Vial for delivery of its contents without shards
First Claim
1. A dispenser, comprising:
- a) a flexible vial having a proximal end and a distal end, a proximal chamber containing a quantity of a substance and having a distal opening through which said substance may be selectively dispensed;
b) a sleeve mounted over said vial and carrying a plug, said sleeve movable between a first position in which said plug seals said opening and a second position in which said plug is distal of said opening;
c) said sleeve having internal walls reciprocable over and facing external walls of said vial, said plug being attached to said internal walls by a plurality of spaced arms extending inwardly from said internal walls, with interstices created between adjacent arms to create a flow path for said substance from said opening, through said interstices and around said plug; and
d) an applicator distal of said plug to facilitate applying said substance.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A flexible tubular vial is plugged at one end. The plug is pulled out to open the one end and define a gap between the open end of the vial and the plug. A sleeve bounds the gap. The sleeve has a rib as does the vial (or an intermediate component) that block each other so as to limit relative movement of the plug between a retracted relative position that plugs the open end and a cleared relative position that clears the open end. By squeezing the vial, contents of the vial are urged out through interstices in the plug. The contents may be a teeth whitening composition gel that urges out through interstices in the plug to a brush-like applicator to be applied to teeth or may be a topical medicine to be applied to skin.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A dispenser, comprising:
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a) a flexible vial having a proximal end and a distal end, a proximal chamber containing a quantity of a substance and having a distal opening through which said substance may be selectively dispensed; b) a sleeve mounted over said vial and carrying a plug, said sleeve movable between a first position in which said plug seals said opening and a second position in which said plug is distal of said opening; c) said sleeve having internal walls reciprocable over and facing external walls of said vial, said plug being attached to said internal walls by a plurality of spaced arms extending inwardly from said internal walls, with interstices created between adjacent arms to create a flow path for said substance from said opening, through said interstices and around said plug; and d) an applicator distal of said plug to facilitate applying said substance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A dispenser, comprising:
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a) a flexible vial having a proximal end and a distal end, a proximal chamber containing a quantity of a substance and having a distal opening through which said substance may be selectively dispensed; b) a sleeve mounted over said vial and carrying a plug, said sleeve movable between a first position in which said plug seals said opening and a second position in which said plug is distal of said opening, a spacing of said second position with respect to said first position being limited by interacting structures on said vial and sleeve; c) said sleeve having internal walls reciprocable over and facing external walls of said vial, said plug being attached to said internal walls by a plurality of spaced arms extending inwardly from said internal walls, with interstices created between adjacent arms to create a flow path for said substance from said opening, through said interstices and around said plug. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification