Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a device to aid in the placement of eye drops from an ophthalmic medication containing bottle. The device of the present invention is designed to be attached to the bottle at all times, including while in use. Furthermore, the present invention is specifically designed to aid in the easy removal and replacement of ophthalmic solution containing bottle caps. The present invention, in its most basic form, comprises an eye ring, a bottle attaching portion and a flexible extension connecting the eye ring to the bottle attaching portion, wherein the eye ring and flexible extension may be moved off of the bottle axis to permit easy removal and replacement of the bottle cap.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the ophthalmic solution dispensing devices, and has particular reference to a novel construction for an eye dropper positioning guide which works in combination with an ophthalmic medicant bottle, which includes a dispensing nozzle. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A common malady which affects eyes is that they become irritated due to dust and small foreign objects which are common pollutants in the air. One method for alleviating this irritation is the application of an eyewash, a liquid medicant, to the eyes. Most eyewashes are contained in a bottle which incorporates a dropper mechanism in the top. However, these eye droppers are difficult to operate. Most people have difficulty in applying drops due to the extreme sensitivity of their eyes. Moreover, poor vision makes it difficult to properly position or align an eye dropper bottle relative to the eye frequently causes drops to be improperly applied. Thus, the user quite often wastes eyewash by missing the intended eyeball. 
     Thus applying eye drops is generally difficult, uncomfortable and resulting in little, if any, of each drop entering the eye so that several attempts are necessary to insure placement of the ophthalmic solution in the eye. As a result, considerable amounts of the solution are wasted with no real assurance that a prescribed or desired amount of solution was placed in the eye. 
     Another common and potentially injurious problem occurs when the applicator tip accidentally comes in contact with the corneal surface. This problem is especially serious in individuals with physical or neurological limitations causing unsteady hand movements. 
     Generally, there is a line of eye drop guiding devices which may be attached to bottles containing ophthalmic medication. These bottles consist primarily of a fluid containing portion, a neck, a fluid dispensing portion and a bottle cap. The available devices, basically, are comprised of a bottle attaching portion, an eye ring, and some form of extension piece connecting the bottle attaching portion to the eye ring. However, these devices are constructed more with the actual end use of the device in mind, and not with the convenience and functionality of pre and post usage. 
     One difficulty with using the available eye drop guides is removing the cap of the attached bottle. The extension pieces of these devices are of rigid, unyielding construction and one would have to have the manual dexterity of a magician to comfortably remove the bottle cap without first removing the eye drop guide from the bottle. 
     Therefore, it is the primary purpose of the present invention to provide a simplified and easily attached add-on device which works in combination with existing eyedroppers to guide the user in properly placing ophthalmic medication. It is a further purpose of the present invention to provide an eye drop guide device which facilitates the removal of a bottle cap prior to use and while the device is simultaneously attached to the bottle. 
     PRIOR ART 
     The prior art reveals several different styles of eye drop directing apparatus. These range from replacement caps including special features to bottle attachments which hold the eyelid in place while simultaneously guiding the eye drops into the eye. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,202, by Baron, shows an eye drop dispensing device which consists essentially of a flexible tube of oval cross section which is placed over the body of a pliable ophthalmic solution container. Located at the base of the oval tube is a rim to aid in holding an eyelid in place during the application of the medication. The tube, and the enclosed pliable ophthalmic solution bottle, is simultaneously squeezed to apply the solution to the eye while the user is looking along the oval channel of the device. This device must be repeatedly removed and reattached in order to access the bottle cap. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,872,866, by Lelicoff, teaches a device which includes a ring for attaching the device to a bottle, an end piece for engaging a user&#39;s eyelid during the application of ophthalmic solution, and an inwardly curved extension piece attached to a boss on the ring. The curved extension piece is designed to aid in the placement of applied drops of medicated solution. The eye engaging portion of this device interferes with easy removal of the bottle cap. 
     U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,834,727 and 4,960,407, both by Cope, disclose a series of eye dropper bottle attachments. All of the embodiments utilize an oval eye lid retaining ring. The bottle is attached to the ring by either a single extension piece or a set of two extension pieces. The primary differences in the several embodiments of these two patents lies in the many different ways in which the device is attached to a bottle. One embodiment illustrates a split ring configuration wherein a ring is bisected to create two arcuate pieces, each attached to a separate extension piece. A second embodiment is a hook ring attachment wherein the hook grasps the bottle at the neck of the bottle. This hook attachment is attached to the eyelid ring by a single rigid extension piece. Another embodiment of these patents is an oval eyelid ring which is attached by two rigid extension poles to the neck ring of the device. A final embodiment illustrated by these patents shows the attachment of a singular oval eyelid ring to the neck ring by an extendible rigid extension piece. All of the embodiments of these patents have rigid extension pieces. Furthermore, their very design interferes with easy access to the bottle cap. 
     While these patents accomplish many fine results, they do not address the problem of removal and replacement of the cap of the ophthalmic solution containing bottle. The above eye drop guiding devices all include rigid extension pieces and eyelid grasping attachments which are located in close proximity to the cap of the bottle. The close location of these features makes it difficult to remove the bottle cap before use and replace the cap after use. This impediment to removal and replacement of the bottle cap frustrates the user and encourages the user to leave the cap off, thus creating a potentially unsanitary condition within the bottle containing ophthalmic solution. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an instrument which is easily and quickly attached to a plastic eye dropper bottle to increase accuracy in dispensing ophthalmic solutions in post-surgical and general use. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a device which allows for the easy removal and replacement of a bottle cap while the device is attached to the bottle. 
     It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide a device which includes a positioning indicator for the proper placement of an eye drop guide when attaching the guide to a bottle containing ophthalmic solution. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device which includes a flexible extension portion which allows the user to easily remove and replace the cap of a bottle by displacing the eyelid engaging ring off axis from the bottle. 
     It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a method for easy removal and replacement of a bottle cap while an eye drop guiding device is attached to the bottle. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The novel features that are considered characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its structure and its operation together with the additional object and advantages thereof will best be understood from the following description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 illustrates the attachment of a first embodiment of the present invention to a bottle containing ophthalmic solution; 
     FIG. 1B depicts the shape of thin flexible plastic used to construct the first preferred embodiment; 
     FIG. 2 illustrates the attachment of a second embodiment of the present invention to a bottle containing ophthalmic solution; 
     FIG. 2B depicts the shape of thin flexible plastic used to construct the second referred embodiment; 
     FIG. 3 depicts the removal of a bottle cap by displacing the eyelid engaging ring from the bottle axis; 
     FIG. 4 shows the device guiding eye drops into an eye of a user. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the figures, the present invention provides an eye drop guidance device which, when attached to a bottle with a cap, allows easy removal and replacement of the cap. The device of the present invention is simpler to construct and especially simpler to use than any devices thus discovered in the prior art. This simplicity is especially evident when it is understood that the device of the present invention may not only be used with two hands as all eye drop positions guides are, but with a single hand, if necessary. This feat is nearly impossible of many of the prior art devices. 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a first preferred embodiment  1  of the present invention. The device has an oval, or rounded rectangular eyelid engaging ring  10 . The ring  10  has a support flange  11  attached to a back side and which runs along the entire periphery of the ring. A flexible extension piece  20  is attached to the support flange  11  at a first end  21 . The flexible extension piece  20  is preferably made from a thin, flexible plastic material. The extension piece  20  is preferably attached along a long side  12  of the oval shape of the eyelid engaging ring  10 . Furthermore there is, attached at a second end  22  of the extension piece  20 , a bottle attaching portion  30 . As can be seen from FIG. 1, the bottle attaching portion  30  of the first preferred embodiment  1  comprises a pair of arms  31  extending transverse to the direction of the extension piece  20  at opposite sides  23  of the extension piece  20 . Applied to an inner surface  32  of the pair of arms  31 , and on an inner surface  24  of a portion of the second end  22  of the extension piece  20 , is adhesive. The adhesive is protected from pre-use contamination by a thin covering  33 , typically paper or a wax paper material. Finally, there are position indicators  35  placed on either an inside or outside surface of the device  1 . By selecting a clear plastic material, neither inside or outside surface is preferable over the other. 
     One method of constructing the first preferred embodiment  1  is to take a piece of thin flexible plastic material and cut a shape  3  as illustrated in FIG.  1 B. On the shape is a substantially rectangular base portion  15 . One long side of the base portion  15  gradually extends outward to form the extension piece  20 . When looking at the base portion  15  and extension piece  20 , they appear to form a T-shape wherein the junction of the T is a smooth and continuous curve, as opposed to discontinuous. The extension piece  20  has at the second end  22 , two small rectangular arms  31  projecting transverse to the long direction of the extension piece  20 . The eyelid engaging ring  10  is formed by rolling a lower end  16  of the base  15 , preferably with the roll directed to an outside surface of the plastic material. The roll does not consume the entire width of the base portion  15 , since eyelid engaging ring  10 . Opposite outside ends  17  of the base  15  are then attached to each other to form the ring  10  itself. The position indicators  35  are then placed on the extension piece  20  or the support flange  11  at a position where the dispensing end of a bottle should be located. Alternately, device  1  may be manufactured by injection molding techniques or other similar plastic shaping technologies. 
     When using the first preferred embodiment  1 , the user will remove the protective covering  33  from the applied adhesive. The user will then align the bottle to the device  1  with the position indicators such that the tip of the dispensing portion of the bottle is properly placed relative to the eyelid engaging ring  10 . The user then firmly applies the attaching section  30 , with the adhesive located on the inside, to the bottle. This, then, firmly attaches the first preferred embodiment  1  to the bottle. 
     FIG. 2 illustrates a second preferred embodiment  2 . The device of the second preferred embodiment  2  also has an oblong, or rounded rectangular eyelid engaging ring  10 . The ring  10  has a support flange  11  attached to a back side and which runs along the entire periphery of the ring  10 . A flexible extension piece  20  is attached to the support flange  11  at a first end  21  of the extension piece  20 . The flexible extension piece  20  is preferably made from a thin, flexible plastic material. The extension piece  20  should be attached along a long side  12  of the oval shape of the eyelid engaging ring  10 . Furthermore there is, attached at a second end  22  of the extension piece  20 , a bottle attaching portion  50 . As can be seen from FIG. 2, the bottle attaching portion  50  of the second preferred embodiment  2  is a C-shaped semi-rigid piece of plastic. The C-shaped bottle attaching portion  50  is formed by a thickened base portion  51  with a pair of inwardly curved arms  52  attached at opposite ends  53  of the base portion  51 . The base portion  51  is attached to an inner surface  24  of the extension piece at a back side of the base portion  51 . 
     One method of constructing the second preferred embodiment  2  is to take a piece of thin flexible plastic material and cut a T-shape  4  as illustrated in FIG.  2 B. The T-shape comprises a substantially rectangular base portion  15 . One long side of the base portion  15  gradually extends outward to form the extension piece  20 . When looking at the base portion  15  and extension piece  20 , the junction of the T form a smooth and continuous curve, as opposed to discontinuous. The eyelid engaging ring  10  is formed by rolling a lower end  16  of the base  15 , preferably with the roll directed to an outside surface of the plastic material. The roll does not consume the entire width of the base portion  15 , since the unused portion forms the support flange  11  which runs along the periphery of the eyelid engaging ring  10 . Opposite outside ends  17  of the base  15  are then attached to each other to form the ring  10  itself. Alternately, device  2  may be manufactured by injection molding techniques or other similar plastic shaping technologies. 
     In use, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the bottle attaching piece  50  is simply clipped onto an area of the ophthalmic solution containing bottle near the neck. The semi-rigidity of the C-shaped bottle attaching portion  50  is necessary to allow repeated attachment and removal of the device from the bottle. The cap of the bottle may then be removed and replaced as described above in the first preferred embodiment. 
     In order to use the bottle with the device  1  or  2  attached, the user will grasp the bottle in a first hand with the bottle oriented in an upward position. The user then grasps the eyelid retaining ring  10  with a finger of the first hand, frequently this will be the index finger. The user then pulls back on the eyelid retaining ring  10  with the finger, thus displacing the ring  10  from axial alignment with the bottle. This displacement temporarily removes the obstructive effect of the extension piece  20  and eyelid retaining piece  10 . The user may then remove the bottle cap with a second hand. Once the bottle cap is removed, the eyelid retaining ring  10  may then be allowed to regain its former position by releasing the finger grasp, thus causing the flexible extension piece  20  to automatically return to the desired alignment with the applicator tip of the bottle. This is illustrated in FIG.  3 . 
     The eyelid retaining ring  10  is then placed over the eye, preferably with a portion of the ring  10  frictionally holding the eyelid in an open position. The head is then tilted backward and the user gazes upward at the dispensing portion of the bottle. The bottle is gently squeezed, thereby applying an amount of ophthalmic solution onto the eye. See FIG.  4 . 
     Once the solution is applied, the bottle and attached device  1  or  2  may then be removed, and once again placed into an upright position. The user then, holding the bottle in the first hand, once again grasps the eyelid retaining ring  10  with the finger and displaces the ring off axis of the bottle. The second hand then replaces the bottle cap. The eyelid retaining ring  10  is finally, once again, allowed to regain its original position by releasing the finger&#39;s grasp. 
     It is easy to see from the above descriptions that the device of the present invention is simpler to manufacture and use than previous devices. Additionally, the device may be held in a single hand, the eye ring retaining ring  10  displaced with the index finger of the singe hand and the bottle cap removed and replace with remaining fingers of the single hand. This thus demonstrates part of the simplicity of the present invention. 
     While these descriptions directly describe the above embodiments, it is understood that those skilled in the art may conceive modifications and/or variations to the specific embodiments shown and described herein. Any such modifications or variations which fall within the purview of this description are intended to be included therein as well. It is understood that the description herein are intended to be illustrative only and not intended to be limitative. Rather, the scope of the invention described herein is limited only by the claims appended hereto.