# US 8,771,242 B2 · Visually aligning dispensing unit

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- Number: US 8,771,242 B2
- Document ID: US8771242B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/994,438
- Filed: 2013-03-11
- Published: 2014-02-27
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2012-03-19
- Assignees: Empire Technology Development LLC
- Applicants: Empire Technology Development LLC
- Inventors: Christopher John Buntel
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8771242B2

## CPC

- A61F 9/0026: {Ophthalmic product dispenser attachments to facilitate positioning near the eye}
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)

## Abstract

Dispensing units and methods for using dispensing units to apply eye drops to an eye of a user are disclosed. A dispensing unit may include a dispensing barrel having a dispensing orifice and one or more concentric rings. A particular dispensing unit has one concentric ring that is disposed around the circumference of the dispensing barrel and is configured to permit a user to properly visually align the dispensing barrel above an eye of the user. An alternate dispensing unit has first and second rings disposed around a circumference of the dispensing barrel that are configured to permit a user to properly visually align the dispensing barrel above an eye of the user by one or more of color mixing or polarization techniques.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for applying eye drops to an eye of a user, the method comprising:
placing a dispensing unit above the eye of the user in a dispensing configuration, wherein the dispensing unit comprises a dispensing barrel and one or more concentric rings disposed around a circumference of the dispensing barrel, wherein the one or more concentric rings comprise a first ring having a first color and a second ring having a second color that differs from the first color, and wherein the dispensing configuration comprises having the dispensing barrel disposed towards the eye of the user;
aligning the dispensing unit so that the one or more concentric rings provide a visual indication of alignment above the eye of the user, wherein aligning the dispensing unit comprises aligning the first and second rings such that a user perceives a complete ring having a third color, wherein the third color comprises a combination of the first color and the second color; and
dispensing one or more eye drops from the dispensing unit to the eye of the user.

### Claim 2

A method for applying eye drops to an eye of a user, the method comprising:
placing a dispensing unit above the eye of the user in a dispensing configuration, wherein the dispensing unit comprises a dispensing barrel and one or more concentric rings disposed around a circumference of the dispensing barrel, wherein the one or more concentric rings comprise a first ring having a first polarization and a second ring having a second polarization that differs from the first polarization, and wherein the dispensing configuration comprises having the dispensing barrel disposed towards the eye of the user;
aligning the dispensing unit so that the one or more concentric rings provide a visual indication of alignment above the eye of the user, wherein aligning the dispensing unit comprises aligning the first and second rings such that a user perceives a complete dark ring, wherein the complete dark ring results from the differing polarization of the first and second rings; and
dispensing one or more eye drops from the dispensing unit to the eye of the user.