Abstract:
The present invention features a pen used, for example, to dispense nail polish for finger nail application. The design is for a unit of use, meaning that the preferred pen uses cartridges, i.e., units. In a preferred embodiment, each cartridge is filled with polish and has a brush head. After the cartridge is used, the user simply disposes of the old cartridge and replaces it with a new cartridge for the next application.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The field of the invention is applicators for paints, medicaments and coatings. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The following information is presented solely to assist the understanding of the reader, and none of the information is admitted to describe or constitute prior art to the claims of the present invention. 
     A requisite for the maintenance of fluids is that they be sealed within a container sufficient to prevent them from breaking down, evaporating, or drying out. A requisite for a disposable container is that it be simple and economical to manufacture and easy to use. 
     In U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,008, issued Jul. 8, 1986, for a “Fingernail Polish Capsule and Plunger,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, including any drawings, there is a described sealed unit in the form of a cartridge containing nail polish, a slideable brush attachment, a piston, and a plunger. It is to be used in a reusable hand-piece. When the cartridge is placed into the hand-piece, the brush attachment slides axially to automatically force open a panel at one end of the cartridge, that end being closed by a separately formed plug which has a sealed fit in the cartridge. Next, a plunger is utilized to displace a removable panel at the opposite end of the cartridge. That removable panel sits on a piston and is moved into the cartridge by further movement on the plunger which also moves the piston, thereby forcing the liquid nail polish into the brush attachment. 
     As noted therein, nail polish is customarily sold in bottles with the closure cap having an attached brush which is used to apply the polish. Such bottles contain more polish than is required for a single application so that after used the bottle must be reclosed and stored. Various techniques have been adapted to store such containers, including placing them in refrigerators. It is remarked that there has, however, been no satisfactory and convenient solution to solvent loss. In fact, it is stated, there is a solvent loss in the customary nail polish bottle arrangement during storage. While the invention of the &#39;008 patent is said to solve that solvent loss problem, it has been discovered that various aspects of the device disclosed therein make its use as a disposable application unit inconvenient and expensive. First, the device is complicated from a standpoint of manufacture, containing a number of intricate parts. Additionally, the &#39;008 device must be used with a plunger-containing handpiece. 
     A self-contained disposable, fluid storing applicator device which is easy to manufacture and use and which need not be used with a handpiece is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,760 which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, including any drawings. Optionally, a mechanical dispenser device may be relied on by the user to expel to contents of the container. The container may be used to store and apply or otherwise expel a variety of materials, such as paint, nail polish, and medicaments, including smelling salts and topical pharmaceuticals like iodine. 
     Nonetheless, there remains a need for additional and improved devices for dispensing fluids. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention features a pen used, for example, to dispense nail polish for finger nail application (or any other liquid or cream). The design is for a unit of use, meaning that the preferred pen uses cartridges, i.e., units. In a preferred embodiment, each cartridge is filled with polish and has a brush head. After the cartridge is used, the user simply disposes of the old cartridge and replaces it with a new cartridge for the next application. 
     Also featured are methods of making and using the pens, cartridges and capsules described herein, as well as kits useful in such methods. The components are combined to form the pen, cartridge and capsule and then used to apply the substance being dispensed, for example nail polish. Examples of preferred embodiments of each of the components are summarized herein. 
     Pen Dispenser 
     The pen dispenser is the device that dispenses the nail polish or other substances from the cartridge system. The pen preferably uses a ratchet system that advances the rod ratchet a measured amount each time the flow control button is depressed. The button uses a bi-directional ratchet system. Each time the button is depressed it advances the rod ratchet a measured amount and then it returns to its original position by use of a coil spring. When the cartridge is fully dispensed and ready for disposal, the cartridge is rotated counter clockwise and the rotating barrel within the pen also is rotated to expose the flat sides of the rod ratchet which then releases the rod ratchet to its original position by use of a coil spring. The pen is then ready for use with another cartridge. 
     First Capsule System 
     The capsule preferably is a tube open at both ends. The ends have a step on each side that can be folded over to seal the ends with a Cap. The tube can be metal, plastic or other material. 
     Second Capsule System 
     The capsule preferably is closed at one end and open at the other end. At the closed end there is a coined area in the center that is thinner than the rest of the capsule body. This allows the spike to penetrate the capsule and allow the substance to flow through the spike and into the brush or other applicator. The capsule is filled with the substance to be dispensed and the piston is then inserted into the capsule. The piston prevents the substance from flowing out of the capsule when it is penetrated by the rod ratchet. The open end has a step to allow the cap to seat on the step and have the ends folded over onto the cap creating the seal. The capsule is then penetrated by the rod ratchet from the pen dispenser and it pushes forward the piston which in turn pushes the entire capsule forward in the brush housing causing it to be penetrated by the spike in the coined area of the capsule. As the rod ratchet moves forward it will dispense a measured amount of the substance into the spike and into the brush or other applicator. 
     Cap 
     The cap preferably is a circular piece of metal, plastic or other material that is used to seal the capsule. In the first capsule design two caps are needed, one for each end. In the second capsule design only one cap is needed to seal the open end of the capsule. 
     Spike 
     The spike preferably is identical on both ends. There is a hole that runs through the center of the spike. Both ends have a very sharp tip that is used to penetrate the capsule. Once the capsule is penetrated the substance to be dispensed flows through the hole in the center of the spike. At the other end of the spike the substance flows into either a brush fiber or other type of applicator which can be a foam tip, sponge or nothing at all. The spike is held in the brush housing using a tension fit between the spike, brush housing and fiber. 
     Piston 
     The piston can be made of plastic, metal or other material. It is inserted into the capsule after the substance to be dispensed is filled in the capsule. The hollow end is inserted first. The purpose of the piston is to prevent the flow of the substance to be dispensed from leaking back out behind the piston and into the pen Dispenser once the seal has been penetrated. 
     Brush Housing 
     The brush housing holds the capsule in place before it is ready to be dispensed. When the brush housing is inserted into the pen dispenser and is turned clockwise it turns the rotating barrel inside the pen dispenser. As the brush housing rotates it eventually stops after rotating 90 degrees and the rod ratchet starts to penetrate the sealed end of the capsule. The capsule then starts to move forward within the brush housing and then the coined end of the capsule is penetrated by the spike. As the rod ratchet moves forward it moves the piston forward and dispenses the substance inside the capsule. After the capsule is dispensed the brush housing is turned counter clockwise and also turns the rotating barrel. The rotating barrel then turns the rod ratchet to expose the flat sides of the rod ratchet and then releases the rod ratchet to return to its original position. 
     The summary of the invention described above is not limiting and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and from the claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows a pen assembly, a brush and capsule assembly and a protective sleeve. 
     FIG. 2 shows various detailed views of preferred components of the invention. 
     FIG. 3 shows a nail polish transfer hole in addition to the components featured in FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In a preferred embodiment, the pen and cartridge system  10  works in the following manner. The user inserts a cartridge  20  into the pen dispenser  30 . A spring loaded rod ratchet  40  is in a fully retracted position and the pen dispenser  30  is not engaged either to the ratchet wheel  50  or bottom ratchet  60 . As the user screws the cartridge  20  into the pen handle  70  using a clockwise rotation, the cartridge  20  continues to turn until it becomes snug. At this point the user continues to rotate the cartridge another 90 degrees. This causes the rotating sleeve  80  to turn and the rod ratchet  40  to also turn 90 degrees. At this point the rod ratchet  40  then engages both the ratchet wheel  50  and bottom ratchet  60 . 
     This is achieved by using a rod ratchet  40  that has evenly spaced ratcheting teeth, but has a flat surface on two parallel opposite sides. When the rod  40  is turned 90 degrees it engages. When it is turned back 90 degrees the flat surfaces are then exposed to the ratchet wheel  50  and bottom ratchet  60 . Since at this point there is now nothing to hold to the rod ratchet  40  it is pushed by the spring  90  and freely retracts back into the pen dispenser  30 . 
     The rod ratchet  40  now being engaged, can be advanced by pressing down on the flow control button  100  which in turn presses down on the spring loaded top ratchet  110  which in turn advances the bi-directional ratchet wheel  50  a single notch. The bi-directional ratchet  50  wheel is designed with two sets of teeth, the inside set runs one direction while the outside set runs in the opposite direction. This system allows the top ratchet  110  to advance the ratchet wheel  50  and rod ratchet  40  in the same direction. 
     As the user presses the button  100  the rod ratchet  40  advances. As it advances it breaks through the thin rear membrane  120  of the capsule  130  after which it contacts the piston  140 . At the same time, the forward motion of the rod ratchet  40  against the rear of the capsule  130  forces the forward membrane  150  to be penetrated by the spike  160  creating an exit point for the nail polish  170  on to the brush  180 , which maybe covered by protective sleeve  185 . Once contact is made with the piston  140  it begins to move forward pushing the nail polish  170  out of the capsule  130  through the small exit hole created by the spike  160 . Finally the rod ratchet  40  continues to move forward as the user pushes down the flow control button  100  and forces all of the nail polish  170  out of the capsule  130  and on to the brush  180  for application. 
     After the nail polish application is completed the user simply turns the used cartridge  20  counter clockwise. This motion now turns the rotating sleeve  80  and rod ratchet  40  the opposite direction 90 degrees exposing the flat sides of the rod ratchet  40  to the ratchet wheel  50  and bottom ratchet  60 . Since there is now nothing to keep the rod ratchet  40  in the forward position, the spring  90  now forces it back into the pen dispenser  30  and ready for the next application. 
     EXAMPLES 
     The following examples are offered by way of illustration and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any manner. 
     Example A 
     First Capsule Assembly Process 
     In order to construct the first capsule  130 , the following steps are performed. 
     1. Crimp one end of the Capsule  130  with the Cap  190 . 
     2. Fill the Capsule  130  with substance  170 . 
     3. Insert Piston  140 . 
     4. Seal the Capsule  130  using the Cap  190  and crimping over the ends of the Capsule  130 . 
     5. Insert filled Capsule  130  into the Brush Housing  200 . 
     After the following steps have been performed, the process yields the first capsule device. 
     Example B 
     Second Capsule Assembly Process 
     In order to construct the second capsule, the following steps are performed. 
     1. Fill the Capsule  130  with substance  170 . 
     2. Insert Piston  140 . 
     3. Seal the Capsule  130  using the Cap  190  and crimping over the ends of the Capsule  130 . 
     4. Insert the filled Capsule  130  into the Brush Housing  200 . 
     After the following steps have been performed, the process yields the second capsule device. 
     In one embodiment of the pen and cartridge system, brush housing  200  has fins  210  for the user to grip and manipulate for turning the brush housing when it is inserted into pen dispenser  30 , and tension bumps  220  that hold capsule  130  inside the brush housing. 
     One skilled in the art would readily appreciate that the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objects and obtain the ends and advantages mentioned, as well as those inherent therein. The devices and the methods, procedures, treatments, and specific kits described herein are presently representative of preferred embodiments are exemplary and are not intended as limitations on the scope of the invention. Changes therein and other uses will occur to those skilled in the art which are encompassed within the spirit of the invention are defined by the scope of the claims. 
     It will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art that varying substitutions and modifications may be made to the invention disclosed herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. 
     All patents and publications mentioned in the specification are indicative of the levels of those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains. All patents and publications are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. 
     The invention illustratively described herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element or elements, limitation or limitations which is not specifically disclosed herein. Thus, for example, in each instance herein any of the terms “comprising”, “consisting essentially of” and “consisting of” may be replaced with either of the other two terms. The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention that in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed. Thus, it should be understood that although the present invention has been specifically disclosed by preferred embodiments and optional features, modification and variation of the concepts herein disclosed may be resorted to by those skilled in the art, and that such modifications and variations are considered to be within the scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims. 
     In addition, where features or aspects of the invention are described in terms of Markush groups, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention is also thereby described in terms of any individual member or subgroup of members of the Markush group. For example, if X is described as selected from the group consisting of bromine, chlorine, and iodine, claims for X being bromine and claims for X being bromine and chlorine are fully described. 
     Those references not previously incorporated herein by reference, including both patent and non-patent references, are expressly incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. Other embodiments are within the following claims.