Vial for delivering contents onto a substrate

• US 8,267,609 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2010
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GLO Science, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Jbl Radical Innovations, LLC
• Inventors: Levine, Jonathan B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walczak, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chiang, Jennifer C
• Application Number:
  US12/726,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20100266981A1
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 401132-135, 401183-186, 433/80, 433/88, 433/89, 222/631, 222/212, 132/112, 132/116
• US Class Current: 401/183
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/067 Flexible ampoules, the contents of which are expelled by squeezing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 35/003 Portable hand-held applicators having means for dispensing or spreading integral media hand-held massage devices with liquid delivery A61H7/003

Abstract

Dispenser that dispenses a substance onto a substrate, such as a tooth treatment compound onto teeth, includes a vial including a cavity containing the substance and a projecting portion extending outward from the base. An applicator tip is engaged with the conduit and includes an internal passage communicating with the cavity, and an applicator portion situated forward of the conduit and that includes a plurality of spaced-apart projections at a distal application surface, preferably crenellated fingers. A cap is removably attachable to the vial and when attached, the applicator portion of the applicator tip is accommodated in a cavity of the cap and a sealing stopper extends into the internal passage to thereby seal it. When the cap is removed from the vial and the base is squeezed, the substance is urged out of the cavity through the passage of the applicator tip and onto the projections.

Claims

1. A dispenser for dispensing a substance, comprising:

a vial comprising a substantially circular base having a cavity therein containing the substance and a projecting portion extending outward from said base and defining a conduit communicating with said cavity;

an applicator tip arranged partly alongside said conduit and including at least one internal passage communicating with said cavity, said applicator tip including an applicator portion situated forward of said conduit, said applicator portion including a plurality of spaced-apart projections at a distal application surface; and

a cap including an opening, a cavity communicating with said opening and a sealing stopper extending into said cavity toward said opening, said cap being removably attachable to said vial and when attached to said vial, said cavity of said cap accommodating said applicator portion of said applicator tip and said sealing stopper extending into said at least one internal passage so that said cap seals said at least one internal passage of said applicator tip,

whereby when said cap is removed from said vial and said base is squeezed, the substance in said cavity is urged out of said cavity through said at least one internal passage of said applicator tip and onto said projections.

2. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said applicator tip is arranged partly in said conduit.

3. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said base includes an annular rim and a main portion defining said cavity and spaced apart from opposed portions of said rim, said projecting portion extending outward from said rim.

4. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said projections comprise crenellated fingers.

5. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said applicator tip is made of silicone and said vial is made of polypropylene.

6. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said at least one internal passage in said applicator tip comprises a first passage extending distally from a proximal end of said applicator tip and a second passage at a distal end of said applicator tip, said second passage having a cross-section defined by a long leg and a short leg intersecting at an approximate middle part, said cap including a sealing stopper having substantially the same cross-sectional shape as said second passage and being arranged to enter into said second passage when said cap is attached to said vial.

7. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said cap is substantially circular and configured to be attached to said base such that said dispenser has the form of the number eight.

8. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said cap includes a securing mechanism for releasably securing said cap to said vial.

9. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said projecting portion of said vial is arranged to enter into said cavity of said cap through said opening of said cap when said cap is attached to said vial, whereby at least part of said projecting portion is accommodated in said cavity of said cap.

10. A dispenser for dispensing a substance, comprising:

a vial defining a cavity in which the substance is arranged, said vial including a base and a projecting portion extending outward from said base, said projecting portion including a conduit communicating with said cavity;

an applicator tip arranged partly in said conduit and including at least one internal passage communicating with said cavity, said applicator tip including an applicator portion made of an elastomeric material and situated exterior of said conduit, said applicator portion including a plurality of spaced-apart projections at a distal application surface; and

a cap including an opening and a cavity communicating with said opening, said cap being removably attachable to said vial and when attached to said vial, said cavity of said cap accommodating said applicator portion of said applicator tip so that said cap seals said at least one internal passage of said applicator tip,

whereby when said cap is removed from said vial and said base is squeezed, the substance in said cavity is urged out of said cavity through said at least one internal passage of said applicator tip and onto said projections.

11. The dispenser of claim 10, wherein said base is substantially circular and includes an annular rim and a main portion defining said cavity and spaced apart from opposed portion of said rim, said projecting portion extending outward from said rim.

12. The dispenser of claim 10, wherein said applicator tip further includes an engagement portion arranged within said conduit of said projection portion, said engagement portion having an outer surface that contacts an inner surface defining said conduit.

13. The dispenser of claim 10, wherein said projections comprise crenellated fingers.

14. The dispenser of claim 10, wherein said at least one internal passage in said applicator tip comprises a first passage extending distally from a proximal end of said applicator tip and a second passage at a distal end of said applicator tip, said second passage having a cross-section defined by a long leg and a short leg intersecting at an approximate middle part, said cap including a sealing stopper having substantially the same cross-sectional shape as said second passage and being arranged to enter into said second passage when said cap is attached to said vial.

15. The dispenser of claim 10, wherein said base and said cap are substantially circular and said cap is configured to be attached to said base such that said dispenser has the form of the number eight.

16. The dispenser of claim 10, wherein said cap includes a securing mechanism for releasably securing said cap to said vial.

17. The dispenser of claim 10, wherein said projecting portion of said vial is arranged to enter into said cavity of said cap through said opening of said cap when said cap is attached to said vial, whereby at least part of said projecting portion is accommodated in said cavity of said cap.