Tip arrangement for a dropper bottle

A tip arrangement for a bottle used for dispensing viscous liquid, such as drops of medicine, is provided. Embodiments include a tip insert having an insert body and a piercing point at a lower end of the insert body, for piercing a top surface of the bottle and for retaining the tip insert on the top surface of the bottle after piercing. A passage extends from a distal end of the piercing point, through the insert body, to an opposing upper surface of the insert body. A dispensing tip at the insert body upper surface communicates with the passage for precisely forming drops of the liquid from the bottle.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a tip arrangement for a bottle. The present disclosure has particular applicability to bottles used for dispensing drops, such as drops of medicine.

BACKGROUND

Certain conventional dropper bottles are made from a relatively soft plastic resin; filled with a liquid, such as an eye medicine; and shipped from the factory with the top of the bottle sealed to preserve the liquid until it is to be dispensed from the bottle. As shown inFIGS. 7a-c, the top of such a bottle is pierced by the user when the bottle is to be used for the first time. Referring now toFIG. 7a, the bottle is shipped with a piercing cap71partially screwed in place, and the top70of the bottle unpierced. The cap71is then screwed down onto the bottle top70by the user, and a spike71aintegrally formed with the cap71pierces the top70of the bottle (seeFIG. 7b). The user then unscrews the cap71completely, leaving the pierced top70of the bottle exposed, and the bottle ready to dispense drops of the liquid.

While the piercing cap arrangement ofFIGS. 7a-cmay be adequate for liquids of a certain viscosity range, relatively viscous liquids require a dropper bottle tip having a precise size and shape, which is difficult or impossible to produce from a spike piercing the top of a bottle. As a result, such liquids cannot be successfully dispensed from the conventional bottle and cap arrangement shown inFIGS. 7a-c.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

An advantage of the present disclosure is a tip arrangement for a dropper bottle that enables precise dispensing of high-viscosity liquids from sealed bottles that can be pierced and unsealed when ready to be used for the first time.

According to the present disclosure, the foregoing and other advantages are achieved in part by a tip insert for a dropper bottle containing a fluid. The tip insert comprises an insert body; a piercing point at a lower end of the insert body for piercing a top surface of the bottle and for retaining the tip insert on the top surface of the bottle after piercing; a passage extending from a distal end of the piercing point, through the insert body, to an opposing upper surface of the insert body; and a dispensing tip at the insert body upper surface communicating with the passage for forming drops of the liquid from the bottle.

A further advantage of the present disclosure is a dropper bottle assembly comprising a dropper bottle, a tip insert, and an overcap. The dropper bottle is for containing and dispensing a liquid, and has a top surface, an outer wall adjacent to the top surface, and a first set of threads. The tip insert comprises an insert body; a piercing point at a lower end of the insert body for piercing the top surface of the bottle and for retaining the tip insert on the top surface of the bottle after piercing; a passage extending from a distal end of the piercing point, through the insert body, to an opposing upper surface of the insert body; and a dispensing tip at the insert body upper surface communicating with the passage for forming drops of the liquid from the bottle. The overcap has a second set of threads for engaging the first set of threads to draw, the overcap down towards the bottle, and an inner surface for mating with the insert body to guide the piercing point to a predetermined position on the top surface of the bottle prior to piercing the top surface of the bottle. When the first and second sets of threads are engaged to draw the overcap down towards the bottle, the piercing point of the tip insert pierces the top surface of the bottle.

Another advantage of the present disclosure is a method comprising providing a dropper bottle for containing and dispensing a liquid, the bottle having a top surface and a first set of threads; providing a tip insert comprising an insert body, a piercing point at a lower end of the insert body for piercing the top surface of the bottle and for retaining the tip insert on the top surface of the bottle after piercing, a passage extending from a distal end of the piercing point through the insert body to an opposing upper surface of the insert body, and a dispensing tip at the insert body upper surface communicating with the passage for forming drops of the liquid from the bottle; locating the tip insert relative to the bottle such that the piercing point is aligned with the top surface of the bottle; and forcing the piercing point through the top surface of the bottle.

As will be realized, the present disclosure is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, all without departing from the disclosure. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure addresses and solves the problem of providing high-viscosity liquids, such as certain medicines, in sealed bottles that can be pierced and unsealed when ready to be used for the first time. The present disclosure advantageously provides a tip arrangement for a dropper bottle including a tip insert having a sharp point at its lower end for piercing the top of the bottle, a passage extending from the sharp lower point to an opposing upper surface of the tip insert, and a precisely formed dispensing tip in the upper surface communicating with the passage. The sharp lower point of the tip insert is forced through the top of the bottle to pierce it; for example, by an overcap which screws onto the bottle and fits over the tip insert. After piercing the bottle, the dispensing tip at the upper surface of the tip insert provides the proper size orifice to dispense the liquid inside the bottle.

A first embodiment of a tip arrangement according to the present disclosure will now be described with reference toFIGS. 1-3. A bottle100comprises a flexible plastic resin reservoir portion110and a plastic top portion120having threads.125and a flat top surface120a. An overcap130having threads135to mate with the threads125of bottle100has an inner cavity130awhich mates with the outer walls of top portion120of bottle100. A tip insert140mates with cavity130a, and has an insert body140d, a sharp piercing point140aat a lower end of insert body140dfor piercing the top surface120aof the bottle100, a passage140bextending from the distal end of the sharp piercing point140a, through insert body140d, to an opposing upper surface of the insert body140d, and a precisely formed dispensing tip140cin the upper body surface communicating with the passage140b. Dispensing tip140chas a surface area (i.e., a width and a height) such that it forms small drops of the high-viscosity liquid to be dispensed from bottle100.

After the piercing point140apierces the top surface120aof the bottle100, it retains the tip insert140on the top surface120aof bottle100. The piercing point140aincludes a flange140a1substantially parallel to the tip insert body lower surface140d1, and a shaft140a2disposed between the flange140a1and the tip insert body lower surface140d1. The shaft140a2has a length substantially the same as a thickness of the bottle top surface120a. The bottle top surface120ais captured between the flange140a1and the tip insert body lower surface140d1after piercing by the piercing point140dto retain the tip insert140on the top surface120a.

In use, the tip insert140is inserted into the overcap cavity130aas shown inFIG. 2, such that an extension130bof overcap130engages the dispensing tip140c. The overcap130is then threaded onto bottle100, thereby locating and aligning the piercing point140aof tip insert140with the top surface120aof the bottle100at a predetermined position. The engaging sets of threads125,135draw the overcap130down towards the bottle100until the piercing point140aof the tip insert140is forced through the top120aof the bottle, to pierce it. After piercing the bottle top120a, and unscrewing the threads to remove the overcap130, the dispensing tip140cprovides the proper size orifice to dispense a liquid inside the bottle (seeFIG. 3). Moreover, after the bottle top120ais pierced, and the overcap130is threaded back onto the bottle100completely, the extension130bengages the orifice of the dispensing tip140cto prevent leakage of the liquid.

A second embodiment of a tip arrangement according to the present disclosure will now be described with reference toFIGS. 4-6. A bottle200comprises a flexible plastic resin reservoir portion210and a plastic top portion220having threads225and a flat top surface220a. An overcap230having threads235to mate with the threads225of bottle200has an inner cavity230a. A tip insert240mates with cavity230a, and has an insert body240e, a sharp piercing point240aat its lower end for piercing the top220aof the bottle200, a passage240bextending from the distal end of the sharp piercing point240a, through insert body240e, to an opposing upper surface of the tip insert body240e; a precisely formed dispensing tip240cin the upper body surface communicating with the passage240b, and a cylindrical guide wall240d. Guide wall240dextends downward from the tip insert body240eand mates with the outer wall of top portion220of bottle200to align the piercing point240ato a predetermined position on the top surface220aof bottle200prior to piercing. Dispensing tip240chas a surface area (i.e., a width and a height) such that it forms small drops of the high-viscosity liquid to be dispensed from bottle200.

After the piercing point240apierces the top surface220aof the bottle200, it retains the tip insert240on the top surface220aof bottle200. The piercing point240aincludes a flange240al substantially parallel to the tip insert body lower surface240e1, and a shaft240a2disposed between the flange240a1and the tip insert body lower surface240e1. The shaft240a2has a length substantially the same as a thickness of the bottle top surface220a. The bottle top surface220ais captured between the flange240a1and the tip insert body lower surface240e1after piercing by the piercing point240dto retain the tip insert240on the top surface220a.

In use, the tip insert240is placed over the top portion220of bottle200as shown inFIG. 5, guided by the guide wall240dto align the piercing point240awith the top surface220aof the bottle200. The overcap230is then threaded onto bottle200. Guide wall240dmates with the inner surface of the overcap230to help guide the piercing point240a, and the engaging sets of threads225,235draw the overcap230down towards the bottle200until the piercing point240aof the tip insert240is forced through the top surface220aof the bottle to pierce it. After piercing the bottle top surface220a, and unscrewing the threads to remove the overcap230, the dispensing tip240cprovides the proper size orifice to dispense a liquid inside the bottle (seeFIG. 6). Moreover, after the bottle top surface220ais pierced, and the overcap230is threaded back onto the bottle100completely, an extension230bof overcap230engages the orifice of the dispensing tip240cto prevent leakage of the liquid.

In further embodiments of the present disclosure, the tip insert240includes threads in addition to or instead of the guide wall240d, which mate with threads of the bottle200such that the top surface220ais pierced when the tip insert is completely threaded onto bottle200. An overcap is provided to screw or snap on to the tip insert.

The present disclosure can be practiced by employing conventional materials, methodology and equipment. Accordingly, the details of such materials, equipment and methodology are not set forth herein in detail. In the previous descriptions, numerous specific details are set forth, such as specific materials, structures, chemicals, processes, etc., in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosure. However, it should be recognized that the present disclosure can be practiced without resorting to the details specifically set forth. In other instances, well known processing structures have not been described in detail, in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present disclosure.

Only a few examples of the present disclosure are shown and described herein. It is to be understood that the disclosure is capable of use in various other combinations and environments and is capable of changes or modifications within the scope of the inventive concepts as expressed herein.