Eye drop dispenser apparatus

A selectively securable eye drop dispenser apparatus as set forth wherein a replacement cap for use of the conventional eye drop dispensers has formed a threaded cylindrical portion for securement to the aforenoted conventional eye drop bottle including an orifice portion directed to an eye cup portion for operative associated with a human eye. The eye cup portion is formed of a flexible plastic-like material for enabling conformity to an associated human eye wherein the cylindrical threaded portion is formed of relatively stiff plastic-like material for maintaining desired registry and orientation of the associated orifice portion with the eye drop bottle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to eye drop dispenser apparatus and more 
particularly pertains to a new and improved eye drop dispenser apparatus 
which includes an eye drop cup associated with an eye drop bottle 
registering base formed of varying durometers to enable the eye drop cup 
to conform to a human eye and the eye drop base to securely associate with 
an eye drop dispenser. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
The use of eye drop directing apparatus and the like is well known in the 
prior art. As may be appreciated, these devices have normally been 
configured and changed for conformity with an average human eye in mind. 
Understandably, human eyes will vary as does the general human physiology 
and accordingly, the ability for conventional eye drop directing 
constructions of the past has been somewhat limited. Furthermore, when 
conventional eye droppers are utilized for application of medicine and 
such the self-application of such drops by individuals is sometimes 
cumbersome and difficult due to the proximity of the eye dropper to the 
target eye. In this connection, there have been several attempts to 
develop eye drop apparatus and the like which may be easily and 
effectively utilized when desired. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,260,425 to 
Moran sets forth a self-sealing dispenser apparatus with a flexible 
bellows-like integral cap portion to plug the flow of fluid from an 
associated container. A conventional spout arrangement is provided by the 
Moran patent. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,235,146 to Parish, Jr. et al. sets forth a spout member 
that includes a portion movable to a fully retracted and stored position 
and a fully extended pouring position for selective use. A flared outer 
rim is associated with the spout arrangement for retracted support within 
the container. 
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 249,647 to Goodall, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 241,624 to Trott, 
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 198,598 to Milenkevich, and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 133,978 
to Johnson are illustrative of known prior art dispenser arrangements 
associatable with containers for varying needs. 
As such, it may be appreciated that there is a continuing need for a new 
and improved eye drop dispenser apparatus which addresses both the problem 
of positioning and directing of eye drop fluids associated with varying 
eye drop dispensing arragements and in this respect, the present invention 
substantially fulfills this need. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of eye 
drop dispenser apparatus now present in the prior art, the present 
invention provides an eye drop dispenser apparatus which includes an eye 
associating cup formed of flexible plastic-like material in integral 
association with a rigid plastic-like base threadedly securable to an 
associated eye drop dispenser bottle. As such, the general purpose of the 
present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, 
is to provide a new and improved eye drop dispenser apparatus which has 
all the advantages of the prior art eye drop dispenser apparatus and none 
of the disadvantages. 
To attain this, the present invention comprises a base portion formed as a 
threadedly securable cylindrical portion threadedly registrable with an 
associated eye drop dispenser bottle tapering to an orifice portion for 
directing such fluid to a human eye with a relatively flexible eye cup 
integrally secured to said orifice portion and registrable with the human 
eye for a more precise directing of eye drop fluids thereto. 
My invention resides not in any one of these features per se, but rather in 
the particular combination of all of them herein disclosed and claimed and 
it is distinguished from the prior art in this particular combination of 
all of its structures for the functions specified. 
There has thus been outline, rather broadly, the more important features of 
the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows 
may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to 
the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional 
features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which 
will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled 
in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure 
is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other 
structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of 
the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be 
regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not 
depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is of enable the U.S. Patent 
and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the 
scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar 
with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a 
cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of 
the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention 
of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to 
be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved eye drop dispenser apparatus which has all the advantages of the 
prior art eye drop dispenser apparatus and none of the disadvantages. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved 
eye drop dispenser apparatus which may be easily and efficiently 
manufactured and marketed. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved eye drop dispenser apparatus which is of a durable and reliable 
construction. 
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved eye drop dispenser apparatus which is susceptible of a low cost 
of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which 
accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming 
public, thereby making such eye drop dispenser apparatus economically 
available to the buying public. 
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved eye drop dispenser apparatus which provides in the apparatuses 
and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while 
simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated 
therewith. 
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved eye drop dispenser apparatus formed of a relatively flexible eye 
drop cup integrally secured to a relatively rigid eye drop bottle 
attachment portion. 
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved eye drop dispenser apparatus wherein a threadedly securable base 
portion tapers to an eye drop directing orifice portion associated 
integrally with a flexible eye drop cup for alignment of the eye drop 
dispenser bottle with a target human eye. 
these together with other objects of the invention, along with the various 
features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with 
particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this 
disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating 
advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should 
be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there 
is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 to 4 
thereof, a new and improved eye drop dispenser apparatus embodying the 
principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated 
by the reference numeral 10 will be described. 
More specifically, it will be noted that the eye drop dispenser apparatus 
10 essentially comprises an eye cup portion 11 associated with a base 
portion 12. As best illustrated in FIG. 4, for example, eye cup portion 11 
is formed of a relatively flexible plastic-like material of a more 
flexible and hence lower durometer rating than the associated base portion 
12. The eye cup portion 11 is formed with a concave curvilinear support 13 
terminating in a ellipsoidal periphery 15 providing relative conformity to 
the human and anatomical curvature about a human eye. The relatively 
flexible plastic-like material forming the eye cup portion 11 enables 
registration about a human eye over a wide variety of anatomical 
variances. The concave curvilinear support 13 has formed medially 
therethrough an opening defined by a periphery 16. 
The base portion 12 comprises a lower cylindrical bottle support portion 17 
formed with internal threads 18 for threadedly engaging an eye dropper 
bottle "B" of conventional flexible construction that is utilized to 
dispense various eye fluids and medications, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The 
cylindrical bottle support portion 17 terminates into an orifice defining 
neck 19 for engagement with the terminal periphery 16 by means of a 
generally "U" shaped engagement portion defined by an overlying 
circumferential lip 21 of a width greater than that of an underlying lip 
22 for both sealing and securement of the eye cup portion 11. The 
variation in width of overlying lip 21 to lower lying 22 effects and added 
degreee of flexibility enabling the eye cup 11 to associate with a human 
eye. FIG. 1 illustrates the dispenser bottle "B" and an associated central 
dispenser opening "D" and the alignment through the orifice neck portion 
19 directing eye drop fluid therethrough. 
As to the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same 
should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further 
discussion relative to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
With respect to the above description then, it is to b e realized that the 
optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to 
include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of 
operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to 
one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those 
illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are 
intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the 
principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and 
changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired 
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and 
described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may 
be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.