Vial for delivering contents onto a substrate

• US 8,398,324 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2010
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jbl Radical Innovations, LLC
• Original Assignee: Jbl Radical Innovations, LLC
• Inventors: Levine, Jonathan B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walczak, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chiang, Jennifer C
• Application Number:
  US12/691,766
• Publication Number:
  US 20110183296A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 401183-186, 401/145, 401/152, 401/156, 222/92, 222/206, 222/212, 433/88, 433/89, 604/3, 604/290
• US Class Current: 401/183
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 2202/01 Packaging for light-curable material
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 5/62 Applicators, e.g. syringes or guns

Abstract

Dispenser for dispensing a substance onto a substrate, such as a tooth treatment compound onto teeth, includes a vial including a pair of thin members forming a cavity therebetween in which the substance is arranged and a conduit defining an internal dispensing channel communicating with the cavity, an applicator tip arranged in connection with the conduit and including projections adapted to contact the substrate, and a cap including a cavity. The cap removably attaches to the vial and when attached, covers the applicator tip and seals the internal channel. When the cap is detached from the vial and the thin members are squeezed toward one another, the substance in the cavity is urged out of the cavity into and through the internal channel in the conduit and onto the projections to enable it to be brought into contact with the substrate.

Claims

1. A dispenser for dispensing a substance onto a substrate, comprising:

a vial including a pair of thin, outwardly bulging partly flexible convex members each arranged on a respective side of said vial and forming a narrow cavity therebetween in which the substance is stored and a conduit defining an internal dispensing channel communicating with said cavity, said thin members being partly squeezable toward one another;

an applicator tip connected with said conduit and including projections adapted to contact the substrate; and

a cap including a cavity, said cap being removably attached to said vial and when attached to said vial, covering said applicator tip and sealing said internal dispensing channel,

whereby when said cap is removed from said vial and said thin members are squeezed toward one another, the substance in said cavity is urged out of said cavity through said internal dispensing channel in said conduit and onto said projections to be brought into contact with the substrate.

2. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said vial is substantially circular and includes an annular rim, a support portion along a portion of said rim, a pair of supports each extending between said support portion and an opposite portion of said rim, said cavity being defined between said supports, said conduit being situated partially within said support portion.

3. The dispenser of claim 2, wherein said thin members each have a shape conforming to a shape of said rim aside from said support portion.

4. The dispenser of claim 2, wherein said thin members each have first and second substantially planar portions and a convex portion therebetween extending outward from a plane in which said planar portions are arranged, said arcuate portions of said thin members being flexible and thus squeezable toward one another to thereby urge the substance out of said cavity.

5. The dispenser of claim 2, wherein said rim, said support portion and said supports are made of high density polyethylene.

6. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said applicator tip is overmolded onto said conduit such that a portion of said applicator tip including said projections extends beyond an axial edge of said conduit.

7. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said projections comprise crenellated fingers arranged to provide an even spreading of the substance onto the substrate.

8. The dispenser of claim 7, wherein said crenellated fingers form a plurality of annular rows, each pair of adjacent rows being separated by a channel, said fingers and said channel cooperating to define retention areas in which the substance is retained ready for application to the substrate.

9. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said applicator tip is made of a soft material such as silicone.

10. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said applicator tip is elongate and said projections comprise inner and outer rings of projections separated by a channel, said projections having a variable axial length from a largest axial length on one side of said applicator tip to a shortest axial length on an opposite side of said applicator tip.

11. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said thin members are made of film or foil.

12. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said cap includes an opening on an inner side for receiving said applicator tip and a sealing stopper for entering into said internal channel when said cap is attached to said vial.

13. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said cap is configured such that when said cap is attached to said vial, said dispenser has the form of the number eight.

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

15. The dispenser of claim 14, wherein said vial includes at least one ridge formed on an outer surface at a front area, said securing mechanism comprising a respective abutting surface of a portion of said cap that is positioned to abut against a rear facing surface of each of said at least one ridge to thereby prevent rearward movement of said vial relative to said cap, and thus disengagement of said vial and cap from one another, in the absence of manual force urging said ridge under said respective abutting surface.

16. A dispenser for dispensing a substance onto a substrate, comprising:

a vial comprising a substantially circular portion having a cavity therein containing the substance and a conduit extending outward from said circular portion and defining an internal channel communicating with said cavity, said vial having opposed substantially circular convex surfaces variably spaced apart from one another to enable formation of said cavity between opposed portions of said circular surfaces;

an applicator tip arranged in connection with said conduit and adapted to contact the substrate; and

a cap including a sealing stopper, said cap being removably attached to said vial such that when said cap is attached to said vial, said sealing stopper said cap covers said applicator tip and seals said internal channel,

whereby when said cap is removed from said vial and said circular surfaces are squeezed toward one another, the substance in said cavity is urged out of said cavity through said internal channel in said conduit to be brought into contact with the substrate.

17. The dispenser of claim 16, wherein said circular surfaces have an undulating form with low points at lateral edges of said circular portion and a high point in a center of said circular portion, said circular surfaces gently sloping between said low points and said high point.

18. A dispenser for dispensing a substance onto a substrate, comprising:

a vial comprising a cavity containing the substance and a conduit defining an internal channel communicating with said cavity, said vial having opposed surfaces squeezable toward one another;

an applicator tip arranged in connection with said conduit and adapted to contact the substrate; and

a cap including a sealing stopper, said cap being removably attached to said vial such that when said cap is attached to said vial, said sealing stopper said cap covers said applicator tip and seals said internal channel,

said cap being configured such that when said cap is attached to said vial, said dispenser has the form of the number, eight with said vial comprising a first loop of said number eight and said cap comprising a second loop of said number eight;

whereby when said cap is removed from said vial and said opposed surfaces of said vial are squeezed toward one another, the substance in said cavity is urged out of said cavity through said internal channel in said conduit to be brought into contact with the substrate.

19. The dispenser of claim 18, wherein said cap is substantially crescent-shaped and includes an opening on an inner side for receiving said applicator tip.

20. A dispenser for dispensing a substance onto a substrate, comprising:

a vial including a pair of thin, partly flexible members each arranged on a respective side of said vial and forming a cavity therebetween in which the substance is arranged and a conduit defining an internal dispensing channel communicating with said cavity, said thin members being partly squeezable toward one another;

said vial being substantially circular and including an annular rim, a support portion located along a portion of said rim, a pair of supports each extending between said support portion and an opposite portion of said rim, said cavity being defined between said supports, said conduit being situated partially within said support portion;

an applicator tip arranged in connection with said conduit and including projections adapted to contact the substrate; and

a cap including a cavity, said cap being removably attached to said vial and when attached to said vial, covering said applicator tip and sealing said internal channel,

whereby when said cap is removed from said vial and said thin members are squeezed toward one another, the substance in said cavity is urged out of said cavity through said internal channel in said conduit and onto said projections to be brought into contact with the substrate.

21. A dispenser for dispensing a substance onto a substrate, comprising:

a vial including a pair of thin, partly flexible members each arranged on a respective side of said vial and forming a cavity therebetween in which the substance is arranged and a conduit defining an internal dispensing channel communicating with said cavity, said thin members being partly squeezable toward one another;

an applicator tip arranged in connection with said conduit and including projections adapted to contact the substrate, said projections comprising crenellated fingers arranged to provide an even spreading of the substance onto the substrate; and

a cap including a cavity, said cap being removably attached to said vial and when attached to said vial, covering said applicator tip and sealing said internal channel,

whereby when said cap is removed from said vial and said thin members are squeezed toward one another, the substance in said cavity is urged out of said cavity through said internal channel in said conduit and onto said projections to be brought into contact with the substrate.

22. A dispenser for dispensing a substance onto a substrate, comprising:

a vial including a pair of thin, partly flexible members each arranged on a respective side of said vial and forming a cavity therebetween in which the substance is arranged and a conduit defining an internal dispensing channel communicating with said cavity, said thin members being partly squeezable toward one another;

an elongated applicator tip arranged in connection with said conduit and including projections adapted to contact the substrate, said projections comprising inner and outer rings of projections separated by a channel, said projections having a variable axial length from a largest axial length on one side of said applicator tip to a shortest axial length on an opposite side of said applicator tip; and

a cap including a cavity, said cap being removably attached to said vial and when attached to said vial, covering said applicator tip and sealing said internal channel,

whereby when said cap is removed from said vial and said thin members are squeezed toward one another, the substance in said cavity is urged out of said cavity through said internal channel in said conduit and onto said projections to be brought into contact with the substrate.

23. A dispenser for dispensing a substance onto a substrate, comprising:

a vial including a pair of thin, partly flexible members each arranged on a respective side of said vial and forming a cavity therebetween in which the substance is arranged and a conduit defining an internal dispensing channel communicating with said cavity, said thin members being partly squeezable toward one another;

an applicator tip arranged in connection with said conduit and including projections adapted to contact the substrate; and

a cap including a cavity, said cap being removably attached to said vial and when attached to said vial, covering said applicator tip and sealing said internal channel, said cap including a securing mechanism for releasably securing said cap to said vial,

whereby when said cap is removed from said vial and said thin members are squeezed toward one another, the substance in said cavity is urged out of said cavity through said internal channel in said conduit and onto said projections to be brought into contact with the substrate, said vial including at least one ridge formed on an outer surface at a front area thereof, said securing mechanism comprising a respective abutting surface of a portion of said cap that is positioned to abut against a rear facing surface of each of said at least one ridge to thereby prevent rearward movement of said vial relative to said cap and disengagement of said vial and cap from one another, in the absence of manual force urging said ridge under said respective abutting surface.