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US 6,547,808 B2Granted
Infant fluid dispenser
AssigneeSeaquist Closures Foreign, Inc.
InventorsSteven R. Tuckey, John M. Hess, III
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fluid dispenser is provided with a fluid containment unit and a support unit. The fluid containment unit includes a bulb, a nipple, and a tether connecting the bulb to the nipple. The support unit includes a face plate, a retaining ring, and a releasable latch for securing the face plate and retainer ring together to clamp between them the fluid containment unit when the fluid containment unit is in a folded configuration locating the bulb and nipple in communication with each other.
Claims44
A fluid dispenser comprising:
- (A) a flexible fluid containment unit including
- (1) a flexible, squeezable reservoir bulb having a discharge opening;
- (2) a flexible, deformable nipple having an inlet opening and a dispensing orifice;
- and
- (3) a flexible tether connecting said bulb with said nipple to accommodate (1) an unfolded configuration allowing access to the interior of said bulb for filling said bulb with fluid, and (2) a folded configuration locating said bulb discharge opening in communication with said nipple inlet opening, said fluid containment unit having a size sufficient with respect to an intended user to prevent the fluid containment unit from being swallowed by the intended user when the fluid containment unit is in either the unfolded configuration or folded configuration;
- and
- (B) a support unit including
- (1) a face plate through which said nipple can project;
- (2) a retainer ring through which said bulb can project;
- (3) a hinge that connects said face plate and retainer ring and that is located adjacent said tether to accommodate folding of said tether;
- and
- (4) a releasable latch for securing said face plate and retainer ring together to clamp between them said fluid containment unit when said fluid containment unit is in said folded configuration.
9 more elements
A fluid dispenser comprising:
- (A) a fluid containment unit including
- (1) a bulb having a discharge opening;
- (2) a nipple having an inlet opening and a dispensing orifice;
- and
- (3) a tether connecting said bulb with said nipple to accommodate (1) an unfolded configuration allowing access to the interior of said bulb for filling said bulb with fluid, and (2) a folded configuration locating said bulb discharge opening in communication with said nipple inlet opening;
- and
- (B) a support unit including
- (1) a face plate from which said nipple can project;
- (2) a retainer ring from which said bulb can project;
- and
- (3) a releasable latch for securing said face plate and retainer ring together to clamp between them said fluid containment unit when said fluid containment unit is in said folded configuration.
8 more elements
A hingeless fluid dispenser comprising:
- a nipple having an inlet opening and a dispensing orifice;
- a face plate that is separate from, but engageable with, a portion of said nipple and from which said nipple can project;
- a retainer ring;
- a bulb having a discharge opening, said bulb being non-removably attached to said retainer ring in a fixed operative position against said retainer ring to prevent the user from moving said bulb away from said fixed operative position while allowing access to the interior of said bulb for filling said bulb with fluid;
- and
- a releasable latch for securing said face plate and retainer ring together to clamp between them said nipple in an orientation with said nipple inlet opening in communication with said bulb discharge opening.
3 more elements
A fluid dispenser comprising:
- a nipple having an inlet opening and a dispensing orifice;
- a face plate for engaging a portion of said nipple and from which said nipple can project;
- a retainer ring;
- a bulb having a discharge opening, said bulb deforming when squeezed, said bulb being non-removably attached to said retainer ring to allow access to the interior of said bulb for filling said bulb with fluid;
- and
- a releasable latch for securing said face plate and retainer ring together to clamp between them said nipple in an orientation with said nipple inlet opening in communication with said bulb discharge opening.
3 more elements
A fluid dispenser comprising:
- a nipple having an inlet opening and a dispensing orifice;
- a face plate for engaging a portion of said nipple and from which said nipple can project;
- a retainer ring;
- a bulb having a discharge opening, said bulb being connected to said nipple with a tether, said bulb being non-removably attached to said retainer ring to allow access to the interior of said bulb for filling said bulb with fluid;
- and
- a releasable latch for securing said face plate and retainer ring together to clamp between them said nipple in an orientation with said nipple inlet opening in communication with said bulb discharge opening.
3 more elements
A fluid dispenser comprising:
- a nipple having an inlet opening and a dispensing orifice, said nipple having a plurality of apertures outwardly of, and around, said nipple inlet opening;
- a face plate for engaging a portion of said nipple and from which said nipple can project, said face plate including a plurality of posts for each being received in one of said apertures in an interference fit to assist in retaining said nipple adjacent said face plate;
- a retainer ring;
- a bulb having a discharge opening, said bulb being non-removably attached to said retainer ring to allow access to the interior of said bulb for filling said bulb with fluid;
- and
- a releasable latch for securing said face plate and retainer ring together to clamp between them said nipple in an orientation with said nipple inlet opening in communication with said bulb discharge opening.
3 more elements
A fluid dispenser comprising:
- a nipple having an inlet opening and a dispensing orifice;
- a face plate for engaging a portion of said nipple and from which said nipple can project;
- a retainer ring;
- a bulb having a discharge opening, said bulb being non-removably attached to said retainer ring to allow access to the interior of said bulb for filling said bulb with fluid;
- a releasable latch for securing said face plate and retainer ring together to clamp between them said nipple in an orientation with said nipple inlet opening in communication with said bulb discharge opening;
- and
- two spaced-apart film hinges hingedly connecting said face plate to said retainer ring.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.