Special receptacle or package – With indicator
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-01
2001-01-30
Patterson, M. D. (Department: 3728)
Special receptacle or package
With indicator
C215S372000, C220S665000, C222S129200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06179125
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field Of The Invention
This invention relates to a packaged photocurable composition that includes a squeezable vial having a chamber that receives a quantity of photocurable material.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many liquid and semi-liquid compositions used in small quantities in the household, commercial or industrial applications are sold in small vials, such as dropper bottles, squeezable applicators and the like. Typically, such vials are relatively inexpensive and are disposed of once their contents have been exhausted or have not been used by a specified expiration date.
Many small vials used for containing and dispensing liquid and semi-liquid compositions are made of a flexible polymeric material. To dispense the composition, opposed wall portions of the vial are squeezed together by finger pressure to expel the composition through an outlet. The flexible wall portions are an advantage in that the user can control, to some degree, the amount and flow rate of the composition that is dispensed. In addition, flexible wall portions are less likely to break if the vial is unintentionally dropped or subjected to other kinds of abuse in comparison to vials made of glass or other rigid materials.
Squeezable polymeric vials have been long used for various medical and dental preparations. Examples include vials for eye and ear medications, suntan and sun screen compositions, body lotions, cosmetics, topical ointments and insect repellents. Commercial and industrial applications include compositions for film developing and other photographic applications, adhesives (such as cyanoacrylates), lubricants and the like.
Many squeezable vials are made of polymeric material that is sufficiently transparent or translucent so that the user may visually estimate the amount of a composition remaining in the vial. In some instances, the transparent or translucent material helps the user ascertain whether or not the composition has degraded. For example, the user may be able to determine whether or not an adhesive has unduly hardened or thickened by shaking the vial and observing the fluidity of the contents through the polymeric wall portions.
Some compositions that are contained in squeezable vials are curable upon exposure to light having wavelengths in the visible spectrum. Examples of photocurable compositions include certain dental (including orthodontic) adhesives and primers, dental luting cements and other dental preparations such as sealants and crown build-up material. In the past, vials containing such photocurable compositions have included a sufficient amount of pigment, such as carbon black, that absorbs light and blocks substantially all of the light from entering the chamber in the vial that would otherwise unduly cure the contained composition.
Unfortunately, opaque squeezable containers are not entirely satisfactory, since the user cannot visibly ascertain,the amount of composition remaining in the vial or whether it has degraded. Some vials, and especially vials containing dental compositions, are relatively small and contain only a small amount of photocurable composition. With such vials, it is difficult to determine the amount of photocurable composition remaining therein by lifting the vial and estimating its weight, since the ratio of the weight of the vial to the weight of the composition is relatively large.
SUMMURY OF THE INVENTION
The disadvantages noted above with respect to conventional squeezable vials have been overcome by the present invention. In one aspect, the invention concerns a packaged composition that includes a vial formed by a bottom wall and an elastic side wall circumscribing the bottom wall to define a chamber. The side wall has an upper section shaped to form an outlet in open communication with the chamber. The bottom and side walls are formed of a polymeric material having a colorant added thereto for substantially attenuating actinic radiation and at least upright portion of the side wall is capable of transmitting light having wavelengths greater than 500 nanometers substantially uniform wall thickness. The packaged composition further includes a photocurable material disposed in the chamber that is cured responsive to exposure of actinic radiation. The photocurable material is dispensed through the outlet responsive to portions of the side wall being displaced from an initial position to a position closer together. The displaced portions of the side wall subsequently substantially return to the initial position.
Looking at the invention from another aspect, such concerns a packaged composition including a vial formed by a bottom wall and an elastic side wall circumscribing the bottom wall to define a chamber. The side wall has an upper section shaped to form an outlet in open communication with the chamber. The bottom and side walls are formed of a polymeric material having a colorant added thereto for substantially attenuating actinic radiation while minimally attenuating visible light having an approximating spectral wavelength greater than 500 nanometers through the side wall. The colorant has a color in the orange portion of the visible light spectrum. The side wall has a substantially uniform wall thickness. The packaged composition further includes a photocurable material disposed in the chamber and is cured responsive to exposure of actinic radiation. The photocurable material is dispensed through the outlet responsive to portions of the side wall being displaced from an initial position to a position closer together. Subsequently, the displaced portion of the side walls substantially return to their initial position. The packaged composition also includes a label secured to an external surface of a first portion of the side wall and extends from a position adjacent the bottom wall to a position adjacent the upper section thereof for enhancing visibility of a level of the photocurable material through a second portion of the side wall.
From still another aspect, the present invention concerns a packaged composition that includes a vial formed by a bottom wall and an elastic side wall circumscribing the bottom wall to define a chamber. The side wall has an upper portion shaped to form an outlet in open communication with the chamber. The bottom and side walls are formed of a polymeric material having a colorant added thereto for substantially attenuating actinic radiation, while minimally attenuating visible light having an approximating spectral wavelength greater than 500 nanometers through the side wall. The side wall has a substantially uniform wall thickness in an approximating range of 0.015-0.025 inches. The packaged composition further includes a photocurable material disposed in the chamber and being cured responsive to exposure of actinic radiation. The photocurable material is dispensed through the outlet responsive to portions of the side wall being displaced from an initial. position to a position closer together. Subsequently the displaced portions of the side wall substantially return to their initial position.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1085560 (1914-01-01), Flynn
patent: 1206792 (1916-12-01), Aumuller
patent: 2043860 (1936-06-01), Morgan
patent: 2293475 (1942-08-01), Serra
patent: 2294473 (1942-09-01), Makeley
patent: 2631499 (1953-03-01), Riley
patent: 2643892 (1953-06-01), Riley
patent: 3291621 (1966-12-01), Hagedorn
patent: 3655985 (1972-04-01), Brown et al.
patent: 4227615 (1980-10-01), Flick
patent: 4294349 (1981-10-01), Ibsen et al.
patent: 4785953 (1988-11-01), Buchholz et al.
patent: 4822280 (1989-04-01), Rider
patent: 4978007 (1990-12-01), Jacobs et al.
patent: 5100320 (1992-03-01), Martin et al.
patent: 5122057 (1992-06-01), Discko et al.
patent: 5172809 (1992-12-01), Jacobs et al.
patent: 5234688 (1993-08-01), Gaffar
patent: 5246145 (1993-09-01), Leoncavallo et al.
patent: 5328058 (1994-07-01), Leoncavallo et al.
patent: 5785178 (1998-07-01), Kvitrud et al.
patent: 5996796 (1999-12-01), Kvitrud et al.
patent: 0114026 (1984-07-01), None
patent: 237846 (1925-06-01), None
pate
Kvitrud James R.
Martin Thomas W.
3M Innovative Properties Company
Christoff James D.
Patterson M. D.
Stashick Anthony
LandOfFree
Packaged photocurable composition does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Packaged photocurable composition, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Packaged photocurable composition will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2440828