US 4,739,906 AGranted

Storage bottle for contact lens cleaning solution having a self closing valve assembly

AssigneeBlairex Laboratories, Inc.

InventorRaymond A. LoTurco

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A plastic squeeze bottle has a dispensing end having a central, closed-ended, cone-shaped portion which serves as a stem or core for a valve assembly which includes an elastomeric seal which overlies and resiliently grips and circumferentially seals around the stem. The seal also covers apertures in the bottle end adjacent the stem. A small central aperture in the seal where it overlies the closed end of the stem, enables dispensing contents from the bottle when the bottle is squeezed, as the resulting internal pressure causes the seal to balloon slightly away from the stem and permit passage of saline solution from the bottle through the bottle end apertures and seal central aperture. When the squeezing stops, the seal resiliently retracts against the stem and closes the bottle. A snap-on overcap assembly has seal control and closure maintenance features to avoid accidental dispensing of bottle contents due to unintentional squeezing of the bottle when the overcap is closed.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A self-closing bottle assembly for the controlled dispensing of fluid, comprising:

a collapsible bottle for receiving and containing fluid within, having a body and a neck at one end of said body and a head at the end of the neck with a nozzle retainer groove and a seal support surface therein, said neck having a central axis, and the groove and seal support surface being circular and centered on said axis and located at a plane perpendicular to said axis, with the support surface extending radially inward from the groove, said bottle having first discharge outlet means radially inward from said support surface, whereby said fluid is dispensed hydraulically from the interior of said bottle through said first discharge outlet means upon the application of an external collapsing force to the exterior of said bottle;
self-closing valve means on said neck, said valve means comprising;
valve stem means including a tapering projection on said body adjacent said first discharge outlet means and projecting outwardly from said body;
a resilient nozzle member on said bottle normally closing said first discharge outlet means and so located to substantially enclose said valve stem means, said nozzle member having a resilient base region, said base region having an outer marginal portion and formed at its interior into a hollow central portion projecting outwardly from said body and converging as it projects outwardly to an end of said hollow central portion, said central portion having second discharge outlet means at said end, said central portion being so designed and situated to seat in immediate contact with and elastically grip said tapering projection when in a closed position to produce an air-tight seal, and to balloon outwardly from said tapering projection when enough fluid pressure is applied to the interior surface of said hollow central portion of said nozzle member, and then to resiliently return to said closed position when the fluid pressure is relieved;
and
means for securely engaging said resilient nozzle member with said groove and seal support surface and operable to compress said outer marginal portion of said base region of said nozzle member against said seal support surface to provide an air-tight seal.

3 more elements

A self-closing bottle assembly for the controlled dispensing of fluid, comprising:

a collapsible bottle for receiving and containing fluid within, having a body and a neck at one end of said body, said neck having first discharge outlet means, whereby said fluid is dispensed hydraulically from the interior of said bottle through said first discharge outlet means upon the application of an external collapsing force to the exterior of said bottle;
self-closing valve means on said neck, said valve means comprising;
valve stem means including a tapering projection on said body adjacent said first discharge outlet means and projecting outwardly from said body;
a resilient nozzle member on said neck normally closing said first discharge outlet means and so located to substantially enclose said valve stem means, said nozzle member having a resilient base region and having a discharge end, said base region having an outer marginal portion and an intermediate portion, said nozzle member being formed at its interior into a hollow central portion projecting outwardly from said body and tapering from said base region in a converging manner as it projects outwardly to said discharge end to form a hollow frustum, said central portion having a second discharge outlet means at said discharge end and having an upper marginal portion adjacent said discharge end and extending slightly beyond the end of said tapering projection of said body and seated in immediate contact with and elastically gripping said tapering projection when in a closed position to produce an air-tight seal, and said central portion being operable to balloon outwardly from said tapering projection when enough fluid pressure is applied to the interior surface of said hollow central portion of said nozzle member, and then to resiliently return to said closed position when the fluid pressure is relieved;
and
means for securely engaging said resilient nozzle member with said neck, wherein said means includes;
a retaining ring mounted on said neck of said bottle, having a flange directed radially inward from an inner circumferential surface of said retaining ring, said flange compressing said outer marginal portion of said base region of said nozzle member and securing the base region in pressed engagement with said neck to provide an air-tight seal, said retaining ring including a radially outwardly projecting ridge in an upper perimetrical portion of said ring;
and
a locking cap secured to said retaining ring, with means to lock said cap in a closed position, wherein said locking cap includes;
a cover portion having a protuberance projecting inwardly toward said bottle when said cap is in the closed position, and arranged to abuttingly engage and resiliently compress said upper marginal portion of said hollow central portion when said cap is in the closed position to substantially close and seal said second discharge outlet means,
said cover portion further having a cylindrical flange projecting inwardly toward said bottle when said cap is in the closed position, and arranged to abuttingly engage said base region of said nozzle member near said hollow frustum to elastically pull said hollow frustum against said tapering projection on said valve stem means when the cap is in the closed position.
said cover portion further having an notch opposing said ridge in said retaining ring when the cap is in the closed position and receiving said ridge, when the cap is in the closed position,
hinge means diametrically opposite said notch, hingedly connecting said retaining ring and said cover portion,
wherein said hinge means coacts with said notch when receiving said ridge to tightly restrain said cover portion against said retaining ring, when the cap is in the closed position,
said hinge means coacts with the notch when receiving the ridge, and with said protuberance to firmly engage said upper marginal portion of said hollow central portion, when the cap is in the closed position, and
said hinge means coacts with the notch when receiving the ridge, to hold said cap with said cylindrical flange firmly engaging said base region of the nozzle member near the hollow frustum when the cap is in the closed position.

13 more elements

A self-closing bottle assembly for the controlled dispensing of fluid, comprising;

a collapsible bottle for receiving and containing fluid within, having a body and a neck at one end of said body, said neck having first discharge outlet means, whereby said fluid is dispensed hydraulically from the interior of said bottle through said first discharge outlet means upon the application of an external collapsing force to the exterior of said bottle;
self-closing valve means on said neck, said valve means comprising;
valve stem means including a tapering projection on said body adjacent said first discharge outlet means and projecting outwardly from said body;
a resilient nozzle member on said neck normally closing said first discharge outlet means and so located to substantially enclose said valve stem means, said nozzle member having a resilient base region and having a discharge end, said base region having an outer marginal portion and an intermediate portion, said nozzle member being formed at its interior into a hollow central portion projecting outwardly from said body and converging as it projects outwardly to said discharge end, said central portion having second discharge outlet means at said discharge end and having an upper marginal portion adjacent said discharge end and extending slightly beyond said tapering projection and seated in immediate contact with and elastically gripping said tapering projection when in a closed position to produce an air-tight seal, and said central portion being operable to balloon outwardly from said tapering projection when enough fluid pressure is applied to the interior surface of said hollow central portion of said nozzle member, and then to resiliently return to said closed position when the fluid pressure is relieved;
means for securely engaging said resilient nozzle member with said neck and operable to compress said outer marginal portion of said base region of said nozzle member against said neck to provide an air-tight seal;
and
an overcap assembly, secured to said neck, and abuttingly engaging and resiliently compressing said discharge end of said central portion and thereby closing said second discharge outlet means, when in a closed position to form an air-tight seal, with means to lock said overcap assembly in said closed position, and with further means to disengage said overcap assembly from said discharge end and to expose said second discharge outlet means, when the overcap assembly is in an open position, said overcap assembly including,
a retaining ring mounted on said neck of said bottle, and having a radially outwardly projecting ridge in an upper perimetrical portion of said ring;
a cap comprising,
a protuberance projecting inwardly toward said bottle when said cap is in a closed position, and arranged to abuttingly engage and resiliently compress said discharge end of said hollow central portion when said cap is in the closed position to substantially close and seal said second discharge outlet means,
a cylindrical flange projecting inwardly toward said bottle when said cap is in the closed position, and arranged to abuttingly engage said base region of said nozzle member near the tapering projection to elastically pull said central portion over said tapering projection on said valve stem means when the cap is in the closed position,
a notch opposing said ridge in said retaining ring when the cap is in the closed position and receiving said ridge when the cap is in the closed position;
and
hinge means diametrically opposite said notch, hingedly connecting said retaining ring and said cap, wherein:
said hinge means coacts with said notch when receiving said ridge to tightly restrain said cap against said retaining ring, when the cap is in the closed position,
said hinge means coacts with the notch when receiving the ridge, and with said protuberance to firmly engage said discharge end of said hollow central portion of said nozzle member, when the cap is in the closed position, and
said hinge means coacts with the notch when receiving the ridge, to hold said cap with said cylindrical flange firmly engaging said base region of the nozzle member near the tapering projection when the cap is in the closed position.

14 more elements

A self-closing bottle assembly for the controlled dispensing of fluid, comprising:

a collapsible bottle for receiving and containing fluid within, having a body and a neck at one end of said body, said neck having first discharge outlet means, whereby said fluid is dispensed hydraulically from the interior of said bottle through said first discharge outlet means upon the application of an external collapsing force to the exterior of said bottle;
self-closing valve means on said neck, said valve means comprising;
valve stem means including a tapering projection on said body adjacent said first discharge outlet means and projecting outwardly from said body;
a resilient nozzle member on said neck normally closing said first discharge outlet means and so located to substantially enclose said valve stem means, said nozzle member having a resilient base region and a discharge end, said base region having an outer marginal portion and an intermediate portion, said nozzle member being formed at its interior into a hollow central portion projecting outwardly from said body and converging as it projects outwardly to said discharge end, said central portion having second discharge outlet means at said discharge end, said central portion being seated in immediate contact with and elastically gripping said tapering projection when in a closed position to produce an air-tight seal, and said central portion being operable to balloon outwardly from said tapering projection when enough fluid pressure is applied to the interior surface of said hollow central portion of said nozzle member, and then to resiliently return to said closed position when the fluid pressure is relieved;
and
means for securely engaging said resilient nozzle member with said neck and operable to compress said outer marginal portion of said base region of said nozzle member against said neck to provide an air-tight seal, including;
a retaining ring mounted on said neck of said bottle, having a flange directed radially inward from an inner circumferential surface of said retaining ring, said flange abuttingly contacting said outer marginal portion of said base region of said nozzle member and securing the base region in pressed engagement with said neck;
and
means for providing an air-tight interlocking seal between the nozzle member and the neck, and comprising:
a support face on said bottle and projecting radially inward from the uppermost portion of the neck, said first discharge outlet means and said tapering projection being inboard from said support face, and,
said support face providing a sealing surface situated to form a continuous perimeter surrounding the first discharge outlet means and the tapering projection, and
said support face further including a continuous seal groove adjacently parallel and outboard of said sealing surface;
a circumferential locating rib formed in said outer marginal portion of said base region of said nozzle member, said rib being directed downward toward said body and in opposing juxtaposition with said seal groove;
and
said outer marginal portion of the base region being in overlapping contact with the support face, and the locating rib being receivingly engaged within the seal groove, to provide a tight seal when said flange directed radially inward from said retaining ring is in abutting engagement with the outer marginal portion of the base region.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.