# US 8,783,521 B2 · Container for eye drops > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,783,521 B2 - Document ID: US8783521B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/321,806 - Filed: 2010-05-21 - Published: 2012-03-22 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2009-05-22 - Assignees: Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Shinichi Ishikawa; Yuji Sugahara; Hiroyuki Yamazaki; Shintaro Adachi; Yusuke Ogawa; Kousuke Toujou; Yoshiteru Ishikawa - Inventors: Shinichi Ishikawa; Yuji Sugahara; Hiroyuki Yamazaki; Shintaro Adachi; Yusuke Ogawa; Kousuke Toujou; Yoshiteru Ishikawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8783521B2 ## CPC - B65D 47/18: for discharging drops; Droppers (droppers in general B01L3/00; {pipettes connected to container closures B01L3/0282}) - A61F 9/0008: {Introducing ophthalmic products into the ocular cavity or retaining products therein (putting in contact lenses A61F9/0061; introducing or retaining media in cavities of the body in general A61M31/00)} - B65D 47/2068: {in which the stem is lowered by the pressure of the contents and thereby opening the valve} - A61J 1/067: {Flexible ampoules, the contents of which are expelled by squeezing} - F16K 15/144: {the closure elements being fixed along all or a part of their periphery} - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES - 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) - A61J: CONTAINERS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR MEDICAL OR PHARMACEUTICAL PURPOSES; DEVICES OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR BRINGING PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS INTO PARTICULAR PHYSICAL OR ADMINISTERING FORMS; DEVICES FOR ADMINISTERING FOOD OR MEDICINES ORALLY; BABY COMFORTERS; DEVICES FOR RECEIVING SPITTLE - F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)} ## Abstract A flexible and restorable container main body for housing a medicinal solution. A stopper member is fixed in an inside of a medicinal solution passage that communicates with the container main body for discharging the medicinal solution when the container main body is pressed and deformed. A pressure valve is arranged in the medicinal solution passage at a downstream side in the medicinal solution discharge direction further than the stopper member and is formed with an opening having a circular cross section which contacts a tip portion of the stopper member. A biasing member is provided at a downstream side for biasing the pressure valve in a direction opposite to the medicinal solution discharge direction by abutting against a peripheral portion of the opening of the pressure valve. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A container for eye drops comprising: a flexible and restorable container main body for housing a medicinal solution; a medicinal solution passage communicating with the container main body, for discharging the medicinal solution housed in the container main body when the container main body is pressed and deformed; a stopper member fixed to an inside of the medicinal solution passage, having a tip portion at a downstream side in a medicinal solution discharge direction, the tip portion having a predetermined-shaped cross section when viewed from the medicinal solution discharge direction; a pressure valve arranged, in the medicinal solution passage, at a downstream side in the medicinal solution discharge direction further than the tip portion of the stopper member, and being formed with an opening in a center portion thereof having a predetermined-shaped cross section that contacts the tip portion; and a biasing member provided, in the medicinal solution passage, at a downstream side in the medicinal solution discharge direction further than the pressure valve, for biasing the pressure valve in a direction opposite to the medicinal solution discharge direction by abutting against a peripheral portion of the opening of the pressure valve, wherein the pressure valve is made of a material to that is easily deformed by a fluid pressure, and a peripheral portion of the pressure valve is supported and fixed to the inside of the medicinal solution passage. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The container for eye drops according to claim 1, wherein the tip portion of the stopper member has a circular cross section when viewed from the medicinal solution discharge direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The container for eye drops according to claim 2, wherein the tip portion of the stopper member has a hemispherical shape. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The container for eye drops according to claim 2, wherein of the opening of the pressure valve, a part that contacts the tip portion of the stopper member makes line contact in a ring shape with the tip portion of the stopper member, and the contact part has a circular longitudinal section. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The container for eye drops according to claim 2, wherein the tip portion of the stopper member has a conical shape. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The container for eye drops according to claim 5, wherein of the opening of the pressure valve, a part that contacts the tip portion of the stopper member makes line contact in a ring shape with the tip portion of the stopper member, and the contact part has a circular longitudinal section. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The container for eye drops according to claim 1, wherein the biasing member is directly abutted against a peripheral surface of the opening of the pressure valve. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The container for eye drops according to claim 1, wherein the biasing member is abutted against a peripheral surface of the opening of the pressure valve via a seat. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The container for eye drops according to claim 1, wherein the biasing member is molded integrally with the opening of the pressure valve. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The container for eye drops according to claim 1, further comprising: an air flow passage communicating with an exterior of the container main body causing outside air to flow into an interior of the container main body when the container main body is released from pressing and restored; and a filter portion provided in the air flow passage, for purifying outside air flowing in. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The container for eye drops according to claim 10, further comprising a check valve portion provided in the air flow passage, and closes the air flow passage when an internal pressure of the container main body reaches a positive pressure. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The container for eye drops according to claim 1, wherein a second filter portion is disposed, in the medicinal solution passage, at an upstream side in the medicinal solution discharge direction further than the pressure valve. ### Claim 13 A container for eye drops comprising: a flexible and restorable container main body for housing a medicinal solution; a medicinal solution passage communicating with the container main body, for discharging the medicinal solution housed in the container main body when the container main body is pressed and deformed; a stopper member fixed to an inside of the medicinal solution passage, having a tip portion at a downstream side in a medicinal solution discharge direction, the tip portion having a predetermined-shaped cross section when viewed from the medicinal solution discharge direction; a pressure valve arranged, in the medicinal solution passage, at a downstream side in the medicinal solution discharge direction further than the tip portion of the stopper member, and being formed with an opening having a predetermined-shaped cross section that contacts the tip portion; and a biasing member provided, in the medicinal solution passage, at a downstream side in the medicinal solution discharge direction further than the pressure valve, for biasing the pressure valve in a direction opposite to the medicinal solution discharge direction by abutting against a peripheral portion of the opening of the pressure valve, wherein the biasing member is directly abutted against a peripheral surface of the opening of the pressure valve. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The container for eye drops according to claim 13, further comprising: an air flow passage communicating with an exterior of the container main body causing outside air to flow into an interior of the container main body when the container main body is released from pressing and restored; and a filter portion provided in the air flow passage, for purifying outside air flowing in. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The container for eye drops according to claim 14, further comprising a check valve portion provided in the air flow passage, and closes the air flow passage when an internal pressure of the container main body reaches a positive pressure. ### Claim 16 A container for eye drops comprising: a flexible and restorable container main body for housing a medicinal solution; a medicinal solution passage communicating with the container main body, for discharging the medicinal solution housed in the container main body when the container main body is pressed and deformed; a stopper member fixed to an inside of the medicinal solution passage, having a tip portion at a downstream side in a medicinal solution discharge direction, the tip portion having a predetermined-shaped cross section when viewed from the medicinal solution discharge direction; a pressure valve arranged, in the medicinal solution passage, at a downstream side in the medicinal solution discharge direction further than the tip portion of the stopper member, and being formed with an opening having a predetermined-shaped cross section that contacts the tip portion; and a biasing member provided, in the medicinal solution passage, at a downstream side in the medicinal solution discharge direction further than the pressure valve, for biasing the pressure valve in a direction opposite to the medicinal solution discharge direction by abutting against a peripheral portion of the opening of the pressure valve, wherein the biasing member is abutted against a peripheral surface of the opening of the pressure valve via a seat. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The container for eye drops according to claim 16, further comprising: an air flow passage communicating with an exterior of the container main body causing outside air to flow into an interior of the container main body when the container main body is released from pressing and restored; and a filter portion provided in the air flow passage, for purifying outside air flowing in. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The container for eye drops according to claim 17, further comprising a check valve portion provided in the air flow passage, and closes the air flow passage when an internal pressure of the container main body reaches a positive pressure.