Patent Publication Number: US-2022236095-A1

Title: Measured fluid dispenser

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Non-provisional application Ser. No. 17/063,104 filed Oct. 5, 2020, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/911,608 filed Oct. 7, 2019. This application also claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/174,252 filed on Apr. 13, 2021, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/257,615 filed on Oct. 20, 2021. All of the foregoing applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates generally to fluid dispensers, and more particularly to a fluid dispenser for measuring and dispensing fluid contained in a container. 
     BACKGROUND 
     There exist many ways to measure fluid from a container. One such conventional way is by using a measuring cup including delineated markers along the side of the cup to visually indicate to a user how much fluid is contained therein and dispensed from a bottle. The delineations on measuring cups are often very small and integrally formed into the plastic, which may cause some users difficulty in visually seeing the demarcations on the cup, and which could result in an improper dosage of medicine, for example. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to at least one aspect of the present disclosure, a fluid dispenser is provided that is configured to measure and dispense a prescribed quantity of fluid from a container with improved accuracy and ease. 
     For example, according to an aspect, a fluid dispenser is provided that enables a user to selectively adjust a fillable volume of a fluid chamber of the dispenser for dispensing the preselected quantity of fluid. 
     According to another aspect, an adjustable measured fluid dispenser for dispensing fluid from a storage chamber of a storage container includes: a measurement chamber; at least one fluid flow passage configured to fluidly connect the measurement chamber with the storage chamber; at least one valve that is movable between a first position in which the at least one fluid flow passage is opened to permit fluid flow from the storage chamber to the measurement chamber, and a second position in which the at least one fluid flow passage is closed to prevent fluid flow between the measurement chamber and the storage chamber; wherein a fillable volume of the measurement chamber is adjustable to adjust an amount of fluid to be contained in the measurement chamber. 
     According to another aspect, a measured fluid dispenser for dispensing fluid from a storage chamber of a storage container includes: a measurement chamber; a fluid flow passage configured to fluidly connect the measurement chamber with the storage chamber; a valve that is movable between an open position in which the fluid flow passage is opened to permit fluid flow from the storage chamber to the measurement chamber, and a closed position in which the fluid flow passage is closed to prevent fluid flow between the measurement chamber and the storage chamber; wherein the valve is a rotating valve in which a first valve part includes a first portion of the fluid flow passage that is in fluid communication with the storage chamber, and in which a second valve part includes a second portion of the fluid flow passage that is in fluid communication with the measurement chamber; wherein the second valve part is rotatable relative to the first valve part, and/or wherein the first valve part is rotatable relative to the second valve part; wherein, when in the closed position, the first valve part and the second valve part are oriented relative to each other such that the first portion of the at least one fluid flow passage is misaligned with the second portion of the at least fluid flow passage; and wherein, when in an open position, the first valve part and the second part are oriented relative to each other such that the first portion of the at least one fluid flow passage is aligned with the second portion of the at least fluid flow passage. 
     According to another aspect, an adjustable measured fluid dispenser for dispensing fluid from a storage chamber of a storage container includes: a measurement chamber of a measurement container having a fillable volume; a divider configured to separate the measurement chamber from the storage chamber of the container; at least one fluid flow passage extending through the divider and being configured to fluidly connect the measurement chamber with the storage chamber of the container; at least one check valve configured to open the at least one fluid flow passage and permit fluid flow from the storage chamber to the measurement chamber, and configured to close the at least one fluid flow passage to prevent fluid flow between the measurement chamber and the storage chamber, the at least one check valve being configured to open at a predefined cracking pressure; and wherein the fillable volume of the measurement chamber is adjustable to adjust an amount of fluid to be contained in the measurement chamber. 
     According to another aspect, a measured fluid dispenser for dispensing fluid from a storage chamber of a storage container includes: a measurement chamber of a measurement container having a fillable volume; a cap operably couplable to the container, the cap at least partially forming a divider configured to separate the measurement chamber from the storage chamber of the container; a first flow passage and a second flow passage, each extending through the divider and being configured to fluidly connect the measurement chamber with the storage chamber of the container; a first check valve configured to open the first flow passage and permit liquid to flow in one direction from the storage chamber to the measurement chamber, and configured to close the first flow passage to prevent liquid flow between the measurement chamber and the storage chamber; a second check valve configured to open the second flow passage and permit air to flow in one direction from the measurement chamber to the storage chamber, and configured to close the second flow passage to prevent fluid flow between the measurement chamber and the storage chamber; wherein the first check valve is configured to open at a first predefined cracking pressure to permit liquid to flow through the first flow passage from the storage chamber of the container into the measurement chamber, and the second check valve is configured to open at a second predefined cracking pressure to permit air in the measurement chamber that is displaced by the liquid to escape from the measurement chamber into the storage chamber of the container; and wherein the second cracking pressure is lower than the first cracking pressure. 
     According to another aspect, an adjustable measured fluid dispenser for dispensing fluid from a storage chamber of a storage container includes: a measurement chamber of a measurement container having a fillable volume; a cap operably couplable to the container, the cap at least partially forming a divider configured to separate the measurement chamber from the storage chamber of the container, the measurement container being fluidly sealed to the cap with at least one seal; at least one fluid flow passage extending through the divider and being configured to fluidly connect the measurement chamber with the storage chamber of the container; and at least one valve configured to open the at least one fluid flow passage and permit fluid flow from the storage chamber to the measurement chamber, and configured to close the at least one fluid flow passage to prevent fluid flow between the measurement chamber and the storage chamber; the cap having one or more axially extending guide slots that slidably receive and guide corresponding one or more radially inwardly extending guide protrusions on an inner portion of the measurement container, such that the measurement container is slidably movable axially upwardly and downwardly relative to the cap to adjust the fillable volume of the measurement chamber, and one or more detents arranged at an interface between the cap and measurement container that are configured to indicate discrete graduated fillable volumes of the measurement chamber. 
     According to another aspect, a method of dispensing fluid from a measured fluid dispenser includes: adjusting the measurement chamber to a desired amount of fluid to be contained in the measurement chamber; turning the measured fluid dispenser upside-down; squeezing the storage container of the adjustable fluid dispenser until the measurement chamber is filled; and dispensing the fluid from the measurement container. The dispensing may include removing the filled measurement chamber from the adjustable fluid measured dispenser while the container is upside-down, or may include opening a closure of the measurement container to dispense the fluid. 
     The following description and the annexed drawings set forth certain illustrative embodiments of the invention. These embodiments are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed. Other objects, advantages and novel features according to aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The annexed drawings, which are not necessarily to scale, show various aspects of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective top view of an exemplary fluid dispenser and a container according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded side view of the fluid dispenser and container shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged exploded side view of the fluid dispenser shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional side view of the fluid dispenser. 
         FIG. 5  is a top perspective view of a portion of the fluid dispenser with the exemplary outer intermediate part and the exemplary measurement container removed. 
         FIG. 6  is a top perspective view of a portion of the fluid dispenser with the exemplary outer intermediate part shown and with the exemplary measurement container removed. 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom perspective view of an exemplary intermediate part of the fluid dispenser without the container and with the exemplary measurement container removed. 
         FIG. 8  is a top perspective view of the fluid dispenser and container shown with the exemplary measurement container adjusted to maximize the fillable volume of the measurement chamber. 
         FIG. 9  is a top perspective view of the fluid dispenser and container shown with the exemplary measurement container adjusted to minimize the fillable volume of the measurement chamber. 
         FIG. 10  is an enlarged side view of a portion of the fluid dispenser shown in  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 11  is a top perspective view of a portion of the fluid dispenser shown without the measurement container, and which shows an exemplary valve in a closed state. 
         FIG. 12  is a top perspective view of a portion of the fluid dispenser shown without the measurement container, and which shows the exemplary valve in an open state. 
         FIG. 13  is a top, right, front perspective view of another exemplary measured fluid dispenser and container according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 14  is front exploded view of the fluid dispenser in  FIG. 13 . 
         FIG. 15  is a right side exploded view of the fluid dispenser in  FIG. 13 . 
         FIG. 16  is a cross-sectional side view of the fluid dispenser in  FIG. 13  in an initial state showing two valves both in their closed states. 
         FIG. 17  is a cross-sectional side view of the fluid dispenser in  FIG. 13  in a filling state showing both valves in their open states. 
         FIG. 18  is a cross-sectional side view of the fluid dispenser in  FIG. 13  in an intermediate state in which one of the valves (e.g., air bleed valve) in an open state, and the other valve (e.g., liquid flow valve) in a closed state. 
         FIG. 19  is a cross-sectional side view of the fluid dispenser taken 90-degrees relative to the cross-sectional view in  FIG. 16 . 
         FIG. 20  is an enlarged view of a portion of the fluid dispenser shown in  FIG. 19 . 
         FIG. 21  is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the fluid dispenser in  FIG. 13 . 
         FIG. 22  is an enlarged perspective view of an inner portion of an exemplary measurement container of the dispenser in  FIG. 13 . 
         FIG. 23  is a top plan view of the fluid dispenser in  FIG. 13  showing an adjustment state in which the exemplary measurement container is deformed for adjustment. 
         FIGS. 24 and 25  show exemplary adjustments of a fillable volume of the measurement chamber of the fluid dispenser in  FIG. 13 . 
         FIG. 26  is a partially exploded perspective view of another exemplary measured fluid dispenser and container according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIGS. 27 and 28  show exemplary adjustments of a fillable volume of the measurement chamber of the fluid dispenser in  FIG. 26 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The principles and aspects of the present disclosure have particular application to fluid dispensers for use with liquid medications, and thus will be described below chiefly in this context. It is understood, however, that the principles and aspects of the present disclosure may be applicable for other applications for other types of fluids where it is desirable to measure and dispense a preselected quantity of fluid from a container with improved accuracy and ease. 
       FIGS. 1-12  show an exemplary fluid dispenser  10 , or components thereof, for measuring and dispensing fluid contained in a chamber  12  of a storage container  14 . As shown, the fluid dispenser  10  generally includes at least one internal measurement chamber  16  that defines a volume for measuring a preselected quantity of fluid. In exemplary embodiments, the dispenser  10  also includes an intermediate part  18 , or portion, at least some of which forms a divider  20  that fluidly separates the storage chamber  12  from the measurement chamber  16 . In the illustrated embodiment, at least one fluid flow passage  22  extends through the divider  18 , and at least one suitable valve  24  is provided which is operative to open or close the fluid flow passage(s)  22  to thereby permit or restrict fluid flow between the storage chamber  12  and the measurement chamber  16 , as described in further detail below. 
     The storage container  14  may be any suitable container or vessel, such as a bottle or the like, that is adapted to store a fluid, such as liquid medicine or the like. The storage container  14  may be made of a rigid or semi-rigid plastic that is difficult to squeeze by hand; or the storage container  14  may be made of flexible plastic that is easy to deform and squeeze by hand. In exemplary embodiments, the storage container  14  may be separate and discrete from the dispenser  10 , in which case the dispenser  10  may be operably couplable to, and removable from, the storage container  14 . In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the dispenser  10  is threadedly coupled to the storage container  14  via suitable threads, such as outer threads  26  of the storage container  14  and inner threads  27  of the dispenser  10 . Alternatively, at least a portion of the dispenser  10 , such as a portion of the intermediate part  18 , may be integral and unitary with the storage container  14 . 
     The internal measurement chamber  16  is formed by a measurement container  28  of the dispenser  10 , which may be any suitable container or vessel adapted to receive and contain a preselected quantity of fluid from the storage chamber  12  of the storage container  14 . The measurement container  28  and the measurement chamber  16  may have any suitable shape or form as may be desired for the particular application. In exemplary embodiments, the measurement container  28  is removably securable to the intermediate part  18  of the dispenser  10  to form a cap or other closure for enclosing the fillable volume of the measurement chamber  16 . Alternatively, the measurement container  28  may be fixedly secured or coupled to the intermediate portion  18 , and may include a spout, opening, or other dispensing device for enabling fluid to be dispensed therefrom. 
     In exemplary embodiments, the measurement chamber  16  is adjustable to vary the fillable volume of space within the measurement chamber  16 . In this manner, a user may measure and dispense a desired volume of fluid simply by pre-selectively adjusting the fillable volume of the measurement chamber  16  either before or during filling of the chamber with the fluid from the storage chamber  12  of the storage container  14 . The ability to adjust the fillable volume of the measurement chamber  16  in this way provides several advantages, such as greater number of discrete graduated volumes to choose from as the measurement chamber  16  is adjusted. In alternative embodiments, however, the measurement chamber  16  may be fixed in place to form one or more fixed volumes of space. For example, the measurement chamber  16  may be divided into two or more sub-chambers via divider wall(s), in which the sub-chambers may have different volumes of space. In such an alternative embodiment, the user may preselect a desired fixed volume via any suitable action, such as by operably activating one or more valves via one or more flow paths to thereby fill the selected fixed volume of space. 
     In exemplary embodiments, the measurement container  28  is formed as a dispensing cup, such as a cylindrical cup, having enclosed internal side(s)  30  and an enclosed internal bottom  31  (or top when viewed in  FIG. 3 or 4 ) that forms respective internal bounds of the fillable volume of the measurement chamber  16 . The measurement container  28 , or cup, forming the measurement chamber  16  may have an open top  32  (or bottom when viewed in  FIG. 3 or 4 ) that cooperates with the divider  20  and/or other portions of the intermediate part  18  to define the fillable volume of empty space in the measurement chamber  16 . For example, as shown in the illustrated embodiment, an upper surface  34  of the divider  20  facing the inside of the measurement chamber  16  may be received into the opening  32  of the measurement container  28  to thereby form an upper (or lower) bound of the fillable volume of the measurement chamber  16 . As shown, the divider  20  includes at least a portion of the fluid flow passage(s)  22  that fluidly connect the storage chamber  12  with the measurement chamber  16 . One or more inlets  22   a  (e.g., inlet ports) and outlets  22   b  (e.g., outlet ports) of the flow passage(s)  22  open through the divider  20  to enable flow in at least one direction from the storage chamber  12  to the measurement chamber  16 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the measurement chamber  16  is adjustable via adjustment of the measurement container  28  relative to other portions of the dispenser  10  to vary the fillable volume of space. The adjustment of the fillable volume of the measurement chamber  16  may be achieved in any suitable manner as would be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art. For example, the fillable volume of the measurement chamber  16  generally may be adjusted via a change in the spacing between one or more of the internal surfaces  30 ,  31  of the measurement container  28  relative to the one or more outlets  22   b  of the fluid flow passage(s)  22 . In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the measurement container  28  (e.g., cup or cap) is axially movable relative to the intermediate part  18  such that a spacing between the bottom internal surface  31  of the measurement container  28  and the fluid outlet(s)  22   b  can be adjusted thereby varying the fillable volume of the measurement chamber  16 . The operation of adjusting and removing the measurement container  28  shown in the illustrated embodiment will be described in further detail below. 
     The intermediate part  18  of the dispenser  10  generally is interposed between the storage chamber  14  and the measurement chamber  16  to form the divider  20  (e.g., divider wall(s) or other dividing surface(s)) that fluidly separates the chambers  14 ,  16 . In exemplary embodiments, the intermediate part  18  is an intermediate assembly that is formed of multiple components. For example, as shown in the illustrated embodiment, the intermediate part  18  is formed as an intermediate assembly including an internal (or lower) intermediate part  36  that operably couples to the storage container  14 , and an outer (or upper) intermediate part  38  that operably couples to the measurement container  28 . The outer (or upper) intermediate part  38  forms the upper portion of the divider  20 , and the inner (or lower) intermediate part  36  forms the lower portion of the divider. It is understood, however, that in alternative embodiments the intermediate part  18  may be a single part and/or may be formed integrally with the storage container  14  and/or the measurement container  28 . 
     The intermediate part  18  includes the one or more fluid flow passages  22  that establish fluid communication between the storage chamber  12  and the measurement chamber  14 . As such, the intermediate part also includes the respective inlet(s)  22   a  and outlet(s)  22   b  that correspond with the flow passages  22 . The fluid flow passages  22 , inlets  22   a , and outlets  22   b  may be provided in any suitable form, such as being integrally formed through the divider  20  of the intermediate part  18 , or being formed via separate pipes or conduits, for example. Any suitable number of fluid flow passages  22  may be provided in any suitable direction or combination of directions. In the illustrated embodiment, the dispenser  10  includes two fluid flow passages  22  that each extend axially with one side opening through the upper surface  34  of the outer intermediate part  38 , and with an opposite side of each passage  22  opening through a lower surface  35  of the inner intermediate part  36 . In exemplary embodiments, the full extent of the fluid flow passage(s)  22  between the respective inlet(s)  22   a  and outlet(s)  22   b  may be formed by aligning the openings in each of the inner and outer intermediate parts  36 ,  38 , as described in further detail below. 
     To provide sealing functionality between the container chamber  14  and measurement chamber  16 , the intermediate part  18  also may include one or more suitable seals. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, an O-ring seal  40  is disposed in a radial groove  41  of the intermediate part  18  to sealing engage with the inner side surface  30  of the measurement container  28 . Also as shown, the intermediate part  18  includes an O-ring seal  42  disposed in a circumferential groove  43  in an upper surface of the inner (or lower) intermediate part  36  for sealingly engaging a space between the outer and inner intermediate parts  36 ,  38 . In addition, the dispenser  10  may include a seal  44  between the inner intermediate part  36  and the storage container  14  for sealing a space therebetween. 
     As noted above, the dispenser  10  includes at least one suitable valve  24  that is operative to open the fluid flow passage(s)  22  to thereby permit fluid flow in at least one direction from the storage chamber  12  to the measurement chamber  16 , and to close the fluid flow passage(s)  22  to thereby restrict fluid flow between the storage chamber  12  and the measurement chamber  16 . The one or more valves  24  (also referred to herein as the valve  24  for simplicity) may be any suitable type of valve and may be located at any suitable location for providing such flow control functionality. The one or more valves  24  may be the same for each flow passage  22 , or the valves  24  may be different in each flow passage  22 . In exemplary embodiments, the valve  24  is actuatable by the user to actively open and actively close the valve  24 . Alternatively, the valve  24  may be actuatable by fluid pressure or spring pressure to provide opening and/or closing of the valve  24 . Exemplary types of valves that are suitable for use in the dispenser  10  include, but are not limited to, a check valve, a shut off valve, a flow control valve, or the like; such as a spring-operated ball check valve, a duck-bill check valve, a U-cup check valve or other lip check valve, a rotating disc valve, a spool valve, a gate valve, or any other suitable type of valve. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the valve  24  is a rotating valve  24 , such as a rotating disc or rotating plate valve. The rotating valve  24  may include a first valve part that is rotatable relative to a second valve part to open or close the fluid flow passage(s)  22 . As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the respective parts of the rotating valve  24  are formed by the divider disc or plate portions of the outer intermediate part  38  and inner intermediate part  36  being movable relative to each other. As noted above, these respective portions of the divider  20  formed by the inner and outer intermediate parts  36 ,  38  each include respective openings, or apertures, that define respective portions of the fluid flow passage(s)  22 . As best shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the openings in the inner (or lower) intermediate part  26  are indicated with reference numeral  22   a  (corresponding with inlets  22   a ) for simplicity, and the openings in the outer (or upper) intermediate part  28  are indicated with reference numeral  22   b  (corresponding with outlets  22   b ) for simplicity. As will be described in further detail below, the valve  24  is actuatable to open via movement of the respective inner or outer intermediate parts  36 ,  38  to align the respective openings  22   a ,  22   b  with each other to open the fluid passage(s)  22 , and the valve  24  is actuatable to close via movement of the intermediate parts  36 ,  38  to misalign the respective openings  22   a ,  22   b  to close the fluid passage(s)  22 . 
     An exemplary operation of the dispenser  10  will now be described. Referring initially to  FIGS. 8-10 , the measurement container  28  is secured to the intermediate part  18  of the dispenser, and a user may adjust the fillable volume of the measurement chamber  16  by moving the measurement container  28  along axis A relative to the intermediate part  18 . As shown in the comparison between  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9 , such axial movement causes the distance from the bottom internal surface  31  of the measurement container  28  to the upper surface  34  of the intermediate part  18  to increase or decrease to respectively increase or decrease the fillable volume of the measurement chamber  16 . In exemplary embodiments, the measurement container  28  is slidably movable relative to the intermediate part  18  while maintaining sealing engagement with the seal  40 . It is understood that such slidable movement to adjust the fillable volume of the measurement chamber  16  is exemplary, and other suitable forms of movement may be provided, such as threaded rotational and axial movement of the measurement container  28  relative to the intermediate part  18 , for example. However, such slidable movement may provide certain advantages in ease of adjustment, accuracy of adjustment, and manufacturability of the dispenser  10 , for example. 
     As shown, to facilitate slidable movement of the measurement container  28 , the intermediate part  18  may include one or more axial guides  46 , such as rails, that cooperate with one or more respective guide slots  48  in the measurement container  28 . The cooperation of the guides  46  with the guide slots  48  also constrains rotational movement of the measurement container  28  with the outer intermediate part  38 . This can help to enable opening and closing of the rotating valve  24  (described in further detail below) by co-rotating the measurement container  28  with the outer intermediate part  38 . 
     To facilitate accurate adjustment of the fillable volume of the measurement chamber  16 , the measurement container  28  and/or guides  46  may include a series of detents  50  or other catch mechanism indicating discrete intervals of the fillable volume in the measurement chamber  16 . In the illustrated embodiment, for example, an outer surface of the measurement container  28  includes a series of axially spaced apart ridges and grooves (e.g., teeth, also referenced with  50 ) that cooperate with a hook  52 , or pin, on the guide  46  to indicate each axial adjustment of a predefined amount. The guide  46  in the illustrated embodiment includes a flexure, or flexible finger element, that enables movement of the hook  52  in an out of the series of teeth  50 . In exemplary embodiments, each detent  50  (e.g., tooth) corresponds with a fillable volume increase or decrease of an amount in the range between 1 m L to 5 mL, for example. In the illustrated embodiment, each detent  50  corresponds to a 1 mL increase or decrease of the fillable volume of fluid. This enables the user to easily preselect the fillable volume of the measurement chamber  16  to measure and dispense the desired amount of fluid. In exemplary embodiments, the total fillable volume of fluid in the measurement chamber  16  may be in the range from 5 mL to 30 mL, for example. 
     Referring now particularly to  FIGS. 11 and 12 , actuation of the valve  24  to open or close the fluid flow passage(s)  22  will now be described. Before or after turning the storage container  14  upside down to fill the measurement container  16 , the valve  24  is actuated open by the user. As discussed above, the valve  24  in the illustrated embodiment is a rotating valve formed by respective divider portions of the outer (or upper) intermediate part  38  and inner (or lower) intermediate part  36  cooperating with each other through alignment or misalignment of the respective openings  22   a ,  22   b  to respectively open or close the valve  24 . Accordingly, to actuate the valve  24  to open (as shown in  FIG. 12 ), the user rotates the outer intermediate part  38  by a predefined amount (e.g., 45-degrees) relative to the stationary inner intermediate part  36  to align the openings  22   a ,  22   b  in each of the inner and outer intermediate parts  36 ,  38  to thereby open the flow passage  22  between the storage chamber  12  and the measurement chamber  16 . Because the measurement container  28  is fixed relative to the outer intermediate part  38  via the guides  46  interlocking with guide slots  48 , the user may actuate the valve  24  by applying rotational torque to the measurement container  28  which rotates the valve  24 . 
     To enhance user interaction with actuating the valve  24 , the valve  24  may include one or more stops for indicating the fully opened and fully closed positions. For example, referring particularly to  FIG. 7 , the illustrated embodiment shows the inner intermediate part  36  having a first radially protruding rib  54  that is configured to engage a first stop surface  56  of the outer intermediate part  38  when the valve  24  is rotated to its fully-closed position ( FIG. 11 ). The inner intermediate part  36  also includes a second radially protruding rib  58  that is circumferentially offset from the first radially protruding rib  54  that is configured to engage a second stop surface  60  of the outer intermediate part  38  when the valve is rotated to its fully-open position ( FIG. 12 ). 
     Also to enhance user interaction with actuating the valve  24  and ensuring that the valve is closed to prevent leakage, the valve  24  may include one or more locking features for locking the valve in the closed position. For example, still referring to  FIG. 7 , an exemplary locking mechanism  62  is shown for locking the valve  24  in the closed position (e.g., when the openings  22   a ,  22   b  are rotationally misaligned). As shown, the locking mechanism  62  may be formed by an interlocking interface between the inner intermediate part  36  and the outer intermediate part  38  when the valve  24  is closed. The interlocking interface may include a detent or catch. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the interlocking interface is formed by an axially extending protrusion  64  of the inner intermediate part  36  having at least one inclined surface that interfaces against a corresponding inclined surface of an axially extending notch  66 , or groove, in a portion of the outer intermediate part  38  when the valve  24  is in its closed position. The portion of the outer intermediate part  38  having the notch  66  which interacts with the protrusion  64  is formed as a circumferentially extending rim or collar portion  68  that is resilient and applies an axial biasing force to bias the protrusion  64  into the notch  66 . 
     When the user rotates the valve  24  from closed toward open, the user applies sufficient rotational force that is exerted against the inclined interlocking interface and causes the collar portion  68  to flex downward when the biasing force from the collar portion is overcome. When the protrusion  64  clears the notch  66 , the valve  24  is free to rotate to the open position, which serves as an indication to the user that the valve  24  is unlocked. When the user rotates the valve  24  from the open position to the closed position, the opposite inclined surface of the protrusion  64  interfaces against the collar portion  68  to urge the collar portion downwardly, and when the protrusion  64  reaches the notch  66  the collar portion  68  snaps into interlocking engagement to lock the valve  24  in the closed position. In this manner, the locking mechanism  62  provides a resilient snap together locking mechanism. In the illustrated embodiment, two such locking mechanisms  62  are provided, which are offset 180-degrees from each other about the intermediate part  18 . It is understood that the valve  24  may include fewer or greater such locking mechanisms  62 , or even a different type of locking mechanism. It also is understood that although the inner intermediate part  36  is shown having the protrusion  64  and the outer intermediate part  38  has the notch  66 , these could be reversed for one or more of the locking mechanisms  62 . 
     Because the measurement chamber  16  is fluidly sealed, to facilitate fluid flow from the storage chamber  12  to the measurement container  16  when the valve is opened and the storage container  14  is flipped upside down, the dispenser  10  may include one or more pressure equalization features. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the dispenser  10  includes a pressure equalization tube  70  that enables the air pocket in the measurement chamber  16  to fluidly communicate with the air space at the top (when upside down) of the storage chamber  12 . As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , for example, the tube  70  may be inserted through or fluidly coupled to openings  72   a ,  72   b  (collectively referred to as  72 ) in the respective divider portions of the inner and outer intermediate parts  36 ,  38 . This allows the air in the measurement chamber  16  to be purged to the storage chamber  12  so that the entire preselected fillable volume of the measurement chamber  16  may be filled, thereby ensuring an accurate preselected dose. 
     Also because the measurement chamber  16  is fluidly sealed, the dispenser  10  may include one or more vent features to facilitate adjustment of the measurement chamber  16 . For example, to facilitate adjustment of the fillable volume of the measurement chamber  16  without the buildup of suction or pressure, the dispenser  10  includes one or more vent passages  74  that fluidly communicate air in the measurement chamber  16  with the air in the storage chamber  12  when the measurement container  28  is adjusted up or down. In exemplary embodiments, the vent passage(s)  74  cooperate with the valve  24 , such that when the valve  24  is actuated to its closed position, the vent passage(s)  74  are opened, and when the valve  24  is actuated to its opened position, the vent passage(s)  74  are closed. In the illustrated embodiment, the vent passage(s)  74  are formed via small vent apertures  74   a ,  74   b  ( FIGS. 5 and 6 ) in each of the divider portions of the inner and outer intermediate parts  36 ,  38  that align with each other when opened and are misaligned when closed, similarly to the openings  22   a ,  22   b  for fluid flow passages  22 . In exemplary embodiments, the vent passage(s)  74  are sized sufficiently large enough to allow airflow therethrough, but are sized sufficiently small to prevent or restrict fluid flow (e.g., based on viscosity) when the valve  24  is closed. 
     When the measurement chamber  16  has been completely filled with fluid to the preselected volume, the user may then actuate the valve  24  to its closed position, thereby preventing leakage from the storage container  14  when the measurement container  28  (e.g., cap) is removed. 
     With the storage container  14  still turned upside down and the valve  24  closed, the user may remove the measurement container  28  from the dispenser  10 . In the illustrated embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the guides  38  include hooks  78  at their ends (e.g., lower ends when upside down) that engage respective catches or lips  80  on the measurement container  28  that prevents the measurement container  28  from being accidentally removed. To remove the measurement container  28 , the user squeezes the flexible guides  46  toward each other, releasing the hooks  78  from the lips  80 . The measurement container  28  can then be removed. 
     The lock/release mechanism provided by the hook-and-lip interface of the flexible guides  46  and measurement container  28  may serve as a first childproof feature of the dispenser  10 . The dispenser  10  also may include one or more additional childproof features. For example, the flexible collar portions  68  of the outer intermediate part  38  each may include a boss  82  that axially constrains the inner and outer intermediate parts  36 ,  38  together so that they are prevented from accidentally being disassembled from each other. In addition, between the inner intermediate part  36  and the storage container  14 , there may be a squeeze-and-turn safety mechanism to prevent accidental removal of the intermediate part  18  from the storage container  14 . 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 13-25 , another exemplary embodiment of a measured fluid dispenser  110  is shown. The fluid dispenser  110  is similar to the above-referenced fluid dispenser  10 , and thus the foregoing description of the dispenser  10  may be equally applicable to the fluid dispenser  110  except as noted below. Moreover, it is understood that that aspects of the fluid dispensers  10 ,  110  may be substituted for one another or used in conjunction with one another where applicable. 
     As shown, the fluid dispenser  110  generally includes at least one internal measurement chamber  116  that defines a fillable volume for measuring a preselected quantity of fluid. The dispenser  110  also includes a divider  122  that fluidly separates a storage chamber  112  of a container  114  from the measurement chamber  116 . At least one fluid flow passage  120  extends through the divider  122 , and at least one suitable valve  124  is provided which is operative to open or close the fluid flow passage(s)  120  to thereby permit or restrict fluid flow between the storage chamber  112  and the measurement chamber  116 . 
     The storage container  114  may be any suitable container or vessel, such as a bottle or the like, that is adapted to store a fluid, such as liquid medicine or the like. The storage container  114  may be made of flexible plastic that is easy to deform and squeeze by hand. In exemplary embodiments, the storage container  114  may be separate and discrete from the dispenser  110 , in which case the dispenser  110  may be operably couplable to, and removable from, the storage container  114 . In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the dispenser  110  is threadedly coupled to the storage container  114  via suitable threads, such as outer threads  126  of the storage container  114  and inner threads  127  of the dispenser  110 . In exemplary embodiments, the dispenser  110  is coupled to the container  114  with an intermediate part that forms at least a portion of the divider  122 . The intermediate part (also referenced with  122 ) may thus form a closure for the opening in the container  114 , such as being a cap, plug or other the like. Alternatively, at least a portion of the dispenser  110 , such as a portion of an intermediate part forming at least a portion of the divider  122 , may be integral and unitary with the storage container  114 . 
     As shown, the measurement chamber  116  is at least partially formed by internal surfaces of a measurement container  118  of the dispenser  110 . The measurement container  118  may be any suitable container or vessel adapted to receive and contain a preselected quantity of fluid from the storage chamber  112  of the storage container  114 . The measurement container  118  and the measurement chamber  116  may have any suitable shape or form as may be desired for the particular application. In exemplary embodiments, the measurement container  118  is removably securable to, and removable from, the intermediate part with divider  122  and/or the container  114 . For example, the measurement container  118  may in the form of a removable dispensing cup, such as a cylindrical cup with open top. Alternatively or additionally, the measurement container  118  may have a cap, lid or other closure that is openable for opening a spout or other opening of the measurement container  118  for dispensing fluid from the measurement chamber  116 . 
     To provide sealing functionality between the container chamber  114  and measurement chamber  116 , the divider or intermediate part  122  may include one or more suitable seals. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, a gasket or O-ring seal  140  is disposed in a groove of the intermediate part  122  to sealing engage with a portion of the container  114 , such as an upper edge of the container spout, for example. In addition, to seal the measurement chamber  116  from the external environment and prevent leakage, the divider or intermediate part  122  also may include a suitable seal, such as a U-cup seal or O-ring seal  142  disposed in a groove of the intermediate part  122  (shown as a U-cup in  FIG. 16  and an O-ring in  FIG. 19 ). The O-ring may provide for a simpler construction, and the U-cup seal may be self-pressurizable to enhance sealing when fluid is in the measurement container  116  or so that it has less friction during adjustment of the measurement container  118  (described below). 
     As noted above, the dispenser  110  includes at least one suitable valve  124  that is operative to open the fluid flow passage(s)  120  to thereby permit fluid flow in at least one direction from the storage chamber  112  to the measurement chamber  116 , and to close the fluid flow passage(s)  122  to thereby restrict fluid flow between the storage chamber  112  and the measurement chamber  116 . The one or more valves  124  may be any suitable type of valve and may be located at any suitable location for providing such flow control functionality. The one or more valves  124  may be the same for each flow passage  122 , or the valves  124  may be different in each flow passage  122 . In exemplary embodiments, the valve  124  is self-actuatable by fluid pressure to provide opening and/or closing of the valve  124 . Alternatively, the valve  124  may be actuatable by a user or with the assistance of spring pressure to provide opening and/or closing of the valve  124 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the one or more valves  124  include one or more one-way check valves  124 . The check valves  124  may be any suitable type of check valve, such as umbrella valves, swing check valves, lift check valves, stop-check valves, or the like. In exemplary embodiments, the check valve(s)  124  is a one-piece elastomeric valve, such as an umbrella valve, duckbill valve, U-cup valve, or similar type lip check valve. As shown in the illustrated embodiment, for example, two valves  124   a  and  124   b  are provided, each of which is in the form of an umbrella valve. The umbrella valves are elastomeric one-way, one-piece valves that have a diaphragm shaped sealing disk, which seals against the divider  122  in the illustrated embodiment to prevent backflow, and which can separate from the divider  122  to provide flow in one-direction. The convex diaphragm of the umbrella valve flattens out against the valve seat (divider  122 ) and absorbs a certain amount of seat irregularities and creates a certain sealing force. Like other check valves, the umbrella valve has a predefined cracking pressure, which is the input pressure level at which the flow is present, and can be described as a measure of the pressure differential between the input and output sides of the check valve when flow is initially present. With respect to the umbrella valve, it will allow forward flow when the fluid pressure at the input side generates enough force to lift the diaphragm from the seat so that it will permits flow at a predetermined pressure in one way and prevents backflow in the opposite way. Such a valve provides a simplified design of the assembly and makes the valve adaptable to minimal space, reduces the number of pieces in a valve, and simplifies assembly. Moreover, because of the sealability against the divider  112  the umbrella valve may provide a better seal. 
     As shown, the exemplary fluid dispenser  110  includes at least two check valves  124   a  and  124   b  respectively disposed in at least two fluid passages  120   a ,  120   b , and which are provided for different functions. The first check valve  124   a  is arranged such that its input side is exposed to fluid pressure from the storage chamber  112  and its output side is exposed to fluid pressure in the measurement chamber  116 , and so the first check valve  124   a  is configured to permit fluid (e.g., liquid) to flow in one direction through the first fluid flow passage  120   a  from the storage chamber  112  into the measurement chamber  116  when the check valve  124   a  is opened at its predefined cracking pressure. The second check valve  124   b  (also referred to as an air bleed valve) is arranged oppositely with its input side is exposed to fluid pressure from the measurement chamber  116  and its output side exposed to fluid pressure in the storage chamber  112  so as to permit fluid (e.g., air) to flow in one direction through the second fluid flow passage  120   b  from the measurement chamber  116  into the storage chamber  112  when the check valve  124   b  is opened at its predefined cracking pressure. 
     Because of the differences in the function of the check valves  124   a ,  124   b  and flow passages  120   a ,  120   b , the check valves (e.g., respective cracking pressures) and the flow passages (e.g., size of flow passages) may be configured differently from each other. For example, the first and second check valves  124   a ,  124   b  may be respectively configured such that the first cracking pressure is different from the second cracking pressure, so that the first and second check valves are activated to open or close at different times when the dispenser is in use. For example, the second check valve  124   b  serving as an air bleed valve may have a lower predefined cracking pressure than the cracking pressure of the first check valve  124   a , which may permit the second check valve  124   b  (air bleed) to remain open longer than the first check valve  124   a . Likewise, the second (air bleed) passage  120   b  may be sized smaller than the first (liquid flow) passage  120   a , for example. 
     With particular reference to  FIG. 16-18 , an exemplary operation of filling the measurement chamber  116  will now be discussed. 
       FIG. 16  shows the dispenser in an exemplary initial state in which the two check valves  124   a ,  124   b  are both closed. The user will flip the assembly of the container  114  and dispenser  110  upside-down. This will create a head pressure of the liquid at the input side of the first check valve  124   a . In exemplary embodiments, the head pressure  124   a  is not sufficient to meet or exceed the predefined cracking pressure of the first valve  124   a , which is at least partially based upon a pressure differential of the pressure at the input side (liquid) exceeding the fluid pressure at the output side (air) by a predefined amount. As such, the user (or other mechanism) compresses the bottle with a compression force (such as by squeezing) which increases the pressure in the storage container  112  by a sufficient amount to meet or exceed the predefined crack pressure at which point the first check valve  124   a  opens the flow passage  120   a  for the liquid to fill the measurement chamber  116 . It is noted that the crack pressure of the first check valve  124   a  may selected as desired based upon the volumes and pressures involved, or could be adapted to open based on head pressure without squeezing. 
     As the first check valve  124   a  is opened and liquid enters the measurement chamber  116 , the volume of air in the measurement chamber  116  reduces thus increasing the pressure in the measurement chamber  116 . At a certain point as the air volume reduces and the air pressure in the measurement chamber  116  continues to increase and is communicated to the input side of the second check valve  124   b , the pressure differential from the input side (measurement chamber  116 ) to the output side (storage chamber  112 ) of the second valve  124   b  meets its cracking pressure so that the second fluid passage  120   b  is opened and allows the air to escape from the measurement chamber  116  to the top of the storage container  112 . This state is shown in  FIG. 17  in which both valves  124   a  and  124   b  are open. 
     When the compression force (squeezing) is released while the container is still turned upside-down, the pressure in the storage container  112  falls below the predefined cracking pressure so that the first check valve  124   a  closes the first flow passage  120   a  and no more liquid flows into the measurement chamber  116 . Because the cracking pressure of the second check valve  124   b  may be set lower than the cracking pressure of the first check valve  124   a , this allows the second check valve  124   b  (air bleed) to remain open for a period of time, as shown in  FIG. 18 , and then close. 
     In exemplary embodiments, the first and/or second check valve  124   a ,  124   b  may have a cracking pressure in a range from 1 kPa to 10 kPa, more particularly 1 kPa to 5 kPa, more particularly about 2 kPa, such as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 kPa. As noted above, the second check valve  124   b  may have a lower cracking pressure than the first check valve  124   a.    
     It is noted that the exemplary fluid dispenser  110  may operate without a pressure equalization tube interconnecting the air space at the top of the storage container  112  (when upside down) and measurement chamber  116 . In the illustrated embodiment, this is not needed because the compression (e.g., squeezing) force on the bottle overcomes the vacuum effect created between the two chambers  112 ,  116 . However, if such compression (e.g., squeezing) is not desired, or for other suitable reasons, then the dispenser  110  may include a pressure equalization tube (see e.g.,  70  above). It is also understood that the dispenser  110  may include one or more other pressure equalization or vent features as may be desired, including vent passages, bleed valves, or the like which may communicate with the external environment, for example. 
     Turning now particularly to  FIGS. 19-25 , in exemplary embodiments, the dispenser  110  includes one or more features that enable the measurement chamber  116  to be adjustable to vary the fillable volume of space within the measurement chamber  116 . Generally, the fillable volume of the measurement chamber  116  is at least partially defined by internal surfaces of the measurement container  118 , and at least one internal surface of the measurement container is movable relative to the outlet of flow passage  120   a  and/or the divider  122  to adjust the fillable volume of the measurement chamber. In this manner, a user may measure and dispense a desired volume of fluid simply by pre-selectively adjusting the fillable volume of the measurement chamber  116  either before or during filling of the chamber with the fluid from the storage chamber  112  of the storage container  114 . The ability to adjust the fillable volume of the measurement chamber  116  in this way provides several advantages, such as greater number of discrete graduated volumes to choose from as the measurement chamber  116  is adjusted. In alternative embodiments, however, the measurement chamber  116  may be fixed in place to form one or more fixed volumes of space. For example, the measurement chamber  116  may be divided into two or more sub-chambers via divider wall(s), in which the sub-chambers may have different volumes of space. In such an alternative embodiment, the user may preselect a desired fixed volume via any suitable action, such as by operably activating one or more valves via one or more flow paths to thereby fill the selected fixed volume of space. Alternatively, the dispenser  110  could be provided in a kit with a set of different size measurement containers  118  to provide adjustability of a fillable volume. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, referring to  FIGS. 24 and 25 , a bottom surface  154  of the measurement container  118  is axially movable toward or away from the upper surface  156  of the divider to adjust the fillable volume of the measurement chamber  116 . As noted above, the measurement chamber  116  may be sealed with a suitable seal  142 , which may cause sliding friction as the measurement container  118  is adjusted. Moreover, the seal may cause vacuum pressure in the internal measurement chamber  116 . Thus, in exemplary embodiments, the measurement container  118  includes at least one part  130  this is configured to flex in response to an input force from a user to thereby deform the measurement container and release the seal  142  that seals the measurement chamber  116 . In the illustrated embodiment, the flexible part  130  is aligned with indented or cutout portions  131  ( FIGS. 14 and 15 ) of the intermediate part  122  to allow sufficient deformation of the measurement container  118  in response to input force (e.g., oblong deformation as shown with the dotted line in  FIG. 23 ). These flexible portions may have ridges or other grips as tactile locators of where to squeeze. 
     To properly orient and guide the measurement container  118  relative to the intermediate part/divider  122 , or for other suitable reasons, the intermediate part  122  may include more axially extending guide slots  180  ( FIG. 21 ) that slidably receive corresponding one or more guide protrusions  182  ( FIG. 22 ) of the measurement container  118 , such that the measurement container is slidably movable axially relative to the intermediate part to adjust the fillable volume of the measurement chamber  116 . As shown, one or more detents, such as teeth  184 , are arranged at an interface between the measurement container  118  and intermediate part  122  that are configured to indicate discrete graduated fillable volumes of the measurement chamber  116 . In exemplary embodiments, both the measurement chamber  118  and intermediate part  122  have corresponding intermeshing teeth  184   a ,  184   b  ( FIGS. 20-22 ). The axial spacing between the teeth  184   a ,  184   b  corresponds with an increase or decrease in the fillable volume of the measurement chamber, such as in the range from 1 mL to 5 mL or more. 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 26-28 , another exemplary embodiment of a measured fluid dispenser  210  is shown. The fluid dispenser  210  is similar to the above-referenced fluid dispenser  110 , and thus the same reference numerals except in the 200-series are used to connote the same or similar structures between the dispensers  110 ,  210 . In addition, the foregoing description of the dispenser  110  is equally applicable to the fluid dispenser  110  except as noted below. Moreover, it is understood that that aspects of the fluid dispensers  10 ,  110 ,  210  may be substituted for one another or used in conjunction with one another where applicable. 
     Similarly to the dispensers  10 ,  110 , the fluid dispenser  210  generally includes at least one internal measurement chamber  216  that defines a fillable volume for measuring a preselected quantity of fluid. The dispenser  210  also includes a divider  222  that fluidly separates a storage chamber  212  of a container  214  from the measurement chamber  216 . At least one fluid flow passage  220  extends through the divider  222 , and at least one suitable valve  224  is provided which is operative to open or close the fluid flow passage(s)  220  to thereby permit or restrict fluid flow between the storage chamber  212  and the measurement chamber  216 . Like dispenser  110 , the dispenser  210  may include two flow passages with corresponding two check valves  214   a ,  214   b  which may provide different functionality including liquid flow and air bleed as described above. Similar features of the divider  122  which may at least partially be formed by intermediate part (also  122 ) also are provided as divider/intermediate part  222 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the measurement container  214  includes at least one dividing wall  267  that divides the measurement chamber into at least two measurement chamber regions  216   a ,  216   b  having differently sized fillable volumes. The volumes may be any suitable volume, such as in the range from 1 mL to 20 mL. In the illustrated embodiment, the fillable volume of chamber  216   a  is 10 mL and the fillable volume of chamber  216   b  is 5 m L. The fillable volume is adjustable by selecting one of the at least two measurement chamber regions  216   a ,  216   b  and arranging the selected chamber region relative to the divider/intermediate part  222  such that an outlet of the at least one fluid flow passage with at least one valve  224   a  opens into the selected chamber region. This is shown in  FIG. 27  where the smaller 5 mL chamber  216   b  is chosen, or in  FIG. 28  where the larger 10 mL chamber  216   a  is chosen. As shown, both valves  224   a ,  224   b  are on the side of the selected chamber region  216   a  or  216   b . The valves  224   a ,  224   b  may be umbrella valves that operate the same as the umbrella valves  124   a ,  124   b  described above. The divider  222  may include a groove or other feature that enables improved sealability with the dividing wall  267  to prevent leakage between chambers  216   a ,  216   b.    
     Exemplary measured fluid dispensers for dispensing fluid from a storage container has been shown and described herein. Generally, the measured fluid dispenser includes a measurement chamber, a fluid flow passage fluidly connecting the measurement chamber with the storage container, and a valve that is movable between an open position in which the fluid flow passage is opened to permit fluid flow from the storage chamber to the measurement chamber, and a closed position in which the fluid flow passage is closed to prevent fluid flow between the measurement chamber and the storage chamber. The measurement chamber may be adjustable to vary a fillable volume of the measurement chamber to thereby preselect an amount of fluid to be dispensed. 
     While one or more preferred forms of the exemplary fluid dispenser has/have been described above, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that other fluid dispenser designs could also be used. For example, other suitable forms of the measurement container, measurement chamber(s), fluid flow passage(s), valve(s), etc., and/or the interaction thereof are possible, as would be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art. For example, the above-described adjustable measurement container (and corresponding components with which the measurement container interacts) could be used with the dispenser(s) shown and described in International Application No. PCT/US2019/026554 filed Apr. 9, 2019, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Likewise, one or more of the valve mechanism(s) (and other suitable features) from PCT/US2019/026554 could be used in the above-described dispenser. 
     According to an aspect, a fluid dispenser is provided that is configured to measure and dispense a prescribed quantity of fluid from a container with improved accuracy and ease. 
     According to another aspect, a fluid dispenser is provided that enables a user to selectively adjust a fillable volume of a fluid chamber of the dispenser for dispensing the preselected quantity of fluid. 
     According to an aspect, an adjustable measured fluid dispenser for dispensing fluid from a storage chamber of a storage container includes: a measurement chamber; at least one fluid flow passage configured to fluidly connect the measurement chamber with the storage chamber; at least one valve that is movable between a first position in which the at least one fluid flow passage is opened to permit fluid flow from the storage chamber to the measurement chamber, and a second position in which the at least one fluid flow passage is closed to prevent fluid flow between the measurement chamber and the storage chamber; wherein a fillable volume of the measurement chamber is adjustable to adjust an amount of fluid to be contained in the measurement chamber. 
     Embodiments may include one or more of the following additional features, separately or in any combination. 
     In some embodiments, the adjustable measured fluid dispenser further includes a divider that separates the measurement chamber from the storage chamber, the divider having at least one outlet of the at least one fluid flow passage that opens into the measurement chamber. 
     In some embodiments, the measurement chamber is at least partially formed by internal surfaces of a measurement container, wherein a bottom internal surface of the measurement container is movable relative to the outlet and/or the divider to adjust the fillable volume of the measurement chamber. 
     In some embodiments, the measurement container is axially movable relative to the outlet and/or the divider to adjust the fillable volume of the measurement chamber. 
     In some embodiments, the divider is formed by an intermediate part of the dispenser, the intermediate part having one or more axially extending guides that are slidably received by corresponding one or more guide slots in the measurement container, such that the measurement container is slidably movable axially relative to the intermediate part to adjust the fillable volume of the measurement chamber. 
     In some embodiments, the one or more axially extending guides are flexibly movable and include a hook that engages with respective detents on the measurement container to indicate discrete graduated fillable volumes of the measurement chamber. 
     In some embodiments, the respective detents are formed by axially spaced apart teeth, and wherein the axial spacing between the teeth corresponds with an increase or decrease in the fillable volume of the measurement chamber in the range from 1 mL to 5 mL. 
     In some embodiments, the adjustable measured fluid dispenser further includes an intermediate part having a divider that separates the measurement chamber from the storage chamber, the divider having at least one outlet of the at least one fluid flow passage that opens into the measurement chamber. 
     In some embodiments, the measurement chamber is at least partially formed by internal surfaces of a measurement cup, the measurement cup being securably couplable to and removable from the intermediate part. 
     In some embodiments, the intermediate part includes at least one flexure that is engageable with at least one catch of the measurement cup to restrict removal of the measurement cup, and wherein the at least one flexure is movable by a user to release from the at least one catch thereby enabling removal of the measurement cup from the intermediate part. 
     In some embodiments, the measurement cup is axially movable relative to the intermediate part for adjusting the fillable volume of the measurement chamber. 
     In some embodiments, the at least one flexure of the intermediate part forms at least one axially extending guide that is slidably engageable with the measurement cup to guide axial movement of the measurement cup relative to the intermediate part. 
     In some embodiments, the adjustable measured fluid dispenser further includes an intermediate part having a divider that separates the measurement chamber from the storage chamber, the divider having the at least one fluid flow passage with a first port opening into the measurement chamber and a second port opening into the storage chamber. 
     In some embodiments, the intermediate part includes or at least partially forms the at least one valve. 
     In some embodiments, the at least valve is a lip check valve, a rotating disc valve, a spool valve, or a gate valve. 
     In some embodiments, the at least one valve is a rotating valve in which a first valve part includes a first portion of the at least one fluid flow passage that opens into the storage chamber, and in which a second valve part includes a second portion of the at least one fluid flow passage that opens into the measurement chamber. 
     In some embodiments, the second valve part is rotatable relative to the first valve part, and/or wherein the first valve part is rotatable relative to the second valve part. 
     In some embodiments, when in a closed state, the first valve part and the second valve part are oriented relative to each other such that the first portion of the at least one fluid flow passage is misaligned with the second portion of the at least fluid flow passage. 
     In some embodiments, when in an open state, the first valve part and the second part are oriented relative to each other such that the first portion of the at least one fluid flow passage is aligned with the second portion of the at least fluid flow passage. 
     In some embodiments, the first valve part and the second valve part together form at least a portion of a divider of an intermediate part of the dispenser. 
     In some embodiments, the measurement chamber is at least partially formed by a measurement container, the measurement container being movable relative to the intermediate part to selectively adjust the fillable volume of the measurement chamber, and wherein the measurement container is securably couplable to and removable from the intermediate part. 
     In some embodiments, the rotating valve includes a first stop that restricts further rotational movement of the first valve part and/or the second valve part beyond the first position, and includes a second stop circumferentially spaced from the first stop, the second stop restricting further rotational movement of the first valve part and/or the second valve part beyond the second position. 
     In some embodiments, the rotating valve includes a lock mechanism including a detent that locks the rotating valve when in the closed state. 
     In some embodiments, the detent includes a tapered interface between the first valve part and the second valve part that enables a user to unlock the rotating valve with a rotational force. 
     In some embodiments, the adjustable measured fluid dispenser further includes a pressure equalization tube having a first opening in fluid communication with air inside the storage chamber, and a second opening in fluid communication with the measurement chamber. 
     In some embodiments, the measurement chamber is sealed from an external environment, and wherein a divider between the measurement chamber and the storage container includes one or more vent passages that facilitate adjustment of the fillable volume of the measurement chamber. 
     According to another aspect, a measured fluid dispenser for dispensing fluid from a storage chamber of a storage container includes: a measurement chamber; a fluid flow passage configured to fluidly connect the measurement chamber with the storage chamber; a valve that is movable between an open position in which the fluid flow passage is opened to permit fluid flow from the storage chamber to the measurement chamber, and a closed position in which the fluid flow passage is closed to prevent fluid flow between the measurement chamber and the storage chamber; wherein the valve is a rotating valve in which a first valve part includes a first portion of the fluid flow passage that is in fluid communication with the storage chamber, and in which a second valve part includes a second portion of the fluid flow passage that is in fluid communication with the measurement chamber; wherein the second valve part is rotatable relative to the first valve part, and/or wherein the first valve part is rotatable relative to the second valve part; wherein, when in the closed position, the first valve part and the second valve part are oriented relative to each other such that the first portion of the at least one fluid flow passage is misaligned with the second portion of the at least fluid flow passage; and wherein, when in an open position, the first valve part and the second part are oriented relative to each other such that the first portion of the at least one fluid flow passage is aligned with the second portion of the at least fluid flow passage. 
     Embodiments may include one or more of the foregoing additional features and/or one or more of the following additional features, separately or in any combination. 
     In some embodiments, the first valve part and the second valve part together form at least a portion of a divider that separates the measurement chamber from the storage chamber. 
     In some embodiments, the measurement chamber is at least partially formed by internal surfaces of a measurement container and a surface of the divider. 
     In some embodiments, the measurement container is movable relative to the divider to selectively adjust a fillable volume of the measurement chamber to preselect an amount of fluid to be contained in the measurement chamber. 
     According to another aspect, an adjustable measured fluid dispenser for dispensing fluid from a storage chamber of a storage container includes: a measurement chamber of a measurement container having a fillable volume; a divider configured to separate the measurement chamber from the storage chamber of the container; at least one fluid flow passage extending through the divider and being configured to fluidly connect the measurement chamber with the storage chamber of the container; at least one check valve configured to open the at least one fluid flow passage and permit fluid flow from the storage chamber to the measurement chamber, and configured to close the at least one fluid flow passage to prevent fluid flow between the measurement chamber and the storage chamber, the at least one check valve being configured to open at a predefined cracking pressure; and wherein the fillable volume of the measurement chamber is adjustable to adjust an amount of fluid to be contained in the measurement chamber. 
     According to another aspect, a measured fluid dispenser for dispensing fluid from a storage chamber of a storage container includes: a measurement chamber of a measurement container having a fillable volume; a cap operably couplable to the container, the cap at least partially forming a divider configured to separate the measurement chamber from the storage chamber of the container; a first flow passage and a second flow passage, each extending through the divider and being configured to fluidly connect the measurement chamber with the storage chamber of the container; a first check valve configured to open the first flow passage and permit liquid to flow in one direction from the storage chamber to the measurement chamber, and configured to close the first flow passage to prevent liquid flow between the measurement chamber and the storage chamber; a second check valve configured to open the second flow passage and permit air to flow in one direction from the measurement chamber to the storage chamber, and configured to close the second flow passage to prevent fluid flow between the measurement chamber and the storage chamber; wherein the first check valve is configured to open at a first predefined cracking pressure to permit liquid to flow through the first flow passage from the storage chamber of the container into the measurement chamber, and the second check valve is configured to open at a second predefined cracking pressure to permit air in the measurement chamber that is displaced by the liquid to escape from the measurement chamber into the storage chamber of the container; and wherein the second cracking pressure is lower than the first cracking pressure. 
     According to another aspect, an adjustable measured fluid dispenser for dispensing fluid from a storage chamber of a storage container includes: a measurement chamber of a measurement container having a fillable volume; a cap operably couplable to the container, the cap at least partially forming a divider configured to separate the measurement chamber from the storage chamber of the container, the measurement container being fluidly sealed to the cap with at least one seal; at least one fluid flow passage extending through the divider and being configured to fluidly connect the measurement chamber with the storage chamber of the container; and at least one valve configured to open the at least one fluid flow passage and permit fluid flow from the storage chamber to the measurement chamber, and configured to close the at least one fluid flow passage to prevent fluid flow between the measurement chamber and the storage chamber; the cap having one or more axially extending guide slots that slidably receive and guide corresponding one or more radially inwardly extending guide protrusions on an inner portion of the measurement container, such that the measurement container is slidably movable axially upwardly and downwardly relative to the cap to adjust the fillable volume of the measurement chamber, and one or more detents arranged at an interface between the cap and measurement container that are configured to indicate discrete graduated fillable volumes of the measurement chamber. 
     According to another aspect, a method of dispensing fluid from a measured fluid dispenser includes: adjusting the measurement chamber to a desired amount of fluid to be contained in the measurement chamber; turning the measured fluid dispenser upside-down; squeezing the storage container of the adjustable fluid dispenser until the measurement chamber is filled; and dispensing the fluid from the measurement container. The dispensing may include removing the filled measurement chamber from the adjustable fluid measured dispenser while the container is upside-down, or may include opening a closure of the measurement container to dispense the fluid. 
     Embodiment(s) of the invention may include one or more features of the foregoing aspects, separately or in any suitable combination, which may be combined with one or more of the following additional features, which may be included separately or in any suitable combination. 
     In some embodiments, the at least one fluid flow passage includes a first fluid flow passage, the dispenser further comprising a second fluid flow passage extending through the divider and being configured to fluidly connect the measurement chamber with the storage chamber of the container. 
     In some embodiments, the dispenser is configured to permit liquid to flow through the first fluid flow passage from the storage chamber of the container into the measurement chamber in response to opening of the at least one check valve, and is configured to permit air in the measurement chamber that is displaced by the liquid to escape from the measurement chamber into the storage chamber of the container via the second fluid flow passage. 
     In some embodiments, the at least one check valve includes a first check valve, the at least one fluid flow passage includes a first fluid flow passage, and the predefined cracking pressure is a first predefined cracking pressure. 
     In some embodiments, the dispenser further comprising a second fluid flow passage extending through the divider and being configured to fluidly connect the measurement chamber with the storage chamber of the container, and further comprising a second check valve configured to open or close the second fluid flow passage, the second check valve being configured to open at a second predefined cracking pressure. 
     In some embodiments, the first check valve being configured to open at the first cracking pressure to permit liquid to flow through the first fluid flow passage from the storage chamber of the container into the measurement chamber. 
     In some embodiments, the second check valve being configured to open at the second cracking pressure to permit air in the measurement chamber that is displaced by the liquid to escape from the measurement chamber into the storage chamber of the container. 
     In some embodiments, the first and second check valves are respectively configured such that the first cracking pressure is different from the second cracking pressure, so that the first and second check valves are activated to open or close at different times when the dispenser is in use. 
     In some embodiments, the first and second check valves are respectively configured such that the second cracking pressure is lower than the first cracking pressure. 
     In some embodiments, the first and/or second check valve is a one-piece elastomeric valve. 
     In some embodiments, the first and/or second check valve is an umbrella valve having a sealing disc that seals against the divider to close the respective first and/or second fluid flow passage, and in which the sealing disc separates from the divider to open the respective first and/or second fluid flow passage. 
     In some embodiments, the measurement chamber is sealed from an environment external to the assembly. 
     In some embodiments, an input side of the at least one check valve is exposed to fluid pressure from the storage chamber of the container, and an output side of the at least one check valve is exposed fluid pressure from the measurement chamber, wherein the predefined crack pressure is at least partially based upon a pressure differential at the input side relative to the output side, in which the at least one check valve is configured to open when the fluid pressure in the storage container exceeds the fluid pressure in the measurement chamber by a predefined amount. 
     In some embodiments, the at least one check valve is configured to open when the container is turned upside-down and compressed with a compression force to thereby increase the fluid pressure in the storage container to meet or exceed the predefined crack pressure, and is configured to close at least when the compression force is released while the container is still turned upside-down. 
     In some embodiments, the predefined crack pressure for the first and/or second check valve is in a range from 1 kPa to 10 kPa, more particularly 1 kPa to 5 kPa, more particularly about 2 kPa, such as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 kPa. 
     In some embodiments, the divider has at least one outlet of the at least one fluid flow passage that opens into the measurement chamber. 
     In some embodiments, the fillable volume of the measurement chamber is at least partially defined by internal surfaces of the measurement container, wherein at least one internal surface of the measurement container is movable relative to the outlet and/or the divider to adjust the fillable volume of the measurement chamber. 
     In some embodiments, a bottom surface of the measurement container is axially movable toward or away from the outlet and/or the divider to adjust the fillable volume of the measurement chamber. 
     In some embodiments, the measurement container is a measurement cup that is securably couplable to and removable from the divider and/or container. 
     In some embodiments, the divider is at least partially formed by an intermediate part of the dispenser, the intermediate part being in the form of a cap that is threadable to the container to cover an opening of the container. 
     In some embodiments, the divider is at least partially formed by an intermediate part of the dispenser, the intermediate part having one or more axially extending guide slots that slidably receive corresponding one or more guide protrusions of the measurement container, such that the measurement container is slidably movable axially relative to the intermediate part to adjust the fillable volume of the measurement chamber. 
     In some embodiments, the intermediate part and/or the measurement container includes detents that are arranged to indicate discrete graduated fillable volume of the measurement chamber. 
     In some embodiments, the respective detents are formed by axially spaced apart teeth, and wherein the axial spacing between the teeth corresponds with an increase or decrease in the fillable volume of the measurement chamber in the range from 1 mL to 5 mL. 
     In some embodiments, the measurement container includes at least one part this is configured to flex in response to an input force from a user to thereby deform the measurement container and release at least one of: a detent, a catch, a locking mechanism, or a seal that seals the measurement chamber. 
     In some embodiments, the measurement container includes at least one dividing wall that divides the measurement chamber into at least two measurement chamber regions having differently sized fillable volumes. 
     In some embodiments, the fillable volume is adjustable by selecting one of the at least two measurement chamber regions and arranging the selected chamber region relative to the divider such that an outlet of the at least one fluid flow passage opens into the selected chamber region. 
     In the discussion above, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “top”, “bottom,” “end,” “inner,” “left,” “right,” “above,” “below,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” etc. refer to the measured fluid dispenser as viewed in a horizontal position, as shown in  FIG. 1 , for example. Such relative positional terms as used in this disclosure are understood to refer to an arbitrary frame of reference, rather than to the ordinary gravitational frame of reference. Thus, a top surface, a bottom surface, a front surface, and a rear surface may extend upwardly, downwardly, diagonally, or horizontally in a gravitational frame of reference. 
     As used herein, an “operable connection,” or a connection by which entities are “operably connected,” is one in which the entities are connected in such a way that the entities may perform as intended. An operable connection may be a direct connection or an indirect connection in which an intermediate entity or entities cooperate or otherwise are part of the connection or are in between the operably connected entities. An operable connection or coupling may include the entities being integral and unitary with each other. 
     It is to be understood that all ranges and ratio limits disclosed in the specification and claims may be combined in any manner. It is to be understood that unless specifically stated otherwise, references to “a,” “an,” and/or “the” may include one or more than one, and that reference to an item in the singular may also include the item in the plural. 
     The phrase “and/or” should be understood to mean “either or both” of the elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases. Other elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified by the “and/or” clause, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified unless clearly indicated to the contrary. Thus, as a non-limiting example, a reference to “A and/or B,” when used in conjunction with open-ended language such as “comprising” can refer, in one embodiment, to A without B (optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to B without A (optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to both A and B (optionally including other elements); etc. 
     The word “or” should be understood to have the same meaning as “and/or” as defined above. For example, when separating items in a list, “or” or “and/or” shall be interpreted as being inclusive, i.e., the inclusion of at least one, but also including more than one, of a number or list of elements, and, optionally, additional unlisted items. Only terms clearly indicated to the contrary, such as “only one of” or “exactly one of,” may refer to the inclusion of exactly one element of a number or list of elements. In general, the term “or” as used herein shall only be interpreted as indicating exclusive alternatives (i.e. “one or the other but not both”) when preceded by terms of exclusivity, such as “either,” “one of,” “only one of,” or “exactly one of.” 
     The phrase “at least one,” in reference to a list of one or more elements, should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more of the elements in the list of elements, but not necessarily including at least one of each and every element specifically listed within the list of elements and not excluding any combinations of elements in the list of elements. This definition also allows that elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified within the list of elements to which the phrase “at least one” refers, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, “at least one of A and B” (or, equivalently, “at least one of A or B,” or, equivalently “at least one of A and/or B”) can refer, in one embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, with no B present (and optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, B, with no A present (and optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, and at least one, optionally including more than one, B (and optionally including other elements); etc. 
     The transitional words or phrases, such as “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” “holding,” and the like, are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. 
     Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to a certain embodiment or embodiments, it is obvious that equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of this specification and the annexed drawings. In particular regard to the various functions performed by the above described elements (components, assemblies, devices, compositions, etc.), the terms (including a reference to a “means”) used to describe such elements are intended to correspond, unless otherwise indicated, to any element which performs the specified function of the described element (i.e., that is functionally equivalent), even though not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure which performs the function in the herein illustrated exemplary embodiment or embodiments of the invention. In addition, while a particular feature of the invention may have been described above with respect to only one or more of several illustrated embodiments, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of the other embodiments, as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application.