Container and valve assembly for storing and dispensing substances, and related method

A container and valve assembly for storing and dispensing a substance therefrom, comprising:

• a container including a squeezable body defining therein a storage chamber for receiving and storing a substance, and a head located at one end of the body, wherein the head defines a neck portion and a first axially extending passageway formed therethrough that is coupled in fluid communication with the storage chamber of the body and defines an unobstructed axially extending flow path therebetween;
• and
• a one-way valve assembly mounted on the head comprising:
• (a) a valve body including:
• a body base defining a second axially extending passageway coupled in fluid communication with the first axially extending passageway and defining an unobstructed axially extending flow path therebetween;
• an axially extending valve seat;
• and
• a at least one flow aperture extending through the valve body;
• and
• (b) a valve cover formed of an elastic material, and including:
• an outer valve cover shaped to receive thereon a user's mouth;
• a valve shield mounted inwardly relative to the outer valve cover, wherein the valve shield supports the outer valve cover when a user applies pressure to the outer valve cover;
• a valve portion overlying the valve seat, wherein the valve portion defines a predetermined radial thickness and a diameter less than a diameter of the valve seat to thereby form an interference fit therebetween, the valve portion and valve seat defining a normally closed, annular, axially extending valve opening therebetween, and the valve portion is movable radially between a normally closed position with the valve portion engaging the valve seat and an open position with a segment of the valve portion spaced radially away from the valve seat to allow the passage of substance at a predetermined valve opening pressure therebetween;
• wherein at lease part of the valve shield is spaced radially away from the valve portion so as not to interfere with the valve opening;
• and
• wherein the valve assembly further includes first means for progressively opening the valve opening and allowing the passage of substance from the storage chamber through the plurality of flow apertures upon manually squeezing the tubular body, and second means for hermetically sealing the plurality of flow apertures and preventing ingress of bacteria through the plurality of flow apertures and into the container in the normally closed position.

A method for storing and dispensing a sterile substance comprising the steps of:

• providing a container including a squeezable body defining therein a storage chamber for receiving and storing a substance, and a head located at one end of the body, wherein the head defines a neck portion and a first axially extending passageway formed therethrough that is coupled in fluid communication with the storage chamber of the body and defines an unobstructed axially extending flow path therebetween;
• providing a one-way valve assembly mounted on the head comprising:
• (a) a valve body including:
• a body base defining a second axially extending passageway coupled in fluid communication with the first axially extending passageway and defining an unobstructed axially extending flow path therebetween;
• an axially extending valve seat;
• and
• at least one flow aperture extending through the valve body;
• and
• (b) a valve cover formed of an elastic material, and including:
• an outer valve cover shaped to receive thereon a user's mouth;
• a valve shield mounted inwardly relative to the outer valve cover, wherein the valve shield supports the outer valve cover when a user applies pressure to the outer valve cover;
• and
• a valve portion overlying the valve seat, wherein the valve portion defines a predetermined radial thickness and a diameter less than a diameter of the valve seat to thereby form an interference fit therebetween, the valve portion and valve seat defining a normally closed, annular, axially extending valve opening therebetween, and the valve portion is movable radially between a normally closed position with the valve portion engaging the valve seat and an open position with a segment of the valve portion spaced radially away from the valve seat to allow the passage of substance at a predetermined valve opening pressure therebetween and hermetically sealing the valve assembly;
• wherein at least part of the valve shield is spaced away from the valve portion so as not to interfere with the valve opening and allow the valve portion to move between the valve seat and shield;
• storing within the storage chamber a quantity of substance;
• and
• dispensing an amount of the substance by manually squeezing the container body to dispense the substance through the valve opening and into the user's mouth.