Coating implements with material supply – Including rupturable means or sealed-cartridge receiver – Sealed-cartridge receiver with flow-establishing means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-22
2001-09-04
Douglas, Steven O. (Department: 3751)
Coating implements with material supply
Including rupturable means or sealed-cartridge receiver
Sealed-cartridge receiver with flow-establishing means
C401S066000, C401S182000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06283660
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The field of the invention is applicators for paints, medicaments and coatings.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The following information is presented solely to assist the understanding of the reader, and none of the information is admitted to describe or constitute prior art to the claims of the present invention.
A requisite for the maintenance of fluids is that they be sealed within a container sufficient to prevent them from breaking down, evaporating, or drying out. A requisite for a disposable container is that it be simple and economical to manufacture and easy to use.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,008, issued Jul. 8, 1986, for a “Fingernail Polish Capsule and Plunger,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, including any drawings, there is a described sealed unit in the form of a cartridge containing nail polish, a slideable brush attachment, a piston, and a plunger. It is to be used in a reusable hand-piece. When the cartridge is placed into the hand-piece, the brush attachment slides axially to automatically force open a panel at one end of the cartridge, that end being closed by a separately formed plug which has a sealed fit in the cartridge. Next, a plunger is utilized to displace a removable panel at the opposite end of the cartridge. That removable panel sits on a piston and is moved into the cartridge by further movement on the plunger which also moves the piston, thereby forcing the liquid nail polish into the brush attachment.
As noted therein, nail polish is customarily sold in bottles with the closure cap having an attached brush which is used to apply the polish. Such bottles contain more polish than is required for a single application so that after used the bottle must be reclosed and stored. Various techniques have been adapted to store such containers, including placing them in refrigerators. It is remarked that there has, however, been no satisfactory and convenient solution to solvent loss. In fact, it is stated, there is a solvent loss in the customary nail polish bottle arrangement during storage. While the invention of the '008 patent is said to solve that solvent loss problem, it has been discovered that various aspects of the device disclosed therein make its use as a disposable application unit inconvenient and expensive. First, the device is complicated from a standpoint of manufacture, containing a number of intricate parts. Additionally, the '008 device must be used with a plunger-containing handpiece.
A self-contained disposable, fluid storing applicator device which is easy to manufacture and use and which need not be used with a handpiece is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,760 which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, including any drawings. Optionally, a mechanical dispenser device may be relied on by the user to expel to contents of the container. The container may be used to store and apply or otherwise expel a variety of materials, such as paint, nail polish, and medicaments, including smelling salts and topical pharmaceuticals like iodine.
Nonetheless, there remains a need for additional and improved devices for dispensing fluids.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention features a pen used, for example, to dispense nail polish for finger nail application (or any other liquid or cream). The design is for a unit of use, meaning that the preferred pen uses cartridges, i.e., units. In a preferred embodiment, each cartridge is filled with polish and has a brush head. After the cartridge is used, the user simply disposes of the old cartridge and replaces it with a new cartridge for the next application.
Also featured are methods of making and using the pens, cartridges and capsules described herein, as well as kits useful in such methods. The components are combined to form the pen, cartridge and capsule and then used to apply the substance being dispensed, for example nail polish. Examples of preferred embodiments of each of the components are summarized herein.
Pen Dispenser
The pen dispenser is the device that dispenses the nail polish or other substances from the cartridge system. The pen preferably uses a ratchet system that advances the rod ratchet a measured amount each time the flow control button is depressed. The button uses a bi-directional ratchet system. Each time the button is depressed it advances the rod ratchet a measured amount and then it returns to its original position by use of a coil spring. When the cartridge is fully dispensed and ready for disposal, the cartridge is rotated counter clockwise and the rotating barrel within the pen also is rotated to expose the flat sides of the rod ratchet which then releases the rod ratchet to its original position by use of a coil spring. The pen is then ready for use with another cartridge.
First Capsule System
The capsule preferably is a tube open at both ends. The ends have a step on each side that can be folded over to seal the ends with a Cap. The tube can be metal, plastic or other material.
Second Capsule System
The capsule preferably is closed at one end and open at the other end. At the closed end there is a coined area in the center that is thinner than the rest of the capsule body. This allows the spike to penetrate the capsule and allow the substance to flow through the spike and into the brush or other applicator. The capsule is filled with the substance to be dispensed and the piston is then inserted into the capsule. The piston prevents the substance from flowing out of the capsule when it is penetrated by the rod ratchet. The open end has a step to allow the cap to seat on the step and have the ends folded over onto the cap creating the seal. The capsule is then penetrated by the rod ratchet from the pen dispenser and it pushes forward the piston which in turn pushes the entire capsule forward in the brush housing causing it to be penetrated by the spike in the coined area of the capsule. As the rod ratchet moves forward it will dispense a measured amount of the substance into the spike and into the brush or other applicator.
Cap
The cap preferably is a circular piece of metal, plastic or other material that is used to seal the capsule. In the first capsule design two caps are needed, one for each end. In the second capsule design only one cap is needed to seal the open end of the capsule.
Spike
The spike preferably is identical on both ends. There is a hole that runs through the center of the spike. Both ends have a very sharp tip that is used to penetrate the capsule. Once the capsule is penetrated the substance to be dispensed flows through the hole in the center of the spike. At the other end of the spike the substance flows into either a brush fiber or other type of applicator which can be a foam tip, sponge or nothing at all. The spike is held in the brush housing using a tension fit between the spike, brush housing and fiber.
Piston
The piston can be made of plastic, metal or other material. It is inserted into the capsule after the substance to be dispensed is filled in the capsule. The hollow end is inserted first. The purpose of the piston is to prevent the flow of the substance to be dispensed from leaking back out behind the piston and into the pen Dispenser once the seal has been penetrated.
Brush Housing
The brush housing holds the capsule in place before it is ready to be dispensed. When the brush housing is inserted into the pen dispenser and is turned clockwise it turns the rotating barrel inside the pen dispenser. As the brush housing rotates it eventually stops after rotating 90 degrees and the rod ratchet starts to penetrate the sealed end of the capsule. The capsule then starts to move forward within the brush housing and then the coined end of the capsule is penetrated by the spike. As the rod ratchet moves forward it moves the piston forward and dispenses the substance inside the capsule. After the capsule is dispensed the brush housing is turned counter clockwise and also turns the rotating barrel. The rotating barrel then turns the rod ratchet to expose t
Furlong Patrick J.
Nakamura Dennis M.
deVore Peter
Douglas Steven O.
Lyon & Lyon LLP
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