Dispensing – Resilient wall – Fluid pressure generating pump or pulsator and/or removable...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-25
2001-07-31
Derakshani, Philippe (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
Resilient wall
Fluid pressure generating pump or pulsator and/or removable...
C222S143000, C222S211000, C222S420000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06267270
ABSTRACT:
DESCRIPTION
The invention relates to a liquid dispenser, in particular liquid medicament dispenser, for the metered dispensing of drops of liquid, in particular a liquid medicament, in which the storage container can be closed off by a deformable diaphragm and the liquid contained in said storage container can be dispensed at an outlet tube through volume displacement by light pressure on the diaphragm, and to a mounting for said liquid dispenser.
There is a need, particularly in the medical sector, though not exclusively in this sector, to be able to draw liquids in extremely small doses, i.e. in the form of droplets from a storage container for immediate use. Mention may be made here, by way of example, to the drawing of a disinfectant or some other liquid medicament in dental practice during and for treatment of a patient. It goes without saying that hygiene standards must be strict and any contamination must be avoided.
Another feature that would be particularly desirable is the possibility of single-handed operation of the dispenser, i.e. the ability to draw a droplet of the liquid with one hand using pincers and a piece of cotton wool held with them.
There is a known medicament dispenser in the form of a cup-shaped storage container which can be closed off by a diaphragm-like lid and has an outlet tube which projects laterally in the form of a spout and under which a small bowl is to be placed. A droplet of the liquid in the container is dispensed at the outlet tube by brief pressure on the diaphragm-like lid, and this droplet falls into the bowl and can there be taken up with the pincers and a cotton wool pellet. The bowl can be exchanged and resterilized. The disadvantage of this dispenser is its two-part construction comprising a storage container and a bowl for the liquid drawn; as a result, it takes up a relatively large amount of space overall and, in particular, it does not allow single-handed operation. The diaphragm-like lid of the storage container must always be pressed with one finger of one hand while the other hand holds the pincers with the piece of cotton wool in order to take up the dispensed droplet at the outlet tube or in the bowl.
In another known medicament dispenser, the storage container is closed off by a diaphragm in which a small outlet opening is provided. By means of pressure, with the pincers for example, on the diaphragm, liquid is pumped out of the container, through the outlet opening, onto the diaphragm and can be taken up there. Although single-handed operation is possible here, hygiene requirements are not met sufficiently. Since the liquid is pumped directly on the lid closing off the storage container, unused liquid cannot be prevented from flowing back into the container. For reasons of hygiene, this dispenser is unsuitable at least in the medical sector and wherever contamination must be avoided.
Commercially available small glass containers with a lid, referred to as Dappen dishes, are furthermore used. However, single-handed metering is not possible with these and the pincers must always be dipped into the liquid, inevitably resulting in contamination. The container can only be sterilized as a whole.
It is the object of the invention to provide a liquid dispenser for dropwise metering of a liquid which allows single-handed operation and, at the same time, is suitable particularly as a liquid-medicament dispenser, i.e. meets the strict hygiene requirements that have to be met in the medical sector. Parts which come into contact with the pincers and the piece of cotton wool or some other instrument for taking up the liquid must be easily exchangeable and sterilizable. The dispenser should be of compact, stable construction and be suitable for installation in shallow drawers, possibly together with a number of others in a kind of battery for drawing various liquids.
According to the invention, this is achieved by virtue of the fact that the opening of the outlet tube points at the upper surface of the diaphragm, which rests in a sealing manner on the container opening and is interchangeable. Thus it is possible to use an instrument, e.g. pincers holding a piece of cotton wool, with which the pressure is exerted on the diaphragm, simultaneously to take up the liquid dispensed dropwise at the outlet tube; single-handed operation has been achieved. The piece of cotton wool or pincers come into contact only with the liquid dispensed onto the diaphragm and never with the contents of the container; unused, contaminated liquid cannot flow back. Hygienic operation of the liquid dispenser is ensured.
The upper surface of the diaphragm is preferably curved slightly inwards so that it forms a small collecting or removal container.
The diaphragm preferably rests on a step provided on the inner edge of the container opening and can simply be exchanged before each further operation, this likewise promoting hygiene.
If it is regarded as advantageous for a particular application, it is also possible to cut a step into the underside of the diaphragm, by means of which step it rests on the inner edge of the container opening or on a step provided at the inner edge of the container opening.
A depression on the container rim projecting radially beyond the diaphragm makes it easier to exchange the diaphragm by allowing it to be grasped easily at this point, e.g. with pincers. According to another embodiment of the invention, a small peg can be provided on the diaphragm, and, for exchange, the diaphragm can be grasped by this peg with pincers. It is then possible to dispense with the depression in the container rim. As another alternative, the diaphragm can be provided with a small extension or grip similar to a spoon handle to facilitate the exchange of the diaphragm by an assistant, without the need to use pincers.
A tubular connection extending from the container rim projecting radially beyond the diaphragm as far as the interior of the container is provided in the container wall, and an outlet tube, which points towards the diaphragm, is inserted into this connection. When pressure is exerted on the diaphragm, liquid is displaced from the interior of the container into the outlet tube via the tubular connection, and can emerge from the opening of said tube above the diaphragm and be taken up in a single-handed operation.
In one embodiment of the liquid dispenser according to the invention, a radial hole opening directly into the interior of the container via the internal bottom is provided in the container wall and, in the container wall, this hole meets a second, vertical or almost vertical, hole which starts from the container rim projecting radially beyond the diaphragm. An outlet tube is pushed or pressed into this vertical hole, the end of said tube being bent towards the diaphragm. The lateral hole is sealed off from the outside by a plug or peg. This embodiment is advantageous from a production-engineering point of view when the container is manufactured as a turned part made, for example, of high-grade steel.
Particularly when the liquid dispenser is produced from plastic, it is also possible for the tubular connection to be formed laterally on the container wall.
It is advantageous if the tubular connection or vertical hole is divided by a step into a narrower section and a wider section, allowing the outlet tube pushed into the wider section to rest on the step.
If the lateral surface of the container has a concave curvature, the dispenser can be grasped easily by hand and moved as required.
The standing surface of the container is preferably an annular surface, it being possible to achieve this by a concave curvature or a central recess in the external bottom surface. This allows the dispenser to be placed in a manner secure against slipping on a surface with corresponding raised elements. Good stability is achieved.
According to another proposal, the container can be inserted into a mounting part which has an essentially cubic shape and in the upper side of which an opening to accommodate the container is provided, on the edge of which o
Derakshani Philippe
Kasper Horst M.
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