Metered dispenser and method of dispensing a measured amount of a substance

A dispenser, comprising:

• a first conduit section having a first end for coupling to an opening of a container;
• a second conduit section having a first end for coupling to a second end of said first conduit section, said second conduit section having a measuring chamber for receiving substantially a predetermined amount of substance from the container;
• a valve that controls a flow of the substance between the container and said measuring chamber;
• and
• a third conduit section for coupling to a second end of said second conduit section,
• wherein a volume of said measuring chamber is adjusted by changing a depth of penetration of a plunger of said third conduit section into said second conduit section,
• wherein said valve can be selectively opened or closed by rotating said second conduit section relative to said first conduit section,
• wherein said valve comprises a first disc and a second disc, said second disc being concentric with and stacked upon said first disc, and each of said first disc and said second disc having a cutout portion, wherein said valve can be closed when said first disc is rotated to a position in which a non-cutout portion of said first disc overlaps and covers said cutout portion of said second disc to form a barrier seal,
• wherein said first disc of said valve is fixed so as to not be rotatable relative to said second conduit section, and said second disc of said valve is fixed so as to not be rotatable relative to said first conduit section,
• wherein said first conduit section comprises a notch that slides within a groove of said second conduit section,
• wherein when an end part of said first conduit section having said notch is inserted within an end part of said second conduit section having said groove, said notch fits within said groove to keep said first conduit section and said second conduit section attached together,
• wherein a length of said groove is longer than a length of said notch so as to allow for confined and limited rotation of said first conduit section with respect to said second conduit section,
• wherein the rotation of said first conduit section with respect to said second conduit section is limited in clockwise and counter-clockwise rotation directions based on points at which said notch abuts each respective end of said groove, such that said notch can move within said length of said groove,
• wherein said second conduit section is allowed to rotate relative to said first conduit section, whereby at one end of the rotation said cutout portion of said first disc is aligned with said cutout portion of said second disc and said valve is open, and whereby at another end of the rotation said non-cutout portion of said first disc overlaps and completely covers said cutout portion of said second disc and said valve is closed, and
• wherein said first conduit section, said second conduit section, said valve, and said third conduit section are all provided along a same axis.

A method of dispensing a measured amount of a substance from a container, the method comprising:

• adjusting a volume of a measuring chamber to a desired volume;
• filling said measuring chamber with the substance;
• closing a valve to prevent flow of the substance into and out from said measuring chamber;
• and
• dispensing the substance from said measuring chamber,
• wherein said closing said valve comprises rotating said measuring chamber relative to the container,
• wherein said rotating said measuring chamber relative to the container effectuates a rotation of a first disc of said valve relative to a second disc of said valve, said second disc being concentric with and stacked upon said first disc, and each of said first disc and said second disc having a cutout portion, wherein said valve can be closed when a non-cutout portion of said first disc overlaps and covers said cutout portion of said second disc to form a barrier seal,
• wherein said first disc of said valve is fixed so as to not be rotatable relative to said measuring chamber, and said second disc of said valve is fixed so as to not be rotatable relative to the container,
• wherein said closing said valve further comprises rotating said measuring chamber relative to the container such that a notch of a container-connecting conduit section connected to the container slides within a groove of said measuring chamber,
• wherein when an end part of said container-connecting conduit section having said notch is inserted within an end part of said measuring chamber having said groove, said notch fits within said groove to keep said container-connecting conduit section and said measuring chamber attached together,
• wherein a length of said groove is longer than a length of said notch so as to allow for confined and limited rotation of said container-connecting conduit section with respect to said measuring chamber,
• wherein the rotation of said container-connecting conduit section with respect to said measuring chamber is limited in clockwise and counter-clockwise rotation directions based on points at which said notch abuts each respective end of said groove, such that said notch can move within said length of said groove,
• wherein said measuring chamber is allowed to rotate relative to said container-connecting conduit section, whereby at one end of the rotation said cutout portion of said first disc is aligned with said cutout portion of said second disc and said valve is open, and whereby at another end of the rotation said non-cutout portion of said first disc overlaps and completely covers said cutout portion of said second disc and said valve is closed, and
• wherein said measuring chamber is provided along a same axis as said valve and said container-connecting conduit section.