Patent Publication Number: US-2004040985-A1

Title: Medicament dispensing container closure assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] The container-closure assembly of the present invention is particularly adapted for dispensing medications taken orally, such as children&#39;s liquid baby aspirin. These assemblies comprise a container for the liquid medicament and a dispensing assembly comprising an elongated hollow tubular member having a discharge opening at one end and mounting a squeezable bulb at the opposite end. By this arrangement. By this arrangement a quantity of the medicament can be drawn into the dispensing member and discharged into the child&#39;s mouth very easily.  
       [0002] The container-closure assembly of the present invention is characterized by novel features of construction and arrangement including a novel container base which incorporates a downwardly dished conical bottom wall and a series of downwardly projecting protrusions defining pads or feet that project below a plane through the peak of the downwardly indented bottom wall so that the container can be supported in an upright position on a support surface, such as the shelf of a medicine cabinet. The dispensing member is aligned generally with the central portion of the conical bottom wall so that substantially all of the medicament product can be withdrawn and thereby minimize waste of expensive medications and the like.  
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
     [0003]FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a medicament dispensing container closure assembly;  
     [0004]FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the assembly;  
     [0005]FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the container;  
     [0006]FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the container as viewed along lines  4 - 4  of FIG. 3;  
     [0007]FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on lines  5 - 5  of FIG. 1;  
     [0008]FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view similar to FIG. 5 showing the medicament being completely drawn into the dispensing element; and  
     [0009]FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the portion circled in FIG. 6 identified by the numerals  7 .  
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
     [0010] Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIGS.  1 - 4  thereof, there is shown a medicament dispensing assembly in accordance with the present invention generally designated by the number  10 . The assembly as illustrated comprises a container  12  which may be blow molded to the shape shown of a suitable plastic material comprising an enlarged generally cylindrical body portion  14  having a reduced neck portion  16  with external spiral threads  18  to accommodate a cap  20  having a skirt  23  for holding the medicament dispensing member in the position shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The cap  20  compromise a top  21  having a skirt  23 .  
     [0011] The dispensing element comprises an elongated hollow tubular member  30  having a discharge opening  32  at its outer terminal end and a squeeze bulb  36  at its opposite end engaging through an opening  25  in the top of the cap  20 . The bulb  36  has a radially outwardly projecting flange  37  which is pressed against the axial end face  39  of the container neck  16  to seal the assembly. An overcap  40  engages over the inner cap  20  in the manner shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The overcap  40  and main cap  20  are provided with interengaging lugs and ribs whereby rotation of the overcap in one direction seats cap  20  on the container and rotation in the opposite direction removes the cap.  
     [0012] The container  12  has a series of nub-like projections  42  in its base  44  so that the container  12  can be seated on a flat surface. The base or bottom wall  44  of the container  12  as illustrated is of dished shape so that the dispensing element  30  engages at the lowest point to thereby permit withdrawal of substantially all of the medicament contents in the container.  
     [0013] Specifically as illustrated in FIG. 7, the downwardly dished bottom wall  44  is of generally conical shape wherein the central lowest point  46  of the bottom wall lies above a plane P-P through the lowest point  42   a  of the pads or feet  42  and transverse to the longitudinal axis A-A of the container to support the container-closure assembly in an upright position on a support surface, such as the shelf of a medicine cabinet or the like. The web-like projections or protrusions  42  are formed integrally with the base at a series of circumferentially equi-spaced locations as illustrated in FIG. 4 adjacent the side wall ( 14   a ).  
     [0014] Even though a particular embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described herein, changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the following claims.