by the stored energy of a spring B05B11/109
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/18 for discharging drops; Droppers droppers in general B01L3/00; pipettes connected to container closures B01L3/0282
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/205 the valve being formed by a tubular flexible sleeve surrounding a rod-like element provided with at least one radial passageway which is normally closed by the sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 21/16 closing after a predetermined quantity of fluid has been delivered F16K21/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 23/00 Valves for preventing drip from nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/80 Packaging reuse or recycling, e.g. of multilayer packaging bio-packaging Y02W90/10
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7889 Sleeve

Abstract

A reusable continuously sealing metered dosing one-way valve assembly and delivery system flows a premeasured amount of a sterile flowable substance from a source which is coupled to an actuator assembly to an outlet orifice and prevents any backflow of contaminants through the continuously sealing one way valve assembly when the flowable substance ceases to flow. The valve assembly includes an elastomeric membrane which aids in preventing any backflow of contaminants when dispensing of the flowable substance is stopped. Multiple dosing of preservative-free flowable substance is provided.

Claims

1. A continuously sealing one way valve assembly and delivery system for dispensing a flowable substance, comprising:

a source for storage of the flowable substance, the source having an opening;

an actuator assembly coupled to the opening of the source and

a valve assembly coupled to the actuator assembly, said valve assembly including

(i) an inner core having an inlet opening for receiving the flowable substance into a passageway and at least one port opening from the passageway,

(ii) a hollow flexible membrane having a first end and a second end, the first end being thicker than the second end, wherein the hollow flexible membrane is fitted over an outer surface of the inner core and when the flowable substance is placed under pressure the flowable substance exits through the at least one port opening and expands said membrane outwardly from said outer surface of said inner core; and

(iii) a cover enclosing the flexible membrane and having an outlet orifice for dispensing the flowable substance from the valve assembly when pressure is applied to the flowable substance;

wherein when the pressure on the flowable substance is released, the first end of the hollow flexible membrane moves back into tightly fitting contact with the outer surface of the inner core before the remainder of the hollow flexible membrane moves back into tightly fitting contact with the outer surface of said inner core.

2. The valve assembly and delivery system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the actuator assembly includes a chamber coupled to a button and a check valve.

3. The valve assembly and delivery system as set forth in claim 1 wherein a chamber coupled to a button and a check valve are each located upstream from the source and wherein the check valve is actuated by the button such that flowable substance enters the chamber, resulting in the delivery of a premeasured amount of flowable substance from a reservoir.

4. The valve assembly and delivery system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the actuator assembly includes a piston.

5. The valve assembly and delivery system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the hollow flexible membrane has an axially extending uninterrupted continuous band at the first end of the hollow flexible membrane adjacent the outlet orifice in the cover and completely encircling the core.

6. The valve assembly and delivery system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the valve assembly, actuator assembly and source are coupled in fluid tight contact with each other.

7. The valve assembly and delivery system of claim 1, wherein the source is filled with a preservative free product.

8. The valve assembly and delivery system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the continuously sealing one way valve assembly and delivery system can dispense multiple doses of preservative-free product.

9. A continuously sealing one way valve assembly and delivery system for dispensing a flowable substance, comprising:

a source for storage of the flowable substance, the source having an opening;

an actuator assembly coupled to the opening of the source and

a valve assembly coupled to the actuator assembly, said valve assembly including

(i) an inner core having an inlet opening for receiving the flowable substance into a passageway and at least one port opening from the passageway,

(ii) a hollow flexible membrane having a first end and a second end, the first end being thicker than the second end, wherein the hollow flexible membrane is fitted over an outer surface of the inner core and when the flowable substance is placed under pressure the flowable substance exits through the at least one port opening and expands said membrane outwardly from said outer surface of said inner core; and

(iii) a cover enclosing the flexible membrane and having an outlet orifice for dispensing the flowable substance from the valve assembly when pressure is applied to the flowable substance;

wherein when the pressure on the flowable substance is released, the first end of the hollow flexible membrane moves back into tightly fitting contact with the outer surface of the inner core before the remainder of the hollow flexible membrane moves back into tightly fitting contact with the outer surface of said inner core, and

wherein the actuator assembly comprises a compressible chamber.

10. The valve assembly and delivery system as set forth in claim 9 wherein the actuator assembly includes a chamber coupled to a button and a check valve.

11. The valve assembly and delivery system as set forth in claim 9 wherein a chamber coupled to a button and a check valve are each located upstream from the source and wherein the check valve is actuated by the button such that flowable substance exits the chamber, resulting in the delivery of a premeasured amount of flowable substance from the source.

12. The valve assembly and delivery system as set forth in claim 9 wherein the hollow flexible membrane has an axially extending uninterrupted continuous band at the first end of the hollow flexible membrane adjacent the outlet orifice in the cover and completely encircling the core.

13. The valve assembly and delivery system as set forth in claim 9, wherein the valve assembly, actuator assembly and source are coupled in fluid tight contact with each other.

14. A continuously sealing one way valve assembly and delivery system for dispensing a flowable substance, comprising:

a source for storage of the flowable substance, the source having an opening;

an actuator assembly coupled to the opening of the source and

a valve assembly coupled to the actuator assembly, said valve assembly including

(i) an inner core having an inlet opening for receiving the flowable substance into a passageway and at least one port opening from the passageway,

(ii) a hollow flexible membrane having a first end and a second end, the first end being thicker than the second end, wherein the hollow flexible membrane is fitted over an outer surface of the inner core and when the flowable substance is placed under pressure the flowable substance exits through the at least one port opening and expands said membrane outwardly from said outer surface of said inner core; and

(iii) a cover enclosing the flexible membrane and having an outlet orifice for dispensing the flowable substance from the valve assembly when pressure is applied to the flowable substance;

wherein when the pressure on the flowable substance is released, the first end of the hollow flexible membrane moves back into tightly fitting contact with the outer surface of the inner core before the remainder of the hollow flexible membrane moves back into tightly fitting contact with the outer surface of said inner core, and

wherein the actuator assembly comprises a traveling piston.

15. The valve assembly and delivery system as set forth in claim 14 wherein the actuator assembly includes a check valve coupled to the valve assembly and a button coupled to the traveling piston.

16. The valve assembly and delivery system as set forth in claim 14 wherein a check valve is located upstream from the source and wherein the check valve is actuated by a button located downstream of the source such that flowable substance exits the source, resulting in the delivery of a premeasured amount of flowable substance from the source.

17. The valve assembly and delivery system as set forth in claim 14 wherein the hollow flexible membrane has an axially extending uninterrupted continuous band at the first end of the hollow flexible membrane adjacent the outlet orifice in the cover and completely encircling the core.

18. The valve assembly and delivery system as set forth in claim 14, wherein the valve assembly, actuator assembly and source are coupled in fluid tight contact with each other.

19. A continuously sealing one way valve assembly and delivery system for dispensing a flowable substance, comprising:

a source for storage of the flowable substance, the source having an opening;

an actuator assembly coupled to the opening of the source and

a valve assembly coupled to the actuator assembly, said valve assembly including

(i) an inner core having an inlet opening for receiving the flowable substance into a passageway and at least one port opening from the passageway,

(ii) a hollow flexible membrane having a first end and a second end, the first end being thicker than the second end, wherein the hollow flexible membrane is fitted over an outer surface of the inner core and when the flowable substance is placed under pressure the flowable substance exits through the at least one port opening and expands said membrane outwardly from said outer surface of said inner core; and

(iii) a cover enclosing the flexible membrane and having an outlet orifice for dispensing the flowable substance from the valve assembly when pressure is applied to the flowable substance;

wherein when the pressure on the flowable substance is released, the first end of the hollow flexible membrane moves back into tightly fitting contact with the outer surface of the inner core before the remainder of the hollow flexible membrane moves back into tightly fitting contact with the outer surface of said inner core and

wherein one or more of said valve assembly, actuator assembly and source comprise an anti-microbial or water repelling substance.