Method and apparatus for an applicator
AssigneeMedline Industries, Inc.
InventorsRobert Lockwood, Andrew Nachenberg, Derek Roberts
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An applicator includes a puncture protrusion disposed on an inner surface of an internal chamber of a handle of the applicator. The puncture protrusion is configured to puncture an end surface of a cartridge within the internal chamber, which cartridge contains a liquid that is resultantly allowed to flow through a passageway in the puncture protrusion toward an applicator pad for application onto a surface. Puncturing is achieved in response to rotation of an advancer including a pinion portion that tangentially engages a surface of the cartridge, which rotation is translated to longitudinal advancement of the cartridge toward the puncture protrusion.
Claims21
A device comprising:
- a handle having a longitudinal axis, the handle further comprising:
- an applicator pad coupler;
- an internal chamber having a longitudinal axis corresponding to the longitudinal axis of the handle;
- a puncture protrusion disposed on an inner surface at a first end portion of the internal chamber, the puncture protrusion configured to puncture an end surface of a cartridge within the internal chamber, the puncture protrusion having a passageway extending therethrough between the internal chamber and the applicator pad coupler to allow liquid to flow from the cartridge to the applicator pad coupler when the puncture protrusion punctures an end surface of the cartridge;
- and
- an advancer comprising a pinion portion, the pinion portion configured to tangentially engage a surface of the cartridge within the internal chamber;
- wherein the pinion portion of the advancer is configured to rotate about a rotation axis to advance the cartridge through tangential engagement therewith along the longitudinal axis of the internal chamber toward the puncture protrusion.
A method comprising:
- at a handle of an applicator, the handle comprising an internal chamber having a cartridge at least partially disposed therein:
- rotating an advancer about a rotation axis, the advancer comprising a pinion portion tangentially engaging a sidewall portion of the cartridge to thereby advance the cartridge along a longitudinal axis of the internal chamber;
- puncturing an end surface of the cartridge by a puncture protrusion disposed on an inner surface of the internal chamber at one end portion of the internal chamber, the puncturing occurring in response to advancing the cartridge and thereby enabling a liquid to flow from the cartridge to an applicator pad via a passageway running through the puncture protrusion and extending between the internal chamber and the applicator pad.
A device comprising:
- an applicator pad;
- a handle comprising an exterior surface and an internal chamber, the internal chamber comprising a longitudinal axis;
- a cartridge housed at least partially within the internal chamber;
- an advancer rotatably coupled to the handle, a pinion portion of the advancer protruding into the internal chamber and tangentially engaging a sidewall of the cartridge, at least another portion of the advancer accessible along the exterior surface of the handle, wherein the advancer is configured to rotate about a rotation axis and, through tangential engagement with the cartridge, advance the cartridge along the longitudinal axis of the internal chamber toward one end portion of the internal chamber;
- and
- a puncture protrusion disposed on a surface of the internal chamber at the one end portion of the internal chamber, the puncture protrusion having a passageway extending therethrough between the internal chamber and the applicator pad, the puncture protrusion configured to puncture an end surface of the cartridge in response to the cartridge being advanced by the advancer toward the one end portion and to responsively allow a liquid within the cartridge to flow through the passageway to the applicator pad.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.