Abstract:
A package containing contents for dispensing, the package includes a body having an outlet for permitting the contents to be dispensed; a dispensing mechanism having a first opening aligned with the outlet for permitting the dispensed contents to pass therethrough; and a disposable covering having a second opening in alignment with both the outlet and the first opening, wherein the disposable covering covers the dispensing mechanism and is discarded after use.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The invention relates generally to the field of packaging and, more particularly, to medical and consumer packaging which uses disposable coverings placed over fixed applicators for enhancing the effectiveness of dispensing medicines and other substances, improving cleanliness, and preventing cross contamination.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    In the treatment of a number of problems such as infections and cuts of the skin, along with more serious maladies such as infections of the ear and nose, various delivery methods are employed. Depending upon the medical effectiveness, sprays, viscous substances, and some tube dispensable fluids are employed as treatments. Since medical substances are usually packaged with considerably more than one dose within a container, repeated use of the medicine raises the possibility that infection can be transferred from one dispensing site to another. Additionally, the proliferation of diseases such as AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) and other infectious diseases has incited fear and anxiety in the public, and causes a reluctance within the public to share or otherwise contact appliances or substances which may have been casually contacted by others. Another example is the sharing of toothpaste between several people who are both ill and healthy. The sharing of the toothpaste could enhance the transfer of disease from the ill individuals to the healthy ones.  
           [0003]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,122 addresses some of the above concerns by disclosing a disposable nozzle for intranasal spray containers. This indeed takes a step in addressing the problem of cross-contamination and public fear, but does so at a significant cost. Precision nozzles must be discarded after each use of a medicine, adding to the increasing costs involved with health care.  
           [0004]    Therefore, a need exists for a novel and cost-effective method to dispense substances among a population of patients with a low cost and simple method to prevent the transfer of disease and the elimination of undue anxiety.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above. Briefly summarized, according to one aspect of the present invention, the invention resides in a package containing contents for dispensing, the package includes (a) a body having an outlet for permitting the contents to be dispensed; (b) a dispensing mechanism having a first opening aligned with the outlet for permitting the dispensed contents to pass therethrough; and (c) a disposable covering having a second opening in alignment with both the outlet and the first opening, wherein the disposable covering covers the dispensing mechanism and is discarded after use.  
           [0006]    These and other aspects, objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood and appreciated from a review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and appended claims, and by reference to the accompanying drawings.  
         ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECT OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The present invention has the advantage of preventing diseases from being transferred by providing disposable coverings, which prevents the contact of the infection from one site or individual to the medicine dispenser, and thus prevents contaminating another dispensing site or individual. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is a drawing detailing the dispensing of medicine into an eye;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 a  is a drawing detailing the dispensing of a consumer product such as toothpaste;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is a drawing detailing a covering showing the manual puncturing of the covering;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 a  is a drawing detailing that the tip of the covering having pre-punctured openings;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 b  is a drawing where the disposable covering has a chamfered tip;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 c  is a drawing of a covering whose opening is made by pre-scoring the tip of the covering, and removing the tip to produce an opening in the covering;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 is a drawing detailing a package where coverings are stored upon a dispensing mechanism;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 a  is a drawing detailing a package where,coverings are stored upon a dispensing mechanism, the mechanism being moveable for efficient placement;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is a drawing showing the coverings being supplied in strips where the strips are attached to the dispensing mechanism;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is a drawing showing the coverings being supplied as a stack of strips that are stacked in registration;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 is a drawing that has a plurality of stacked strips attached to a storage appendage;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 6 a  is a drawing where the stacked strips are housed within a separate container;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 6 b  is a drawing where the stacked strips are stored upon the dispenser body;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 7 is a drawing showing where the stacked strips and the dispenser are stored within the same package; and  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 8 is a drawing showing where the strips and body are packaged separately. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0023]    Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a drawing of a medical package application  10  of the present invention. The dispenser body  15  has an integral tip  20  with an opening  25  that allows the content  40 , which is eye medication, to be dispensed. The dispenser body  15  is aligned with the disposable covering  30  which itself has an integrated opening  35  that lay in direct alignment with the opening  25  of integral tip  20 . When the disposable covering  30  is applied over the integral tip  20  of dispenser body  15 , the opening  25  and the integrated opening  35  exist in direct alignment thus permitting the dispensing of content  40  into eye  45 . If more than one infected area needs to be medicated, disposable coverings  30  used after each application prevent cross-contamination. That is, after each application, the used disposable covering  30  is disposed of and a new disposable covering  30  is used.  
         [0024]    Referring now to FIG. 1 a,  there is shown a drawing of a consumer package application  50  of the present invention. The dispenser body  15  has an integral tip  20  with an opening  25  that allows the content  40 , which is toothpaste, to be dispensed. The dispenser body  15  is aligned with the disposable covering  30  which itself has an integrated opening  35  that lay in direct alignment with the opening  25  of integral tip  20 . When the disposable covering  30  is applied over the integral tip  20  of dispenser body  15 , the opening  25  and the integrated opening  35  exist in direct alignment thus permitting the dispensing of content  40  onto toothbrush  55 .  
         [0025]    In a typical household where medications and consumer items such as toothpaste are used interchangeably with multiple members of a household, serious cross-contamination issues are present. As disclosed previously, if disposable coverings are used to isolate germs from multiple individuals, transfer of disease is harder to occur and a much higher level of household hygiene is achieved.  
         [0026]    Referring now to FIGS.  2 - 2   c , there are shown four different embodiments detailing how the disposable coverings  30 , can have several different tip configurations. Referring to FIG. 2, disposable covering  30  can have an opening  60  manually punctured  65  by puncturing tool  70 . Referring next to FIG. 2 a , disposable covering  30  can have a pre-punctured opening  75 . Referring next to FIG. 2 b , disposable covering  30  can have a tip  80  weakened by a chamfer  85 , that facilitates removal of tip  80  that, when removed, will create an opening such as pre-punctured opening  75  from FIG. 2 a . Referring next to FIG. 2 c , disposable covering  30  includes a pre-scored portion  90  that facilitates the removal of tip  95  that, when removed, will also create an opening such as pre-punctured opening  75  from FIG. 2 a.    
         [0027]    Referring now to FIG. 3, dispenser body  15  has a fixed storage appendage  100  integral with dispenser body  15  for storage of disposable coverings  30 .  
         [0028]    Referring next to FIG. 3 a , dispenser body  15  has a bendable or movable storage appendage  105  integral with dispenser body  15  for storage of disposable coverings  30 , and may be bent in a plurality of directions for facilitating storage.  
         [0029]    Referring now to FIG. 4 , dispenser body  15  includes a strip  110  containing a plurality of disposable coverings  30 . This strip  110  is placed upon dispenser body  15  by any suitable means for efficient removal of disposable coverings  30 .  
         [0030]    Referring next to FIG. 5, a stack of strips  110  includes a plurality of disposable coverings  30 , shown in stacked registration  115 , as a method for providing multiples of disposable coverings  30 .  
         [0031]    Referring now to FIG. 6, there are shown two views of a flattened storage appendage  120  for use with strips  110  of either single disposition  121  or in stacked registration  115 , for storage and disposition of disposable coverings  30 .  
         [0032]    Referring next to FIG. 6 a , there is shown a dispenser body  15 , with disposable coverings  30  in stacked registration  115  shown being stored in a separate single storage container  125 .  
         [0033]    Referring next to FIG. 6 b , there is shown a dispenser body  15  with disposable coverings  30  shown in stacked registration  115 , and attached directly to dispenser body  15 .  
         [0034]    Referring now to FIG. 7, there is shown an embodiment where dispenser body  15  and a strip  110  of disposable coverings  30  (disposed in stacked registration  115 ) are packaged together in dual storage container  130 .  
         [0035]    Referring last to FIG. 8, there is shown an embodiment where the dispenser body  15  and the strip  110  of disposal coverings  30  (disposed in stacked registration  115 ) are packaged separately in single storage containers  125 .  
         [0036]    The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. However, it will be appreciated that variations and modifications can be effected by a person of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.  
         [0037]    Parts List  
         [0038]    [0038] 10  medical package application  
         [0039]    [0039] 15  dispenser body  
         [0040]    [0040] 20  integral tip  
         [0041]    [0041] 25  opening  
         [0042]    [0042] 30  disposable covering  
         [0043]    [0043] 35  integrated opening  
         [0044]    [0044] 40  content  
         [0045]    [0045] 45  eye  
         [0046]    [0046] 50  consumer package application  
         [0047]    [0047] 55  toothbrush  
         [0048]    [0048] 60  opening  
         [0049]    [0049] 65  manually punctured  
         [0050]    [0050] 70  puncturing tool  
         [0051]    [0051] 75  pre-punctured opening  
         [0052]    [0052] 80  tip  
         [0053]    [0053] 85  chamfer  
         [0054]    [0054] 90  pre-scored portion  
         [0055]    [0055] 95  tip  
         [0056]    [0056] 100  fixed storage appendage  
         [0057]    [0057] 105  bendable storage appendage  
         [0058]    [0058] 110  strip  
         [0059]    [0059] 115  stacked registration  
         [0060]    [0060] 120  flattened storage appendage  
         [0061]    [0061] 121  single disposition  
         [0062]    [0062] 125  single storage container  
         [0063]    [0063] 130  dual storage container