Abstract:
An eye drop bottle holder with resilient legs includes an inverted U-shaped member made from resilient injection molded plastic. The top portion of the inverted U-shaped member includes an eye drop bottle holder. The right and left leg of the U-shape each terminate in an outwardly disposed J-shape covered by a soft rubber-like pad. The user can attach an eye drop bottle to the inverted U-shaped member so that the dispensing tip of the bottle is in close proximity the user&#39;s eye. The user can cause his or her eye lid to remain open by squeezing the right and left legs together, then placing the pads on the upper and lower eye orbit, then releasing the legs causing the flesh of the user&#39;s eyelids to be spread apart. In a preferred embodiment, an electro-mechanical assembly can automatically press on the side wall of the bottle to cause a predetermined amount of solution to be dispensed. An LED light flashes (is either activated or deactivated) to show the user that a dispensing event has taken place.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This Application claims the benefit under Title 35 United States Code §120 as a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/319,908, filed Jan. 12, 2009 now U.S. Pat. No. 8,246,589; which itself further claims the benefit under Title 35 United States Code §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/026,471, filed Feb. 5, 2008; U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/075,768, filed Jun. 26, 2008; U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/086,436, filed Aug. 5, 2008; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/097,153, filed Sep. 15, 2008; the full disclosures of which are each incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to the field of eye drop dispensing devices and more specifically to an eye drop bottle holder with resilient legs. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Devices for dispensing eye drop solutions are known. Generally, a bottle of eye drop solution includes a drop dispenser that is built into the exit orifice of the container. To dispense the solution, the user squeezes the bottle forcing solution out of the exit orifice and into his or her eye. Many users have trouble with dispensing eye drops from standard dispensing bottles. The user has a tendency to blink when the drop is about to enter the eye, causing the drop to miss the eye and land on a closed lid. Therefore, eye drop solution is frequently wasted due to the user blinking during the attempted application and the user ends up with eye drop solution streaming down his or her face. 
     A number of efforts have attempted to resolve the above mentioned problem. Thomas Keen, in his U.S. Pat. No. 4,543,096, discloses a dispenser with an eyelid opening device. The user is required to place a pair of lid spreading arms dangerously close to his eye and then to press a lever arm to keep the eyelids apart. Thomas Sherman, in his U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,945, discloses an attachment for a bottle that includes a ring intended to help align the bottle with the eye. However, no attempt is made to hold the eyelid open. Gary Campagna, in his U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,590, shows a tripod like device for aligning the solution bottle over the user&#39;s eye. No attempt is made to hold the lid open. James Davidian, in his U.S. Pat. No. 6,595,970, shows a device for dispensing eyed drops. He proposes a dispensing arm, one side of which includes an indentation that receives the user&#39;s nose, the other side of which accepts a dispensing bottle. The bottle includes a pair of arms which, when squeezed, impinge on the side walls of the bottle forcing solution out of the bottle and into the user&#39;s eye. No attempt is made to hold the user&#39;s eyelid open. The U.S. Pat. No. 4,692,834 of Julia Clifford et al shows a dispenser that facilitates the user&#39;s amount of drops that exit a solution holding bottle. This bottle has retractable apertures that capture and release a drop of solution. James Walsh, in his U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,062, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,041,978 and 6,010,488 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,727 as well as U.S. Pat. No. 5,902,292, all attempt to position an eye drop bottle in a correct location above a person&#39;s eye, but none of them includes a means to help hold the user&#39;s eye lids in the spread apart, open position. U.S. Pat. No. 4,321,916 discloses an eyelid retractor that is used during ocular surgery or the like. It is not designed to be used by a user of eye drop solution. 
     None of the above cited inventions safely holds the user&#39;s eyelids open while dispensing eye drops from a standard eye drop bottle. Additionally, none of the above mentioned patents allows the user to dispense a portioned amount of eye drop solution in an automatic and repeatable fashion. None of the above cited inventions dispenses a precise amount of eye drop solution and simultaneously holds the user&#39;s eyelids open while doing so. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary object of the invention is to provide a holder for an eye drop bottle that includes resilient lid spreading legs. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a lid spreading eye drop bottle holder that allows the user to easily attach and detach a standard eye drop bottle to the lid spreading device. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a lid spreading eye drop bottle holder that does not interfere with the eye drop bottle tip. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a lid spreading eye drop bottle holder that firmly attaches to the eye drop bottle. 
     Yet another object of the invention is to provide a lid spreading eye drop bottle holder that is inexpensive to manufacture. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a lid spreading eye drop bottle holder that automatically dispenses a portioned amount of eye drop solution when the user presses a dispensing button on the device. 
     Yet another object of the invention is to provide a lid spreading eye drop bottle that flashes an LED light to inform the user that a dispensing action has taken place or is about to take place. 
     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following descriptions, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. 
     In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed a first embodiment of an eye drop bottle holder with resilient legs comprising: an inverted U-shaped shape made from resilient injection molded plastic, the top portion of said inverted U-shape including a centrally located aperture and downwardly facing collar, said collar having internal threads that match the external threads of a standard eye drop bottle containing eye drop solution, the right and left leg of said U-shape each terminating in an outwardly disposed J-shape, the underside of said J-shape covered by a soft rubber-like pad, so that when a user screws said standard eye drop bottle into said threaded collar, the dispensing tip of said eye drop bottle can come into close proximity of the user&#39;s eye, and so that the user can cause his or her eye lid to remain open by using the fingers of one hand to squeeze said right and left legs together, then placing the said rubber-like pad of one leg on his or her upper ridge of the orbital eye socket and the said second rubber-like pad of the second leg on the lower ridge of his or her orbital eye socket and then releasing the legs thereby causing the flesh of the user&#39;s upper and lower eyelids to be spread apart from each other and remain spread during a standard eye drop solution dispensing event. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention the eye drop bottle is retained within a housing. The housing also includes an electro-mechanical assembly that includes a cam member that pushes on the side of the bottle until a predetermined amount of solution is dispensed, at which point the assembly resets itself automatically to prepare for the next dispensing event. An LED light flashes after each use to confirm that a dispensing event has taken place. Alternately, the LED may flash as a dispensing event is about to take place and stops after the dispensing event has taken place. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments to the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. It is to be understood that in some instances various aspects of the invention may be shown exaggerated or enlarged to facilitate an understanding of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a front section view of the first preferred embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a person applying eye drops with the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a front view the first preferred embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a second preferred embodiment of the invention in the closed position. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the second preferred embodiment of the invention in the open position. 
         FIG. 7  is a front section view of the second preferred embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a top plan view of the second preferred embodiment of the invention in the open position. 
         FIG. 9  is a top plan view of the second preferred embodiment of the invention in the closed position. 
         FIG. 10  is front view of the second preferred embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a front view of the second preferred embodiment of the invention with an eye drop bottle in place. 
         FIG. 12  is a front view of the second preferred embodiment of the invention with an eye drop bottle and bottle cap in place. 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view of a third preferred embodiment that includes a bottle housing and an automatic dispensing assembly. 
         FIG. 14  is a side view of the third preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 15  is a top plan view of the resilient leg portion of the third preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 16  is a side section view of the third preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 17  is a side view of the cam pushing portion of the third preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 18  is an exploded view of the third preferred embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 19  is a perspective view of the third preferred embodiment of the present invention without the drop sensing photo-interrupter (a fourth preferred embodiment). 
         FIG. 20  is a schematic view of the third preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 21  is a flowchart of the method steps associated with implementing the third preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment are provided herein. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure or manner. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1  we see a front perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of the present eye drop bottle holder invention  800  with a standard eye drop bottle  828  attached. The holder  800  is generally an inverted U-shape that results in two downwardly faced legs  802 ,  808  that terminate in outwardly disposed J-shaped feet. The feet have rubber-like pads  806 ,  812  fixedly attached underneath. The legs  802 ,  808  are injection molded out of resilient plastic such as ABS or Nylon 6. The wall thickness of the legs  802 ,  808  is such that the spring-like quality of the legs is strong enough to spread a person&#39;s upper and lower eye lid, but not strong enough to cause injury to the user&#39;s eyelid when the spreading action occurs. 
       FIG. 2  shows a front section view of the invention  800  and bottle  828 . Bottle  828  includes standard threads that can engage matching threads  834  located within a centrally located aperture and collar on the top portion of the inverted U-shaped holder  800 . The threads on the bottle  828  are normally used for holding the bottle cap not shown) in place. To use the device  800 , the user unscrews the cap of the bottle  828  and screws on the bottle holder  800 . Then the user  840  squeezes in on the legs  802 ,  808  and places the pads  806 ,  812  of the legs  802 ,  808  on the upper and lower ridge of the orbital socket as shown in  FIG. 3 . This places the dispensing tip of bottle  828  at an empirically tested optimal distance from the user&#39;s  840  eye. Then the user  840  releases the legs  802 ,  808  causing the skin around the eye lids and the eye lids themselves to be spread apart. The rubber-like pads  812 ,  806  protect the user&#39;s delicate skin, found on top of the orbital socket, and spare the skin from damage. The user  840  can now squeeze on bottle  828  with his other hand so that a portion of eye drop solution is dispensed directly into the user&#39;s eye. Because the lids remain spread during use, there is less ability to blink and therefore more chance that the eye drop solution will find its way to the intended location; the user&#39;s eye. 
     The holder  800  can be sold separately, due to the fact that the majority of over the counter eye drop solutions are packaged in a common shaped bottle with common threads. Or the holder  800  can be packaged along with a bottle of eye drop solution during the manufacturing and packaging process. In this instance, the holder  800  can be sized specifically for the shape of the eye drop solution holding bottle  828  and dispensing tip  832  thereby allowing the bottle  828  to be a different design and shape than the standard eye drop solution bottle now available in stores. The holder  800  is inexpensive and easy to manufacture so that it would be able to be sold at a low price to the consumer. 
       FIG. 4  is a front plan view of the first preferred embodiment as described above. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention  900 . In this embodiment two C-shaped members  924 ,  922  form a cylindrical collar that can firmly hold a standard eye drop bottle. The C-shapes are hinged on one side  910  and snap closed on the other side by tab  916  and snap member  914 . The user can swing open C-shape  922  and insert a standard bottle in an upside down position as shown in  FIG. 6 . Small bumps  904  or other standard gripping means are located on the inner walls of the C-shapes  922 ,  924  so that when the C-shapes are closed, they firmly grip the bottle held inside as shown in the section view in  FIG. 7 . The location of the tip of the bottle  932  is an optimal distance from the user&#39;s eye during use. Because the threads  940  are accessible after the bottle  928  is placed in the holder  900 , the cap  950  of the bottle may be screwed on and off without removing the bottle  928  from the holder  900 . Rubber-like pads  906 ,  912  and the resilient features of the legs  902 ,  908  are similar to those described in the first embodiment  800 . 
       FIG. 8  is a top plan view of the second preferred embodiment  900  in the open position. 
       FIG. 9  is a top plan view of the second preferred embodiment  900  in the closed position. 
       FIG. 10  is a front plan view of the second preferred embodiment  900  of the invention. 
       FIG. 11  is a front plan view of the second preferred embodiment  900  of the invention with the bottle  928  and cap  950  included. 
       FIG. 12  is a front plan view of the second preferred embodiment  900  of the invention with the bottle  928  in place and the cap  950  removed. 
       FIG. 13  shows a third preferred embodiment  700  of the invention. This embodiment  13  may be considered a preferred embodiment because it is the most fool proof of the above described embodiments. With the third embodiment the user simply has to press on top button  702  and a predetermined amount of solution automatically is dispensed into the user&#39;s eye. The resilient leg portion  795  of this embodiment works the same was as described in the previous embodiments, with an inverted U-shaped structure that forms two downwardly facing legs  706  &amp;  708  that terminate in outwardly disposed J-shaped feet with rubber-like pads  707  &amp;  709  fixedly attached underneath. 
     In this third embodiment  700  a housing  704  encloses the eye drop solution bottle  725  as shown in side section view of  FIG. 16 . The housing  704  includes a lid  703  that is attached to the housing  704  by hinge member  742  and held in place by standard clasp member  772 . This allows a user to open the housing and replace the bottle if so desired. In this embodiment  700 , the user can press dispensing button  702  causing an electromechanical assembly  790  within housing  704  to press on the resilient side wall of the bottle  725 , thereby causing a predetermined amount of solution to be dispensed from bottle tip  712 . When the solution droplets fall between photo-interrupter sensor  710  an electrical signal is sent to the wall pushing electro-mechanical assembly  790  that caused the droplets to be dispensed and reverses the pushing motion to bring cam  728  back to its starting position so that it is ready for the next dispensing event. 
     An LED  760  protruding from housing wall  704  illuminates for a short period of time immediately after a dispensing event, giving the user a visual cue that a drop has been dispensed. 
       FIG. 14  is a side view of the third embodiment  700  of the present invention. The dotted line shows the hinged lid  703  in a raised position, allowing the user to remove or insert an eye drop solution bottle  725  as shown in  FIG. 16 . The tip  712  and cap threads of the eye drop bottle are exposed so that a standard cap  744  can be screwed on or off in a standard manner as shown in  FIG. 18 .  FIG. 18  also shows housing  704  removed from the leg assembly  795 . A pair of outwardly disposed tabs  736 ,  738  on the underside of the housing  704  can engage with mating slots  720 ,  721  shown in the top plan view in  FIG. 15 . The tabs  736 ,  738  are inserted into the wider sections of the slots  720 ,  721  and then the entire bottle housing  704  is twisted by the user, causing the tabs  736 ,  738  to be retained within the collar portion  714  of the leg assembly  795  with shoulder portion  716  of bottle housing  704  nested into collar portion  714 . This method of retention is commonly known as a bayonet fit. 
       FIG. 16  shows a front section view of the third preferred embodiment of the invention. The bottle  725  can be seen residing within housing  704 . The neck of the bottle protrudes through an aperture  718  that can be clearly seen in the top plan view of  FIG. 15 . The droplet sensing photo-interrupter  710  is located just below the level of the bottle tip  712 . The sensor  710  is a transmissive photo-interrupter with opposing emitter and detector members housed in a case, providing non-contact sensing of a solution droplet as it travels in its downward trajectory towards the user&#39;s eye. A detector such as the Sharp Corp. GP1A57HRJOOF is suitable for the present application; however there are other known detectors that can also be used for this application. LED light  760  is positioned on housing  704 , and a motion sensor is positioned within housing  704 , the motion sensor configured to detect the positioning of the holder for the release of a drop of solution, LED light  760  configured to flash immediately prior to a dispensing event taking place and LED light  760  configured. 
     When the user presses the dispense button  702 , it presses on electrical momentary switch  724 . The switch  724  sends a signal via standard wires to microprocessor  730  which in turn causes power from battery  732  to be delivered to standard motor and gear assembly  734 . A cam member  728  is fixedly attached to the output shaft  727  of the gear assembly  734 . When the motor causes the output shaft  727  to turn, it causes cam  728  to rotate and impinge on the resilient wall of the bottle  725 .  FIG. 17  shows a detailed side view of this action where the dotted lines represent the deformation caused by cam  728  when it is rotated to the extreme position shown, thereby squeezing the bottle  725  as shown by the dotted line representing the wall of the bottle. 
     When the photo-interrupter device  710  senses the expulsion of a drop  737  of solution  726 , it sends an electrical signal to the micro-processor  730  causing the polarity of power going to motor assembly  734  to reverse thereby backing off the cam  728  and reducing pressure on the side wall of the bottle  725 . The micro-processor instructs the motor  734  to stop when the cam reaches its start position and turns off switch  729 . The cam  728  is then ready for the next dispensing event. Additionally, when the photo-interrupter device  710  senses the expulsion of a drop  737  of solution  726  an LED light  760  turns on and flashes for a approximately five seconds, visually informing the user that a dispensing event has taken place. 
       FIG. 20  shows a schematic view of the components of the third preferred embodiment as described above.  FIG. 21  shows a block diagram of the steps involved in a person using the third embodiment as described above. Step  110  involves squeezing the dispenser legs followed by Step  112  wherein the user places the legs of the device on the rim of the upper and lower orbital socket. At Step  114  the user releases the legs to spread the eve lids and at Step  116  presses the start button. The battery powered gear motor rotates the cam so that it pushes into the side of the resilient bottle at Step  118 . Step  120  follows wherein the photo sensor detects a drop of solution after it exits the tip of the bottle and causes the polarity of the power going to the motor to be reversed thereby returning the cam to its starting position. This also corresponds to Step  122  wherein a portioned amount of eyedrop solution exits the bottle and into the user&#39;s eye. The LED light flashes signaling a dispense event at Step  124  and the falling drop of solution gently strikes the user&#39;s eye. Finally, at Step  126  the user pulls the legs of the device away from the eye lid to return the lid to its normal position. 
       FIG. 19  shows a fourth preferred embodiment  780  of the present invention which is similar to the third embodiment  700  except that the droplet sensing photo-interrupter  710  is not included. In this embodiment  780 , The user presses on dispense button  702  and when he or she feels the drop of solution hit the eye, he or she removes their finger from the dispense button  702  thereby causing the reversing action of electro-mechanical assembly  790 , described in the third embodiment, to take place and bring the cam  728  back to its start position. 
     While the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular form set forth, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.